Windows: Two versions of Signal Desktop shown in installed apps

[Trojgarb]

Bug Description

Hello, on the list of installed programms in Windows I have two versions of Signal Desktop listed. There is version 1.27.3 (size on disk is 241 MB) I use regularly and another one, 1.26.2, which uses 238 MB. I tried to use some of the popular uninstallers (Revo, IObit) to get more info where version 1.26.2 is installed, but none of them found Signal Desktop installed on my computer at all. I don't want to uninstall it, because I am afraid to lose data. Version 1.27.3 is installed in C:\Users[...]\AppData\Local\Programs\signal-desktop. Will it be safe to uninstall older version?

Platform Info

Signal Version: 1.27.3 Operating System: Win 8.1 64

[scottnonnenberg-signal]

Hm. Seems like uninstalling that 1.26.2 is not a good idea. On Windows, an uninstall will take all of your messages and contacts off of the machine as well.

[scottnonnenberg-signal]

What else do you see in C:\Users[...]\AppData\Local\Programs by the way?

[Trojgarb]

An empty folder named 'Common' and 'signal-desktop' folder that takes 241 MB.

[tom-73bw]

Same for Win 10 1903. There is version 1.27.4 (size on disk is 241 MB) and another one, 1.26.2, which uses 238 MB.

[ProactiveServices]

On both of my Windows 7 machines, there is a registry key for the 1.26 version 7d96caee-06e6-597c-9f2f-c7bb2e0948b4 (note: the key is NOT enclosed in curly braces {}) under HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall and HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software.

The current 1.28 version is listed with the same GUID under the Uninstall key, but with curly braces.

Exporting and then removing the key without braces from the above paths has removed the duplicate Add/Remove Programs entry. Don't modify the registry unless you know what you're doing.

[ssmendon]

Same issue. I tried uninstalling the newer version of Signal that I had (with the intent of doing a full re-install to fix whatever issue this was).

However, I couldn't find the registry key 7d96caee-06e6-597c-9f2f-c7bb2e0948b4 under either

• HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall
• HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software

I searched for it and discovered another entry in (with the XXX's corresponding to my account ID)

• HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-21-XXX\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall

which resolved the erroneous entry.

[scottnonnenberg-signal]

@ssmendon How long have you had Signal Desktop installed? Or, how many versions have you upgraded through? Just trying to narrow down when this might have happened.

[ssmendon]

@scottnonnenberg-signal Not sure, honestly. I've had it for a few years, and I've occasionally reinstalled it throughout that time.

[TomasTokaMrazek]

@scottnonnenberg-signal Same issue, installed for a year.

[Trojgarb]

The same. The list of installed programs again shows two versions of Signal (1.31.0 and 1.32.2).

[tom-73bw]

The same: Win 10 Pro 1909 18363.657

[nanowinner]

Hello all, I too experience this:

I am using Windows 10, version 1909 (OS Build 18363.720)

[ssmendon]

Same issue with me. I used the "fix" of deleting the outdated registry key as described in my previous comment.

[kai2s]

Hello,

I have the same issue in Windows 10, version 2004.

Two Signal versions installed: 1.31.0 and 1.36.1

[danielniccoli]

Same issue

[indutny-signal]

@danielniccoli sorry about that. Can you uninstall 1.31.0?

[danielniccoli]

I already tried that. I uninstalled 1.31.0 and this also uninstalled Signal 5.x without asking, which made me lose all my messages and data. When I installed the 5.x again, 1.31.0 showed up again.

I'm not keen on trying this again, before I know a way to make a backup.