This is an error that causes an uninstall of WinFax PRO to fail.  This file is an uninstallation log file that is generated by a third party installation tool called Install Shield. Its automatically generated when you first installed WinFax PRO, so you won’t find this file on the WinFax PRO installation CD ROM. This log file contains all the information and settings that the uninstall program requires to remove WinFax, such as the program folder locations and features that you added or removed during the install process.

The problem is if you don’t have this file, or it is bad/corrupt, you won’t be able to successfully uninstall WinFax PRO.  The uninstall halts, and you can’t continue. You’re left with WinFax that may be partially installed.

Possible Solutions:

If you have an installation of WinFax on another working computer, you could copy the WFXUNIST.ISU to the computer where the problem is occuring.  However, both computers must be using the same folders and features.  If you installed the software in the same way on both machines, to the same folders, then this may  solve the problem.

The preferred solution is to reinstall WinFax PRO to the same installation folder, so the uninstall log file is recreated and any corrupt or missing files are recreated.  You should then be able to perform a proper uninstall after you’ve reinstalled successfully. We always recommend making a backup of your entire WinFax folder including any Data folders before attempting this if you require any WinFax information.

NOTE: WinFax PRO versions 10.02 and 10.03 also require that you must uninstall before you can reinstall the software, so the above method will not work for these versions as it will display a message that an existing version of WinFax is installed, and it will halt the install process. Since you can’t uninstall, you can’t reinstall.

If you are a premium support subscriber, we have our own tools available within our WinFax Tools program and in our premium download area to bypass this message and allow an install overtop the existing version.

Another option is to bypass the WinFax PRO uninstall completely and use the WinFax Clean utility, available in the Premium Downloads area. This program will completely remove WinFax and all related registry keys.

The following information will help you determine the version of WinFax PRO you have installed or have on a CD/install image.

To determine which version of WinFax PRO 10 you are using if you already have WinFax PRO installed:

1. Open the WinFax Message Manager Application
2. Click Help.
3. Click About Message Manager. The “About WinFax Pro” box appears.
4. Click the General tab. The version is at the top on that tab.

Here are all the possible revisions of WinFax PRO 10 that were released by Symantec (The following information applies to North American English releases of WinFax PRO. International English releases and other languages may differ. In France, WinFax PRO was released as Delrina Fax Pro.)

WinFax PRO 10.0 – released February 2000, prior to the official release of Windows XP, but will install with Windows XP. Problems with Office 2003.

If your CD or software box looks like the one above, you have 10.0 or in some rare cases a 10.01 installation CD.  You can also determine version information by checking the dates of the files stored on the CD in the WinFax folder. The files located in the WinFax folder will have February 2000 and earlier dates.  A 10.01 version may have November – December 2000 or January 2001 dates.

WinFax PRO 10.01 – A patch file for 10.0 that was also released for a limited time as a CD install.  Fixed a few bugs, and added Microsoft Windows Me Certification. The only major change was for email forwarding from a self-extracting fax viewer in .exe format to a multipage fax .fxm format. Increases of viruses being sent as .exe attachments caused many to block the sending of .exe files, so Symantec was forced to change the file format to the native .fxm file.  A mini-viewer was made available for free to allow viewing of fxm, fxs, and fxr type WinFax files for those who did not have WinFax installed. An 10.01 update file exists, but it is no longer available via Symantec’s LiveUpdate.  This version was released in late December 2000, early January 2001.

WinFax PRO 10.02 – Officially released as a Windows XP compatible version. Symantec added code in the setup process to detect the installation under Windows XP, and if detected, it installed a new version of the WinFax Controller. This was modified to support an additional WinFax application called “wfxswtch.exe”. This application handled the “Fast user switching” option in Windows XP and it’s always required with Windows XP installs.  There are problems with Office 2003 integration, problems with security settings in Word Macros, a Software Development Kit (SDK) problem under Windows XP that causes application link failures with third-party software (Merge faxing with Microsoft Word, ACT! etc.).  There is No Symantec LiveUpdate, or update patch file to this version.  This version was released Fall 2001.

WinFax PRO 10.03 – released to fix the 10.02 SDK problem with Windows XP and some minor fixes that were related to macros and Concord Internet Fax.  There is no Symantec LiveUpdate, or update patch to this version. Symantec offered this update at no charge to those who contacted support and had problems encountered with version 10.02. They no longer offer this upgrade. This version was released late 2002, early 2003.

If your CD looks like the one above, you may have a version 10.02 or 10.03 installation CD.  You can also determine version information by checking the dates of the files stored on the CD in the WinFax folder.  September 2001 and earlier dates on the CD indicate a 10.02 version. November 2002 and earlier dates indicate a 10.03 version. An official 10.04 version CD does not exist.

WinFax PRO 10.04 (released as a file update from version 10.03 only, the update only fixes some of the security settings in Windows XP for use with Fax Sharing)  Not recommended as an update unless you are using Fax Sharing. If you do not use Fax Sharing, do not update, and do not update from any other version except 10.03 (English). There is No LiveUpdate to this version, a patch file  is still available for download from Symantec’s Web site. This update file was released sometime in 2005 in response to the release of Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2.

NOTE :   10.04 update was not released on a CD ROM as a full installation or as a patch file. If your version of WinFax includes a copy of a 10.04 updater on the same CD ROM, beware, you are not in possession of an original Symantec software CD.