Small and minor updates are very similar. The only difference is that in a minor update the
product version is increased (in any of the first thee fields), while a small update leaves the
version number unchanged or increases only the fourth field of the number. You can update
your product with a small or minor update package only if the product code is unchanged.
To replace an existing application with a package that has a different product code, a major
upgrade is required.
Archive for the 'Windows Installer' Category
Difference of Small upgrade and minor upgrade
Published February 22, 2011 Windows Installer Leave a CommentTags: Tips
To reregister windows installer follow the below steps.
1. Click “Start”, click Run.
2. In the “Open” box, type “msiexec /unreg”, and then press ENTER. (Without quotes)
3. Again, click “Start”, click Run.
4. In the “Open” box, type “msiexec /regserver”, and then press ENTER. (Without quotes)
MsiLockPermissionsEx Table in Windows 7 enhances the functionality over LockPermissions Table. With MsiLockPermissionsEx table, users now have the ability to set access permissions on objects impacted by the application install that previously required using custom actions or other methods outside of Windows Installer
·Expanding the set of permissions that can be applied to a resource by incorporating the Security Descriptor Definition Language(SDDL) in Windows Installer. This allows the security settings for an object to be more flexible, including;
o Ability to apply Deny ACLs to objects
o Indicate inheritance properties for permissions
o Expand the set of well-known SIDs
o Ability to set Owner, Group, and SACLs to the objects in addition to the regular access permissions
·Security settings can be applied to services as well in addition to Files, Folders, Registry keys
·Ability to apply permissions specific to user accounts – including accounts that are newly created on the system during the course of installation
Read more about this in Windows installer team blog
http://blogs.msdn.com/windows_installer_team/archive/2009/03/05/enhanced-permissions-setting-with-windows-installer-5-0.aspx
InstallShield 2010 contains many new features and enhancements. It also contains support for the latest technology.
New Features
InstallShield 2010 includes the following new features.
• Support for creating customized virtual applications
• Ability to target Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 systems
• Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 support for displaying installation progress on the taskbar
• Beta Windows Installer 5 support for per-user installations
• Beta Windows Installer 5 support for reducing the time for installing large packages
• Beta support for additional Windows Installer 5 features
• Ability to detect the presence of a virtual machine
• Support for 64-bit COM extraction
• New support for setting permissions for files, folders, and registry keys
• Support for InstallShield prerequisites in InstallScript projects
What are the component rules?
In order to ensure that authors of installation packages create packages that do not damage the components of other installations or leave resources behind on uninstall, there are certain Component Creation Rules that must be followed when organizing applications into components.
Q&A: Windows Installer Basics:Part 2
Published October 9, 2009 Windows Installer Leave a CommentTags: Application packaging
General Questions
1.when repackaging a legacy scripted installation (setup.exe) through setup capture,why should you exclude the HKLM\software\microsoft\windows\currentversion\uninstall registry key if it is captured?
Every windows installer installation automatically creates its own values in this hive to support uninstallation
2.How do you set permissions on a folder without editing the LockPermissions table directly?
1.Write a custom action that executes to modify permission through the ACLs or Secedit.
2.Use permission tab for the create folder object (wise studio) or
Use properties of the folder (Installshield)
3.Which Custom action in MSI script (wise package studio) can use for nested installation.
Install MSI from Installation
4.Suppose Windows Installer installs package.msi ;package.msi has created a registry value, this registry value has been over writen by some other application later.Will the registry key that is a keypath to a component be repaired when self healing is triggerd through the short cut?
No, because regisrty value only are checked for selfhealing,not data in registry values.
Why we get “Internal Error 2705. Directory” error during an MSI installation?
Published October 9, 2009 Windows Installer Leave a CommentTags: MSI error
This error is due to as there is an error in Directory table of the MSI.
Generally occures while a directory entry that references something non existent as its parent. If you ignore the ICE 03 validation error (Similar to the below mentioned Eg.) while developing the MSI,During the installation you will be getting the “Internal Error 2705. Directory” error.
Eg: of an ICE 03 error :
Orca validation reports an ICE03 error: “Not a valid foreign key; Table:Directory, Column: Directory_Parent, Key ):newfolder1″
This can be fixed by editing the Directory table.The wrong entries in the ‘Directory table’ will be highlighted in red colour.
Q&A: Windows Installer Basics:Part 1
Published October 8, 2009 Windows Installer 3 CommentsTags: MSI
Logging
Once you have a problem with the Windows Installer or an MSI package ,you will be always thiking to “enable logging”.
In this post, I’ll discuss with you some of the basic tips about Logging ,Hope this will help you to be in a better position to troubleshoot package issues.
1.What is Logging
This is the process of putting different levels of activity of Windows Installer into text based log files.
2.What are all the general content in a log file
- Most errors that occurred during the install including all Windows Installer errors that generate a user dialog.
- Which custom actions were run.
- Whether a reboot was requested and completed.
- Values of Installer Properties, including details of any changes.
- The source location.
- Whether the user cancelled the install.
- Where an install stopped.
- Whether an install rolled back.
- Client and Server information
