Installer crashes before install process

[Shinners]

I have created several installers for a CD-ROM project, and we have come across an issue with the some of installers created that seems to be very difficult to reproduce on our end.

This is the bug report that our client sent detailing the issue:-

-----

The installer crashes just after clicking Install on the "Select Installation Folder" with the default settings and administrative privileges. I have seen this happen on [some of the installers] on Windows 7 x86 and x64.

Additionally I have seen it on XP when clicking cancel on the first page of the installer.

When it crashes it is often difficult for the user to extricate themselves from the crash as the install page remains and clicking end process in task manager results in the same error reappearing, with differing additional info each time.

Frustratingly, running the same installer again in exactly the same way usually results in a successful installation. ***A clean windows os is used here by the way***

Error:
The application ran into a problem that it couldn't handle. Sorry for the inconvenience.

Additional info:
[SEH_AV_DEP_BADPTR] ACCESS_VIOLATION (0xc0000005) at address [0x988a840f]

*** Stack Trace (x86) ***

[0x988a840f] -----
[0x7308e54b] MsiLoadStringW()
[0x7308e4e7] MsiLoadStringW()
[0x730ea466] MsiInvalidateFeatureCache()
[0x73145b92] MsiGetPropertyW()
[0x0043b8c6] -----
[0x0044fe91] -----
[0x004581dd] -----
[0x00452691] -----
[0x0044bd84] -----
[0x00451fef] -----
[0x00451fbb] -----
[0x00450000] -----
[0x00451cc6] -----
[0x003f807b] -----
[0x003f828d] -----
[0x003f898e] -----
[0x00403b72] -----
[0x77689ed2] RtlInitializeExceptionChain()
[0x77689ea5] RtlInitializeExceptionChain()

-----

I have come across the crash a couple of times during pre-testing (using Windows 7 Pro x64); It happens right before the UAC message (on windows 7). Re-building the installer seemed to have resolved the issue, and I cannot reproduce the crash with this and subsequent installer builds. It seems that it only happens on a clean Windows install. I have tested it on our XP Pro (x86) machine here as well and haven't come across the issue, even though the installer was not run on that machine before.

Using version 9.8 Professional Licence upgraded from 9.4. The installer package is a simple .exe with separate .msi, with no prerequisites using a modified Air custom theme.


Much thanks.

[Bogdan]

Hi,

This is indeed a strange behavior, but we can try to reproduce it on our end too. Can you send us an email at support at advancedinstaller dot com with the aip file and
a download link for your full setup package?

Best regards,
Bogdan

[oriolenator]

Hi,

Perhaps thread is very old, but we are experiencing the same problem.

It usually happens if installer file is in a network drive.

Currently using latest version 10.6

Any news?

[Daniel]

Hello and welcome to Advanced Installer forums,

Thank you for your interest in Advanced Installer.

Unfortunately we weren't able to replicate and isolate this issue. Can you please send us the .aip (project file) and a download link for your setup package to support at advancedinstaller dot com so we can test and investigate them? Also, can you try to find a step by step test case scenario which replicate this behavior?

All the best,
Daniel

[matt123]

Hi,
We are testing AI now with some beta testers, and have had this exact problem (full stack trace below).
Did you get anywhere with this?
This happened during an update, with the application directory D:\Program Files\

thanks,
Matt

Code: Select all

[SEH_AV_DEP_BADPTR] ACCESS_VIOLATION (0xc0000005) at address [0x00fd14e9]

*** Stack Trace (x86) ***

[0x00fd14e9]  -----
[0x61ea803c]  MsiSetOfflineContextW()
[0x61d6a584]  MsiInvalidateFeatureCache()
[0x61dc5d12]  MsiGetPropertyW()
[0x008c3bc3]  -----
[0x008d7ee9]  -----
[0x008e08b9]  -----
[0x008e03b7]  -----
[0x008da599]  -----
[0x008d3cb5]  -----
[0x008d9ef8]  -----
[0x008d9ec3]  -----
[0x008d8058]  -----
[0x008d9bcb]  -----
[0x0087c884]  -----
[0x0087ca9c]  -----
[0x0087d228]  -----
[0x0088c6b2]  -----
[0x77659f72]  RtlInitializeExceptionChain()
[0x77659f45]  RtlInitializeExceptionChain()
[0x00830000]  MODULE_BASE_ADDRESS

[Daniel]

Hello Matt,

This is still under investigation because is quite difficult to replicate the behavior. It would be very useful if you could isolate the behavior in a buildable sample and send it us alongside a detailed test case scenario to support at advancedinstaller dot com so we can investigate.

All the best,
Daniel

[matt123]

Hi Daniel,
Thanks for the reply.
unfortunately I have not been able to replicate this problem at all, and only one of our beta-testers has had this problem. He re-attempted the update and it worked fine.. That's still quite a high % of potential users though, so I hope it is not going to be as common as this in the field.
I can try and get some more details about his system if you think it will be useful. The only stand-out difference I have noticed is that he was not using C: for his program files.

Matt

[hadas]

Hi,

Is there any update regarding this problem? I had the same error, accrued twice from many installations. Installing on Win 7 embedded.
One error we got in the middle of installation and the second was directly after pressing the install button (still we see the Ready to install dialog)

Code: Select all

[SEH_AV_DEP_BADPTR] ACCESS_VIOLATION (0xc0000005) at address [0x988a840f]

*** Stack Trace (x86) ***

[0x988a840f]  -----
[0x6a207a94]  MsiSetOfflineContextW()
[0x6a0ca45c]  MsiInvalidateFeatureCache()
[0x6a125b92]  MsiGetPropertyW()
[0x000d5901]  -----
[0x000e9d54]  -----
[0x00053231]  -----
[0x00053376]  -----
[0x0005023d]  -----
[0x0004ff82]  -----
[0x00058784]  -----
[0x771662fa]  gapfnScSendMessage()
[0x7718f943]  GetCursor()
[0x7718f784]  GetCursor()
[0x7718f889]  GetCursor()
[0x771662fa]  gapfnScSendMessage()
[0x77166d3a]  GetThreadDesktop()
[0x771677c4]  CharPrevW()
[0x7716788a]  DispatchMessageW()
[0x00058f56]  -----
[0x00040000]  MODULE_BASE_ADDRESS

Thanks,
Hadas

[Daniel]

Hello Hadas,

We apologize for this inconvenience. Because we weren't able to replicate this sporadically behavior on our side we added (intuitively) some possible fixes for this issue in our latest version of Advanced Installer (11.3). However, since this behavior is very erratic we cannot find its root cause until we are not able to replicate it on our test machines. In order to investigate this further we have to isolate the behavior on a test machine. It would be great if you could find a pattern or a step by step test case when this happens.

All the best,
Daniel

[Abbas]

Hi,

We have experienced the same error when trying to run the installer (built in Advanced Installer 11.1). I am attaching a screenshot of the error message for your information.

We cannot reliably reproduce this error, but we need to get it fixed, as it is ugly, customer facing and has occurred in about 1 in 10 installs our tester has attempted on Windows 7 Pro (64-bit).

Is there anything we can do to fix it?

Thanks,
Abbas

[Daniel]

Hello Abbas,

In order to be able to fix this issue we need to replicate and debug this on our test machines. So, can you please send us the .aip (project file) and a download link for its built setup project to support at advancedinstaller dot com so we can test and investigate? Also, please specify in which moment during installation you are getting this error. If you cannot share with us the .aip (project file) and its built setup package you can try to isolate the behavior in a sample and send us so we can investigate.

All the best,
Daniel

[Abbas]

Hi Daniel,

I sent the information you requested (including a link to download both .aip and the built installer) to support at advancedinstaller dot com. Looking forward to hearing from you.

Thanks,
Abbas

[Daniel]

Hello Abbas,

I've tested your sent setup 15 times in a row on a Windows 7 x64 machine but every time the installation/uninstall went fine. Unfortunately, we cannot find the root cause of this behavior as long as we are not able to replicate the behavior (even with a low replication rate) on our test machines. Most probably this error is thrown by our "Enhanced User Interface" feature, but we cannot add a fix for it as long as we cannot isolate the behavior on our test machines.

Can you disable the "Enhanced User Interface" feature and see if the behavior ever replicates? Please keep in mind that when disabling the EUI you cannot use only the "Classic" theme as the other themes require EUI to be enabled.

All the best,
Daniel

[Abbas]

Thank you Daniel. I'll try disabling EUI to see if that's the cause.

Regards,
Abbas