Microsoft KB Archive/811148

= Windows Installer Custom Action Does Not Start a Program If the Program Has Already Started =

Article ID: 811148

Article Last Modified on 8/29/2007

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Windows XP Professional
 * Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition

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SYMPTOMS
If you are using a Microsoft Windows Installer package to perform a custom action that runs another program such as Microsoft Outlook, the custom action may not work if the program has already started.



CAUSE
This problem occurs because the Windows Installer package does not verify that it is allowed to start the program.



Service pack information
To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Microsoft Windows XP. For additional information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

322389 How to obtain the latest Windows XP service pack

Hotfix information
A supported hotfix is now available from Microsoft. However, this hotfix is intended to correct only the problem that is described in this article. Apply this hotfix only to systems that are experiencing this specific problem. This hotfix might receive additional testing. Therefore, if you are not severely affected by this problem, we recommend that you wait for the next service pack that contains this hotfix.

To resolve this problem, submit a request to Microsoft Online Customer Services to obtain the hotfix. To submit an online request to obtain the hotfix, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=6294451

Note If additional issues occur or any troubleshooting is required, you might have to create a separate service request. The usual support costs will apply to additional support questions and issues that do not qualify for this specific hotfix. To create a separate service request, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://support.microsoft.com/contactus/?ws=support

The English version of this fix has the file attributes (or later) that are listed in the following table. The dates and times for these files are listed in coordinated universal time (UTC). When you view the file information, it is converted to local time. To find the difference between UTC and local time, use the Time Zone tab in the Date and Time tool in Control Panel.

  Date         Time   Version        Size     File name ---  03-Dec-2002  10:49  5.1.2600.1147  565,760  Advapi32.dll



WORKAROUND
To work around this problem, enumerate all the processes on the computer to find Outlook or the program that you are trying to start. If you locate a process for that program, ask the user to quit that program.



STATUS
Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the &quot;Applies to&quot; section. This problem was first corrected in Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2.

Keywords: kbhotfixserver kbqfe kbwinxpsp2fix kbqfe kbwinxppresp2fix kbfix kbbug KB811148

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