aweber
Posts: 52
Joined: Mon Jun 18, 2018 7:45 pm

help understanding (failed) install log?

Mon Feb 25, 2019 11:46 pm

Are there any good reference links/pages/docs on how to read and parse a detailed install log - especially to figure out what, specifically caused the (MSI) installation to fail?

I'm not even entirely sure if the log is all Windows Installer's output, or if it is AI's output, or a combination of the two.

I'm used to seeing log output with "severity" noted in the output, but there's really none of that. Given that Windows Installer will "rollback" a failed install, I am theorizing that the cause of the failure will be somewhere "in the middle" of the log, and then we'd see all the rollback "actions" taking place. But there's no demarcation of "phases" or anything like that to really tell me where to focus.

In this particular log, I am guessing that this might be relevant, and I should look just above it?

Code: Select all

Action ended 11:20:45: INSTALL. Return value 3.
Is "INSTALL" the standard/overall installation action? What are the return values supposed to be?

I realize everyone's installer will be different, but I'm certain there are patterns that each installer will go through and log. If anyone knows of some good links (AI or general) that will help me understand the log, I'd really appreciate it.

Thanks in advance,
AJ

korr
Posts: 48
Joined: Tue Sep 09, 2014 3:13 pm

Re: help understanding (failed) install log?

Tue Feb 26, 2019 3:04 pm

When I look at a failed MSI log for the first time I search for the first instance of 'value 3', which should be the first time that the error happens (which can get passed 'up the execution chain' to show again). When you find the first instance of value 3, you want to look at the previous 10-20 lines of text... those should tell you what happened, or at least tell you what action failed.


The log will have Advanced Installer and general MSI logging together, there won't always be a good way to differentiate... however I've noticed in general Advanced Installer custom actions dont provide much if any logging.

aweber
Posts: 52
Joined: Mon Jun 18, 2018 7:45 pm

Re: help understanding (failed) install log?

Tue Feb 26, 2019 3:22 pm

@korr thank you very much for the reply. That's a huge start to figuring out what the logs are trying to tell me!

Hopefully someone from AI/Caphyon can chime in with even more details. The more information we have in this case, the better.

Catalin
Posts: 6537
Joined: Wed Jun 13, 2018 7:49 am

Re: help understanding (failed) install log?

Tue Feb 26, 2019 4:42 pm

Hello AJ, Korr,
Are there any good reference links/pages/docs on how to read and parse a detailed install log - especially to figure out what, specifically caused the (MSI) installation to fail?
For this, you can have a look on the Microsoft "Logging of Action Return Values" article which illustrates what values are written in the log file when an action returns a specific error code. What you are looking for is, as you have already said, the value "3" which indicates that an action has failed.
I'm not even entirely sure if the log is all Windows Installer's output, or if it is AI's output, or a combination of the two.
The log is generated entirely by the Windows Installer service but, additionally to the standard actions, it also logs the actions related to Advanced Installer (these actions look something like: AI_ACTION).
I'm used to seeing log output with "severity" noted in the output, but there's really none of that. Given that Windows Installer will "rollback" a failed install, I am theorizing that the cause of the failure will be somewhere "in the middle" of the log, and then we'd see all the rollback "actions" taking place.
The rollback actions are used when the application is installed, but something went wrong and the installation must be rolled back. While the installation script is executed (during the deferred sequence), the installer builds a rollback script.
But there's no demarcation of "phases" or anything like that to really tell me where to focus.
Here is a little guide which I hope will help you differentiate the stages (in the log file):

- As you may already know, there are two installation stages: Wizard Dialogs Stage and "Install Execution Stage". The beginning of the "Install Execution Stage" is marked by the execution of the "ExecuteAction" action. Another useful way to differentiate the stages is to watch where the process is held:

- it can be either held on "client", e.g.: MSI (c) (D0:AC) [17:13:20:440]: Doing action: ProgressDlg

- or it can be held on "server", e.g.: MSI (s) (74:90) [17:13:31:033]: Doing action: AppSearch
In this particular log, I am guessing that this might be relevant, and I should look just above it?

Action ended 11:20:45: INSTALL. Return value 3.
Yes, you are right, that is relevant. And yes, you should look above it. The "INSTALL" action is, indeed, the standard installation action. The reason why it failed is (most probably) because another action failed (i.e. a custom action).
If anyone knows of some good links (AI or general) that will help me understand the log, I'd really appreciate it.
Beside what I have wrote above, you can also have a look on our "How Do I Read a Windows Installer Verbose Log File?".

@Korr,

Thank you for contributing to our forums. I am sure the information will be useful for further users looking for some additional information about Windows Installer logging.

Hope this helps.

All the best,
Catalin
Catalin Gheorghe - Advanced Installer Team
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