Problem winth Windows installer Win7pro x64

[H-Man]

I have a friend using Win 7 Pro 64 bit. She needs to install an update top
a tax program ('tis the season).

The update results in the Windows Installer syntax dialog box coming up.
The install subsequently fails. My first thought was that the updater was
using some bad syntax, but the manufacturer says there's a problem with
Windows Installer. I did try the update, first installing the original
software on a Win7 Ultimate x64 laptop and it worked fine. No syntax dialog
came up. The updater also works fine on the XP Mode VM.

To try to solve the problem I ended up doing a repair install of Win7.
There was no change in the symptoms. I searched online using as many
different search terms I could think of and all I could find on Installer
errors had nothing to do with the syntax window coming up. The dialog is
the same one that pops up when you run msiexec.exe without any command line
options.

Any ideas?

 

[Char Jackson]

I have a friend using Win 7 Pro 64 bit. She needs to install an update top
a tax program ('tis the season).

The update results in the Windows Installer syntax dialog box coming up.
The install subsequently fails.
SNIP

Any ideas?

No ideas, and it didn't help that you kept the tax program a secret as
well as keeping the error text a secret.

 

[H-Man]

No ideas, and it didn't help that you kept the tax program a secret as
well as keeping the error text a secret.

Sorry, there was no error text. The Windows Installer syntax dialog box
comes up and once dismissed the update just fails, no error, it just exits
quietly as if the update completed but nothing gets updated. As I said, it
does work on a different Win7 x64 install. The tax program is CanTax,
although I could find nothing posted regarding an issue with this program.
I strongly suspect it is as the CanTax support people indicate and this is
a Windows issue.

The Windows Installer syantax dialog can be seen if one types msiexec in a
console without any command line params. That's what I'm seeing, nothing
more, no additional error messages.

Again, I apologize for being vague, hope this additional info clarifies
things.

 

[VanguardLH]

I have a friend using Win 7 Pro 64 bit. She needs to install an update top
a tax program ('tis the season).

Relaying problems doesn't work well. Have your friend come here to ask
for herself to provide details, like the actual error message and the
actual tax software. Further needed details requested won't incur a
delay when relaying the request from you to her, from her back to you,
and then you to tell us.

The update results in the Windows Installer syntax dialog box coming up.

Okay, so it "comes up". Just what might is actually say? We can't tell
it's even a message from the MSI service and may instead be some error
displayed by the updater.

The install subsequently fails.

You first said it was an update, not an install. Install implies you
are attempting to install the entire product, not perform an update.
(I see later you finally reveal what is contained in the error dialog.)

My first thought was that the updater was
using some bad syntax, but the manufacturer says there's a problem with
Windows Installer.

Uh huh. Typically low-brow first-level tech response to push off
customers by finger pointing elsewhere. It's their product. If they
claim it installs on Windows 7 64-bit then any anomalies they claim
regarding the MSI service is *theirs* to handle the workarounds.

I did try the update, first installing the original
software on a Win7 Ultimate x64 laptop and it worked fine. No syntax dialog
came up. The updater also works fine on the XP Mode VM.

So a fresh install followed by an update will work. Why not do that,
too, on her host? Uninstalls don't remove data files (which should be
backed up unless she deems that data as worthless or reproducible) but
may delete configuration files or registry entries. Might be the price
to pay to do the update?

To try to solve the problem I ended up doing a repair install of Win7.
There was no change in the symptoms.

Rarely fixes problems inherent with the user or software. It's not the
OS that is the problem. The updater doesn't like the current instance
of the unidentified tax software installed on her host. You said a
fresh install works okay followed by the update so do that on her host.

The dialog is
the same one that pops up when you run msiexec.exe without any command line
options.

Well, that means the updater isn't specifying the installer file.

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc759262(WS.10).aspx

Do you know just what command the installer is executing when it calls
the msiexec.exe program? Does it actually run "/i <name>.msi"? That
is, is the updater asking MSI to run an .msi installer program? MSI is
complaining the parameters are wrong. So how could it be Windows fault
via its MSI service that the tax updater used invalid syntax?

It's a bit goofy that a fresh install of the tax program followed by the
update will work but not the update on the current install on her host.
Without knowing what the installer for the update is using for command-
line parameters to msiexec.exe, one possibility is the .exe for the
installer is varying the command based on the current state of the
existing tax software on the host, and it is using invalid syntax based
on it finding for the current installation of the tax software.

Regardless of the finger pointing elsewhere tactic of the boob you
contacted at the tax software vendor, it's their screw up. If they
won't fix it, look for other tax software or do the fresh install and
update that you said will work.

 

[H-Man]

Relaying problems doesn't work well. Have your friend come here to ask
for herself to provide details, like the actual error message and the
actual tax software. Further needed details requested won't incur a
delay when relaying the request from you to her, from her back to you,
and then you to tell us.

I'm posting here because I was doing it for her. No actual error message.
The tax software is CanTax and searching for installation issues similar
turned up empty.

Okay, so it "comes up". Just what might is actually say? We can't tell
it's even a message from the MSI service and may instead be some error
displayed by the updater.

No error message. If you open a console and type in msiexec without any
command line parameters a syntax dialog will appear that indicates but
doesn't specifically say there was a syntax error in the command. It also
does not indicate anything about where the syntax error occured, just how
to use the msiexec command.

You first said it was an update, not an install. Install implies you
are attempting to install the entire product, not perform an update.
(I see later you finally reveal what is contained in the error dialog.)

Sorry, it is an update to an already installed program.

Uh huh. Typically low-brow first-level tech response to push off
customers by finger pointing elsewhere. It's their product. If they
claim it installs on Windows 7 64-bit then any anomalies they claim
regarding the MSI service is *theirs* to handle the workarounds.

I understand, which is why I tried the update on a different Win7 x64
machine, where the problem did not occur.

So a fresh install followed by an update will work. Why not do that,
too, on her host? Uninstalls don't remove data files (which should be
backed up unless she deems that data as worthless or reproducible) but
may delete configuration files or registry entries. Might be the price
to pay to do the update?

Okay, I suppose I can try that, my thought was that the update fails
immediately on execution. As it's an update, the command line syntax
theoretically should be the same regardless. Of course that is an
assumption. Perhaps an image backup of the drive and some experimentation
might shed some further light on this.

Rarely fixes problems inherent with the user or software. It's not the
OS that is the problem. The updater doesn't like the current instance
of the unidentified tax software installed on her host. You said a
fresh install works okay followed by the update so do that on her host.

I'm not convinced that's the case, but I'm most certainly open to the
possibility.

Well, that means the updater isn't specifying the installer file.

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc759262(WS.10).aspx

Do you know just what command the installer is executing when it calls
the msiexec.exe program? Does it actually run "/i <name>.msi"? That
is, is the updater asking MSI to run an .msi installer program? MSI is
complaining the parameters are wrong. So how could it be Windows fault
via its MSI service that the tax updater used invalid syntax?

It's a bit goofy that a fresh install of the tax program followed by the
update will work but not the update on the current install on her host.
Without knowing what the installer for the update is using for command-
line parameters to msiexec.exe, one possibility is the .exe for the
installer is varying the command based on the current state of the
existing tax software on the host, and it is using invalid syntax based
on it finding for the current installation of the tax software.

Do you know of any software that will work on Win7 x64 that will reveal
this for me?

Regardless of the finger pointing elsewhere tactic of the boob you
contacted at the tax software vendor, it's their screw up. If they
won't fix it, look for other tax software or do the fresh install and
update that you said will work.

I suppose I'll do an image backup of the whole thing and then I can play a
bit to see if can make this work. It's just really weird how this all came
about. It would be very helpful to compare syntax used from one machine to
another.

 

[blero_]

It would be very helpful to compare syntax used from one machine to

another.

In Task Manager, View/Select Columns, check "Command Line".
Start the update, and check the "msiexec.exe" line in the Processes
tab.
It should display the parameters used by msiexec.exe.

 

[Char Jackson]

Sorry, there was no error text. The Windows Installer syntax dialog box
comes up and once dismissed the update just fails, no error, it just exits
quietly as if the update completed but nothing gets updated. As I said, it
does work on a different Win7 x64 install. The tax program is CanTax,
although I could find nothing posted regarding an issue with this program.
I strongly suspect it is as the CanTax support people indicate and this is
a Windows issue.

I would bet my last dollar that it's a CanTax issue and has nothing to
do with Windows, despite what they'd like you to believe.

The Windows Installer syantax dialog can be seen if one types msiexec in a
console without any command line params. That's what I'm seeing, nothing
more, no additional error messages.

That tells us that (most likely) the program hasn't properly written
the Registry entries it needs. Again, it has nothing to do with
Windows.

Again, I apologize for being vague, hope this additional info clarifies
things.

VanguardLH said it best:
"Regardless of the finger pointing elsewhere tactic of the boob you
contacted at the tax software vendor, it's their screw up. If they
won't fix it, look for other tax software or do the fresh install and
update that you said will work."

 

[Char Jackson]

In Task Manager, View/Select Columns, check "Command Line".
Start the update, and check the "msiexec.exe" line in the Processes
tab.
It should display the parameters used by msiexec.exe.

Where are you seeing that? In XP's Taskmanager, I see a menu entry for
View - Select Columns, but "Command Line" isn't one of the choices,
unless I'm not seeing it. However, in Win 7's Taskmanager, I don't
even see a menu entry for View - Select Columns.

 

[blero_]

In Task Manager, View/Select Columns, check "Command Line".

Where are you seeing that? In XP's Taskmanager, I see a menu entry for
View - Select Columns, but "Command Line" isn't one of the choices,
unless I'm not seeing it. However, in Win 7's Taskmanager, I don't
even see a menu entry for View - Select Columns.

The "Command Line" choice appeared with Vista ans still exist in Win 7.
What menu entries do you see in Win 7 ?

http://www.watchingthenet.com/make-windows-task-manager-display-more-system-information.html

 

[relic]

Where are you seeing that? In XP's Taskmanager, I see a menu entry for
View - Select Columns, but "Command Line" isn't one of the choices,
unless I'm not seeing it. However, in Win 7's Taskmanager, I don't
even see a menu entry for View - Select Columns.

If you don't have menus, double-click in the border to toggle the
appearance.

 

[VanguardLH]

in Win 7's Taskmanager, I don't even see a menu entry for View -
Select Columns.

Task Manager's menus are context sensitive. Menu entries for one panel
may not be present (i.e., hidden) when you select a different panel.
Make sure you select the Processes panel and then look under the View
menu to select Columns. You won't see the Select Columns entry under
the View menu for the other panels because that object type isn't
relevant for those other panels.

http://windows7journal.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/Windows7TaskManagerProcesses.jpg

BTW:
Task Manager in Windows XP doesn't let you include a Command Line
column. For that info, use SysInternals' Process Explorer.

 

[H-Man]

I have a friend using Win 7 Pro 64 bit. She needs to install an update top
a tax program ('tis the season).

The update results in the Windows Installer syntax dialog box coming up.
The install subsequently fails. My first thought was that the updater was
using some bad syntax, but the manufacturer says there's a problem with
Windows Installer. I did try the update, first installing the original
software on a Win7 Ultimate x64 laptop and it worked fine. No syntax dialog
came up. The updater also works fine on the XP Mode VM.

To try to solve the problem I ended up doing a repair install of Win7.
There was no change in the symptoms. I searched online using as many
different search terms I could think of and all I could find on Installer
errors had nothing to do with the syntax window coming up. The dialog is
the same one that pops up when you run msiexec.exe without any command line
options.

Any ideas?

Thank you to Vanguard and Char.

I fought with CanTax for some time last evening, to the point of absolute
frustration. I finally got on with someone who knew a little something
about Windows and CanTax finally admitted that we were not the only ones
having the issue, although not net everyone was affected. The discussion
got quite heated.

So, the problem is with them and they are trying to fix the problem. I the
mean time they've indicated it basically only overwrites the existing
files, nothing new to register. So I used Universal Extractor and just
updated the files in the Programs(x86) folder. All is well at this point.

Thanks again for your help, you were both right.

 

[Char Jackson]

Task Manager's menus are context sensitive. Menu entries for one panel
may not be present (i.e., hidden) when you select a different panel.
Make sure you select the Processes panel and then look under the View
menu to select Columns. You won't see the Select Columns entry under
the View menu for the other panels because that object type isn't
relevant for those other panels.

http://windows7journal.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/Windows7TaskManagerProcesses.jpg

BTW:
Task Manager in Windows XP doesn't let you include a Command Line
column. For that info, use SysInternals' Process Explorer.

Thanks to everyone who replied. The key part I was missing was the
context-sensitive nature of Taskmanager's menu system. Once that was
pointed out, the rest fell into place. Thanks, everyone.

 

[Char Jackson]

Thank you to Vanguard and Char.

I fought with CanTax for some time last evening, to the point of absolute
frustration. I finally got on with someone who knew a little something
about Windows and CanTax finally admitted that we were not the only ones
having the issue, although not net everyone was affected. The discussion
got quite heated.

So, the problem is with them and they are trying to fix the problem. I the
mean time they've indicated it basically only overwrites the existing
files, nothing new to register. So I used Universal Extractor and just
updated the files in the Programs(x86) folder. All is well at this point.

Thanks again for your help, you were both right.

Excellent! Thanks for posting back with your results.

 

[Gene E. Bloch]

Thanks to everyone who replied. The key part I was missing was the
context-sensitive nature of Taskmanager's menu system. Once that was
pointed out, the rest fell into place. Thanks, everyone.

And for those of us who were lucky on the first try (on reading blero_'s
suggestion), it's good that you got VanguardLH to reveal this quirk of
the program. Now we won't be mystified when it happens to us (if we
remember!).