Significance of installsheildapplicationupdate.exe in C:/programfiles

3

I deleted a folder called installshieldappupdate (don't remember the name exactly) from C:/programfiles (I don't remember if it was x86 one or not) which only contained a small exe file which didn't seem so important, because it would eat up my data in the background, and when I connect my laptop to my mobile hotspot it can be an real inconvenience because I have limited data. But after deleting it, when I use my mobile hotspot I can't connect to any client based apps anymore, like discord or steam which both get stuck at checking for updates screen in the beginning. However on the same network, browsers like firefox work fine, and discord web also works. At this point I thought this app is kind of important, I wanted to get the old app back because I want my discord and steam apps to work and I also want online games to load up , so I went on google and tried to reinstall it, but all I found was a flexera software which looks completely unrelated to the file I had earlier and doesn't work like the previous one. Can anyone help me recover the file, or get some other solution perhaps? Is it even possible to recover this file? Would I have to reinstall windows to recover it? sigh

PS: I use mobile data because my locality doesn't have a fibre line yet unfortunately. Also, I use windows 10.

LiqSnk

Posted 2019-09-29T16:41:11.170

Reputation: 33

1I never heard of such software, maybe the name you gave is not precise. Look for it in the Recycle Bin. – harrymc – 2019-09-29T17:24:16.887

I deleted it permanently unfortunately. The name I saw on the task manager of this app was Install Shield Application Update. – LiqSnk – 2019-09-29T17:35:25.397

1Installshield is a common installation packager. But the bigger question is why you deleted a folder you didn't understand. Files and folders exist for a reason. It might be a bad one, but it's a reason. Knowing the reason is critical before you delete. – music2myear – 2019-10-01T03:49:17.757

I agree it was my fault. I mentioned in the post why I deleted the folder. It had only one file, that too an exe file, and the program kept sucking my mobile data for no apparent reason. – LiqSnk – 2019-10-02T04:43:53.497

Answers

2

(The Recycle Bin is there for a purpose.)

The InstallShield Application Update Service is a system service, not an application.

When you have installed a program that is packaged using InstallShield, the InstallShield installer also installs this system service (if instructed). The purpose of this software is to monitor when program updates are available for the installed programs. It notifies you when they are available, and can download and install the updates for you.

Evidently, the programs that stall, Discord or Steam or others, were packaged using InstallShield and check for available updates when starting. However, they get stuck because this service is now badly installed: It is marked as installed, but the executable is missing.

I suggest that you reinstall one of the problematic programs. This might also reinstall the InstallShield Application Update Service, so this program and the others can use it again.

harrymc

Posted 2019-09-29T16:41:11.170

Reputation: 306 093

Thank you. I'll try that out asap – LiqSnk – 2019-09-29T18:18:47.990

Hey! Sorry for the late response. I tried reinstalling both discord and steam but it still gets stuck at the updating.. screen. Also, the InstallShield update service did not install with both of these apps. Interestingly, when I use the Psiphon VPN on L2TP/IPSec mode, both apps work normally, and this is how I installed both of them since normally it wouldn't let me update and hence install these apps. This is really confusing. I don't know whats the problem. I think its worth mentioning that I did all this using a wifi hotspot from my phone. (I used my phones mobile data). – LiqSnk – 2019-10-05T10:01:14.413

1It might not be getting re-installed because it is marked as already installed. I suggest to uninstall it from Programs and Features, then reinstall the programs. – harrymc – 2019-10-05T10:06:53.737

Thats what I did before – LiqSnk – 2019-10-05T10:10:42.870

I also tried running both of the newly installed apps as administrator. Didn't work – LiqSnk – 2019-10-05T10:11:56.543

1You Uninstalled InstallShield Application Update Service? – harrymc – 2019-10-05T10:21:32.487

No, I uninstalled discord and steam. Do you mean uninstall the update service first? If yes, where to find it? I can't find it on programs and features – LiqSnk – 2019-10-05T10:25:54.043

1

Try to use the procedure in this article for one or more of these installations.

– harrymc – 2019-10-05T10:47:03.270

Ok I tried for both. It just creates a replica of the already installed apps. I think I'll have to download the program in that article to use this method. Or it also could be that both discord and steam didn't contain the update service to begin with. – LiqSnk – 2019-10-05T11:13:29.607

1The program in that article is your installation program called with an argument that causes the InstallShield installer to unpack it, making it possible to execute the InstallShield installer manually (if it is there). – harrymc – 2019-10-05T16:48:19.187

Sorry for the late response. I tried doing that for both discord and steam, doing the cmd thing, but nothing changed. It still gets stuck at the beginning. – LiqSnk – 2019-10-25T13:02:34.250

I also tried searching AdminStudio to maybe apply this method with this app, but downloading it is too much of a hassle. – LiqSnk – 2019-10-25T13:03:52.500

for instance, discord gets stuck like this forever

– LiqSnk – 2019-10-25T13:08:16.750

Asked: 2019-09-29T16:41:11.170

Viewed: 48 times

Active: 2019-09-29T17:54:48.410