MSI Help Needed...

[Grant007]

I created a MSI for a application called Laserforms. I applied in AD to assign it to computers. It installs fine on boot up but when i go to run the application 'laserforms'
it comes up with the follwoing error:-

"run-time error '-2147024770 (8007007e)' The specified module could not be found"

I have checked the directory of the installation and all files are there including the .exe file but when this is double clicked i get the above error.

any help would be greatly appreciated....!

thanks.

 

[ReddLefty]

Did the software come with it's own MSI or did you package it? If you packaged it, with which software did you package it?

It's always better to use the company supplied MSI if possible, but if you need to package it, you can use serveral different softwares. The one I use is WinInstall 2003 LE cause it's free... (we don't have big IT budgets, like most of the world).

I'm guessing you tested your MSI before you deployed it? Not every installation is perfect, otherwise, alot of us wouldn't have jobs!

I'm guessing your gonna need to repackage or create a new MSI and re-deploy it. You could try running an upgrade on your existing package when you get an operational version.

We (this forum) can try to help you with the packaging process, but you need to tell us how you wish to do this.



"In space, nobody can hear you click..."

 

[Grant007]

Hi

Sorry i have not replied sooner. Could you give me some help on creating a MSI package without using the before and after snapshot wizard as this does not seem to work in any of the software that i try?

any help would be greatly appreciated...

thanks.

 

[ReddLefty]

If you don't use a software like WinInstall for Before & After snap-shot, then you will need to seek out Installers instead, like InstallShield. This application is the software that can permit you to "Create" an entire setup package. You can probably convert it into an MSI from the source afterward, but I'm not certain because I don't use it. I would say that only 50% of my installations work with Wininstall LE. For the other half, it's alot workarounds like wrappers lauching batch files or setup.exe with arguments... what can I say, nothing is ever easy.



"In space, nobody can hear you click..."

 

[Grant007]

okey so winInstall with the before and after snapshot is a must. How do you know where to look to fix your MSI package as it seems to be very widely used but it soesnt seem to be be documented anywhere (if you know what i mean) - everywhere i look for help seem to push inot SMS and other technologies which i dont have the use of at the moment...

Could you give me some tips of how to get round MSI errors... some of the common errors i get are dll that fail to register..

Any help would be greatly appreciated as i have to build MSIs and deploy them over 300 workstations...

 

[ReddLefty]

You can edit the MSI (after the snapshot) with WinInstall LE.

The failed registered DLL should pop-up during the installation. Now, this will cause debate for the ones who like their installations to be perfect, but I simply edit the MSI and remove the Auto-Registration checkmark on the file that failed to auto-register.

You could also use another packager, like InstallRite. It doesn't create an MSI, but rather a large EXE. It's helped me package software I found impossible with WinInstall, like Adobe Acrobat Pro v6.0.

You can get InstallRite here:

http://www.epsilonsquared.com/

and like most reasons I post here, the software is "FREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE".... Which your boss is sure to like.





"In space, nobody can hear you click..."

 

[Grant007]

okay... so i take out the auto register tick BUT then how does it register...? as the installation will be a failure... it wont pop up saying that as i deploy the MSIs to machine and not users. So the MSI installs when the machine boots up W2k before the user gets the login prompt. So how would you get around the registering of the Dll and the failed MSI install (which you would see in your event logs)?

 

[ReddLefty]

This is the point of debate that I was telling you in my last post, it causes debate. The DLL doesn't register and the installation will complete without an error. Of course, the only person who can judge if the installtion is properly installed or not, is you.

You might want to try the other software. It doesn't work in the same fasion and it might be able to complete the installation successfully.



"In space, nobody can hear you click..."

 

[Grant007]

Hi

Thanks for all your help on this. I have one more question for you..

I have installed this software and created a .exe file. Now how would i role out this file to other machines - just through a script that would run the exe?


thanks

grant

 

[ReddLefty]

Well, to distrubute the package, I don't think the logon script is such a good idea. You might want to use the Group Policies and use the built-in Software Installation that comes with Windows 2000 Server and Active Directory.

Simply put, you add a group policy that installs the software at the Computer level. You must create an MSI for it to run in the Group Policies. You will need to use a Wrapper to create the MSI that will simply launch your EXE. You can find the WIWW Wrapper at:

http://www.appdeploy.com/downloads/detail.asp?id=340

You then add the MSI to your group policy.

I suggest that you create a group for the computers you which to install the software and change the rights on the Group Policy (Remove Authenticate Users - Read Policy and add the new group with -Read Policy- permissions.

You must assign COMPUTERS, not USERS. This will install the software automatically during the boot-up process of Windows 2000.

You can Publish the application, rather than Assign (what I just posted). This will let the users basically choose to install it and/or install itself the first time it is launched.

It's a bit hard to explain the exact procedures in an email, your gonna have to work at it a bit. Once you see how it works, your gonna realize the potential of the remote installations and it's gonna bring you a whole new set of headaches.. hehe.





"In space, nobody can hear you click..."

 

[Grant007]

thanks for all your help on this. You have been Excellent.

thankyou very much.

 

[ReddLefty]

I made a small mistake, when you change the rights for the Group Policies to include your new group instead of Authenticated Users, make sure you "Allow" the "Add Group Policy" for your new group, as well as the "Read" (but by default, it should be set to "Allow".



"In space, nobody can hear you click..."