InstallAware

This appears to me to be a bug in InstallAware.

What do the InstallAware folks have to say about this error?

This error has been mentioned in these two other postings:

Strange Vista problem - Setup shows 'Error' but not on XP!

Major bug when using projects made in earlier versions <6.6?

I have a number of Win32 install projects that have been worked on in successive versions of InstallAware (IA) going back to version 5.1. Whenever a newer version of IA comes out I upgrade to it - I'm currently running IA 7.0 (Build longpine_rtm.071107). Starting in IA 6.6, or perhaps in the prior version, I started getting what I'll call the "1013 Error" on some, but not all, computers during a product install. In my case all of these computers are running XP Pro SP2 with the latest updates, whereas in the posting mentioned above the error was seen when installing on a Vista computer. I suspect that it may not make any difference what operating system the target computer is running, but I'm not sure.

This is what I know about this error:

1. I am unable to duplicate the error in a Virtual PC running Win 98, 98SE, 2000, XP Pro or Vista Ultimate. One characteristic of all these Virtual PC images is that they have never had an InstallAware-built project installed on them. However, using a Virtual PC running XP Pro I successively installed 10 versions of an application whose installs were built from 3/2006 (IA < 6.6) to 7/2007 (IA 7.0) and I was unable to duplicate the error.

2. Even if prior versions of an IA-built application have been previously installed on the target computer, some target computers in our company never experience the error.

3. If a target computer gets the "1013 Error", then it tends to get that error on all IA projects that were created in an IA version < 6.6 and have been upgraded to using IA 6.6 or 7.0.

4. If the error occurs, it always happens immediately after clicking "Next" on the IA "startinstallation" dialog.

5. When the error occurs the only feedback is a message box from the install that says "Error". After dismissing the message box an IA dialog appears that says: XYZ installation failed: "Fatal error during installation". Please check your settings and try again.

6. The error occurs no matter how many times you re-attempt to install the product.

7. I have seen this error behavior on at least 4 different IA projects that have a history going back to versions of IA prior to 6.6 - most if not all of these IA projects go back to an initial creation in IA 5.1 or thereabouts.

8. After the error occurs the following 1013 event is logged to the Application event log:

Event Type: Error
Event Source: MsiInstaller
Event Category: None
Event ID: 1013
Date: 8/1/2007
Time: 12:20:12 PM
User: MYDOMAIN\\Fred
Computer: FRED_XP
Description:
Product: MyApp 2.5 --

Data:
0000: 7b 46 34 36 30 42 41 43 {F460BAC
0008: 44 2d 44 45 31 34 2d 34 D-DE14-4
0010: 46 33 32 2d 41 45 35 33 F32-AE53
0018: 2d 44 35 33 35 41 30 39 -D535A09
0020: 39 46 36 31 41 7d 9F61A}

See http://www.eventid.net/display.asp?eventid=1013&eventno=1634&source=MsiInstaller&phase=1 for some information regarding this event 1013.

The forum software doesn't seem to like posting a message larger than this, so I'll continue in a subsequent message...

This is the continuation of my prior message:

9. When I try to create an install log using the "/l" command line switch, such as MyAppSetup.exe /l=C:\\Temp\\MyAppSetup.log, no log file is created. Apparently the error occurs before the log file is ever created.

10. I have been able to "fix" some install projects by creating a new Win32 setup project in IA 7, and then with the "bad" project open in one instance of IA 7 I set the various properties of the "new" project that is open in another instance of IA 7. For the MSI script code I typically copy appropriate blocks of code from the "bad" project over to the "new" project via the clipboard. This technique has worked for some install projects, but at present I have one install project that still gets the error after using this technique. Perhaps whatever is wrong with the "bad" project gets copied over into the "new" project while copying MSI code across via the clipboard???

11. It is a lot of work to have to perform the actions of paragraph #10 on my install projects in order to make some of them work reliably under IA 7. The fact that I'm seeing this behavior now makes me wonder if this type of error is going to reappear when I upgrade to future releases of InstallAware.

I am going to keep record of these kind of reports and I will pass them to the design team. Thank you for lttig us know

Alex,

I was hoping for a bit more proactive response from your company other than "I'll pass this along to the developers", and in the meantime just live with it until maybe we fix it someday.

Since this error is somewhat difficult to reproduce, I would be willing to work with your staff to debug the error. I can make a computer where the error occurs available to you via remote control over the web, etc.

Basically I want to get this error resolved and I'm willing to work with you to accomplish that.

Please let me know if you are willing to work with me.

Bob

If you are able to get us a reproducible test case, we can immediately escalate to R&D.

Otherwise, you can order a support incident, and we can apply the incident towards isolating the cause of the problem for you, using Remote Desktop and so on.

Michael,

If I give you a Microsoft Virtual PC 2007 VHD image that exhibits the error, along with an IA install and the IA project that built the install, will that be sufficient for you to escalate the R&D?

Bob

Sure, but its best if you send us minimum projects. It takes a lot of time to configure a build environment (especially based on the number of files you are installing and the folders they are found in), so that we end up spending hours just trying to build your setup. This is why we ask for generic, minimum setup projects.

If you provide us something we can replicate and reproduce right away, that would be best. Otherwise a support incident may be required.

Michael,

I think I can provide the simple install project you are asking for.

Allow me to digress to the topic if InstallAware support for a moment.

You previously mentioned that I might have to "buy a support incident" in order to be helped. When I look on your website it seems that you only sell support incidents in 5-packs for $595.

Do you sell single support incidents?

If not, then consider how this looks from my perspective. I'm convinced I have a problem due to an error in InstallAware. You tell me that perhaps the only way you can help me is if I pay you $595 for the privilege of helping you debug your product. Somehow that comes over to me, and I would think to other customers, as a bitter pill to swallow.

Please pass this suggestion along to your management and ask them if they think it is fair, and let me know what they say:

I would not mind paying a reasonable price for a SINGLE support incident. If it turns out the problem is due to my error, you keep the money. If it turns out the problem is due to an error in InstallAware, you refund the support incident cost.

Bob

Thanks for your feedback, Bob. Our support policy page describes our practices in detail, and we have to adhere to those guidelines.

If you are able to get us the minimum projects which demonstrate these issues, great. You do not need to purchase an incident.