RunOnce values seem to execute during MSI installs

[sgoldstein]

I'm seeing some interesting behavior. If I have a value in the RunOnce registry key, it seems that if I run another install, that value is being executed. I was under the impression that this would only be executed on reboot.

Does anyone know why this is executed? If so, does anyone know where in the sequence this get executed?

Thanks.

Scott

[RobertDickau]

Hmm, doesn't sound familiar; so if you have a RunOnce entry that launches notepad.exe, it'll run somewhere during installation?

[sgoldstein]

Hi Robert,

I figured out the cause. I'm installing a driver using the command:

"rundll32.exe SETUPAPI.DLL,InstallHinfSection DefaultInstall 128 .\Some.inf"

Apparently, this has a side effect of immediately executing all entries in the RunOnce registry key:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/281820