vpodans
Posts: 28
Joined: Tue Dec 27, 2011 3:03 pm

Installer fails on Windows Server 2022 Server Core

Mon Oct 25, 2021 3:30 pm

I've build an MSI installer which is intended for Windows Server family with the Server Core support. I'm running it as follows:

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msiexec /i "path to msi.exe" /quiet /qn /L*V c:\msi.log
and it fails with the following content in log file:

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=== Verbose logging started: 25.10.2021  16:02:36  Build type: SHIP UNICODE 5.00.10011.00  Calling process: C:\Windows\system32\msiexec.exe ===
MSI (c) (54:54) [16:02:36:304]: Resetting cached policy values
MSI (c) (54:54) [16:02:36:304]: Machine policy value 'Debug' is 0
MSI (c) (54:54) [16:02:36:304]: ******* RunEngine:
           ******* Product: C:\Program Files\MyInstaller.exe
           ******* Action: 
           ******* CommandLine: **********
MSI (c) (54:54) [16:02:36:304]: Client-side and UI is none or basic: Running entire install on the server.
MSI (c) (54:54) [16:02:36:304]: Grabbed execution mutex.
MSI (c) (54:54) [16:02:36:336]: Cloaking enabled.
MSI (c) (54:54) [16:02:36:336]: Attempting to enable all disabled privileges before calling Install on Server
MSI (c) (54:54) [16:02:36:336]: Incrementing counter to disable shutdown. Counter after increment: 0
MSI (s) (54:2C) [16:02:36:336]: Running installation inside multi-package transaction C:\Program Files\MyInstaller.exe
MSI (s) (54:2C) [16:02:36:336]: Grabbed execution mutex.
MSI (s) (54:D4) [16:02:36:336]: Resetting cached policy values
MSI (s) (54:D4) [16:02:36:336]: Machine policy value 'Debug' is 0
MSI (s) (54:D4) [16:02:36:336]: ******* RunEngine:
           ******* Product: C:\Program Files\MyInstaller.exe
           ******* Action: 
           ******* CommandLine: **********
MSI (s) (54:D4) [16:02:36:336]: Note: 1: 2203 2: C:\Program Files\MyInstaller.exe 3: -2147286960 
MSI (s) (54:D4) [16:02:36:336]: MainEngineThread is returning 1620
MSI (s) (54:2C) [16:02:36:336]: User policy value 'DisableRollback' is 0
MSI (s) (54:2C) [16:02:36:336]: Machine policy value 'DisableRollback' is 0
MSI (s) (54:2C) [16:02:36:336]: Incrementing counter to disable shutdown. Counter after increment: 0
MSI (s) (54:2C) [16:02:36:336]: Note: 1: 1402 2: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Installer\Rollback\Scripts 3: 2 
MSI (s) (54:2C) [16:02:36:336]: Note: 1: 1402 2: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Installer\Rollback\Scripts 3: 2 
MSI (s) (54:2C) [16:02:36:336]: Decrementing counter to disable shutdown. If counter >= 0, shutdown will be denied.  Counter after decrement: -1
MSI (c) (54:54) [16:02:36:336]: Decrementing counter to disable shutdown. If counter >= 0, shutdown will be denied.  Counter after decrement: -1
MSI (c) (54:54) [16:02:36:336]: MainEngineThread is returning 1620
=== Verbose logging stopped: 25.10.2021  16:02:36 ===
The installer is pretty simple, it registers COM object. I don't have any custom actions defined in this project. Same installer works flawlessly on full GUI installation and fails only on Server Core. My debug skills suggest that

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-2147286960
stands for

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%1 already exists.
(what exactly exists? This software is new on this server) and 1620 stands for

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ERROR_INSTALL_PACKAGE_INVALID
. But that's all. Any suggestion where I should look in for additional details?

p.s. no errors in Event Viewer. Just 2 informative events: installer transaction started and ended.
®

Liviu
Posts: 1034
Joined: Tue Jul 13, 2021 11:29 am
Contact:  Website

Re: Installer fails on Windows Server 2022 Server Core

Tue Oct 26, 2021 1:52 pm

Hello,

This is normal behavior.

You are trying to launch your .EXE setup using msiexec which is the Windows Installer tool for installing MSI and MSP packages.

One thing to be kept in mind when it comes to .EXE files is the fact that they have dual UI's, the bootstrapper (.EXE) UI and the UI of the .MSI file. Therefore, in order to fully launch a .EXE file silently, use this command line:

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"path to msi.exe" /quiet /qn /L*V c:\msi.log

This should work! If you have any other questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Best regards,
Liviu
________________________________________
Liviu Sandu - Advanced Installer Team
Follow us: Twitter - Facebook - YouTube

vpodans
Posts: 28
Joined: Tue Dec 27, 2011 3:03 pm

Re: Installer fails on Windows Server 2022 Server Core

Wed Oct 27, 2021 2:10 pm

That was it! I have no idea why I tried to call misexec against .exe, must be some mind eclipse.
®

Liviu
Posts: 1034
Joined: Tue Jul 13, 2021 11:29 am
Contact:  Website

Re: Installer fails on Windows Server 2022 Server Core

Wed Oct 27, 2021 2:20 pm

HI,

I'm glad everything works as expected now.

If you have any other questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Best regards,
Liviu
________________________________________
Liviu Sandu - Advanced Installer Team
Follow us: Twitter - Facebook - YouTube

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