I recently had to uninstall and then reinstall and had similar problems to some of those posted here. It took me a few minutes to find the problem, so i thought i would post the simple solution here in a separate thread. Hope this is ok mods?... just trying to help! 
Problem...
Can't install game or run patches?
Can't uninstall?
Error messages such as catastrophic failure in the above?
The problem is simply a couple of files still in your registry which are giving the install programs bad info. They need to be removed.
Solution...
Download the freeware/shareware program REGCLEANER. On the first page called SOFTWARE after you start it, you'll see the relevant PARADOX files listed. Simply click their boxes and run removed selected. They will be stored in the backups incase theres a problem. Exit Regcleaner and now have another go at you install/patch/uninistall. They should work just fine.
Link to get regcleaner...
http://www.majorgeeks.com/download460.html
If you get probs running regcleaner itself (sometimes it hangs), simply use task manager to close it and then run it again!
Good luck
Gary
Problem...
Can't install game or run patches?
Can't uninstall?
Error messages such as catastrophic failure in the above?
The problem is simply a couple of files still in your registry which are giving the install programs bad info. They need to be removed.
Solution...
Download the freeware/shareware program REGCLEANER. On the first page called SOFTWARE after you start it, you'll see the relevant PARADOX files listed. Simply click their boxes and run removed selected. They will be stored in the backups incase theres a problem. Exit Regcleaner and now have another go at you install/patch/uninistall. They should work just fine.
Link to get regcleaner...
http://www.majorgeeks.com/download460.html
If you get probs running regcleaner itself (sometimes it hangs), simply use task manager to close it and then run it again!
Good luck
Gary
