Success in un-installing/re-installing Zoom Workplace Client (64-bit) by abstract thinking

[virt-danceroom]

While trying to install Zoom Workplace I encountered MANY comments from disappointed users.  I spent some 15-20 hours over several days as I tried to follow Zoom's recommended installation procedures.I did not achieve any success until I stepped away from the problem for a while and tried to figure out what was unique about my situation.  I have 3 computers running Zoom (actually 5) but only 3 were involved in this issue - 1 HP Notebook running Win 10 and 2 HP Notebooks running Win11.  The installation on #3 (Win 11) was the big problem.   All 3 had been working fine until I had a problem with #3 and I was forced to uninstall / re-install Zoom Workplace from scratch.

The attached PDF tells the long story of the various failed attempts in trying to get 64-bit Zoom Workplace installed and how I abstracted to figure out that it was not my problem, nor was the computer's configuration damaged - it was Zoom's installation instructions and procedures that really need to be improved.

The short version (workaround) is pretty simple, but it took multiple uninstalls/re-installs, running SFC, DISM, CCleaner, AVIRA, Malwarebytes,  Chkdsk, Memory Diagnostics, and many other actions to figure out there was nothing wrong with the computer and that I was not doing anything wrong - several aspects of the Zoom Workplace Installation procedures are misleading.

1. Download BOTH 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Zoom Workplace (in separate folders);
2. Run CleanZoom (instead of excellent uninstallers like REVO) because the Zoom uninstall/re-install procedures will setup the proper changes to the firewall settings and remove MOST (but not all) the registry entries;  Running REVO (or other uninstallers) may result in issues with user access, permissions and Firewall rules, so use Clean Zoom instead.
3. FIRSTLY, install the 32-bit version first (DO NOT install 64-bit until later) - 32-bit Workplace will install and then launch and you will get a warning that this version will become obsolete in December 2025.
4. STOP - There will be a link on the screen implying that clicking that link will download Workplace 64-bit.  DO NOT CLICK this link because it will download Workplace download 32-bit AGAIN and you will be stuck in an infinite loop of installing Workplace 32-bit.
5. SECONDLY, Kill Zoom Workplace 32-bit and install the 64-bit version you have already downloaded in a separate folder - 64-bit Workplace will install and then launch and you will be all set, but I recommend TWO more steps.
6. Run CCleaner or some other reputable registry cleaner (the cleaner will find a number of Zoom registry entries)  - DELETE these entries
7. Re-boot your computer (recommended)

NOTE-1: If you are running multiple computers in your environment, Zoom Workplace running on other computers will ask you to validate the identity of the computer on which you just installed/re-installed Workplace.

NOTE-2: If you want to make one last check before moving on, put a shortcut link on the Win11 Desktop and open the Properties TAB and check that the Comment field reads "Zoom workplace" - If you install 64-bit ONLY (and don't first install 32-bit), this Comment will read "Zoom UMX" and Zoom Workplace will launch, but it WILL NOT CONNECT YOU TO MEETINGS.  For for my Win10 notebook, the Properties Comment field is blank.  I'm not going to mess with this installation find out whether a fresh uninstall/re-install will put "Zoom workplace" in the Comment, but I'll surmise that if the Comment field reads "ZOOM DMX" that something is wrong with the installation.

Have fun and you should also have success,

Paul Collins - virtual dance room

[snap-rz]

@virt-danceroom Only on 64-bit systems will the Install Now button appear

The flow will like this:

1.launch Zoom will enter this prompt

2.click Insall now, will redict to this link

https://zoom.us/support/down4j?admin=false&archType=x64

3.The link will prompt to download 64bit Zoom automatically

We will adjust the link to download the correct installation package according to your system.

I'm wondering what specific link you encountered in your case? Could you copy the link here?

[virt-danceroom]

Excellent question snap-rz

• Unfortunately, I did not think to save the exact link at the time, so if the current link to download zoom from scratch (not to update) has changed, it would be difficult to answer your question definitively. 
  • My best guess would be that the clickable links are the same as they are now.
• I'll take a guess that your installation procedures have changed since I reported the problems and that's a good thing
• Just now (9/18/2025) the current "generic" displayed link in the address bar to the workplace download page from a search for "download zoom workplace" is: 
  • https://zoom.us/download?os=win
• Now, whether I click on the 64-bit version or the 32-bit version, the link displayed in the address bar remains the same, so without having a "real" link displayed in the address bar, it's impossible to tell the actual url for either download
  • If I remember correctly, this  was the same when I discovered the problem(s)
  • So back then, I downloaded both versions and I specified different destination directories for each install file
  • I had already downloaded both versions before I had the problems with the installation procedures just out of curiosity
• So when installing 64-bit from scratch did result in a workplace that would NOT launch a zoom meeting, I tried it several more times, thinking I had done something wrong
  • After getting the same results (a non-launchable workplace), thinking "out of the box" told me to try to install 32-bit first to see what happened
• 32-bit installation did indeed result in a workplace install that launched zoom
  • Warning messages after 32-but installation alerted me to the impending deprecation of 32-bit
  • Then when I clicked the download link on this warning page that implicitly hinted the result would be a 64-bit download,  I saved this install file in a different directory - just in case
  • Following the download of this new install file put me back at the same warning screen, telling me that 32-bit was being phased out -
    • I was back at the same screen with a worklplace that  launched, but with the same warning message - meaning that I had installed 32-bit again
  • This told me that this link was downloading the 32-bit version, so after ending up there a couple of times, I went to the original directory where I had downloaded the  64-bit version and installed it - and VOILA! 64-bit workplace launched successfully - after how many hours this issue had perplexed me?
• While trying to figure out what was wrong. I had looked for people who had installation problems in a MANY forums and saw nothing but frustration by folks who had tried to install 64-bit by itself. 
• So realizing I had discovered not only why a workplace-64-bit install from scratch was not working, but also how to get it to work, I decided to write this up and post it.   
• (It was not so easy figuring how to submit this post)
• I did not give a definitive answer to your question but if zoom has corrected the installation procedures, what I experienced should no longer be a problem.

Paul

[snap-rz]

@virt-danceroom 

Actually, we haven't changed the download link recently. Based on your description, I have the following guess as an illustration
Our installation packages are divided into two types:
1. IT package: The installation path is located at C: \ Program Files
2. Regular package: The installation path is located at C: \ Users \<username>\ AppData \ Roaming
If a 32-bit IT package is installed, downloading the regular package and installing it will not have any effect. It will only wake up the Zoom of the IT package and run it, because the priority of the regular package is lower than that of the IT package.
So it's very likely that you installed a 32-bit IT package before.