Basic MSI doesn't continue after prerequisite reboot

[Azmaeus]

I have two required and one optional prerequisites; required: .NET 4.8 Full, and Microsoft Visual C++ 2019; optional: Microsoft SQL Server Express 2019. SQL is selected during the UI or by setting the INSTALLLEVEL in a silent install. The other two are set to run before starting the installer, and that's where I have a problem.

The two prerequisites install silently, and the reboot occurs automatically, but then after the reboot and logging-in again the installer doesn't resume on its own. My first question is are those two supposed to be requiring a reboot? I found a KB article - https://community.flexera.com/t5/InstallShield-Knowledge-Base/InstallShield-VC-2019-Prerequisite-restart-the-machine-after-the/ta-p/192356 - which indicate it shouldn't require a reboot, I wonder if the same should be the case for .NET 4.8. They both have /norestart. My second question is if there's something I'm supposed to set-up to handle resuming after reboot? If the user goes through the UI they're prompted for reboot, and after reboot when they log-in the installer resumes, sees the prerequisites are installed, and they can finish going through the UI and install the product.

[varul]

Hi Azmaeus,

 Please correct if my understanding is wrong,  if you install using UI the setup resumes after reboot, however when you use silent command to install the setup.exe its not resuming after reboot? is my understanding correct?

After reboot in silent mode installation, after sometime did you check in control panel for the Basic MSI project entry exists or not

To fix the reboot issue, please install the hotfix and see it fixes your issue or not

https://community.flexera.com/t5/InstallShield-Knowledge-Base/InstallShield-VC-2019-Prerequisite-restart-the-machine-after-the/ta-p/192356

If still the issue exists please share your ism file

[Azmaeus]

Hi varul,

Yes, that's correct. I apologize for failing to mention, I have already installed the hotfix I linked, and I am still prompted to reboot after the prerequisites install. I noticed a part of the hotfix was to add IgnoreTmpRename="1" to the Visual C++ Prerequisite, I was wondering if I need to add that to the .NET 4.8 prerequisite as well?

I've attached my ism file.

[varul]

Hi Azmaeus,

Create a sample project and added only .net 4.8 and then build and install the setup and see it resumes after reboot or not, please check this and let me know.

[Azmaeus]

@varul I verified using a sample project that if I only have Microsoft Visual C++ 2019 (x64) as a prerequisite, no reboot occurs and the setup completes silently; If only Microsoft .NET 4.8 Full is a prerequisite, regardless of whether I update the .prq file to have "<behavior IgnoreTmpRename="1" Reboot="2"/>" or not, the system reboots after installing .NET 4.8, and yes the installer continues (silently) upon logging-in after the reboot. If both Microsoft Visual C++ 2019 (x64) and Microsoft .NET 4.8 Full are included as prerequisites, the silent install successfully installs both Visual C++ 2019, .NET 4.8, reboots, and runs the sample project.

In short, using a sample project - which is simply placing a single text file in the INSTALLDIR, silent install resumes after reboot.

[varul]

Hi Azmaeus,

   Thanks for the confirmation in that you are original project only is not resuming after reboot, is that correct?

Did you check your project files and the registry and control panel entries are created after reboot?

If you want You can delay the reboot by setting the prq behavior tab field

"if the prq appears to need a reboot" change it to "Note it, fails to resume if the machine is reboot, and reboot after installation"
this setting will delay the reboot.

To Avoid a reboot,  you need to set the prq behavior tab setting to "Ignore it, and fail to resume if machine is rebooted option" which will stop the prq reboot

[Azmaeus]

Thanks @varul, once I changed both the VC++ and .NET 4.8 prerequisites to "ignore", then the setup continued without any reboot. Hopefully there will be no side-effects for installing VC++ 2019 and .NET 4.8 without rebooting after. If I do need to look into why it's not resuming the install after reboot (on silent installs only), should I be looking in the RunOnce registry key, and/or Startup control panel, or is there a knowledge base somewhere I can look at to help me troubleshoot?

[varul]

Yes, there wont be any side effect, however some application uses .net 4.8 may face issue until restart, 

On reboot not resuming, i have checked with sample the project resumes successfully after reboot, since its silent installation we wont see any dialogs,

Please explain what you are expecting in silent install, " (on silent installs only)," 

Hope you understand in silent install everything will be silent, you wont see any dialog, in this case after reboot you need to check in control panel for the application entry, 

If you are not sure how to validate it, please contact support and raise a new case.

[Azmaeus]

Sorry for the delayed response. I do understand that a silent install does not show any UI. I'm expecting that when I run the silent install with a list of properties the installer will install all prerequisites, reboot, and then continue to (silently) install the product. What happens is the prerequisites are installed, and the system reboots, but upon logging-in the installer does not continue. I would expect after the reboot for the installer to be called with the same properties passed. In my case however, after reboot I see nothing. I watch the task manager for the installer to run. I check back later and there's no entry in the control panel (I'm assuming you're referring to the add/remove programs list), no files placed where the installer is built to place files, and so-on. I specified "on silent installs only" because if I run the installer in standard UI mode the prerequisites get installed, the system reboots, then upon logging-in (after about 30 seconds) the installer is kicked-off again.

[varul]

I Suggest you to contact support and raise a case with a reproduction steps and sample project.