Autodesk AutoCAD 2010 is Already Installed| Problem Re-installing AutoCAD 2010| Solution

After facing some of the troubles and uninstalling the AutoDesk AutoCAD 2010, when you try to re-install the AutoCAD, you may often have to go through this problem. This is actually the problem which remained after  uninstalling the AutoCAD. Before trying to provide the solution, I would like to suggest to clean up your computer system using some clean up tools such as Windows Installer Clean UP Utility, CCleaner etc. after you uninstall a software.

In this case, please check the following areas in the registry [how to go to registry] and remove the keys, after backing up the registry (optional):

1.  Case where an aborted attempt to install the product and the reinstall attempt is blocked saying that the product is already installed. Browse to the following locations in the registry:

• HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Installer\Products
• HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Curr?entVersion\Installer\UserData\S-1-5-18\Products
• HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Curr?entVersion\Uninstall

I usually search for the product name string in these locations and remove any keys from the GUID level.    Backup the registry first, of course, prior to any editing. This is the standard solution.

2. If the install log shows that the install initialization is detecting the existence of a .mst file and cannot proceed because the .mst file is not found in the path listed, then look in the first key above for the string of the .mst file name and delete that key from the GUID level.

3. If the log fails due to the custom action, CheckForACADExistance, then browse to the INSTALLDIR, usually C:\Program Files\<Product Name> and remove the <Product Name> directory.

Then, launch the install again.