354000 - Program Compatibility Assistant notification when installing the same version on top of an existing installation

Status: RESOLVED FIXED

(Firefox :: Installer, defect)

Description

[Robert Strong (they/them - no direct email)]

During an install Vista checks if a new entry is added under the uninstall registry key (e.g. ARP). When the same version of the app is installed on top of an existing install the key is deleted / added and the Program Compatibility Assistant doesn't see this as a new entry.

See "Program Compatibility Assistant (PCA) in Windows Vista - Customer Ready Documentation" at
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/dnlong/html/AppComp.asp

Comment 1

[Robert Strong (they/them - no direct email)]

Attachment: patch - delete the uninstall reg key early on

Comment 2

[(not reading, please use [e-mail] instead)]

Comment on attachment 240063 [details] [diff] [review]
patch - delete the uninstall reg key early on

r=sspitzer

robert seemed to have other ideas (short of switching to MSI, which we aren't going to do anytime soon) that might address this issue if this fix doesn't solve it for everyone.  (He made it sound like it might not, as it is a timing issue.)

robert, could you just brain dump all your thoughts in this bug?

Comment 3

[Robert Strong (they/them - no direct email)]

Sure... we might be able to create a new reg key that is not displayed in ARP to fool the Program Compatibility Assistant. Every time the installer or uninstaller runs it could remove the extra key and if a new key is needed it could create another one with a different name.

Comment 4

[Robert Strong (they/them - no direct email)]

Checked in to trunk

Comment 5

[Jay Patel [:jay]]

rstrong:  Is this something we would want on the branch?  If so, please nominate it for 1.8.1.3.

Comment 6

[Robert Strong (they/them - no direct email)]

jay, This is trunk only and will be included in the mega patch

Comment 7

[Jay Patel [:jay]]

rob, so you are saying this is currently on the trunk only?  and will be included in the mega patch that we plan to land for 1.8.1.2?  if the answer is yes to both, we should block on this and add the main mega patch bug to the dependency tree.  just trying to get a handle on what we are taking for the upcoming releases. :-)  thanks.

Comment 8

[Daniel Veditz [:dveditz]]

Going with jay's comment 7, better and easier to find bugs on the list and take them off if this is mistaken than to remember to test things that aren't marked.

Comment 9

[Marcia Knous [:marcia]]

is it unusual to get this when you exit Minefield? I was just testing, and when I exited I saw this dialog. It might have been there the whole time and I just didn't see it...

Comment 10

[Robert Strong (they/them - no direct email)]

This will sometimes happen when installing the same version using the installer multiple times during the same OS user session.

Comment 11

[Jay Patel [:jay]]

rstrong/seth:  Did this make it onto the 1.8 branch as part of the patch for bug 354005?  If so, please add the fixed1.8.1.2 keyword.  Thanks!

Comment 12

[Robert Strong (they/them - no direct email)]

It made it in. iirc this only prevents the notification once per OS user session so if you install the same version multiple times per OS user session the notification will be displayed. I asked MS about better ways to prevent this and the solution is to use MSI's.

Comment 13

[Marcia Knous [:marcia]]

verified on the 1.8 branch using Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 6.0; en-US; rv:1.8.1.2pre) Gecko/2007021203 BonEcho/2.0.0.2pre. With this nightly already installed, I ran the installer again and paved over the existing install. I did not get the Program Comp Assistant. Just for kicks, I did it a few more times and I did not get the PCA.