Hmm. I just spotted this on the microsoft.public.platformsdk.msi newsgroup Subject: GAC files mistakenly removed on upgrade with a link to this KB article: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/905238/en-us
Basically it says that if you schedule RemoveExistingProducts too early, the GAC items will be removed. Currently, I'm using this: <RemoveExistingProducts After='InstallInitialize'>OLDERFULLVERSIONFOUND OR OLDERDEMOFOUND</RemoveExistingProducts> Does this mean that I'm vulnerable to this bug if I choose to use merge modules instead of vcredist_x86.exe? Secondly, Is there anyway to do several passes of RemoveExistingProducts? I installed a platform SDK today, and it seemed to remove items in several passes. Anthony Wieser Wieser Software Ltd ----- Original Message ----- From: "Mike Dimmick" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "'Anthony Wieser'" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; <wix-users@lists.sourceforge.net> Sent: Friday, June 01, 2007 7:26 PM Subject: RE: [WiX-users] VC8 runtime redistribution best practice. Should I usemerge modules or bootstrapper with vcredist_x86.exe? > You should use the merge modules, IMO. Unfortunately DevDiv has been > historically bad at generating good merge modules. You'll have to ignore > the > warnings. They're only warning that a column's declared length was > exceeded, > I don't think any actual harm occurs (since the files are actually > installed > by a package that has had this module merged in). > > Yes, if you use vcredist_x86.exe, the user can uninstall the runtimes out > from under you. You can't do anything about this - packages are meant to > be > self-contained and independent of each other, not requiring other packages > to be installed first, so there's no way to add a reference to another > package. > > -- > Mike Dimmick > > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Anthony > Wieser > Sent: 01 June 2007 11:33 > To: wix-users@lists.sourceforge.net > Subject: [WiX-users] VC8 runtime redistribution best practice. Should I > usemerge modules or bootstrapper with vcredist_x86.exe? > > I'm starting to get paranoid now, having been bitten so many times along > the > > MSI journey. > > Currently I link most of my applications statically to the VC runtimes, > but > in the case where I want to redistribute the MFC/VC runtimes, which is the > best way? > > I've looked through the latest vcredist package, and found that the files > in > > it weren't marked as permanent. > > As I only install vcredist.exe if it's product code isn't present in my > custom bootstrapper, it seems to me it will only be installed with the > first > > product I install. After that, it's on the system. > > That makes sense, but what happens if after you install my product, > someone > uninstalls vcredist.exe. Will all of my required DLL's be uninstalled out > from under me if the files weren't already installed on the computer from > another component? I can't see how to add a reference to a component that > I > > didn't install. > > I leaned toward the vcredist method, because it makes for smaller > installs, > as you don't need to ship the contents to everyone, and also because the > merge modules generated so many warnings. > > But on further investigation, it appears that the vcredist packages aren't > properly signed either. The external package is signed on the new redist, > but after hitting the license agreement page, you're presented with the > UAC > dialog, saying that: > VCREDI~3.EXE from an unknown publisher wants to access your computer. > > That's maybe a little too scary for my users. > > Anthony Wieser > Wieser Software Ltd > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------- > This SF.net email is sponsored by DB2 Express > Download DB2 Express C - the FREE version of DB2 express and take > control of your XML. No limits. Just data. Click to get it now. > http://sourceforge.net/powerbar/db2/ > _______________________________________________ > WiX-users mailing list > WiX-users@lists.sourceforge.net > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/wix-users > ------------------------------------------------------------------------- This SF.net email is sponsored by DB2 Express Download DB2 Express C - the FREE version of DB2 express and take control of your XML. No limits. Just data. Click to get it now. http://sourceforge.net/powerbar/db2/ _______________________________________________ WiX-users mailing list WiX-users@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/wix-users
