Some rambling first: The bottom line is that a limited user can't write to Program Files, and whether it's per user or per system there's no way that Windows would allow that to happen. It is highly unlikely that a limited user has been able to write to the Program Files directory for the past eight years given the sensitivity of everyone to security breaches. It's not clear what the context is - your machine, everyone's machine, XP systems, systems with UAC disabled and so on. So you can have a per user install that writes to Program Files but it still requires elevation. Per user or per machine does not alter the fact that the Program Files folder cannot be written to by limited users (in the default standard UAC world).
If InstallShield LE is like VS (with caveats) then it might behave differently when you're limited vs privileged and do something different, somewhat like this: https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/dd408068(v=vs.85).aspx There are also scenarios where products can ber patched by limited users if everything is signed in the right way. Searching for a way to allow a limited user to write to the Program Files folder is going to be fruitless. You're effectively looking for a security breach. As a practical solution, if you are doing an upgrade (a major upgrade?) then the kind of thing you can do is detect the previous version and do the major upgrade of the new setup to a non-restricted location. If the user cannot upgrade (because it requires removing files from Program Files) then prompt for a manual uninstall. Use OnlyDetect in an upgrade element. If the app itself doesn't work unless it installed to the Program Files folder than it's broken because that destination is a choice, not a mandatory location. --------------- Phil Wilson On Fri, May 8, 2015 at 9:39 AM, Zig <fnot-...@ziglar.me> wrote: > On 5/7/2015 11:04 PM, Scott Ferguson wrote: >> Hi, >> >> Have a look at InstallShield Limited in VS 2010 and up. Under the >> Application Information > General Information section all I do is set the >> ALLUSERS switch to "ALLUSERS=""(Per-user installation). >> >> Then in the Application Files area I have it install to Program Files. When >> I run the .msi the UAC dialog comes up and I select Yes and it installs >> without issue. > > Yeah, I believe, technically, a true per-user installation should never > trigger a UAC prompt. > > If you _need_ to replicate _that_ behavior in WiX, try removing the > installScope declaration entirely, and set ALLUSERS="". That will > probably cause Windows Installer to do a UAC bump, so you can access > Program Files. > > That said, installing to Program Files really isn't "per-user"... and I > suspect someone else on this list will be able to provide a better > explanation of why trying to continue down the same path is a horrible > idea, and if there are scenarios where it might break? > >> >> The process is slightly different for Setup and Deployment but still similar >> that I set it to per-user and install to Program Files without issue. >> >> This is something for you to think about anyway. >> >> Also over the last 15 - 18 years I have never installed an application on >> any of my computers to anywhere other than Program Files; whether it was >> per-machine or not. >> >> I didn't know users/<user name>/AppData/Local/Programs existed until now. > > Just out of curiosity, are you accessing that by setting > MSIINSTALLPERUSER = 1 ? > > -Zig > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ > One dashboard for servers and applications across Physical-Virtual-Cloud > Widest out-of-the-box monitoring support with 50+ applications > Performance metrics, stats and reports that give you Actionable Insights > Deep dive visibility with transaction tracing using APM Insight. > http://ad.doubleclick.net/ddm/clk/290420510;117567292;y > _______________________________________________ > WiX-users mailing list > WiX-users@lists.sourceforge.net > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/wix-users ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ One dashboard for servers and applications across Physical-Virtual-Cloud Widest out-of-the-box monitoring support with 50+ applications Performance metrics, stats and reports that give you Actionable Insights Deep dive visibility with transaction tracing using APM Insight. http://ad.doubleclick.net/ddm/clk/290420510;117567292;y _______________________________________________ WiX-users mailing list WiX-users@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/wix-users
