PRB: InstallShield Express Package Does Not Install on Windows XP if Target OS List Is Limited (318981)



The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Visual FoxPro for Windows 7.0
  • Microsoft Visual FoxPro for Windows 7.0 SP1

This article was previously published under Q318981

SYMPTOMS

When you use InstallShield Express - Visual FoxPro Limited Edition to create an install package for a specific operating system (OS), and you want to target your application for installation to the Microsoft Windows XP operating system, you notice that this option is not available when you get to Step 5 (Define Setup Requirements and Actions) of the process. When you click to select Windows 2000 as a workaround to permit installation on Windows XP, and you try to install your distribution on a Windows XP system, you receive the following error message.
The operating system is not adequate for running
<AppName>.

CAUSE

Because Visual FoxPro 7.0 was released before Windows XP was released, Windows XP is not a choice in the Requirements section of Step 5 in InstallShield Express - Visual FoxPro Limited Edition.

WORKAROUND

The following method limits which operating systems to install to, and still permits installation to XP. It adds the OS string for Windows XP. This method uses a database table editor, the ORCA tool, that is included with Windows Installer to make the modifications to the tables in your .msi package. For information about how to obtain the Orca database editor, see the "References" section later in this article.

The InstallShield process has six steps. You must change settings for Step 5 and for Step 6 of the process.
  • Step 5: Define Setup Requirements and Actions
    In this step, select the OS Version item in the list in the upper right pane, and the Specific option in the lower right pane. Click to select the check boxes for any operating systems under which you want to permit installation.
  • Step 6: Prepare the setup for release
    In this step, if you build a SingleImage setup, set the Include Setup.exe option to No. This ensures that you have a separate MSI file that you can edit.
Every time you build the setup in InstallShield, follow these steps:
  1. Use the Orca tool to open the Default.msi file.
  2. In the Tables column, locate LaunchCondition.
  3. In the Condition column, you see a row that contains conditions for the operating systems that you will permit installation on. The text in the Condition column that you want to locate looks similar to the following:

    (Version9X = 400) OR (Version9X = 410 And Not WindowsBuild = 2222) OR (Version9X = 410 And WindowsBuild = 2222) OR (Version9X = 490) OR (VersionNT = 400) OR (VersionNT = 500)

    The exact text may vary, depending on which check boxes that you clicked to select in Step 5 when you ran InstallShield Express. These items refer to Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows 98 Second Edition, Windows Millennium Edition, Windows NT 4.0, and Windows 2000, respectively.
  4. When you click in this text box in the Condition column, you can edit the text. You must add OR (VersionNT = 501) to the end of the existing string to permit installation to XP. Assuming that the string appears as indicated earlier, the edited version appears as follows:

    (Version9X = 400) OR (Version9X = 410 And Not WindowsBuild = 2222) OR (Version9X = 410 And WindowsBuild = 2222) OR (Version9X = 490) OR (VersionNT = 400) OR (VersionNT = 500) OR (VersionNT = 501)
  5. After you make the change, tab from the newly edited value to commit the change.
  6. Save the .msi file and quit Orca.
The third-party products that are discussed in this article are manufactured by companies that are independent of Microsoft. Microsoft makes no warranty, implied or otherwise, regarding the performance or reliability of these products.

STATUS

This behavior is by design.

MORE INFORMATION

Steps to Reproduce the Behavior

  1. Start InstallShield Express Visual FoxPro Limited Edition and open a new project.
  2. Go to Step 5 (Define Setup Requirements and Actions), and then click Requirements.
  3. Set the OS Version property to Specific, and then click to clear everything except Windows 2000.
  4. Finish building your distribution, and then try to install it on a Windows XP system.
Notice that you receive the error that is listed in the "Symptoms" section of this article.

REFERENCES

For more information about creating setups with InstallShield Express, visit the following articles on the Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN) Library Web site: NOTE: This information is also available in the technical articles folder of your Visual FoxPro CD. For additional information about how to obtain and use Orca, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

255905 HOWTO: Use the Orca Database Editor to Edit Windows Installer Files


Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:9/16/2002
Keywords:kbAppSetup kbDSupport kbprb KB318981