4 replies to this topic

[rbrinda]

Hi,

I have generated an msi log file using /L*v switch and i find number of components that starts with the prefix "__" and ends with "65". For eg., for a component, say abc.dll there is a corresponding __abc.dll65 component for which the "Installed" state is Null and "Request" and "Action" are set to Local. Here's the portion of the log file where these entries are present:

MSI (s) (18:34): Component: __viewit_shortcut65; Installed: Null; Request: Local; Action: Local
MSI (s) (18:34): Component: __product_shortcut65; Installed: Null; Request: Local; Action: Local
MSI (s) (18:34): Component: __licensemgr_shortcut65; Installed: Null; Request: Local; Action: Local

I don't find these mysterious components when i view the same log file using WiLogUtil.exe and i checked my .msi database too where i don't have these components in the Component Table. Where are these coming from? Are these getting generated by MSI engine? If so, for what purpose?

Also, i am interested to know what (s) and (18:34) in the above log file messages mean?

Any insight into this is much appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

[Stefan Krueger]

I don't know what these components are. Did you mark some of your component as Permanent?

(s) stands for Server, i.e. the server side process of the installation, which means the Execute sequence.

( c ) stands for Client (the UI sequence)

(N) stands for Nested (a nested install custom action, or the implicit uninstall of the previous version during Major Upgrade)

I believe the numbers such as (18:34) are partial process IDs.

[rbrinda]

Yes i do have some components that gets installed to system32 directory marked as Permanent, but the mysterious components that appear in the log file are for even the ones that are not 'Permanent'. I have searched all install related web sites to find information on this but i didn't find anything that explains this. I installed several other third party msi setups too and i find such entries that start with __ and end with 65.

For eg., for a component say abc.exe, there are two entries in the log file. One for abc.exe itself and another entry for __abc.exe65 which always has the component states as:
Installed: Null, Request: Local and Action: Local.

When this same log file is viewed using WiLogUtil.exe, these entries are not there. And i checked the .msi database too and i don't find these entries there either.

Can you please explain what these entries are for? Are these getting created by the MSI engine internally?

Thanks in advance.

[Stefan Krueger]

Unfortunately I don't know what these components are. My question about permanent components was just a shot in the dark, since MSI registeres a hidden system client for in order to make components permanent.

[rbrinda]

I installed NUnit v2.2.0.0 from www.nunit.org and attached is its log file. This also has those components that i am talking about. For all i know, in my install setup, these components appear for the per-machine based shortcut components and all GAC assembly components.

Thanks.

Attached Files

•  nunitv2.2_inst.zip   99.17KB   58 downloads