Microsoft KB Archive/320539

= Repackaging software updates to use Windows Installer is not supported =

Article ID: 320539

Article Last Modified on 2/8/2007

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Windows Installer 3.0
 * Microsoft Windows Installer 2.0
 * Microsoft Windows Installer 1.2
 * Microsoft Windows Installer 1.1
 * Microsoft Windows Installer 1.0

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This article was previously published under Q320539



SUMMARY
Microsoft releases software updates in self-extracting file formats that automatically run a Setup program. This Setup program is included in the package. We do not support repackaging software updates that use the Update.exe package installer, or any other installer, into the Microsoft Windows Installer (.msi) package format. We only support installations of Microsoft software updates that use the installer that is included in the package that is supplied by Microsoft.



MORE INFORMATION
Repackaging is defined as converting an installer package from one package format, such as from the Update.exe package format or from the IExpress package format, to the Windows Installer package format. Microsoft software updates that use the Update.exe package format or that use other installers are not designed to run as repackaged Windows Installer files. If you apply a repackaged software update, you may experience unexpected results. For example, your application or you operating system may stop functioning.

''Microsoft does not support repackaged software updates that customers repackage to use a different installer. Update.exe and Windows Installer are not interchangeable. Packages that are built by using one Installer technology have been tested and optimized to work only with that technology.''

Windows Installer does not support some features that are required to apply Windows software updates:
 * Windows Installer cannot replace files that the Windows File Protection (WFP) feature helps protect.
 * Windows Installer does not support the special file handling that is required to replace the Windows kernel files and the startup files.

We release most Windows service packs together with a special Windows Installer package that is created and tested by us. This Windows Installer package is named Update.msi. You can use the Update.msi package to deploy a service pack through your Group Policy settings. This process runs the typical service pack installation as a custom action. To do this, you must use the machine-assigned distribution method.

Do not use the Update.msi package to deploy other software updates. Use the Update.msi package to deploy only the Windows service pack that it was released to deploy.

For more information about how to deploy Windows service packs, see the appropriate Service Pack Deployment Guide on Microsoft TechNet.

For more information about how to use the Update.msi package to deploy service packs, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

278503 Best practices for using Update.msi to deploy service packs

For more information about the disadvantages and the technical difficulties of repackaging applications, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

264478 Disadvantages of repackaging applications

For more information about Windows Installer, visit the following Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN) Web site:

http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa367449.aspx

For more information about the Package Installer for Windows and Windows components, view the white paper that is located at the following Microsoft TechNet Web site:

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/windowsserver2003/deployment/winupdte.mspx

Keywords: kbinfo KB320539

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