Installer infinite loop when running application

[Mike]

I am using .NET to develop an appication. but have run
into a similar problem when running/testing it on various
machines.

I double click on the exe to run the app and a window
opens saying that it is installing the product, even tho
it is already installed (or even just built on the
machine). This install dialog has a progess bar which
loops infinitely until I press cancel. The application
works fine at this point. But I want to stop this
behaviour as I should not be installing anything at this
point.

When I look at the processes running on the machine,
MsiExec.exe is in the list. which dissapears when I stop
the so-called install.

One thing I thought it might be was that the shortcut to
the app/exe was an "advertised" app somehow. This would
mean that it needs to install certain software in order to
run, but I dont know how to check this, or even how it may
have happened.

Any ideas on this appreciated.

regards,
Mike

 

[Carolyn Napier [MSFT]]

If you notice repeated installs of software, the first thing to check is the
Application Event Log using the Event Log Viewer (start->run; type
"eventvwr.exe").

In particular, look for MsiInstaller Warning messages with event Ids 1001 and
1004. These messages will indicate what was failing detection.

For more information, check out the Troubleshooting section of the Windows
Installer FAQ at <
http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/community/centers/management/msi_faq.mspx >
and the answer provided to the question: "Every time I launch my application,
Windows Installer performs an installation. How do I determine the cause of the
on-demand installation?".

Typically you'll have a resource that is missing (which the repeated installs
fail to restore) or a resource that is there but isn't accessible by the user
attempting to use it (ACLs don't provide the user access).

Hope this helps,
- Carolyn Napier
Microsoft Windows Installer Team

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