VS2005 Setup project - program asks for installation media when started for the first time by another user

I have a very simple VS2005 deployment project that aims to install for all users on a PC.

All the application files are written to %Program Files%\MyProg. A shortcut is created in the start menu and the startup folder. No registry settings or anything else are created. I have set 'InstallAllUsers' to true.

The created MSI runs fine and installs the software. It works without any problems when running under the user account from which it was installed.

When logging in as another user, the start menu and startup icons are present. It attempts to launch the application however an installation window pops up and states that 'the feature you are trying to use is on a network resource that is unavailable.' The installer will only proceed if pointed to the original MSI file.

Why does this happen? I want my application to be installed completely for all users when it is installed by a single user.

edit: Solution

I was getting similar event log messages as shown on this page. In my case it turned out to be as simple as ensuring that the User's Program Menu had its 'AlwaysCreate' attribute turned to false. If it was true, windows would try and recreate the folder when a new user logged in. This somehow required the invocation of the installer and thus resulted in the 'please insert the installation media' prompts.

Appreciate you helping out with a boring problem - the bounty is yours if we can nut this out.

Alex 2010-09-09 11:24:17

@Alex thanks for the offer, but I need a bit more info (namely the answers to the questions).

Adkins 2010-09-09 11:37:10

Also do you set the InstallAllUsersVisible attribute to false? That may help alleviate the problem.

Adkins 2010-09-09 11:40:12

And I found this for you that might help walk you through it. It is specific to VS2005. http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/445kc47k%28v=VS.80%29.aspx

Adkins 2010-09-09 11:41:01

@Adkins - absolutely, I'll provide whatever info might prove useful. I'm just not at work at the moment.

Alex 2010-09-09 12:00:09

@Adkins - I had InstallAllUsersVisible as true, and selected install for all users when testing the MSI. How do you think this is related?

Alex 2010-09-09 12:01:02

@Adkins - I followed that msdn tutorial to the letter when creating the MSI.

Alex 2010-09-09 12:01:24

@Adkins - I think you are on to something when you suggest it may be related to permissions. I will do some tests with restricted and admin accounts when I'm back at work.

Alex 2010-09-09 12:02:14

@Alex just as a test I would recommend setting InstallAllUsersVisible to false and see what happens. If the same behavior comes out then we can move on from that option all together. If it works with that selected, then we know the problem and can start working towards solution.

Adkins 2010-09-09 12:04:38

@Alex also check your Advertise property. This should be set to false.

Adkins 2010-09-09 13:20:25

@Adkins - you get the bounty for your willingness to help. You sound like a top bloke.

Alex 2010-09-10 09:00:28

@Alex then you might wanna mark it as answered ;)

Adkins 2010-09-10 13:55:29

I appreciate your point, however in this case the deployment project within Visual Studio is the only part of the process I can change.

Alex 2010-09-09 11:23:34

I am suggesting you use the fact that it is not Visual Studio specific to understand the problem and make according changes

JohnIdol 2010-09-09 12:29:45

The causes in that article are not relevant to my case. Do you have any other links which might indicate why an installer might act this way?

Alex 2010-09-09 18:19:40

I am afraid not :)

JohnIdol 2010-09-09 18:40:36

ansaurus

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VS2005 Setup project - program asks for installation media when started for the first time by another user

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