Updating Windows Installer without a Reebot

zims · Post by **zims** » Wed Dec 31, 2008 7:35 pm

When updating Windows Installer on a Windows 2000 SP4 to Windows Installer 3.1 it allways requiers a reboot before the installation can continue.

When using Install Shield it does not require a reboot. I guess the reason for this is that when IA installs PreReq the PreReq installation is initiated by Windows Installer and the locks the files and thats why it requires a reboot.

When Install Shield installed a Windows Installer update I guess it is the bootstraper (not Windows Installer) that initiates the Windows Installer update and there it works without a reboot.

Am I correct with my abow statments?

Is there a solution to make IA update Windows Installer without a reboot?

The reason I need to find a solution for this is beacuse I run all my installations remotly and it is not good practice to remotly reboot users computers (my installation is used in business enviroment where we install/update 10-100 computers remotly at the same time).

Zims

CandiceJones · Post by **CandiceJones** » Wed Dec 31, 2008 8:36 pm

You are wrong about your statements. Both products run the native Microsoft installer for Windows Installer 3.1, there is no other way to install this runtime. InstallShield is supressing the reboot request, and you can too with InstallAware by modifying the install script for MSI 3.1.

zims · Post by **zims** » Sun Jan 25, 2009 6:07 am

I have been looking in to this problem abit more and your suggestion to suppres the need of a reboot is not working.

The first PreReq that is installed in my setup is Windows Installer 3.1, after that I install Microsof Core XML Services 6.1.

It is no problem to ignore the need to reboot after Windows Installer 3.1 is installed, the problem is that Microsof Core XML Services 6.1 will not install since it need Windows Installer 3.1.

If i now stop the installation and starts it again (without rebooting) everything works fine.

If I run the installatino of Windows Installer 3.1 externaly (not with InstallAware) it never asks for a reboot.

I guess that InstallAware initialize Windows Installer before the installation of PreReqs and that is why it requires a reboot. And that is why the "old" version Windows Installer that will be used when I try to install Microsof Core XML Services 6.1 directly after installing Windows Installer 3.1.

So back to my question. In Installshield this is possible without a reboot (or restart of the installation) since InstallShield updates Windows Installer as part of the bootstrapper before the installations is initialized. Is it possible to do something like this with InstallAware?

If not I think this is something you should think about, as far as I understand it, it is not possible to install a update of Windows Installer without a reboot (or restart of the installation) with InstallAware.

Zims

MichaelNesmith · Post by **MichaelNesmith** » Sun Jan 25, 2009 9:08 am

Again, this sentence has no meaning: "I guess that InstallAware initialize Windows Installer before the installation of PreReqs and that is why it requires a reboot." InstallAware does no such thing.

Likewise, this is also factually wrong: "In Installshield this is possible without a reboot (or restart of the installation) since InstallShield updates Windows Installer as part of the bootstrapper before the installations is initialized." The InstallAware MSIcode engine itself is one large bootstrapper.

zims · Post by **zims** » Sun Jan 25, 2009 9:59 am

But why does InstallAware need to reboot after updating to Windows Installer 3.1 when InstallShield don't.

If am I wrong, then what is the diffrens and what can I do to solve my problem?

Zims

MichaelNesmith · Post by **MichaelNesmith** » Sun Jan 25, 2009 12:22 pm

Why don't you try editing the InstallAware Windows Installer 3.1 runtime installation MSIcode script to automatically install the native Microsoft runtime, then? Use Run Program and ask it to wait for the completion of the native Microsoft runtime installer.

If that runtime doesn't end with a reboot request, just call it instead of the native InstallAware runtime which for whatever reason in your case is requiring a reboot.

zims · Post by **zims** » Sun Jan 25, 2009 1:52 pm

I have tried exatly that but it still returns the exitcode that tells me that it needs a reboot (and ignoring the reboot don't work since the next PreReq will not work until reboot or restart of the setup).

I think the problem is that InstallAware/MSICode are "using" some Windows Installer files and that is why it needs a reboot. If i start the Windows Installer 3.1 runtime .exe file manually from Windows Explorer (Without any InstallAware setups running) on the same computer it don't need a restart.

So again, InstallShield updates the Windows Installer engine before they do anything else and I guess that is why it works without a need for reboot.

So, the only way i can think of a solution is to create my own "setup.exe" that installs Windows Installer and after that runs the InstallAware setup.exe. This solutions is not perfect so that is why I wounder if there is another solution.

Zims

MichaelNesmith · Post by **MichaelNesmith** » Sun Jan 25, 2009 4:27 pm

No, like I said before, InstallAware is not using anything in Windows Installer until Apply Changes is called. I don't know where you are getting that idea, but you have already repeated this three times so far and I have said this is not the case three times in return; I will have to lock this thread if you make that suggestion one more time.

zims · Post by **zims** » Sun Jan 25, 2009 4:57 pm

I don't want to complain but that was accualy the first time you said cleary where in process InstallAware calling Windows Installer API's.

With this information I guess I have to look at my tests again.