Software Deployment

No, the files it's creating are rollback files which are only used if the install fails. Once the install completes, the files are deleted. If you want to back-up and restore the files which the patch replaces, you'll need to create your own EXE or script to do that. Obviously, the Custom Action calls to the back-up and restore will need to be appropriately conditioned so that they only execute at the appropriate time.

For your specific question concerning source files being network-hosted, the obvious solution is to use UNCs instead of mapped drives.

Patches are funny, only certain files can be uninstalled when deploying a patch and in most cases you will find that the files you patch fall into the category of NOT being able to be uninstalled.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa372102(VS.85).aspx

The above link details what makes a patch uninstallable, which is pretty much everything :)

P

[font="trebuchet ms"]Once the install completes, the files are deleted
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[font="trebuchet ms"]Hi Ian,
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[font="trebuchet ms"]Then, how is that the files are restored after the patch uninstall. From where these files are restored?
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[font="trebuchet ms"]Paul, the patch is getting uninstalled and also restoring the original files. But my problem is, it is asking for the source files(of the original appl).

You need to re-read my response. It's the rollback files which get deleted.

As to files being restored, I'm not aware of ANY standard functionality in the Installer engine which, during an uninstall, restores files which were replaced during the install.

Are you sure this is a patch (an MSP)?

ORIGINAL: getIT
[font="trebuchet ms"]From where these files are restored? ProcMon will show you.

[font="trebuchet ms"]Yes. it is a patch(msp) created from MsiMsp tool.

In that case try:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa370841(VS.85).aspx

This details how and why a patch may require the original source :)

P