Dame1701
Posts: 8
Joined: Fri Jul 02, 2021 5:22 pm

Windows Feature Bundles Not Installing

Fri Jul 02, 2021 5:30 pm

Hi all,

I'm having problems getting any of the Windows Feature Bundles I have built to install. I have tried creating separate ones for .Net 3.5 and IIS, I have tried bundling them together too but in every case nothing happens on my Windows 10 Professional target machine when I run the installer.

I have tried rebooting the machine to see if the installs are pending (as per a forum thread I found on here - but unfortunately it makes no difference). I have also tried logging the boot strap executable and the log doesn't show that any attempt is even being made to detect or try to install the required components. I also tried the more verbose logging i.e. /L*V "C:\log\example.log". Within the produced log I can find no reference to .net 3.5 or to IIS it seems that the installer simply isn't even trying to install these components. I have also tried completely rebuilding the installer, but again it makes no difference.

Having spent a day on trying to resolve this, and following various threads on here - it feels like I have exhausted all options. Is this a known issue with Advanced Installer? Is there an alternative way that I can at least get a log that is able point towards what is going wrong?

I'm using Advanced Installer version 18.4. If anyone has any suggestions, I'd really appreciate it.

Many thanks,

Damien

Catalin
Posts: 6509
Joined: Wed Jun 13, 2018 7:49 am

Re: Windows Feature Bundles Not Installing

Tue Jul 06, 2021 4:00 pm

Hello Damien and welcome to our forums,

This is quite strange, indeed.

I have run a test right now on a Windows 10 machine and everything worked as expected (both IIS and .NET Framework 3.5 features were enabled).

First of all, please make sure that the two features are not already enabled. A way of doing so would be through Control Panel, i.e.:
WindowsFeatures.png
WindowsFeatures.png (42.43KiB)Viewed 22426 times

If the features are already enabled, they will not be installed by the setup again.

During the installation, are you getting any errors? If so, could you please give me some more details what the errors are?

In addition to that, could you please forward me the verbose log (the one created with the /L*V parameter) so I can have a look over it as well?

Best regards,
Catalin
Catalin Gheorghe - Advanced Installer Team
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Dame1701
Posts: 8
Joined: Fri Jul 02, 2021 5:22 pm

Re: Windows Feature Bundles Not Installing

Tue Jul 06, 2021 4:36 pm

Hi Catalin,

Many thanks for your reply and welcome. I have been experimenting with this and I have broken out the Windows Feature setup into a separate installer project which I intend to have the main installer run as a prerequisite. This should ensure that everything is ready when we run the utility which requires .NET Framework 3.5.

I have been testing with this separate installer project on my clean Windows 10 x64 VM. When I run the installer, it takes a while to complete and it looks as though it is doing something as it sits on the status "Configuring Windows features" for several minutes and at the end I get a dialog that says everything completed successfully. However when I examine the registry (Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\NET Framework Setup\NDP\v3.5) I don't see the v3.5 folder which should be there. I have also checked the WOW6432NODE just in case. Also when I go into Add / Remove Programs and specifically the Windows Components, the .NET 3.5 checkbox is unticked. I have also tried rebooting the machine but it doesn't make any difference and running the component that requires .NET 3.5 brings up the download framework dialog box so it is definitely not installed.

I have run with the verbose logging enabled and it informs me that everything executed successfully with the MSI returning a code 0 - which I believe is success. I have attached the project file and a verbose log file for you to take a look at. I'm pretty sure I must be doing something wrong....

Many thanks,

Damien
Attachments
.NET Framework 3.5 Windows 10.aip
(22.62KiB)Downloaded 702 times
install.log
(237.61KiB)Downloaded 629 times

Catalin
Posts: 6509
Joined: Wed Jun 13, 2018 7:49 am

Re: Windows Feature Bundles Not Installing

Thu Jul 08, 2021 6:34 pm

Hello Damien,

Thank you for the provided resources.

From the log file, it does indeed look like the feature should be installed.

I have, however, built the .AIP file and reproduced the issue myself.

Unfortunately, I can not say for sure why this is happening.

Please allow me some more time to further investigate this and I will update this thread as soon as I have more information.

Best regards,
Catalin
Catalin Gheorghe - Advanced Installer Team
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Dame1701
Posts: 8
Joined: Fri Jul 02, 2021 5:22 pm

Re: Windows Feature Bundles Not Installing

Fri Jul 09, 2021 10:13 am

Hi Catalin,

That's really good news that you have managed to reproduce the issue using our aip. I wonder if there are some differences in the way I have configured my project and the one you built and verified working? That may point to the problem.

Looking forward to hearing back from you,

Many thanks,

Damien

Catalin
Posts: 6509
Joined: Wed Jun 13, 2018 7:49 am

Re: Windows Feature Bundles Not Installing

Tue Jul 13, 2021 12:51 pm

Hello Damien,

First of all, please accept my apologies for the delayed reply (I was off last Friday and this Monday).

I have had a look over this again just now. Now, when I tried to reproduce the issue in a newly project, I managed to do so.

I have tried to further investigate this, but unfortunately I did not manage to find much by myself.

I believe this might be an issue on our side regarding that specific Windows Feature, because I have tested another one (e.g. IIS feature) and that one worked as expected.

From the log file, it looks like the feature is enabled but then rolled back:
MSI (s) (F4!F0) [04:32:23:743]: Doing action: AI_WinOptFeaturesRollback
Action 4:32:23: AI_WinOptFeaturesRollback. Rolling back configured Windows features.
Action start 4:32:23: AI_WinOptFeaturesRollback.
The event viewer would point to the same outcome:
Initiating changes to turn on update NetFx3 of package Microsoft .NET Framework 3.0. Client id: DISM Package Manager Provider.
Selectable update NetFx3 of package Microsoft .NET Framework 3.0 was successfully turned on.
Initiating changes to turn off update NetFx3 of package Microsoft .NET Framework 3.0. Client id: DISM Package Manager Provider.
A reboot is necessary before the selectable update NetFx3 of package Microsoft .NET Framework 3.0 can be turned off.
Selectable update NetFx3 of package Microsoft .NET Framework 3.0 was successfully turned off.
(eventvwr.msc --> "Windows Logs" --> "Setup")

I have forwarded this to our development team for further investigation and I will update this thread as soon as I will have any useful information regarding this from them.

Best regards,
Catalin
Catalin Gheorghe - Advanced Installer Team
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Dame1701
Posts: 8
Joined: Fri Jul 02, 2021 5:22 pm

Re: Windows Feature Bundles Not Installing

Tue Jul 13, 2021 1:26 pm

Hi Catalin,

Many thanks for looking into this. I have been investigating further too and your findings mirror some of my own. I have seen a couple of instances where checking the registry just after the installation has completed shows the presence of the .NET 3.5 framework. After this, the computer requests a restart and as you say appears to perform a rollback as when I check the registry again once the restart has taken place, I notice that the keys have been removed and the Windows Add / Remove features show that it is not currently installed.

I look forward to hearing back from your development team.

Many thanks,

Damien

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

Re: Windows Feature Bundles Not Installing

Wed Jul 14, 2021 3:35 pm

You are always welcome, Damien!

I will update this thread as soon as I will have more information about this from our dev team.

Best regards,
Catalin
Catalin Gheorghe - Advanced Installer Team
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Catalin
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Re: Windows Feature Bundles Not Installing

Wed Aug 04, 2021 12:31 pm

Hello Damien,

We have fixed this issue, but unfortunately it did not catch our latest release.

I have discussed with the developer and the problem seems to be with the .DLL where the custom action that installs the feature resides. Until the next release, I could send you that .DLL so you can replace it in the Advanced Installer folder.

Please let me know if you would like that so I can send a download link over the e-mail (the e-mail you have used to register here).

Best regards,
Catalin
Catalin Gheorghe - Advanced Installer Team
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Dame1701
Posts: 8
Joined: Fri Jul 02, 2021 5:22 pm

Re: Windows Feature Bundles Not Installing

Thu Aug 05, 2021 10:38 am

Hi Catalin, great news you've fixed it. I have just updated to 18.5 will the dll work with that version? I'd love to have a copy. I think you have my email from the message I sent to you on the 8th July or thereabouts.

Catalin
Posts: 6509
Joined: Wed Jun 13, 2018 7:49 am

Re: Windows Feature Bundles Not Installing

Thu Aug 05, 2021 6:49 pm

Hello Damien,

Yes, it will work just fine with our latest version.

We are currently outside of the working hours.

I have just messaged the developer to forward me the .DLL and as soon as I will receive it, I will send you a download link (most likely, that will be tomorrow).

Best regards,
Catalin
Catalin Gheorghe - Advanced Installer Team
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Dame1701
Posts: 8
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Re: Windows Feature Bundles Not Installing

Fri Aug 06, 2021 9:59 am

That's great, thank you.

Catalin
Posts: 6509
Joined: Wed Jun 13, 2018 7:49 am

Re: Windows Feature Bundles Not Installing

Fri Aug 06, 2021 3:39 pm

Hello Damien,

As promised, I have sent the .DLL over the e-mail.

Best regards,
Catalin
Catalin Gheorghe - Advanced Installer Team
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Dame1701
Posts: 8
Joined: Fri Jul 02, 2021 5:22 pm

Re: Windows Feature Bundles Not Installing

Mon Aug 16, 2021 8:44 am

Hi Catalin,

I've now had a chance to test the installer with the new dll and it's now working perfectly. Thank you and Daniel so much for your help with this.

Many thanks,

Damien

Catalin
Posts: 6509
Joined: Wed Jun 13, 2018 7:49 am

Re: Windows Feature Bundles Not Installing

Tue Aug 17, 2021 10:17 am

You are always welcome, Damien!

I am glad everything works as expected now.

Best regards,
Catalin
Catalin Gheorghe - Advanced Installer Team
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