Hi Mark, Kel ... :-)

Just came across another deadly error with WPI (7.0) while installing Microsoft applications on Vista(32bit) . (I should stop doing that but the fact is, I (we) simply need them installed).

Now, I have taken out all Updates from the Updates folder of Office 2007 and install them later on (after a reboot) with a script. This actually worked. Office 2007 installs fine now with WPI.

Now, if I install any other Microsoft application afterwards (for instance Livemeeting, which is just a simply small msi package !!), WPI dies again but this time, the error message is different, some talk about an illegal character in line 1. (see picture)

The script for the Livemeeting installation itself cannot be the reason for this as it will install fine on it´s own (if Office 2007 was not installed before). The problem only appears if Office was installed sometime before. Since I cannot do a reboot between every Microsoft installation (and we have a few, I am stuck again.

Btw. I am starting a cmd script in config.js to install both applications so WPI is actually watching the cmd´s and not the msi/exe´s itself. I also tried adding wait commands etc. but nothing helps.

The WPI log does not say much although it reports code 259 for the Livemeeting installation.

Here´s the content of the config.js for the two apps:



And here are the 2 cmd´s installing Office and LiveMeeting (I have reduced them to the bare minimum (no cmdow, echo commands etc.)




Any idea what "illegal character" the error message could be about and what to do ?
Btw. WPI dies right before that command in the second script is finished:



That means it dies while that msi is still running but almost finished. So the sleep command that I have included afterwards does not really help and comes too late anyway ( by that time, WPI has already come up with the error, see picture).

Bye,
Alex

OK now the error with the msi's dying is actually known to me. NOT WPI but me, it is from the office msi\msp files not being fully cleaned up (Or finishing properly) and after that all msi's die... OK now for the better news:

I have done lots of office 07\sp1 installs it isn't the sp1 procedure... It HAS to be one of the hotfixes. I am BETTING the outlook express ones because one of them is abnormally killing the .mshta process during the install and that fubars it all. SO in eccense you need to do oh, say a dozen installs to test and find the offending procces and run that as WPI's last execute after.

or try this:



(From the current changelog and have it watch for the office installation proccess.

I don't have the time for a dozen or so full tests of windows and office but I may try to make some time this week...

Hi Kel,

thanks for your reply.
Can you elaborate a bit ?

1. As for the hotfixes ... You mean the Office 2007 hotfixes or Windows Vista hotfixes ? I don´t really think that you are right with that assumption though because as I have written, I have taken out all the Office 2007 updates (even SP1) and WPI still dies if Livemeeting is being installed.

2. Can you tell me how to use the jscript code in this case ? What exe or process should it be watching ? The Livemeeting msi files in this case ? Or the Visio setup.exe ?

I am not sure I understand the problem though. I am starting a cmd with WPI. This cmd is still running when WPI dies so where would it help if WPI waits for another process to finish ? It is waiting for the cmd anyway. No ?



But why does it only happen if Office 2007 was installed before ? If I only install Livemeeting, the same code, the same installation works fine.

Thanks for your help !
Alex

Hi again,

maybe I am doing this wrong, but I just tried the new jscript code:



Is this how it should be working ? Is cmd2 still necessary if I want WPI to wait until the silent_install.cmd is finished ?

It did not make any difference with the dying WPI though ...
Bye,
Alex

Man thats tough. I don't have live meeting but I googled abit and found out it's a part of the microsoft office line. Can you try this for me?

#1 run cmd #1 manually for office.
#2 run cmd manually for live meeting.
#3 see if it stuffs up other installs.

Basically I am trying to see if there is a conflict between your chosen settings for office (or office 2007) and livemeeting.

Have you tried the reverse? Livemeeting first and then office?

You posted again while I was posting.

You can actually fully get rid of the .cmd files and it would work the same, but we need to get thte conflict fixed first.

Hi Kel!



With run manually you mean not using WPI ? Just doubleclick on the cmd´s manually ?
Running it reverse would not make much sense since Livemeeting has a plugin for Outlook (which does not get installed if Outlook is not installed) but I will try.

As for my second post: I just would like to know if I did this right (first, a cmd for the jscript code watching the cmd script and then a second cmd in config.js for actually running the script)

Bye,
Alex

OK yeah your right I have spent the last hour or so going through the proccess to get the trial of livemeeting. *sigh*

I am testing it now. Will get back in a couple of minutes.

I do believe your code is backwards though. (i.e. flip command 1&2) Mritter did all this code so alot of it is still new to me too

Scratch that js command we are using it wrong...

OK here are my results (Note they may not be exactly the same files you are using)

my config:



Office 07 w\Word and Outlook installed

results:

Hi Kel,

I don´t use the livemeeting.msi you use but the lmconsole.msi seems to be the same (Livemeeting 2007).
As for the process ...

It may be ok if Office 2007 is already installed but have you tried installing Office 2007 and then Livemeeting with WPI right after one another without rebooting in between ?

That will cause the error right at the end of the lmconsole.msi.

By the way, thanks for your time in testing this !
Alex

Actually I had to Run the office installer config to add outlook as I dont actually use outlook so I think that would be nearly the same as installing it witout a rebbot. I will prep a VM though for future testing if your willing to take this further. (Bring it! )

OK which version of Vista are you usin?

Hi Kel,

Thanks for your help.

I am using Vista Ultimate SP1 (integrated) but the problem also happens with the Enterprise Version so I doubt it matters.

After Vista is installed, I am starting WPI from a FirstLogonCommand in the autounattend.xml. Actually, to be precise, I am starting a cmd there, that installs a few prerequisites like Net Framework updates etc., then reboots the PC and then starts WPI using runonceex.

I have tried installing Office and Livemeeting manually (without WPI), of course everything is fine :-)
Next, I will try to start WPI manually after Windows has fully loaded (not during runonceex) and install Office and LM from there to see if it matters. (doubt it but who knows).

What I really don´t understand with this whole matter is, why the hell WPI cannot protect itself from these things. If an msi is dying as you said in the first post, why does WPI have to die with it ? ;-) Also, why does the msi die only if it is started from within WPI, not when it is started manually or from within a cmd ?

And if some update tries to kill mshta.exe why can´t WPI lock it while it is running so that the update is not able to exchange it directly but during the next reboot ?

Those may be naive questions but I am wondering why WPI has so many problems with Microsoft applications even standard msi packages.

Bye,
Alex

Hi again,

back with some results from the testing department ;-)


1. Runonceex has nothing to do with it, the problem is the same if WPI is manuelly started after a fresh Vista installation.

2. The more interesting point is this:

I have two ways of installing with WPI:

A script checks if a certain server is available. If it is, a network drive is created and WPI plus all applications install over that network.

This is what I did all the day now and this is where the script error mentioned above appears during the Livemeeting installation.

Now, out of curiosity, I disabled the network connection on the virtual machine and installed again, this time, the server was not found and instead WPI started from DVD and installed Office and Livemeeting from DVD.

Interestingly enough, the error message changed now. WPI still died during the Livemeeting installation (at the same time as before) but the message was different. Now, the old "reboot config" message appeared (see picture).

This in fact means, that this is still the same problem but depending on installation medium used, the message is different.

Does this help in any way ?

OK here is my last test result:

Test setup = VMware Vista Ultimate and Office 2007 with everything selected.

WPI-Log:




Config file:

Hi Kel !

what the ...

How the hell did you get those things to install ?!? Can you maybe send me you Office 2007 settings file you used ? Maybe it is some optional component (I am installing all components). I can also send you my settings file if you are willing to do another test run.

Two other questions:

Is this Vista with SP1 integrated or the RTM Vista ? (I am using vista SP1) ?
Did you have any Vista Updates installed before installing Office 2007 ? Or anything else like Net Framework Updates etc. ?

Bye
Alex

PS: Thanks for your time !

OK send me your file please. I am using the full Enterprise office setup and installing everything.

Vista is SP1 from MSDN

Nope no updates were installed at the time just Vista SP1, Vmware tools and then the WPI run...

Hi Kel,

i have no idea why this thing works for you but not for me. I have done a dozen tests today and it never ever works in my case.

- I have taken out all Vista updates. I am now using a normal unattended Vista SP1 installation from MSDN.
- I have taken out all additional software (Net Framework Updates, DirectX Updates, etc. etc.)
- I have taken out all Update from the Updates folder in Office 2007.
- I have used your Autoit Code from your thread, made an installer.exe and started this in WPI instead of my cmd.

Still, each and every time when Live meeting is installed, WPI dies.

I can only think of a few reasons now:

1. This is somehow related to the language of Vista or Office 2007. I am using a German version, yours is probably English.
2. Our Office settings files are the key to the solution and differ significantly.
3. This is somewhat related to the test machine. (I am using VMWare workstation 6.0.4) or the amount of memory, CPU cores or some other hardware option.

Other than that, I cannot think of any reason why this works for you but not for me. Do you or anyone else ?

Bye,
Alex

OK I recreated the error

Now for the next idea... Try running the office install as normal with WPI BUT put the live meeting cmd in execute after and see if that makes a difference.

Hi Kel,

how were you able to recreate the error ? Did you use my settings file or was it something else ? I could use your settings file if you think it is related to that.



Tried it, no difference. WPI still dies during the lmconsole.msi installation.

Any other ideas ?
Thanks,
Alex

Hi Kel,

any news ? Sorry if I am pushy :-)

I am wondering: The first time you tried it, it worked for you. How did you recreate the error or what did you change that caused the error for you ?

Thanks,
Alex