Microsoft KB Archive/269371

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PRB: Setup May Hang When MsiInstallProduct Is Called from a Service

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Q269371

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The information in this article applies to:


 * Microsoft Windows Installer, versions 1.0, 1.1, 1.2

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SYMPTOMS
When you install an application with the MsiInstallProduct function from a service that is authored to use the Windows Installer setup engine, the application may not install and the setup program may hang. This is true when the setup program is launched from a service that is configured to run under the system account, and the system account is not set to interact with the desktop.

CAUSE
This problem is the result of an attempt to use the Windows Installer setup engine in any of the following user interface modes:


 * full
 * basic
 * reduced

These modes are not supported from a service that is not set to interact with the desktop, because Windows does not allow the graphical user interface (GUI) to be presented in this context.

RESOLUTION
If you need to install programs that have to use the graphical user interface during setup, then set the service options for the System account to &quot;Allow Service to Interact with Desktop.&quot;

This only works if a user is currently logged in to the computer and the computer is not locked.

If you do not need to have a GUI during the setup, then install the application in quiet mode by passing the /q flag to the Msiexec.exe file, or by first calling the MsiSetInternalUI function with the INSTALLUILEVEL_NONE flag.

STATUS
This behavior is by design.

Additional query words: crash fail stop responding freeze

Keywords : kbAppSetup kbMSI _IK kbMSI100 kbMSI110

Issue type : kbprb

Technology : kbWinISearch kbWinI100