Help, Help, Help...MSI Problem

[Stefan Krueger [MVP]]

That depends on how (with which tool) that exe was created. So you will have
to ask the manufacturer...

--
Stefan Krueger
Microsoft Windows Installer MVP

Please post your questions in the newsgroup or vist one of these web sites:

Windows Installer FAQ
http://www.msifaq.com - http://www.msifaq.de

InstallSite - Resources for Setup Developers
http://www.installsite.org
http://www.installsite.de (GERMAN)

Yes, the install program works on another pc running Win
2000. I had tried that awhile ago. Is there any way to
kick off a log based on the sendphotosgold.exe file to see
what happens while the files are being extracted by the
installation b/4 or when the MSIEXEC error is posted???

-----Original Message-----
Sorry, running out of ideas. Does the same setup work on another machine?
Otherwise it might be a problem with the package (even if the manufacturer
blames Microsoft).

--
Stefan Krueger
Microsoft Windows Installer MVP

Please post your questions in the newsgroup or vist one of these web sites:

Windows Installer FAQ
http://www.msifaq.com - http://www.msifaq.de

InstallSite - Resources for Setup Developers
http://www.installsite.org
http://www.installsite.de (GERMAN)

I have 60 gb of free space...so that's not a problem. I
changed the TEMP & TMP environment for user & system to
C:\Temp & C:\Tmp respectively and still get the same
error..The error occurs right after the box for the wise
installation wizard comes up and says it is extracting
files to your local computer when it closes the MSIEXEC
error pops up.
-----Original Message-----
I guess the self extracting exe will put the installation
files in the temp
folder and then pass that path to msiexec. Somehow this
seems to fail. One
possible reason I could think of is that you don't have
enough free disk
space. Another reason might be that the path to the temp
folder is too long.
To test this, change your TEMP environment variables (for
user and machine)
to something short, e.g. to C:\temp (you should create
that folder first,
and make sure it has the correct permissions set). The
steps to change the
environment variables depends on your operating system
(note: you cannot do
this in a command prompt box).

--
Stefan Krueger
Microsoft Windows Installer MVP

Please post your questions in the newsgroup or vist one
of these web sites:

Windows Installer FAQ
http://www.msifaq.com - http://www.msifaq.de

InstallSite - Resources for Setup Developers
http://www.installsite.org
http://www.installsite.de (GERMAN)


Newsbeitrag
Stephan,

OK I checked all the directories / files /folders
involved
and system has full authority on all and they are not
encrypted. As far as checking the error message while
it
is still on the screen...it doesn't specify a location
all
it is is a gray box with a blue line across the top that
says MSIEXEC. The text in the grey portion says "Access
to specified device, path, or file is denied" and it
has a
red circle with an X in it...There is no other
information.
-----Original Message-----
Did you check the permissions of the directories you
are
installing from and
to? Note that being logged on as Administrator is not
enough. Make sure that
NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM has full rights on these folders,
and
also your temp
folder. And make sure they are not encrypted.
Another thing to check: when the error message is still
on the screen,
please check the location specified in the error
message
to see if the .msi
file is actually (still) there.

--
Stefan Krueger
Microsoft Windows Installer MVP

Please post your questions in the newsgroup or vist one
of these web sites:

Windows Installer FAQ
http://www.msifaq.com - http://www.msifaq.de

InstallSite - Resources for Setup Developers
http://www.installsite.org
http://www.installsite.de (GERMAN)


Newsbeitrag
OK...I got the registry entries in:


[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Ins
taller]
"AlwaysInstallElevated"=dword:00000000
"DisableBrowse"=dword:00000000
"DisablePatch"=dword:00000000
"Logging"="voicewarmup"
"Debug"=dword:00000007

When I run the install program I still get my MSIEXEC
error of: Access to specified device, path, or file
is
denied and I do not kick off a log. I tried the same
registry entry on another pc and do get a log when I
run
the install program and the program installs fine.
So
the
problem is definetly isolated to this pc and appears
to
be
with the installer program or registry. I also ran
SFC
and all appears to be OK...What else is ther to do???
Please any additional help would be very much
appreciated...I'm trying to send photos of the grand
kids.
Thank You Bob



.



.

.

 

[Bob]

This is the response I got back from the software
manufacturer...Hope this helps.

The MSI install package was created by the Wise for
Windows installer version 4.20.0.1. To my knowledge you
are the only customer who has ever reported this error
(out of 10's of thousands).

The install includes the MSI 2.0 upgrade and that will be
installed as needed, but for Win2000 and WinXP, it should
be ignored.

You need to be an admin to run the install, but you
reported you already knew that and were logged in as one.

The error message you originally reported was, "Access to
the specified device file or path is denied". This
message seems to have been issued by the Microsoft
Installer subsystem (MSI). At what point in the install
process does this error pop up? Let me describe the steps
so you can reply with something I will recognize:

The first step is when you put the CD in the drive (MSI is
not running at this point). You will see a small message
pop up briefly saying that MSI is starting.

There is a small "wrapper" executable around the
SendPhotos msi install package (which is a file containing
all the information that the Microsoft Installer will use
to install the program). This "wrapper" is started by the
auto-run script on the CD. The wrapper checks to see if
you have MSI 2.0 installed on your PC. In your case it
will be, so the wrapper skips the installation of MSI
2.0. Next it extracts the SendPhotos msi install package
to a temp folder on your hard drive. MSI still isn't
running yet, so I don't think the error has occurred at
this point and there is no UI other than that little
message I talked about earlier.

Next, the wrapper starts MSI and gives MSI the name of the
SendPhotos msi install package file. At this point MSI
has to read the install package to get the UI for the
install wizard. If that goes OK, then you will see the
opening page of the install wizard for SendPhotos. Do you
see that?

After that you have to go through a couple pages of wizard
as it gathers information, then it begins the install
where it has to create folders and files on your PC. I'm
guessing that this is where the error pops up, but I need
you to tell me that - presumably after you click the Next
button on the wizard page where it says "begin install
now" or something to that effect.

The install has to write things to your hard disk. It
can't write to folders that have been marked "Read Only",
so you need to specify an install location known to be
writable. The default install path is C:\Program
Files\Novatix\SendPhotos. If by change you have a file in
any of those folders named the same as the folder MSI is
trying to create, you might get that error. For example,
if you have a file named Novatix in the Program Files
folder, then MSI won't be able to create the Novatix
folder.

The install also has to write to the registry and the
registry keys have to be writable (they can be maked "Read
Only" just like file system folders. I doubt this is the
problem.

If you have security programs running on your PC, they can
block access. I doubt this is the problem because you
said you turned them all off. You didn't say what you
were running, but I assume it is some common brand.

The most likely situation is something really mundane,
like a file named the same as a folder that MSI is suppose
to create. But there are a lot of possible ways for
Win2000 / XP to be set up so that file security will be
denied to a program trying to write something to disk.
Only you would be in a position to discover and solve that
type of problem.

-----Original Message-----
That depends on how (with which tool) that exe was created. So you will have
to ask the manufacturer...

--
Stefan Krueger
Microsoft Windows Installer MVP

Please post your questions in the newsgroup or vist one of these web sites:

Windows Installer FAQ
http://www.msifaq.com - http://www.msifaq.de

InstallSite - Resources for Setup Developers
http://www.installsite.org
http://www.installsite.de (GERMAN)

Yes, the install program works on another pc running Win
2000. I had tried that awhile ago. Is there any way to
kick off a log based on the sendphotosgold.exe file to see
what happens while the files are being extracted by the
installation b/4 or when the MSIEXEC error is posted???

-----Original Message-----
Sorry, running out of ideas. Does the same setup work

on
another machine?

Otherwise it might be a problem with the package (even

if
the manufacturer

blames Microsoft).

--
Stefan Krueger
Microsoft Windows Installer MVP

Please post your questions in the newsgroup or vist one of these web sites:

Windows Installer FAQ
http://www.msifaq.com - http://www.msifaq.de

InstallSite - Resources for Setup Developers
http://www.installsite.org
http://www.installsite.de (GERMAN)


I have 60 gb of free space...so that's not a problem. I
changed the TEMP & TMP environment for user & system to
C:\Temp & C:\Tmp respectively and still get the same
error..The error occurs right after the box for the wise
installation wizard comes up and says it is extracting
files to your local computer when it closes the MSIEXEC
error pops up.
-----Original Message-----
I guess the self extracting exe will put the installation
files in the temp
folder and then pass that path to msiexec. Somehow this
seems to fail. One
possible reason I could think of is that you don't have
enough free disk
space. Another reason might be that the path to the temp
folder is too long.
To test this, change your TEMP environment variables (for
user and machine)
to something short, e.g. to C:\temp (you should create
that folder first,
and make sure it has the correct permissions set). The
steps to change the
environment variables depends on your operating system
(note: you cannot do
this in a command prompt box).

--
Stefan Krueger
Microsoft Windows Installer MVP

Please post your questions in the newsgroup or vist one
of these web sites:

Windows Installer FAQ
http://www.msifaq.com - http://www.msifaq.de

InstallSite - Resources for Setup Developers
http://www.installsite.org
http://www.installsite.de (GERMAN)


Newsbeitrag
Stephan,

OK I checked all the directories / files /folders
involved
and system has full authority on all and they are not
encrypted. As far as checking the error message while
it
is still on the screen...it doesn't specify a location
all
it is is a gray box with a blue line across the

top
that

says MSIEXEC. The text in the grey portion says "Access
to specified device, path, or file is denied" and it
has a
red circle with an X in it...There is no other
information.
-----Original Message-----
Did you check the permissions of the directories you
are
installing from and
to? Note that being logged on as Administrator is not
enough. Make sure that
NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM has full rights on these folders,
and
also your temp
folder. And make sure they are not encrypted.
Another thing to check: when the error message is still
on the screen,
please check the location specified in the error
message
to see if the .msi
file is actually (still) there.

--
Stefan Krueger
Microsoft Windows Installer MVP

Please post your questions in the newsgroup or

vist
one

of these web sites:

Windows Installer FAQ
http://www.msifaq.com - http://www.msifaq.de

InstallSite - Resources for Setup Developers
http://www.installsite.org
http://www.installsite.de (GERMAN)


Newsbeitrag
OK...I got the registry entries in:

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Ins

taller]
"AlwaysInstallElevated"=dword:00000000
"DisableBrowse"=dword:00000000
"DisablePatch"=dword:00000000
"Logging"="voicewarmup"
"Debug"=dword:00000007

When I run the install program I still get my MSIEXEC
error of: Access to specified device, path, or file
is
denied and I do not kick off a log. I tried

the
same

registry entry on another pc and do get a log when I
run
the install program and the program installs fine.
So
the
problem is definetly isolated to this pc and appears
to
be
with the installer program or registry. I also ran
SFC
and all appears to be OK...What else is ther to do???
Please any additional help would be very much
appreciated...I'm trying to send photos of the grand
kids.
Thank You Bob



.



.



.

.

 

[Stefan Krueger [MVP]]

Next, the wrapper starts MSI and gives MSI the name of the

SendPhotos msi install package file. At this point MSI
has to read the install package to get the UI for the
install wizard. If that goes OK, then you will see the
opening page of the install wizard for SendPhotos. Do you
see that?

From our discussion here I understand you don't see that install wizard.
Instead either the wrapper fails to extract the files, or the path it passes
to msiexec in order to launch the .msi file is incorrect, or the wrapper
removes (cleans up) the extracted file too early.

I'm not familiar with the wrapper from Wise so I don't know if it has
logging facility. Maybe you can find out at http://www.wise.com . The
wrapper may be ZIP compatible so oyu may be able to manually extract the
files using WinZIP, and run the setup by double clicking the .msi file.

BTW did you clean out your temp folder before you launch the setup?

--
Stefan Krueger
Microsoft Windows Installer MVP

Please post your questions in the newsgroup or vist one of these web sites:

Windows Installer FAQ
http://www.msifaq.com - http://www.msifaq.de

InstallSite - Resources for Setup Developers
http://www.installsite.org
http://www.installsite.de (GERMAN)

 

[Bob]

Stefan,

Thank you for all your suggestions, help & patience with
this problem...I have finally gotten the program
installed. The way I did it was I ran the exe file on
another machine and when the wise install program finished
extracting files and was ready to run the sendphotosgold
install program I went to explorer and opened my temp
folder and the MSI file was there so I made a copy of the
extracted MSI file and loaded it onto the pc that I
couldn't get it to run on. I executed the MSI file and
the program installed perfectly. I still don't know what
the original problem was that would not let me install the
program but once I extraced the MSI file from the original
wrapped exe file it was fine. So thanks again for all
your help.

Bob & Linda

-----Original Message-----

From our discussion here I understand you don't see that install wizard.
Instead either the wrapper fails to extract the files, or the path it passes
to msiexec in order to launch the .msi file is incorrect, or the wrapper
removes (cleans up) the extracted file too early.

I'm not familiar with the wrapper from Wise so I don't know if it has
logging facility. Maybe you can find out at

http://www.wise.com . The

 

[mpietersz]

You said that your software vendor mentioned that you are only one i
thousands that has reported the error. I have the same problem

My msiexec log reports the following

=== Verbose logging started: 18/03/04 17:42:10 Build type: SHI
UNICODE 1.20.1827.00 Calling process: C:\WINNT40\system32\msiexec.ex
===
MSI (c) (83A): Resetting cached policy values
MSI (c) (83A): ******* RunEngine:
******* Product: CONTROL-M Agent.msi
******* Action:
******* CommandLine: REBOOT="ReallySuppress" REINSTALL=AL
REINSTALLMODE=vomus INSTALLDIR="c:\bmc\ctm\agent" SERVER_HOSTNAME="FS
AUMELPS4"
MSI (c) (83A): Client-side and UI is none or basic: Running entir
install on the server.
MSI (c) (83A): Grabbed execution mutex.
MSI (s) (1A:74): Resetting cached policy values
MSI (s) (1A:74): ******* RunEngine:
******* Product: C:\bmc_temp\silent\CONTROL-M Agent.msi
******* Action:
******* CommandLine: REBOOT="ReallySuppress" REINSTALL=AL
REINSTALLMODE=vomus CURRENTDIRECTORY="C:\bmc_temp\silent
CLIENTUILEVEL=3 CLIENTPROCESSID=387 %HOMEPATH="\" %HOMEDRIVE="C:"
MSI (s) (1A:74): Note: 1: 2203 2: C:\bmc_temp\silent\CONTROL-
Agent.msi 3: -2147287038
MSI (s) (1A:74): MainEngineThread is returning 2
MSI (c) (83A): MainEngineThread is returning 2
=== Verbose logging stopped: 18/03/04 17:42:10 ===

I am running as admin and have all permissions, no encryption and th
command line to install specifies the .msi file so i don't have t
extract the exe. I was driver to use the command line because the gu
install refuses to go past a particular screen. The "next" button goe
nowhere.

The same gui install runs on another, very similar, machine. Both H
LH net servers with NT 4.0 SP 6a.

I'm stuc


-
mpieters

 

[mpietersz]

Team,

Wouldn't you know it. Just as I posted I thought of another way to d
it.

It looks as if I have managed to get the installation to work b
changing some of my system search paths.

Now I just need to get the product to work.

Thanks

Mar


-
mpieters

 

[Phil Wilson]

That log appears to be a minor upgrade - is that command line what you
specified, the REINSTALL=ALL REINSTALLMODE=vomus ?