Problems running MSI file

[Dalai]

Are you on Windows 11 ?

Nope, I'm using Windows 7.

Could it be related to the OS version ?

While I don't rule that out completely, I don't think that this is the issue. Then again, I could be wrong and MS made some change in Windows (in regards to "security") that leads to this problem.

I'm not tinkering with any folder or file permissions, I've just created the directory and junction

I didn't either, and I didn't imply that you did. It's just a question that could be relevant because there were cases in the past where TC couldn't read a link's target which caused some issues. Since Windows Installer is running as a service, i.e. user SYSTEM, the link would need to have at least the permission to be read by that user.

A different but yet similar issue was discussed recently regarding Apache web server which also runs as a service. In that case, the link's path created by TC (using TC's CopyLinks option) caused a problem.

That's why I asked about the link target and permissions.

Regards
Dalai

[white]

Are you on Windows 11 ? Could it be related to the OS version ?

The directory junction to ANY other folder will not work:
Let's say I create a folder D:\A and then create a directory junction D:\B [D:\A]. Executing the MSI file from D:\A will work but when executing from D:\B it won't.

Tried exactly that on Windows 11 with an msi file for pdfsam, seems to work OK.

[olluz]

this is really odd. At least I am not the only one with this problem I wonder why it works on your system. And why does it work with Windows Explorer, but not with TC

[Dalai]

As I said: Check the link's permissions and link target. Mine are as follows:

Code: Select all

C:\>icacls E:\7z
E:\7z NT-AUTORITÄT\SYSTEM:(I)(OI)(CI)(F)
      VORDEFINIERT\Administratoren:(I)(OI)(CI)(F)
      VORDEFINIERT\Benutzer:(I)(OI)(CI)(M)


C:\>dir E:\7*

04.12.2023  22:41    <VERBINDUNG>   7z [h:\Installs\7Zip]
04.12.2023  22:40    <VERBINDUNG>   7Zip [H:\Installs\7Zip]
04.12.2023  22:48    <VERBINDUNG>   7z_23 [h:\Installs\7Zip\23.01]

Which means that SYSTEM and the Administrators group both have full access and the group Users (Benutzer) has write (Modify) permissions.

Regards
Dalai

[olluz]

Not sure how to interpret the result, I don't see anything suspicious.

Code: Select all

C:\>icacls C:\1_dir
C:\1_dir BUILTIN\Administrators:(I)(OI)(CI)(F)
         NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM:(I)(OI)(CI)(F)
         BUILTIN\Users:(I)(OI)(CI)(RX)
         NT AUTHORITY\Authenticated Users:(I)(M)
         NT AUTHORITY\Authenticated Users:(I)(OI)(CI)(IO)(M)

C:\>icacls C:\2_dir_junction
C:\2_dir_junction BUILTIN\Administrators:(I)(OI)(CI)(F)
                  NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM:(I)(OI)(CI)(F)
                  BUILTIN\Users:(I)(OI)(CI)(RX)
                  NT AUTHORITY\Authenticated Users:(I)(M)
                  NT AUTHORITY\Authenticated Users:(I)(OI)(CI)(IO)(M)

C:\>icacls C:\3_symbolic_dir
C:\3_symbolic_dir BUILTIN\Administrators:(I)(OI)(CI)(F)
                  NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM:(I)(OI)(CI)(F)
                  BUILTIN\Users:(I)(OI)(CI)(RX)
                  NT AUTHORITY\Authenticated Users:(I)(M)
                  NT AUTHORITY\Authenticated Users:(I)(OI)(CI)(IO)(M)

05.12.2023  22:15    <DIR>          1_dir
05.12.2023  22:16    <JUNCTION>     2_dir_junction [C:\1_dir]
05.12.2023  22:17    <SYMLINKD>     3_symbolic_dir [C:\1_dir]

[white]

Not sure how to interpret the result, I don't see anything suspicious.

I have the same and it works.

[Dalai]

So there must be something else preventing this from working correctly. Maybe Process Monitor can help here to figure out what's wrong.

Start Process Monitor with /NoConnect switch (to prevent it from immediately capturing everything), set up a filter for "Process Name" is "msiexec.exe" and then start monitoring/capturing. Launch the MSI file and then search, filter or highlight everything with result FAILED, DENIED or similar. Hopefully that's going to give some hints about what's wrong.

It could be a GPO (group policy) or some security software interfering, but I wouldn't even know where to look for something that specific...

Regards
Dalai

[serg_joker]

Have the same issue here, but also problem when trying to run MSI from windows explorer
E.g. nor TC, neither explorer succeed to run MSI from junction point (pointing to target directory), while both are successful if running from the target directory itself.

Windows 10, TC 11.0 x64 (TC version seems to be irrelevant though)