Control Service: Stop and Delete on Uninstall does not work!

ALive · Post by **ALive** » Wed May 27, 2009 9:25 am

Hello!

After upgrading to version 9.xx i've noticed recently that Windows service control function does not work properly.

It's quiet easily to reproduce. I've created a test .NET setup, add files for our Service (written on C#), Install on setup Command is working perfectly. But Delete on Uninstall does not.

The service is fine, i can guarantee this. It also worked perfectly on 8.01.
I suppose it's a quiet serious bug. Can R&D confirm that??
Migrating to InstallUtil.exe from Microsoft.NET library is not an option for me (only as a fast and temporary workaround) for some reasons. I'll be glad if the functionality of this function would be restored.

PS. Michael, i suppose you'll read this post, can you check this out?
Thank You!

Thanks to everyone in advance!

MichaelNesmith · Post by **MichaelNesmith** » Wed May 27, 2009 9:56 am

R&D informs me that part of the code was not touched in InstallAware 9, so I am doubtful. Are you running this before Apply Uninstall or before Apply Install? It would also be great if you could compare the MSI files generated by both versions to see if they are the same or not as regards the ServiceControl table. Finally one more thing to check is if LONGCOMPONENTS=FALSE is the culprit here or not - just like the shortcut issue which was discovered earlier.

ALive · Post by **ALive** » Wed May 27, 2009 10:00 am

Thanks for the info Michael!!

I'll make a check, and keep you in touch about everything what i'll found.

Of course i did all the commands before Apply Install. The code worked perfectly before migrating to 9.xx.
Can you make a test project to install a service, if you would have some time?

Thanks again!

ALive · Post by **ALive** » Wed May 27, 2009 11:05 am

Michael, I've checked the MSI table for the values, everything seems fine with that bug (LONGCOMPONENTS=FALSE). Furthermore my current solutions uses LONGCOMPONENTS=TRUE (migrated to 9.02 today, wasn't able to check the Installation result with short names). So my guess there's definitely some issue with it.

MichaelNesmith · Post by **MichaelNesmith** » Wed May 27, 2009 1:28 pm

It'd be absolutely fantastic if you could do some digging like on the shortcuts issue and let me know if longcomponents has anything to do with it, or why/what is broken.

Otherwise, please send me a reproducible minimum test project that works in IA8 and fails in the current version and I'll take it from there.

R&D has a drop scheduled for next week sometime, so the more details you provide, the faster we'll be able to fix this issue for you, in time for the update release

ALive · Post by **ALive** » Mon Jun 01, 2009 7:00 am

Hello!

After a couple more days of using function "Control Service: Stop and Delete on Uninstall" in 9.02 i noticed that this function works on Install mode (NOT Uninstall). Single operation like Stop or Uninstall (along as altogether) are broken when Uninstall mode is used. That functionality is definitely changed (or was broken) in 9.xx version. Because in version 8.01 it was OK.

Michael, i wasn't able to do the experiments on 8.01 and 9.02 with some test projects (got a lot of work to do on installer project). Though i've made 2 test projects on 9.02. This is how i determine that on Install process they are worked.

Pretty weird, because on version 8.01 the whole project was fine. We have a bunch of services (Tomcat server, 2 .NET Services, 1 Visual C++ written service). And they all worked fine until recent versions.
This is easy to reproduce. Just find some simple service and try to install and uninstall it.

I would be very glad if R&D could make an investigation of this problem. For now i have to use sc.exe tool, but this way is not transactional. And for some reasons Tomcat service is still left in the Service Control system (and i don't know why). Running this command solely from Command Line removes the service successfully.

Thanks in advance!

MichaelNesmith · Post by **MichaelNesmith** » Mon Jun 01, 2009 2:53 pm

I get no clues looking at generated MSI files, which all seem kosher to me. Can you send a service file so I can test some more? Also take a look at the setup log - it might explain something about the service actions and results undertaken at uninstall time.

ElenaN · Post by **ElenaN** » Thu Jun 04, 2009 5:07 am

Hello!

I have same problem with service uninstall after upgrading to InstallAware 9.

The only difference which I notice between working installer made in IA8 and non-working by IA9 is that in IA9 RemoveExistingProducts action is not used. But it shouldn’t influence service control…

I just wanted to say that I also need some solution/workaround for the issue and don’t want to let this thread die before the answer is found.

ElenaN · Post by **ElenaN** » Thu Jun 04, 2009 5:56 am

Another thought:

In ServiceControl table (in msi generated by InstallAware) Service is named not directly, but using some property (for example [PF0D50002_1]). During installation this property is present in msi Property table, but it is not there during uninstallation. However it was same in IA8… But may be some other changes in IA9 influenced service uninstall functionality

MichaelNesmith · Post by **MichaelNesmith** » Thu Jun 04, 2009 7:35 am

MichaelNesmith wrote:I get no clues looking at generated MSI files, which all seem kosher to me. Can you send a service file so I can test some more? Also take a look at the setup log - it might explain something about the service actions and results undertaken at uninstall time.

ALive · Post by **ALive** » Thu Jun 04, 2009 7:40 am

Hi, Elena!

Yesterday i've found this strange behavior as you described. According to logs. I've no time to write about this yesterday.

So, i'll try to express what i've found...
This is a part of Installation LOG (iikowatchdog - is our sevice name):
...
MSI (s) (AC:40) [16:19:29:687]: Executing op: ServiceControl(,Name=iikoWatchdog,Action=8,Wait=0,)
...
MSI (s) (AC:40) [16:19:30:843]: Executing op: ServiceInstall(Name=iikoWatchdog,DisplayName=iikoWatchdog,ImagePath="C:\\Program Files\\SetupServiceTest\\Server\\WatchDog\\WatchDogServer.exe" ,ServiceType=16,StartType=2,ErrorControl=0,,,,,,)
...
MSI (s) (AC:40) [16:19:30:859]: Executing op: ServiceControl(,Name=iikoWatchdog,Action=1,Wait=1,)
...

Everuthing seems OK.

But here's Uninstall LOG:
I have two weird operations:
MSI (s) (AC!7C) [16:19:56:328]: PROPERTY CHANGE: Modifying PD32A8572_2 property. Its current value is 'iikoWatchdog'. Its new value: 'C:\\DOCUME~1\\ALLUSE~1\\APPLIC~1\\{49FB2~1\\'.
MSI (s) (AC!7C) [16:19:56:343]: PROPERTY CHANGE: Modifying PD32A8572_3 property. Its current value is 'iikoWatchdog'. Its new value: 'C:\\DOCUME~1\\ALLUSE~1\\APPLIC~1\\{49FB2~1\\'.

I don't understand why it renamed like that??

another extract:
MSI (s) (AC!7C) [16:19:56:343]: PROPERTY CHANGE: Modifying PF11B8A88_1 property. Its current value is 'iikoWatchdog'. Its new value: 'C:\\DOCUME~1\\ALLUSE~1\\APPLIC~1\\{49FB2~1\\'.
MSI (s) (AC!7C) [16:19:56:343]: PROPERTY CHANGE: Adding PF11B8A88_2 property. Its value is 'C:\\DOCUME~1\\ALLUSE~1\\APPLIC~1\\{49FB2~1\\'.
MSI (s) (AC!7C) [16:19:56:343]: PROPERTY CHANGE: Modifying P5F38396_1 property. Its current value is 'iikoWatchdog'. Its new value: 'C:\\DOCUME~1\\ALLUSE~1\\APPLIC~1\\{49FB2~1\\'.
MSI (s) (AC!7C) [16:19:56:343]: PROPERTY CHANGE: Adding P5F38396_2 property. Its value is 'C:\\DOCUME~1\\ALLUSE~1\\APPLIC~1\\{49FB2~1\\'.
MSI (s) (AC!7C) [16:19:56:343]: PROPERTY CHANGE: Modifying P56A0E8A2_1 property. Its current value is 'iikoWatchdog'. Its new value: 'C:\\DOCUME~1\\ALLUSE~1\\APPLIC~1\\{49FB2~1\\'.
MSI (s) (AC!7C) [16:19:56:343]: PROPERTY CHANGE: Adding P56A0E8A2_2 property. Its value is 'C:\\DOCUME~1\\ALLUSE~1\\APPLIC~1\\{49FB2~1\\'.

And here goes the last:
MSI (s) (AC:B0) [16:19:58:687]: Executing op: ServiceControl(,Name=C:\\DOCUME~1\\ALLUSE~1\\APPLIC~1\\{49FB2~1\\,Action=8,Wait=1,StartupArguments=C:\\DOCUME~1\\ALLUSE~1\\APPLIC~1\\{49FB2~1\\)

we have weird service name, instead of a proper name (iikoWatchdog).

Sorry that i couldn't write about this earlier, have a little time. We have a release soon. I'm working almost 12 hours a day. Michael, I hope this will give some help to R&D.

Thanks a lot.

MichaelNesmith · Post by **MichaelNesmith** » Thu Jun 04, 2009 8:13 am

That should be helpful, thank you.

MichaelNesmith · Post by **MichaelNesmith** » Thu Jun 04, 2009 10:47 am

R&D has provided a hotfix - please regenerate and reinstall your license and test, letting us know of the outcome.

ALive · Post by **ALive** » Thu Jun 04, 2009 3:50 pm

Hi, Michael!

I would like to thank You and all R&D team for such a quick fix!

I've run a couple tests and it seems working. Our testers haven't tested the installer yet though. But a smoke test runs smoothly.

Once again, thank you all!!!

Best regards!

MichaelNesmith · Post by **MichaelNesmith** » Thu Jun 04, 2009 6:42 pm

No, thank YOU for being so helpful and thorough in your reports!