Windows Installer Team Blog
Advertising and ARPSYSTEMCOMPONENT
Scenario On Windows XP, I am advertising an MSI that has ARPSYSTEMCOMPONENT set to 1 but it appears...
Author: zhakim Date: 10/19/2005
What are the limits for a large MSI package?
MSI MVP Stefan Krueger posted a excellent response to the question "What are the limits for a large...
Author: zhakim Date: 10/19/2005
How do I merge an MSM with a nested MSI in it's substorage into a MSI?
Question How do I merge an MSM with a nested MSI in it's substorage into a MSI? Answer This isn't...
Author: zhakim Date: 10/18/2005
Billboard bug is fixed in MSI Vista
We've got a couple of pings on a billboard bug that I thought I'd share in case others are seeing...
Author: zhakim Date: 10/08/2005
Most frequent problem with the msi-fusion interaction? Incorrect authoring of strong name.
Question Most frequent problem with the msi-fusion interaction? Answer Incorrect authoring of strong...
Author: zhakim Date: 10/07/2005
Troubleshooting the OpenOffice.org RC canidate install experiance
Last night, I posted an open question about the MSI's incorrect interpretation of the OpenOffice.org...
Author: zhakim Date: 10/04/2005
Help Troubleshooing 'Error 2902. Operation ixfAssemblyCopy called out of sequence.'
QuestionCan you help troubleshooting 'Error 2902. Operation ixfAssemblyCopy called out of...
Author: zhakim Date: 10/04/2005
OpenOffice.org 2.0 RC1: What's the incorrect interpretation?
Hello OpenOffice.org, I see on the 2.0 RC1 site, there the following statement ** NOTE: For right...
Author: zhakim Date: 10/03/2005
Our patches seem to work fine, yet none of the files on the disk are replaced.
Question I am seeing a very strange issue with patches on msi 2.0, our patches seem to work fine,...
Author: zhakim Date: 10/03/2005
Best Practice Guidelines for Building Quality Installs: Part 1, the Basics
This is the first in a series of Best Practice Guidelines for Building Quality Installs. Let's start...
Author: zhakim Date: 09/27/2005
Best Practice Guidelines for Building Quality Installs: Part 0, the Introduction
With the start of the Profesional Developers Conference 2005, the Windows Installer Team is starting...
Author: zhakim Date: 09/26/2005
How should I determine the success or failure of a Windows Installer install?
QuestionHow should I determine the success or failure of a Windows Installer install? Answer...
Author: zhakim Date: 09/26/2005
How do I get a deep view of what Windows Installer is doing?
QuestionHow do I get a deep view of what Windows Installer is doing? Answer One of the comments I...
Author: zhakim Date: 09/21/2005
Why can't I patch or uninstall a component without a ComponentId?
QuestionWhy can't I patch or uninstall a component without a ComponentId? AnswerCheck the Windows...
Author: zhakim Date: 09/20/2005
Any clues to why we're seeing Error code 1912: Could not unregister type library for [file]?
QuestionAny clues to why we're seeing Error code 1912: Could not unregister type library for [file]?...
Author: zhakim Date: 09/18/2005
Recommended Background on Versioning and Component Rules
To acquire background on Versioning and Component Rules, we recommend Rob Mensching's Background...
Author: zhakim Date: 09/18/2005
How do I find all the Windows Installer packages installed on my machine?
Question How do I find all the Windows Installer packages installed on my machine? Answer Here’s the...
Author: zhakim Date: 09/18/2005
Insights into the underlying Windows Installer reboot behavior.
Here are a set of frequent and infrequent questions around Windows Installer's reboot behavior...
Author: zhakim Date: 09/18/2005
What are the upper limits of the CAB file format?
QuestionWhat are the upper limits of the CAB file format? AnswerThe only compressed file type...
Author: zhakim Date: 09/18/2005
How do I lookup the error text associated with a given error code return from msiexec or MsiInstallProduct?
Question How do I lookup the error text associated with a given error code return from msiexec or...
Author: zhakim Date: 09/17/2005
How do I read an environment variable into the MSI?
QuestionHow do I read an environment variable into the MSI? Answer Check out the MSDN topic...
Author: zhakim Date: 09/16/2005
Catch our session at Microsoft PDC 2005!
Hello everyone, Just a reminder that Tyler Robinson and Jamie Cool will be speaking about software...
Author: zhakim Date: 09/15/2005
How to get file's compressed size inside an msi?
QuestionHow to get file's compressed size inside an msi? Answer Windows Installer SDK tools like...
Author: zhakim Date: 09/15/2005
Is it guaranteed that the external user-interface handler gets called by the Installer in the same thread that calling InstallProduct?
Question Is it guaranteed that the external user-interface handler gets called by the Installer in...
Author: zhakim Date: 09/14/2005
Some Patch Detection Designer Pointers for a MSI Newbie
QuestionsMSP Patch detection questions from a MSI newbie: Is there any API which directly consumes...
Author: zhakim Date: 09/13/2005
Any tips on getting the cancel button working for a deferred custom action?
Question Any tips on getting the cancel button working for a deferred custom action? During our MSI...
Author: zhakim Date: 09/12/2005
Ooops, missed that feedback management tab...
To those that have been posting comments as Anonymous, I apologize for the fact they had not been...
Author: zhakim Date: 09/11/2005
How to disable advertising?
Question How to disable advertising? One of the requirements that I've been given is disable...
Author: zhakim Date: 09/11/2005
Any pointers for troubleshooting 2737 Could not access custom action [2], entry [3], library [4] Available in Windows Installer versions 1.0, 1.1, and 1.2.?
QuestionAny pointers for troubleshooting 2737 Could not access custom action [2], entry [3], library...
Author: zhakim Date: 09/10/2005
Tyler and Robert on their way to PDC 2005
Los Angeles here we come! Tyler's speaking at FUN222 - Windows Vista: What’s New in Software...
Author: zhakim Date: 09/09/2005
Who are you Hem?
I have been with the Windows Installer team (i.e. MSI Team) for three years now. During this time I...
Author: zhakim Date: 09/09/2005
How do detect the MSI version on the computer?
QuestionHow do detect the MSI version on the computer? Answer Tyler mentioned the following in his...
Author: zhakim Date: 09/09/2005
Troubleshooting tips for constructing UTF8 MSIs from IDTs?
ProblemI'm trying to import UTF8 encoded IDT files to make a UTF8 code page MSI but the import is...
Author: zhakim Date: 09/08/2005
Why can't I change the target directory path during a Maintenance Installation?
Question Why can't I change the target directory path during a Maintenance Installation? This is the...
Author: zhakim Date: 09/07/2005
Why can I futher compress an MSI with a compressed CAB?
Question Why can I futher compress an MSI with a compressed CAB? I discovered that our MSI can be...
Author: zhakim Date: 09/06/2005
On MSI 3.0, how does a MSP know it supersedes the previous patches?
QuestionOn MSI 3.0, how does a MSP know it supersedes the previous patches? Answer Please read the...
Author: zhakim Date: 09/05/2005
What would be the best way to diagnose error 2762 "Cannot write script record. Transaction not started."?
QuestionWhat would be the best way to diagnose error 2762 "Cannot write script record. Transaction...
Author: zhakim Date: 09/04/2005
Is there a way to parse out of the ADDLOCAL in a custom action inside the MSI to check the features that were specific to see if they exist before this error is generated?
Question Is there a way to parse out of the ADDLOCAL in a custom action inside the MSI to check the...
Author: zhakim Date: 09/03/2005
Tips on troubleshooting why the patch install requires to resolve the source?
QuestionTips on troubleshooting why the patch install requires to resolve the source? AnswerIn your...
Author: zhakim Date: 09/02/2005
how I can get a blank schema.msi of version 300?
Questionhow I can get a blank schema.msi of version 300? I installed platform SDK for win2k3 sp1,...
Author: zhakim Date: 09/01/2005
How can I use a custom action to dynamically populate rows in the table?
QuestionHow can I use a custom action to dynamically populate rows in the table? Answer Immediate...
Author: zhakim Date: 08/31/2005
Can anyone tell me how to make a universal transform or a template transform that will work on all msi's?
QuestionCan anyone tell me how to make a universal transform or a template transform that will work...
Author: zhakim Date: 08/31/2005
What are the consequences of ICE27 errors?
QuestionCan someone comment on what consequences would there be if the following ICE27 exceptions...
Author: zhakim Date: 08/30/2005
Does Windows Installer natively support setting service ACLs from an MSI?
QuestionIs there a way to set ACLs for a service using MSI standard actions or is a custom action...
Author: zhakim Date: 08/29/2005
Any tips on troubleshooting Error 2259: Database: foo.msi Table(s) Update failed
QuestionAny tips on troubleshooting Error 2259: Database: foo.msi Table(s) Update failed? What...
Author: zhakim Date: 08/28/2005
How do I AppSearch for DotNet Framework?
QuestionHow do I AppSearch for Dot Net Framework? Answer The official registry key/value to check is...
Author: zhakim Date: 08/26/2005
How do I translate the error reported in the Windows Installer log?
QuestionCan you help me decipher the error from LastErrorRecord FormatText : "1: 2235 2:...
Author: zhakim Date: 08/25/2005
How can I pass the installation directory info to the custom action exe?
QuestionHow can I pass the installation directory info to the custom action exe? Answer See MSDN...
Author: zhakim Date: 08/24/2005