Doctor Deploys Blog

The RTM release of the Windows SDK for Windows 7 and .NET Framework 3.5 SP1 is now available for customers to install from the download center in both ISO and Web Setup format.  See the SDK announcement on the Windows SDK blog.   

Please note that the stand-alone version of the Windows Installer 4.5 SDK is now no longer available for download from the Microsoft download center. Windows Installer SDK has traditionally always been included with the Windows SDK, but during the timeframe for the release of MSI 4.5 redistributable there was no other Windows or Windows update release for simultaneously shipping the SDK.

We encourage you to download and use the latest version of the Windows Installer SDK tools (Windows Installer 5.0) included with the RTM release of Windows SDK for Windows 7.

[Author: Zainab Hakim]
This posting is provided “AS IS” with no warranties, and confers no rights. Use of included script samples are subject to the terms specified at http://www.microsoft.com/info/cpyright.htm.

Original post by Windows Installer Team

As you may already know that Service Pack 2 for Windows Server 2008 and Windows Vista (SP2) is available for download from Microsoft download center [link]. MSI version 4.5 is natively included as part of SP2. The version of Windows Installer is 4.5.6002.18005 across all architectures and platforms.

If you have already installed the MSI 4.5 redistributable on your Vista or Server 2008 SP1 machine, you can upgrade to SP2 over the MSI 4.5 redistributable. After installation of SP2, the Windows Installer version on your machine will be 4.5.6002.18005. The upgrade would have no effect on the functionality provided by Windows Installer 4.5.

Other notable hotfixes for Windows Installer 4.5 also included in SP2 are;

·         KB 958655 – Error message when you use Windows Installer (MSI) 4.5 to install multiple MSI packages in Windows Server 2008, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2003 or Windows XP: “API call rejected - No actions in Context”.

·         KB 967756 – After you uninstall some software updates in Windows Vista or in Windows Server 2008, some assembly files may still reflect the updated version instead of the original version of the files

·         KB 958756 – The customized properties for an .msi package installation are reset to their default values after you install Windows Installer 4.5

[Author: Zainab Hakim]
This posting is provided “AS IS” with no warranties, and confers no rights. Use of included script samples are subject to the terms specified at http://www.microsoft.com/info/cpyright.htm.

Original post by Windows Installer Team

It’s been a few months now since the Windows Installer 4.5 redistributable was released [link]. Over the past couple months I have received several questions (quite often similar in nature) that warrants this blog post <grin>. In this post, I will attempt to answer some of the most frequently asked questions with regards to adoption & deployment of MSI 4.5.

1.       I’m considering taking a dependency on MSI 4.5 for my next release. I would like to know how prevalent MSI 4.5 might be in our target environments. Do you have any data on this?

We are pleased to hear that you are considering taking advantage of the new feature set and functionality provided in MSI 4.5. We have some data that may help you understand the current penetration of MSI 4.5 in the ecosystem.

a.       Statistics from the Microsoft download center:

As of March 2009, there have been over 5.6 million downloads of MSI 4.5 (combined across all supported platforms & OSes).

b.      Other ways in which MSI 4.5 is being deployed to users machines:

Yes, besides the fact that users are downloading MSI 4.5 from Microsoft download center, there are also other mechanisms via which MSI 4.5 is being deployed to users machines. For example;

-          SQL Server 2008 (both full server as well as express version) requires MSI 4.5 as a pre-requisite.

-          This dependency in turn has a cascading effect on other products that are already dependent on SQL Server 2008 or will be in the future.

c.       Future Windows service packs:

MSI 4.5 will be natively included in all future service packs of Windows. It is already included in Windows Vista and Server 2008 SP2. Release candidate for this service pack is presently available from the Microsoft download center.

2.       When will MSI 4.5 be deployed via Windows Update?

MSI 4.5 will be on Windows Update as part of future service packs to Windows (see #1, part c). It will not be available independently as a required mandatory update like Windows Installer 3.1 v2.

3.       Is it true that there is a forced reboot required on Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 with MSI 4.5? Unlike Windows XP and Windows 2003, this reboot can’t be deferred?

Yes, it is true that servicing Windows Installer always requires a reboot on Vista and above. The new changes made to the Windows Vista servicing stack in combination with the change made by Windows Update to always have the Windows Installer loaded, causes the update to be “pended� until a subsequent reboot thus generating the mandatory reboot requirement when servicing the Windows Installer. We understand that a reboot can be difficult to absorb for applications taking a dependency on MSI 4.5. Unfortunately, none of the solutions that could be pursued were low cost and low risk enough to be acceptable at that point in the Windows Vista SP1 and Windows Server 2008 ship cycle. However, the growing prevalence of MSI 4.5 (details provided in #1), is mitigating the reboot issue to some extent.

4.       We are considering the possibility of bootstrapping Windows Installer 4.5 with our product’s setup. Is there a single 4.5 redistributable that can cover multiple OS versions and CPU architecture that is of a smaller size?

No, there is no single redistributable package to install MSI 4.5. There exist different installation technologies to install a Windows component like Windows Installer on Vista and above OSes versus down-level OSes (Windows XP and Server 2003). Additionally, the binaries itself are different based on OS version and platform architecture.

[Author: Zainab Hakim]
This posting is provided “AS IS” with no warranties, and confers no rights. Use of included script samples are subject to the terms specified at http://www.microsoft.com/info/cpyright.htm.

Original post by Windows Installer Team

Hello everyone,

We wanted to let you know that a non-security QFE was released recently for MSI 4.5 redistributable, available via Microsoft download center (Search for KB958655). The KB article contains information on the symptoms and cause of the issue. The intent of this post is to clarify some concerns/questions you may have that are necessarily not addressed via the KB article. Additionally, we will monitor this post, so feel free to post comments.

Also as noted in the KB article, you are most likely to be affected by this issue during installation of SQL Server 2008 or during upgrade from SQL Server 2005 to SQL Server 2008.

Some FAQs:

1.       I already have MSI 4.5 on my machine. Do I need to install this update?

It’s optional. As mentioned above, this issue is hit only in rare cases, so it’s not absolutely critical for you to install this update.

2.       Is this update applicable to all OSes and architecture types?

Yes, this update is applicable to all supported OSes and architecture types as the original MSI 4.5 redistributable. Vista RTM/SP1, Windows Server 2008, Windows XP SP2/SP3, and Windows Server 2003 SP1/SP2.

3.       Is it true that on Vista & above platforms, I can install this update even if MSI 4.5 redist is NOT present on my machine?

Yes. The QFE packages for Vista & above platforms are just like a refresh to the original MSI 4.5 redist. It targets both MSI versions 4.0 and 4.5. If MSI version on the machine is 4.0, the QFE installs just like the original redist package, while if MSI version is already 4.5 then only the affected binaries are updated. So if you have not already installed 4.5, you can choose to do so by installing this QFE package directly.

4.       I have removed the MSI 4.5 redistributable from my Vista machine, but why is the MSI version on my machine still 4.5?

If MSI 4.5 redist is uninstalled, the Windows Installer version on the machine will still remain 4.5 as long as this QFE is present. If MSI 4.5 redist is uninstalled followed by removal of the QFE, only then the Windows Installer version on your machine will go back to 4.0.

5.       Are these changes (specifically #3 and #4 above) also applicable to Windows XP and Windows Server 2003?

No. For these Operating systems, the QFE package will only be applicable if you have already installed MSI 4.5 redist on your machine. Also if you later try to uninstall MSI 4.5, you will be warned about dependent QFEs still existing and be asked to remove these manually.

6.       What is the expected version of Windows Installer after I install this QFE?

[Author: Zainab Hakim]
This posting is provided “AS IS” with no warranties, and confers no rights. Use of included script samples are subject to the terms specified at http://www.microsoft.com/info/cpyright.htm.

Original post by Windows Installer Team

As you all may already know the final release of the Windows Installer 4.5 Redistributable and SDK are now available.

The current version of Windows Installer is in the form; major.minor.build.update. We have received a few questions regarding the differences in the “build” and “update” fields of the version of Windows Installer 4.5 installed across different supported Windows Operating Systems . I will try to explain what these differences are and why they are expected.

The Windows Installer 4.5 redistributable can install on the following Windows Operating Systems:

Windows Vista RTM build number is 6000, while Windows Vista SP1 and Windows Server 2008 RTM are build number 6001. Hence, to comply with the different OS build numbers and applicability logic on Vista RTM and Vista SP1/Server 2008 operating systems, the Windows Installer binaries are built from the Vista RTM and Vista SP1 servicing branches respectively.

The “update” field is based on the OS revision number.  Since the redistributable packages to install Window Installer 4.5 on the different target operating systems are built from different Windows servicing branches, the revision number is different for each.

However, the different versions have no effect on the functionality provided by Windows Installer 4.5.

[Author: Zainab Hakim]
This posting is provided “AS IS” with no warranties, and confers no rights. Use of included script samples are subject to the terms specified at http://www.microsoft.com/info/cpyright.htm.

Original post by Windows Installer Team

I am pleased to announce that the final release of the Windows Installer 4.5 Redistributable and SDK are now available. There is also a KB Article published about the release.

Original post by Windows Installer Team

Apart from the feature work that we did in Windows Installer 4.5, we made a few changes to Windows Installer to address some user feedback or pain points. Here’s some of the important issues that were addressed:

1. Added SeBackupPrivilige back to the Windows Installer service. This sould help any custom actions that needed this privilige like the ones that were reported on the Vista Compatability Team blog.


2. Some case sensitive service name comparisions in InstallValidate used to result in an unnecessary files-in-use message on Vista. This is now fixed in Windows Installer 4.5.


3. When a patch added new content in the form of a new component and that patch was being uninstalled, we used to remove that content, even if that content is shared by other products. This is now fixed in Windows Installer 4.5.

In addition to this, since Windows Installer 4.5 is the latest release of Windows Installer, it will have all the fixes and feature work that we did till Vista SP1.

[Author: Hemchander  Sannidhanam]
This posting is provided “AS IS” with no warranties, and confers no rights. Use of included script samples are subject to the terms specified at http://www.microsoft.com/info/cpyright.htm.

Original post by Windows Installer Team

Hello Everyone —

The schedules for Microsoft TechEd 2008 in sunny Orlando, Florida have recently been posted and I am pleased to announce that we will have FOUR Windows Installer-related sessions: two during the Developers Conference June 3-6 and two during the IT Professionals Conference June 10-13.

IT Professionals Conference Sessions:

Developers Conference Sessions:

If you plan to attend TechEd, please attend our sessions and say HI to myself, Ken, Hem and Robert!

[Author: Tyler Robinson]
This posting is provided “AS IS” with no warranties, and confers no rights. Use of included script samples are subject to the terms specified at http://www.microsoft.com/info/cpyright.htm.

Original post by Windows Installer Team