Windows 7 Includes Both Windows Installer 5.0 and Windows Installer 4.5

Concomitantly with the advent of the next iteration of Windows, the Windows Installer evolved to version 5.0. Available for both the Windows 7 client and for Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Installer 5.0 can already be test driven courtesy of the Beta builds of the Windows client and server operating systems released to the general public in early January 2009. But at the same time, Windows 7 is not limited to MSI 5.0 alone, as the platform also includes functionality specific of the previous version of MSI, namely 4.5.

“Windows Installer version 5.0 is included in Windows 7 Beta. The MSDN documentation section "What's new in Windows Installer 5.0" has been updated accordingly and available for online viewing. In addition, all functionality provided with the MSI 4.5 redistributable release is included on Windows 7,” revealed Zainab Hakim, test engineer for the Windows Installer (MSI) team.

The Windows Installer 4.5 redistributable is currently available for Windows Vista RTM and Service Pack 1, Windows XP SP3 and earlier, Windows Server 2008 RTM/SP1, and Windows Server 2003 SP1 and SP2. However, Windows 7 users and developers will also be able to take advantage of features such as Multi-package Transactions, Embedded UI Handlers, Shared Components Robustness, Patch Supersedence Robustness and Uninstall Custom Actions. Still, for a more compete experience, Windows Installer 5.0 is the answer, as it brings to the table a number of features that are not present in MSI 4.5.

“The Windows Installer functions, tables, and properties listed on this page are not supported by Windows Installer 4.5 and earlier versions. The absence of a feature from this list does not guarantee that the feature is supported,” Microsoft informed. “Windows Installer 4.5 does not support some features that enable a single installation package to be installed in either the per-machine or per-user installation context; some services configuration options that can enable a package to customize the services on a computer; some features that enable the Windows Installer to secure new accounts, Windows Services, files, folders, and registry keys; [and] some features that enable the installation to enumerate all components installed on the computer and obtain the key path for the component.”

At the same time Windows Installer 4.5 does not play nice with a range of items present in Windows Installer 5.0 including a few standard actions, installer functions, column data types, properties, database tables, ControlEvents, Controls, Internal Consistency Evaluators – ICEs; and Automation Interface properties.

Microsoft Windows Installer 4.5 is available for download here.

Windows 7 Beta is available for download here.

Can Windows 7 overcome Vista driver woes?

Microsoft has revealed some staggering figures showing how often driver installations fail in Vista.

Microsoft is hoping for zero hardware install problems when Windows 7 finally hits the market, but is that really realistic when more than 10% of printer drivers for Vista are still failing to work properly?

However, Microsoft's own internal evidence shows that not everything is working that well in Vista. In a presentation on how to build drivers more effectively in collaboration with Microsoft, senior program manager lead Chris Matichuk disclosed rarely-seen figures from Microsoft's own internal systems that collect data on how Vista performs, principally its Online Crash Analysis and Customer Experience Improvement Program schemes. The data, which covers attempted driver installations for Vista SP1 users during September 2008, shows that in many categories, a significant number of users are still having problems even getting their hardware to work properly.



The biggest embarrassment category is printers, where more than 10% of installations failed. For Windows 7, Microsoft is hoping its new integrated approach in Windows 7 to device management will allow more successful installations of multi-function printers, which in Vista often show up as multiple devices. However, if a tenth of them don't show up at all, there's clearly some more fundamental work to be done.

Modems, though utilised by far fewer people, were also a major source of problems, with 8.64% failing to install. (I'd hazard a guess that 3G broadband modems, which are notoriously fickle under Vista, are a big part of the problem here.)

"Typically, anything above 3% is not good," Matichuk conceded. "If you look at printers for example, we've got some gaps we need to work through."

Another major challenge for Microsoft is getting more 64-bit drivers released. 64-bit versions of Vista now account for 25% of new system sales in the US, though the global figures are much lower. The performance improvements of the 64-bit version have been somewhat offset by a lack of drivers. Microsoft's own research suggests that while 92% of 32-bit Vista systems could find core drivers in the OS or online, for 64-bit systems the figure is just 83%.

Getting vendors to agree to make drivers available through Windows Update had also proved a time consuming process, and one that doesn't always succeed. Currently for Vista, there are more than 8,000 messages in place in Windows Update pointing users to third-party sources because the drivers can't be incorporated into Microsoft's own update technology. "We're continuing to add approximately 50 a week," Matichuk said.

Despite those challenges, Matichuk remains hopeful that driver nirvana can be reached. "Imagine that once the OS gets released right out of the box, devices just work. We need to nail this for Windows 7."

The most crucial moment for achieving that goal may have already passed, though. Matichuk suggested that drivers included as part of Microsoft's Inbox program, and thus in the core OS at installation, would already need to be present in the pre-beta in order to ensure widespread compatibility. "Ultimately, you need those drivers into the beta build." Other device manufacturers could ensure a successful installation by making their drivers online via Windows Update, he said.

Source: apcmag.com/can_windows_7_overcome_vista_driver_woes.htm