ISCMDBLD.EXE and msiexec uninstalls

[Swilks]

Hello All,

I have to provide a bit of detail to this one so my apologies. We are using ISCMDBLD.EXE to compile our .ism with the following command lines past to the compile using the .ini file.

[Project]
Name="E:\Data\Application.ism"
[Release]
Name=SINGLE_MSI_IMAGE
[Mode]
StopOnFirstError=yes

Now this all works well. The build gets installed and uninstalled without any problems. This MSI is distributed via an application as it is updated everyweek.

So each week the following steps occur...
1) Batch file run that re-compiles application ...ISCMDBLD (above)

2) The application downloads the MSI to each client workstation on opening the opening of the application

3) As the application launches it runs the following two commands...
....msiexec.exe /uninstall "\Application.msi" /passive
then
....msiexec.exe /i "\Application.msi"

This step uninstalls and re-installs the latest files required for the user without them having to do anything locally. It is a way of distributing updates that has served us well for sometime. (Previously using the same process with WFWI)

The problem we are now having though is with the uninstall step.
Since using this method the command
msiexec.exe /uninstall "\Application.msi" /passive
does not uninstall the product in order for it to be re-installed.

We have done some trouble shooting and the command works fine if the MSI is not re-compiled and the same MSI uninstalling was the one used in the install.

However as there is a compile in between the MSI file present for the uninstall aways is different to the one that installed it. HOWEVER the product code and upgrade code are the same in both MSI's.

The question is what makes the uninstall fail ?
if I install a product with an MSI, recompile and re-create that MSI and then try and run the msiexec.exe /uninstall "\Application.msi" /passive
it fails.

Please advise or provide any suggestions as to what settings may be required in the .ini file for the compile to ensure the uninstall works correctly using the msiexec method. I did notice that the package code is different in every new compile. Would this affect the msiexec.exe /install ?
Any assistance much appreciated.

[RobertDickau]

The message displayed when running /uninstall without /passive is the one displayed when the package code changes.

For your step 3 uninstall, perhaps trying changing the command to this:

msiexec.exe /uninstall "\Application.msi" /passive REINSTALLMODE=v

...?

[Swilks]

Many many thanks. Worked perfectly.

Just never had to have the additional property until using the compiled Installshield MSI's.

Glad to have it working... thanks again.