InstallAware

Hi. I am currently trying to deploy some Windows Media player supplement codecs and have created an MSI using InstallAware but am having some problems with Windows 2000 blocking some of the files because of Windows File Protection.

I used PackageAware to monitor the changes made by the standalone exe and using Studio Admin created a single file distribution followed by an MSI. The MSI is being distributed using Group Policy and after logging on for the first time after the install, Windows File Protection complains that two system files (mpg4ds32.ax and msadds32.ax) were changed and prompts to restore from the original CD. My understanding is that protected system files can be replaced by Windows Update, Hotfixes, Service packs and O/S upgrades using Winnt32.exe.

Can anyone advise if there is any way to update these two files with an InstallAware MSI ? I have even tested scripting a replacement of the two files in c:\\windows\\system32\\dllcache with the newer versions followed by the replacing the actual final files in c:\\windows\\system32\\. Unfortunately Windows File Protection still complains which I'm slightly confused on as I thought Windows monitored for the change in the system directory, compared the file version with the dllcache and if they don't match restore the protected file.

Thanks,
Alex.

You can disable Windows File protection, please read http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/archive/wfp.mspx for information how to do it. remember to enable it again after the installation has completed successfully.

Hi Alex. Thanks for your suggestion. I had considered doing it that way but was hoping to avoid that method as I will then need to script the registry change and reboot before the MSI insgtall which at the moment is all being done through group policy which isn't the most flexible. I was hoping there would be a better way but I suspect there isn't.

Thanks.