Windows Installer Team Blog
Updated and New White Papers Now on Windows Installer 4.5 Beta Site
The Windows Installer 4.5 Beta site on https://connect.microsoft.com/ now has two white papers. One...
Author: zhakim Date: 08/20/2007
When will the Windows Installer 4.5 Beta start? Any day now.
I've been getting regular requests for an update on when the Windows Installer 4.5 Beta will start....
Author: zhakim Date: 08/20/2007
Configuring Windows Vista Software Explorer
One of the questions I received in the lounge area at Tech Ed 2007 in Orlando pertained to Windows...
Author: zhakim Date: 07/06/2007
Connect Download Issues - Resolved
Connect administrators have sent word that the download issues have been resolved. Thanks for your...
Author: zhakim Date: 06/26/2007
Connect Download Issues
Windows Installer 4.5 Beta site users have noted there are download problems right now. The connect...
Author: zhakim Date: 06/26/2007
Windows Installer 4.5 Beta Accepting Nominations
The Windows Installer team is closing in on our Beta release of Windows Installer 4.5 so it's time...
Author: zhakim Date: 06/25/2007
Downlevel Update for Knowledge Base Article 927891 Posted to Download Center and Windows Update
Windows Sustained Engineering has posted packages to download center and Windows Update that targets...
Author: zhakim Date: 06/08/2007
Update on KB Articles requested for Windows Installer 4.0 on Windows Vista
Late last year, we posted the article Preview of Upcoming KB Articles: Windows Installer 4.0 on...
Author: zhakim Date: 06/07/2007
ACM Queuecasts around Vista and the Windows Installer
The ACM Queue came across the wire today and I noticed a couple of Queuecasts involving the Windows...
Author: zhakim Date: 06/06/2007
Invitation to Windows Installer Tools Vendors for a Live Meeting Event
We'd like to invite Windows Installer tools vendors to a Live Meeting event in the second half of...
Author: zhakim Date: 05/04/2007
How to Interpret Windows Installer Logs
If you have a problem with the Windows Installer or an MSI package you're installing, it's a sure...
Author: zhakim Date: 04/03/2007
Arbitrary labels used as Primary keys must not be changed between versions
Summary Msi Editing tools that write auto generated references inside installer tables may cause...
Author: zhakim Date: 03/07/2007
Policy Interactions and Behavior (Source List)
A few years back, I received some questions pertaining to what privileges were required to modify...
Author: zhakim Date: 03/02/2007
New article on UAC and Windows Installer available.
Stefan Krueger (one of our MVP’s) has written an article for Macrovision (InstallShield) entitled "7...
Author: zhakim Date: 02/19/2007
Windows Installer and Restart Manager: MSI Files-In-Use V2
Introduction Files-In-Use functionality is among the countless services that Windows Installer...
Author: zhakim Date: 12/11/2006
Restart Manager video available on Channel 9
Hello everyone -- As many of you know, one of the great new features Windows Installer supports on...
Author: zhakim Date: 12/04/2006
Check out the UAC video on Channel 9
Channel 9 did an interview with Steve Hiskey and Jon Schwartz on the UAC team. Check out the video...
Author: zhakim Date: 12/01/2006
Q & A from latest Windows Installer Webcast available
Thanks so much to those who attended our latest webcast last week. For those of you who missed it,...
Author: zhakim Date: 11/06/2006
Preview of Upcoming KB Articles: Windows Installer 4.0 on Windows Vista.
Hello everyone -- Based on feedback we have received from recent customer engagements, webcasts and...
Author: zhakim Date: 10/30/2006
New Windows Installer 4.0 Webcast Scheduled and Q & A from LUA Webcast.
I want to thank everyone who attented my webcast on designing Windows Installer packages for UAC on...
Author: zhakim Date: 10/19/2006
Tyler speaking at packaging event in Amsterdam in November!
For all of our friends in Europe, I will be speakng at a software packaging event for system...
Author: zhakim Date: 10/16/2006
Tao of the Windows Installer, Part 6
Well, here we are with the last part in this series, where we'll be looking at security in relation...
Author: zhakim Date: 09/18/2006
Windows Vista RC1 Platform SDK Documentation is Now Available!
Just a quick note to let everyone know that the RC1 version of the Windows Vista Platform SDK...
Author: zhakim Date: 09/07/2006
New Webcast on Windows Installer and User Account Control (UAC) Scheduled!
I have scheduled a webcast on creating (and debugging) Windows Installer packages so that they work...
Author: zhakim Date: 08/31/2006
Tao of the Windows Installer, Part 5
Testing is a vital part of the package development process and you can avoid many problems in...
Author: zhakim Date: 07/28/2006
Windows Installer 4.0 Webcast Now Available for On Demand Viewing!
Missed our webcast on Windows Installer 4.0 last week? No worries! You can view the webcast ON...
Author: zhakim Date: 06/28/2006
Tao of the Windows Installer, Part 4
So, we've covered the basics of the Installer, created a package and deployed it. So far, so good,...
Author: zhakim Date: 06/27/2006
Check out our MSDN Webcast this Friday!
MSDN Architecture Webcast: Designing Software Installations for Windows Vista Using Windows...
Author: zhakim Date: 06/19/2006
Tao of the Windows Installer, Part 2
Sticking strictly to the "approximately weekly" schedule, here we have, nearly two weeks later, the...
Author: zhakim Date: 05/12/2006
Tao of the Windows Installer, Part 1
Ever agreed to something you thought was a quick favour, just to see it balloon into a massive...
Author: zhakim Date: 05/01/2006
Check us out at the Windows Server SDR, MMS 2006 and TechEd 2006!
Are you heading to the Windows Server code name "Longhorn" Software Design Review next week in...
Author: zhakim Date: 04/04/2006
Windows Installer Appears Every Time a Program is Started
Question OS: Windows XP Home SP2 with Automatic updates every day at 3AM; Machine: Toshiba Satellite...
Author: zhakim Date: 02/05/2006
Makin' a List, Checkin' it Twice: Windows Installer Wishes (Part 1)
ContextThe Windows Installer (MSI) team maintains an alias for Windows Installer Wishes. Generally...
Author: zhakim Date: 01/07/2006
Windows Installer 4.0 video available on Channel 9!
For those of you interested in the great new features we are delivering in Windows Installer 4.0,...
Author: zhakim Date: 11/14/2005
Windows Installer Troubleshooting Tips from First Week of November
Question 1 What is the correct way to find whether a certain product (msi based setup) is installed...
Author: zhakim Date: 11/11/2005
Windows Installer Troubleshooting Tips From Halloween
Question 1In my lab automation that silently installs Windows Installer packages. This automation is...
Author: zhakim Date: 11/09/2005
PSS MSI RFC Triage for Thursday October 27th, 2005
Context:Second installment of general notes from the PSS MSI RFC Triage weekly conference call. For...
Author: zhakim Date: 11/08/2005
Instance of Troubleshooting Patch Applicability
Context: While troubleshooting Windows Installer installs can be complex, troubleshooting patch...
Author: zhakim Date: 11/04/2005
Authoring to Windows Installer 4.0 Features mentioned at PDC 2005
As Tyler recently mentioned, you can find the Professional Developers Conference 2005 session and...
Author: zhakim Date: 11/04/2005
What are the common reasons for error 1308?
Question Are there common reasons for error 1308? Answer Generally: Bad Driver/Device, Bad Media,...
Author: zhakim Date: 11/03/2005
Windows Installer Troubleshooting Tips from Last Week of October
Question 1Any tips troubleshooting silent install exiting with error 1618? Answer 1 Start with the...
Author: zhakim Date: 11/02/2005
"Stop Installation Idiocy" PCWorld's Hassle Free PC article
While searching for news with "Windows Installer" in the subject, I recently came across the Hassle...
Author: zhakim Date: 11/01/2005
How do I get the Escape key to work on a Windows Installer dialog?
Question How do I get the Escape key to work on a Windows Installer dialog? Answer Edit the Dialog...
Author: zhakim Date: 10/31/2005
November Windows Installer Chat Announced!
As part of the ongoing MSDN Communities effort, the Windows Installer team ispleased to announce the...
Author: zhakim Date: 10/26/2005
PDC Content Available!
Hello everyone, Just a note that all of the PDC content is now available for download. If you missed...
Author: zhakim Date: 10/26/2005
Where did my custom action permissions go? Terminal Server is special.
The other day a user complained that they were trying to donfigure Active Directory and their...
Author: zhakim Date: 10/24/2005
PSS MSI RFC Triage for Thursday October 20th, 2005
Context: Every week the dedicated Windows Installer (MSI) resources of Product Support Services...
Author: zhakim Date: 10/21/2005
Affects of a Vista Upgrade on Existing Application Installs
Context: Glimpse at an internal thread where Technical Evangelists were asking about Affects of a...
Author: zhakim Date: 10/21/2005
Service Control API change plus cascaded MSI 3.0 behavior change
An change to the Service Control APIs produced a MSI 3.0 behavior change. BeforeBefore XP SP2 and...
Author: zhakim Date: 10/19/2005