Windows Installer reinstall problem with customized package

[ponghy]

I'm experiencing the following problem:

I've customized a Windows Live Messenger MSI package and I've changed the name of this package to WLM81.msi. If I reinstall this package over an existing Windows Live Messenger 8.1 *standard* package, not modified and named as 'MsnMsgs.msi' in the Windows Installer Cache (%WINDIR%\Installer) I get an error indicating a network issue (indeed, cannot find the original package 'MsnMsgs.msi'). My problem is that Windows Installer expects the MsnMsgs.msi file while reinstalling with the WLM81.msi. Do you understand?

I want to suppress the error message and reinstall the WLM81.msi only if needed, i.e., reinstall missing parts of the application.

I've tried the following:

MsiExec /i WLM81.msi /qb TRANSFORMS=WLM81.mst REINSTALL=ALL REINSTALLMODE=vomus

But I'm getting the same error as explained. The WLM81.mst transform contains my personal tweaks, but as you can see I don't modify the original package (WLM81.msi is *identical* to MsnMsgs.msi, only the name of the package is changed), so the product code should be the same ?

Thanks for your help

Edited May 12, 2007 by ponghy

[ajua]

that error is strange, but have you tried to uninstall the original live messenger package and then install your modified one? do it and also check that you can reinstall your modified package with that transforms. if you are able to do it, chances are that the product codes are changed or a windows registry in the windows installer entries is different from package to package.

[ponghy]

@elajua:

Thanks for your reply. I'd like to reinstall (without uninstalling) the modified Messenger package over the standard package. Is this not possible? I've checked product codes and are the same...

Since you are spanish american, I can show you the error, that is:

Se produjo un error de red al intentar leer el archivo

C:\...\MsnMsgs.msi

(ellipsis indicates an arbitrary path, not relevant)

The problem is when I launch the command to install WLM81.msi (the modified package) and if it is installed the standard package (MsnMsgs.msi), Windows Installer does not replace the standard for the modified one, simply it issues the previous error and terminates.

I'd like to know a way to replace the standard package with the modified one without:

- renaming the modified one to match the standard's name.

- uninstalling the standard package.

Assuming the product codes are the same for both packages (the same product).

Is this possible elajua? Thanks very much for your interest

Edited May 12, 2007 by ponghy

[ajua]

there some other things besides product codes. maybe you can try without REINSTALL=ALL REINSTALLMODE=vomus or search to see exactly what those parameters do with the setup.

You can always uninstall the original package silently before installing the modified one.

If you are running this setup from a batch file or runonceex or else, do a search for messenger, and if found, uninstall it before launching your modified setup.

Hope this helps.