How to grant elevated permissions for MSI projects

[kumarpalanivel]

We're experiencing problems extracting our product source files into installation directories on some machines, particularly desktop OSes.

Expected path: ProgramFiles64Folder\CompanyName\ProductName 

But, Installing into: ProgramFiles64Folder

When we double-click the ProductName.msi file (for example, in Windows 10 OS), the product source files are extracted into the "ProgramFiles64Folder" file, and we are notified that we are unable to complete the installation owing to a permission issue ( Installer get launched with non elevated access ). We were given the necessary administrator privileges in the ism project, but we're still having issues.

We're making an installer in the following format:

Project type : Basic MSI
Required Administrative Privilege = Yes
Locked-Down Permissions = Custom Installshield handling
Project FileFormat = XML
Installation Release Mode = SINGLE_MSI_IMAGE
Output File = ProductName.msi

Note: The installation of ProductName.msi using Command Line ( Launched with option of "Run as Administrator". ) mode was successful. ( installation directory: ProgramFiles64Folder\CompanyName\ProductName ).

We get the following log information in the working installation - "Product installation will be elevated because user is admin and product is being installed per-machine. ".

That log information is not available in a non-working installation.

[shunt]

Does the user that is double clicking ProductName.msi have the correct admin permissions?
If you lower the UAC permissions does this help?

When a package is run that requires elevating it would be normal to see a UAC pop up requesting Admin confirmation.

Be aware that we do not give administrator privileges in the ism project - we inform the Installer what permissions are required from the user to allow it to run.
If your installer requires Admin permissions and its being run without them, then the expected behaviour is that it will fail due to insufficient permissions.

If you require a Standard user to be able to doubleclick and install the package then you would need to author the installer to not install to any locations that require those permissions.

Try wrapping the .msi in a setup.exe:
Releases view > Select Release > Setup.exe tab > Setup Launcher = Yes > Required Execution Level = Administrator

This should launch an Admin prompt when the installer starts which when accepted will pass the elevated permissions onto the MSI.

[kumarpalanivel]

Hi,

Thank you for your reply. Please check response to your queries inline below.

>> Does the user that is double clicking ProductName.msi have the correct admin permissions?

     Yes, We trying to install it under user with administrator access.

>> Try wrapping the .msi in a setup.exe: Releases view > Select Release > Setup.exe tab > Setup Launcher = Yes > Required Execution Level = Administrator

         Our requirement is to deliver the build as native msi mode ( .msi format ). We've also downloaded and installed other msi based applications [like 7zip.msi] on the same system with the same user, and it's working fine there. So, we believe tweaking some setting in the installer will solve the issue.

>> Reg : When a package is run that requires elevating it would be normal to see a UAC pop up requesting Admin confirmation.

          Can you suggest any option we need to enable on the installer side to get this pop up, we are fine with getting popup alert asking admin user credentials to proceed the installation without any issues as last option.