Completely silent update for Windows Service

[philb1208]

Hi,

I'm creating an updater for my application. The app is installed as a windows service and i intend on configuring automatic updates. These updates need to be silent though as i don't want to interupt the end user.

I'm currently testing with a manual updater at the moment but need help with one part.

When i run the updater, it goes off and downloads the latest version of the installer. It then goes through the installation process from the start and asks me to re-enter information provided at first installation.

I know i can create a silent installer through reading the documentation but I'm concerned the updater will get stuck waiting for the information to be re-entered by the user and the update would never complete.

Ideally,

1) I release an update
2) the scheduled task checks for the update
3) the update is downloaded
4) it runs in the back ground
a) stopping the original service
b) Updates the exe file and any other files
c) Service resumes
5) Update completes without any user interaction.

How can i achieve this?

thanks in advance,

Phil

[Daniel]

Hello Phil,

To achieve what you need you should just configure the Updater to silently launch the updates setup package. Each time a setup package is launched silently no user interface control is displayed thus no prompt for user input will occur.

To do so you should edit your updates configuration project. Just go to "Updates" page -> "Updates Installer" tab and set the "Command Line" field to the following arguments:

Code: Select all

/qn

for an MSI package type or to

Code: Select all

/exenoui /qn

when the updates setup package is built as an EXE package type.

Hope this helped.

All the best,
Daniel

[philb1208]

Hi Daniel,

Apologies for the delay. I've been out of the office the last week.

I'll try this now, i was ablet o get the file to download but it did nothing afterwards. I'll try this now

[Daniel]

Just let us know if you face any further issues and we will try to assist you.

All the best,
Daniel

[philb1208]

Hi,

This is still giving me problems. I was finally able to get the files to download - But now the update fails.

I can see my service contact the update file, download the file. A little Icon appears in the bottom right (although it should be completely silent?). It then throws "Update Installation Failed". Then, my service is ripped out and nothing else happens.

I've restarted this project 3 times now, I'm about ready to snap my laptop in half.

The scheduled task created by the installer is no use to me (not enough options) so i use an inline powershell script to unregister the one created by the installer and register my own, with the same name.

The only message i see in event viewer is that my service was unable to restart, because it was ripped out during the update.

Can i send my project and update file to the support team to try and figure this out?

[philb1208]

Ok, I've worked it out now.

The scheduled task from the installer gave the task a run level of "highest", my powershell script did not. I've updated it and the updates download and install silently.

[Daniel]

Thank you for your follow up on this. I am glad you got to a solution.

All the best,
Daniel