Silent updates not working

[gibbie99]

We have a product that uses the updating feature of IA (version X2 studio manager), and I am having issues with the silent part. If the user asks to be prompted for download and prompted for install, it updates just fine, from version 1 to version 2. But if the users selects 'do not prompt' for both of those - making it a silent install, nothing happens when I run the scheduled task to check for updates.

I troubleshot it down to running the EXE with the /update switch, which does nothing.

C:\Windows\system32>"C:\ProgramData\{F54426AC-8062-44EC-9698-A94E6C01A400}\setup.exe" /update /l=c:\install.log

The install log is blank:

<InstallAware>
<SupportDir>
</SupportDir>
<SetupSplash>
<StubSize>
</StubSize>
<StubData>
</StubData>
<GlobalLists>
</GlobalLists>
<ExtractArchive>
</ExtractArchive>
<ResourcePath>
</ResourcePath>
<Dialogs>
</Dialogs>
</SetupSplash>
<RunScript>
<Variables>
</Variables>
<CompileScript>
</CompileScript>
<BootStrap>
</BootStrap>
<myah>
</myah>
<ExitScript>
</ExitScript>
</RunScript>
<Free>
</Free>
<CachedSupportDir>
</CachedSupportDir>
</InstallAware>


I am not sure how to troubleshoot it further. I ran wireshark and confirmed the installer was doing an HTTP GET and retrieving the update.ini, but beyond that I am not sure what is going on. In programs and features it's stuck on version 1 (whereas when the user selects 'prompt for ..' it successfully updates to version 2 and does a bunch of things showing the installer is running, modifying files and so forth.

So, i'm pretty clueless. Any ideas?

[FrancescoT]

Dear Gibbie99,

by your log it seems sure that the install process doesn't start at all.

did you change anything with the default update script logic?

Regards

[gibbie99]

Probably yes, let me look. If i attach the .mia file is that sufficient for you or would you like the whole project?

I ended up greatly modifying the project to handle just updates, so probably something went awry there. The problem is I can't really troubleshoot it, I'm not sure how far into the installer it even goes.

[gibbie99]

I troubleshot a bit further.

Starting with a clean install of windows 7, I can generate silent installs from version 1 -> version 2. But when I uninstall version 2, then reinstall version 1, silent installs (to version 2) no longer work. I added code to the script to write to a file at various points in the script, and it's not doing any of those break points. So probably the update exe is not being executed (which is what you said).

I am guessing the uninstall from version 2 is not clean, but that's just a guess. Is there a registry setting that the updater is looking at to determine whether or not to upgrade?

[FrancescoT]

Dear Gibbie99,

the update process stores an "installedupdates.dat" file under the "cached setup source files" folder.

Regards

[gibbie99]

I found the issue, it appears that the installedupdates.dat file was not being removed properly on uninstall / upgrade. Not sure why. The solution is to delete the file during install - it's in $ENGINECACHE$ directory.

[danieltan]

I found the issue, it appears that the installedupdates.dat file was not being removed properly on uninstall / upgrade. Not sure why. The solution is to delete the file during install - it's in $ENGINECACHE$ directory.

Hi,

I do facing same scenario as yours whereby after uninstall installer. The InstalledUpdates.dat still inside $ENGINECACHE$.

By the way, which part of line do we require to put delete file "installedUpdates.dat" during install - in $ENGINECACHE$ directory. Anyone care to enlighten?

[gibbie99]

Feel free to skype me - robert.medfusion

I put it in the Perform Uninstallation block.


~InstallAware Clipboard Data~
~Delete Files~
~{F53F7F0E-63EC-4291-894E-53F0B7FE2770}~
~$ENGINECACHE$~
~installedupdates.dat~
~TRUE~
~TRUE~

this is before the red "Apply uninstall" command.