Software Deployment

[font="trebuchet ms"]Hi,

I have found the cause of the problem. I was adding an entry in the AppID and Class tables with the patch. As per the Windows installer standards, patch cant be uninstalled.

Is there any way to come out through this problem with the patch? That is, i need to add the registry entries (appID and class) and also make the patc uninstallable. Please assist me with a possible solution.

Thanks.

[font="trebuchet ms"]As per the Windows installer standards, patch cant be uninstalled. Check out http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa372104(VS.85).aspx and note the last bulleted paragraph.

Uninstalling a patch using Add/Remove Programs
With Windows XP, you can uninstall patches using Add/Remove programs.

Ian,

Isn't that statement wrong?
I though it was due to the Windows Installer version and not the operating system.
If I recall correct, uninstalling patches through ARP was added from WI v3.1.

It's wrong and you're right. The ability to uninstall (uninstallable) patches depends on the WI version.

[font="trebuchet ms"]Thanks Ian.

Now I am facing a different problem with my patch. Now I am able to uninstall the patch. The patch removes some components where there are no key files (some resource files, txt files, etc). I have missed 2 components without giving key file. And now the patch is removing those 2 components during uninstall. Please help me in sorting this out.

Thanks.

Actually, I posted the wrong link! You can either click the link at the bottom of the MS page (Uninstallable Patches) or this one http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa372102(VS.85).aspx to get to where the bulleted list is.

Anyway, if those components were in the original MSI and not marked to remain when uninstalling, then they will be uninstalled: that is expected behaviour. If you don't want them to be uninstalled, I think you're going to have to re-think the whole package. Maybe change those components so that they don't get uninstalled, add the stuff you're adding in the patch and then re-install.

[font="trebuchet ms"]Thanks for sharing the link. But actually I got to know that my patch is not uninstallable from this link only.

Anyway, if those components were in the original MSI and not marked to remain when uninstalling, then they will be uninstalled:
I am not sure what you mean by this. 2 of the components in the base package (.msi) doesn't hold a key file (but files were present). Not patch is removing those files during its uninstall. Is there a way to get rid of this. Since the base package has already gone to market, making changes to that and re-distributing is impossible.
So, i need to fix this in the patch itself. Is there a way to achieve this?

Thanks.

[font="trebuchet ms"]2 of the components in the base package (.msi) doesn't hold a key file (but files were present). Whether or not they had a key path set is irrelevant. That's only relevant for repair/self-healing.

Are the 2 components which are being removed part of the patch?

[font="trebuchet ms"]Not sure what do you mean by part of the patch. But, only 3 files (component contains around 40 files) are have been changed from the last release. So, this shuld be affected with the patch.

[font="trebuchet ms"]Any suggestions?

Thanks.