Windows Installer 4.5 versions

As you all may already know the final release of the Windows Installer 4.5 Redistributable and SDK are now available.

The current version of Windows Installer is in the form; major.minor.build.update. We have received a few questions regarding the differences in the "build" and "update" fields of the version of Windows Installer 4.5 installed across different supported Windows Operating Systems . I will try to explain what these differences are and why they are expected.

The Windows Installer 4.5 redistributable can install on the following Windows Operating Systems:

Windows Vista RTM build number is 6000, while Windows Vista SP1 and Windows Server 2008 RTM are build number 6001. Hence, to comply with the different OS build numbers and applicability logic on Vista RTM and Vista SP1/Server 2008 operating systems, the Windows Installer binaries are built from the Vista RTM and Vista SP1 servicing branches respectively.

The "update" field is based on the OS revision number.  Since the redistributable packages to install Window Installer 4.5 on the different target operating systems are built from different Windows servicing branches, the revision number is different for each.

However, the different versions have no effect on the functionality provided by Windows Installer 4.5.

[Author: Zainab Hakim]
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights. Use of included script samples are subject to the terms specified at https://www.microsoft.com/info/cpyright.htm.

Comments

• Anonymous
  June 06, 2008
  PingBack from http://www.windows-vista.luiscorreia.com/windows-installer-45-versions/

• Anonymous
  June 12, 2008
  Hi, During Un-Installation of any Exe on Vista with UAC on,it displays a prompt saying "Unknown Publisher". When is this thing going to be fixed. Is there a KB article Which i can refer to?

• Anonymous
  June 13, 2008
  http://support.microsoft.com/kb/929467/en-us is the KB article you are looking for. This has not been addressed in Vista SP1 or in Windows Installer 4.5.

• Anonymous
  June 13, 2008
  I installed this Windows6.0-KB942288-v2-x86.msu on vista 32 bit home edition but I am still getting error "this installation package could not be opened verify that the package exists and that you can acces it..."   when I try to install things like quicktime and google earth

• Anonymous
  July 07, 2008
  Can a Setup use 4.5 features (like transaction processing) in place until the reboot since MSI 4.5 redist installation requires a reboot?

• Anonymous
  July 09, 2008
  Hey Holger -- Deferred reboot is supported on Windows XP and Server 2003, but not for Windows Vista and Server 2008 systems.

• Anonymous
  July 14, 2008
  >>> Deferred reboot is supported on Windows XP and Server 2003, but not for Windows Vista and Server 2008 systems Thanks Tyler, but does that mean that transaction processing can be used in place until the reboot? Cause it does not work for me.

• Anonymous
  July 21, 2008
  if i use Windows installer 4.5, does my MSI supports fourth field in the product version

• Anonymous
  July 21, 2008
  if i use Windows installer 4.5, does my MSI supports fourth field in the product version

• Anonymous
  July 23, 2008
  hi i dont now how to install windows installer 3.1

• Anonymous
  July 29, 2008
  Just to confirm, since there are different redist installer for different OS, each application installer has to package all redist installers, detect the target OS and launch the OS specific redist installer?  Why can't there be a single redist installer that applies to all OS?

• Anonymous
  July 29, 2008
  The comment has been removed

• Anonymous
  August 05, 2008
  I want to use the fourth field in the Product version of MSI. Whether the Windows installer considers the fourth field or not?

• Anonymous
  August 13, 2008
  In one of our test setup we are installing our application developed using VS2005 along with the VS2005 redistributables. The machine have dual boot system with Win2000 in d: and Win2003 in c:. The installation fails. Without the redistributables in the installer the installation proceeds smoothy.However for VS2005 developed application we need to install the redistributables.

• Anonymous
  August 19, 2008
  Hi im running Vista home premium 32 bit my current installer (faulty) is Windows ® Installer. V 4.5.6001.22162 .  when i try to install a fresh version the error message says it is not the right one for my system, i am sure i have the right version and platform but it wont agree,what am i doing wrong please help

• Anonymous
  August 19, 2008
  Hi Windows installer 4.5 is it inbuilt for any Operating System

• Anonymous
  August 19, 2008
  The comment has been removed

• Anonymous
  August 22, 2008
  The comment has been removed

• Anonymous
  August 24, 2008
  I am still getting the error that says windows installer service could not be accessed even after installing WI4.5. I have tried all the solutions given by Microsoft and none of them worked for me. Is there a way to fix this? Thx