How can InstallShield check if SQL Server 2005 (3.1) Compact Edition is installed?
I am developing a Windows desktop application which requires the SQL Server 2005 Compact Edition (SQLServerCE31-EN.msi) to be installed. I am using InstallShield 2011 to install this as a pre-requisite during the installation process.
In order to come up with the pre-requisite definition I used Process Monitor to see that these registry locations are checked when SQLServerCE31-EN.msi is run manually (not via the installer):
32-bit: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Microsoft SQL Server Compact Edition\v3.1 64-bit: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Microsoft SQL Server Compact Edition\v3.1
Most of the time, this check seems to work and InstallShield skips the pre-requisite if it's already detected as installed. However one some machines (Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit with SQL Server Compact Edition 3.5 already installed) the key doesn't exist, even though Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Compact Edition [ENU] is listed under Programs and Features.
There's a registry key at both of the following locations (on a 64-bit machine) which could be used to check that SQL Server Compact Edition 3.5 is installed, but nothing to show if 3.1 is installed.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Microsoft SQL Server Compact Edition\v3.5 HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Microsoft SQL Server Compact Edition\v3.5
I am fairly certain that it is possible to have both versions installed and it's not that 3.5 upgrades 3.1, even though it is obviously a newer version.
How can I check to see if SQL Server 2005 Compact Edition is installed?
