I downloaded and installed the latest RDTabs today. Unfortunately it still hasn't fixed my problem (see my other posts), but it has given me a new problem! After finding the new version hadn't fixed my problem I uninstalled it and tried to re-install version 1.14 (the only version that will work on my PC).....however, it won't install - I keep getting an error message "cannot install because a newer version is installed"....even though I had aklready uninstalled it through the Control Panel. Now I don't have an uninstall icon for RDTabs in the Control Panel and I can't install the only version I know will work on my PC! How can I manually remove RDTabs?

Well that totally sucks! The problem you are having is related to the Microsoft Installer service (msiexec) and it sounds like the rd tabs entries didn't get all their registry settings cleared out when the MSI uninstalled itself, so you have some residual setting saying "2.1" is installed when it isn't actually installed. there's a microsoft app that cleans up your registry for this very problem. See this KB for more information: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/290301 

Alternatively, for the brave, you can use regedit, search for "RD Tabs" and basically delete anything remotely associated with RD Tabs. But I recommend the clean-up utility first!

You know, I have to say, the perponderance of the evidence here (to borrow a legal term) is pointing to a corrupt OS installation. The MSI service is not uninstalling 2.x ontop of the 2.x versions have disappearing controls. Did you ever try the installation on other PCs to see if the original problem still is happening? Any other apps causing weirdness?

Corrupt OS - almost definitely! This is a work PC, and as such runs a multitude of scanners, sniffers, management doodads etc etc. The amount of stuff that's been on this machine, and then gone (and then come back again....then gone again...!) is incredible. It's nearly at the end of it's 3 year lifecycle, and I'm just hanging out for a new machine in the next few weeks. No doubt that will solve things.

I haven't tried RDTabs on another machine yet, but I think it will run OK. I just need to get back to 1.14 for the moment. I tried the Installer Cleanup thing - it didn't even show RDTabs in it's list. I did a quick registry search yesterday (but not exhaustive), and it looked like RDTabs only appeared on MRU lists. I'll try a more detailed search today, and maybe some sort of registry repairer.

Now I'm really getting curious. If I try to install 1.14 it says 'sorry, an older version is installed'. If I try to install 2.12 it says 'the configuration data is corrupt yada yada yada". I have run a registry cleaner and risked system breakdown by deleting anything even vaguely possibly not needed, and I've run a registry scan and can't find RDTabs anywhere. How does 1.14 know there is a later version installed? Particularly given that that later version isn't installed?

I have to be honest: I have no idea how that magic works. 🙂 The RD Tabs installer uses the Visual Studio Setup project which has a checkbox "automatically upgrade older versions" that I check "yes." LOL. Sorry to disappoint. I've never run into an MSI installer crapping out on version upgrades where the registry clean-up didn't fix it. You have got one really messed up machine!

Here's the good news. RD Tabs is relatively "portable" as long as the libraries are registered correctly. Here's how you do it.

1. Install RD Tabs on a machine that isn't completely corrupted. :-)
2. Copy the *entire* %programfiles%\Avian Waves\RD Tabs folder structure to the target machine.
3. Open a command prompt and change to the %programfiles%\Avian Waves\RD Tabs folder on the target machine.
4. type "regsvr32 mstscax.dll"
5. If it says "DLL Successfully registered" or whatever, you are probably good to go. Try running the rdtabs.exe file.

If you ever uninstall RD Tabs, run the regtsax.exe file before deleting the folder, since the automatic uninstaller won't be available. This restores Windows to the pre-RD Tabs state, where the built-in (non-rd tabs) "mstscax.dll" is correctly re-registered. If it says "Nothing happens" then you need to type "regtsax.exe register" -- i can't remember whether version 1.1.4 had the extra bit of protection requiring a command line arg.

Thanks Timothy. I did as suggested and now 1.14 is working, I also tried version 2 on another PC and it worked fine. Now, armed with this extra knowledge I might try to get version 2 onto my machine using the above method!