Cannot Install Software, showing "Publisher Could Not Be Verified"

[niladri]

We develop some engineering software for our own sales people. After building
a new version using "VISTA Business" and creating the installation version
(using InstallShild), when I tried to install in the same VISTA machine, to
test. I get the following pop-up windows:-

1. Open File -Security Warning
"The Publisher could not be verified. Are you sure you want to run
this
software?"

I select "Run". The Second POP-UP window opens.

2. User Account Control
"An unidentified Program wants to access you computer"

I select "Allow"

Still the program does NOT run.

What changes exactly do I need to make in my program to make it "Known
Publisher" for VISTA??

P.S. I can run the same program and install, from Windows-XP without any
error.


Thanks,
- niladri

 

[Jesper]

The experience you are seeing does not make sense. You can still run software
that is not digitally signed. Are you sure the software works? Can you run it
in a debugger to verify that?

The first warning you are seeing indicates that the software was downloaded
from somewhere. When you do that it gets marked as untrusted and you get a
warning. You should be able to get rid of the first warning by unchecking
the "Always ask before opening this file" box in the dialog. You could also
right-click the download, select Properties, and then click the "Unblock"
button to turn off that warning.

Then you get a User Account Control (UAC) warning because installers must
run as an administrator. The actual software itself should work without admin
privs and without warnings though. You cannot get rid of the warning on the
installer. The most you can do is to digitally sign the software and the
installer which would change the warning to a green one instead of yellow.
For that you need an Authenticode cert. You can get one from GlobalSign
(http://www.globalsign.com) or VeriSign or one of its subsidiaries. Then you
would use the signtool
(http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/8s9b9yaz(VS.80).aspx) to sign the
code.

 

[niladri]

Yes, the SETUP.EXE (Created using InstallShild) works allright when I run
from my C:\ drive however, when I try to run from Network, even if I select
"Allow", it does NOT run.

What do I need to include in my IsntallShild or any thing that will allow my
users to run and install from the network?

-niladri

 

[Jesper]

What do you mean by "try to run from Network?" Do you mean you go to IE,
click the file to download it, and then click "Run" in the open/save dialog?
I have found that installers that require admin privs often do not work that
way. You need to save them first. I'm not sure exactly why that is but I
believe it has to do with the fact that they are marked as low integrity and
you can't move them to high integrity to install them.

 

[niladri]

NO, not from IE or any browser. I load the software to our own server. i.g.
Z:\Install\SizingApp_Install\SETUP.EXE

Where Z: is like \\notes_fax_server\Sys\Public, sinply a server directory
location.

If I run from C:\ drive, the Software Installs without any issue however,
from above server location - NEVER WORKS!!

This is very urgent, because our users are unable to download/install the
client application from the Server.

 

[Jesper]

That does not make sense. Nothing in the OS should stop that installation.
You have not made any other security changes to the OS have you?

You could try code-signing the installation to see if that will help. I'm at
a loss to explain what is wrong though. The only thing I can think of is that
the elevation fails.