PackageAware Oddities

[JimMcKeeth]

I was using PackageAware for the first time. I used a clean virutal machine, just like recommended, to do the install on. Here are the oddities I discovered:

1) The captured setup does not include any of the files that were installed. If I knew where all the files were installed too, and I could easily transfer them to another machine, then I really wouldn't need PackageAware. Now how am I susposed to build an install on my machine with InstallAware if I don't have access to the installed files?

2) The captured setup picked up the wrong install. I used VMWare for my virtual machine. Prior to using PackageAware I installed VMWare Tools and all the updates to the operating system. After rebooting I ran PackageAware and it detected VMWare Tools and even set all the Application Information (including Project Properties, Summary Information and Add-Remove Programs) for VMWare tools. Rather odd that it would do that.

3) PackageAware included itself. I was scanning through the registry changes and noticed that PackageAware included itself. It included "$PROFILESME$\\Application Data\\PackageAware\\mpa.exe" in the "Software\\Microsoft\\Windows\\CurrentVersion\\Run" key under HKCU. Seems like it ought to recognize itself.

I am really curious on how to deal with the first issue, and the second one is an odd annoyance, while I think the third is a bug.[/list][/list]

[MichaelNesmith]

From what you say, I think you ran PackageAware at the wrong sequence, or something similar. Its impossible for PackageAware to capture, for example, files for a product that are already installed, the product simply doesn't work that way.

Also, PackageAware has standard exclusion filters, which exclude not only itself, but also files and registry keys which are 100% safe and known not be part of your setup (without a solid exclusion list like PackageAware's, it would be very hard to sift through all the garbage that is captured along with your installation).

[JimMcKeeth]

I thought it seemed really odd. This is what I did. Where did I go wrong and what can I do better next time.

1) Created XP virtual machine
2) Instlled VMWare Tools - rebooted
3) Ran Windows update to get all updates - rebooted
4) Ran PackageAware to the screen it told me to run the install
5) Ran the installation for Oracle10g XE
6) Modified Oracle for the correct settings
7) Created a database in Oracle
8) Cleaned up files used for the install
9) Rebooted (as the PackageAware dialog suggested)
10) Finished the PackageAware process creating a captured setup
11) Copied the captured setup off the virtual machine and on to the machine with InstallAware installed.
12) Noticed NONE of the file installed by Oracle were included in the captured setup.
13) Noticed other things mentioned in my last post.

Tips or suggestions? I am all ears. From what I can tell from the documentation I followed all the steps.

Thanks for the quick response!

[Gizm0]

Did you recovered from a snapshot on VMWare or sth like that?

[JimMcKeeth]

I rolled back to a snapshot, ran some updates, rebooted, then started the PackageAware process.

[MichaelNesmith]

So its faster to test, try this on a clean machine -

Run PackageAware initial scan, create a file on the Desktop, reboot, run a comparison scan, generate project, see if it captures that file.

When we test that here, it works. The resulting package is called VMware Tools but that is only because a conf file in the VMware folder changed during the reboot, and PackageAware is picking that up.

[JimMcKeeth]

What is happening is PackageAware is failing to remove itself from the HKEY_CURRENT_USER\\Software\\Microsoft\\Windows\\CurrentVersion\\Run key.

It is leaving an entry for
PackageAware="C:\\Documents and Settings\\user\\Application Data\\PackageAware\\mpa.exe"

This entry is needed to it will run again after reboot, but since it is left there it finds it during the Delta Process. Also, it runs again on each reboot. Rather anoying. . . .

I did a screen capture of the process if you want I can upload it for you to see what I did.

[MichaelNesmith]

It will remove itself from there when you create the setup project - that is how the wizard works.