MySQL Bugs: #42363: Setup.exe for Windows MySQL Server errors out with syntax message

Bug #42363	Setup.exe for Windows MySQL Server errors out with syntax message
Submitted:	27 Jan 2009 7:07	Modified:	27 Jan 2009 10:52
Reporter:	Dave Silvia	Email Updates:
Status:	Can't repeat	Impact on me:	None
Category:	MySQL Server: Installing	Severity:	S2 (Serious)
Version:	5.1.30	OS:	Windows (Vista 64-bit)
Assigned to:		CPU Architecture:	Any

Description:
When the Setup.exe in the installer zip for either x86 or x64 and whether run from within the archive or extracted first always start with the extracting popup immediately covered over by the Windows Installer syntax synopsis popup.

I've seen this with other installer .exe files, including some from Microsoft. The workaround is usually to extract the wrapped .msi file from the .exe and execute it as an argument to msiexec.exe. However, with this particular Setup.exe for MySQl Server, none of the methods for extracting the .msi seem to work.

The most current distribution of Windows Installer from Microsoft is V 4.5.6xxx.xxxxx. In looking at the Setup.exe for MySQL Server, there is a message text which says:

"The Microsoft Installer cannot be started. Please make sure you have at least MSI 2.0 installed."

Which would tend to lead one to believe that the Microsoft deployment package for this Setup.exe and its wrapped .msi has not been updated for over 2 versions of the Windows Installer distribution. Perhaps all that must needs be done is to rebuild the complete deployment package using at least Windows Installer 3.1, and preferrably version 4.5. It might also be a good idea to do this on a 64 bit system (Vista Ultimate 64-bit?) with Visual Studio 2008, since the MySQL distribution is for x64/64-bit as well as x86?

thx,
Dave S.

How to repeat:
Just download to a system that has a suitably newer operating system and/or Windows Installer and try to run the Setup.exe for MySQL Server for Windows 32 or 64 bit systems.

Suggested fix:
See above...

Thank you for a problem report. Do you have this problem only on Vista? I had never seen anything like that on XP (neither 32-bit nor 64-bit) SP2 or SP3 with all the latest upgrades (I have Windows ® Installer. V 3.01.4001.5512 there).

Oops! I guess in the flurry I thought I had said (or at least implied!;) Vista 64-bit.

Here's the dope:

OS Name Microsoft Windows Vista™ Ultimate
Version 6.0.6001 Service Pack 1 Build 6001
System Type x64-based PC
Processor Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Quad CPU @ 2.40GHz, 4 Core(s)
Installed Physical Memory (RAM) 8.00 GB
Windows ® Installer. V 4.5.6001.22303

I noticed you say you have XP with Windows Installer 3.01.4001.5512. I only know, for sure, that this problem has been seen in _many_ 3rd party installers as well as Microsoft's with Windows Installer 4.5. I'm guessing there might be a problem with version 3.1 (not 3.01) or higher since that was the last stable release I knew of prior to version 4.5.

You can check it out just by installing Windows Installer 4.5 and Windows Installer 3.1 (somebody's job, but not me, I've got _way_ too many irons in the fire!;). If someone _needs_ to know the _exact_ place where this behavior starts, it could be zeroed in on from there.

For me, it's sufficient to know that I have all the latest updates for my system (always do, and _must_ have) and the MySQL Server Setup.exe does not work. I've already spent a great deal of time (4-6 hours) trying to dissect Setup.exe to get at something installable!;) Then I threw up my hands, reminded myself I had important projects to finish, spent another hour checking to make sure this issue had not already been reported, an additional half hour to post a bug report, and now an hour more to respond. Sorry, I just have no more time to devote!:-{

HTH:

thx,
Dave S.

Just works...

Attachment: bug42363.jpg (image/jpeg, text), 112.55 KiB.

Hi Dave and thanks for your report.

I simply can't repeat it (see attached image) on my Vista ultimate x64 AMD box with 4GB RAM... I used regular Setup.Exe (zipped) from our download pages (cca 97MB archive).

What I think is that something's messed up on your box, be it firewall or AV or something. Also, I have msiexec version of 4.0 but that's irrelevant I think as assumption was that we skipped 2 generation, which we obviously did not.

Btw, is the checksum of your downloaded files correct?

You mention nothing about your Vista Ultimate 64-bit version/service packs/updates.

RE:
"Also, I have msiexec version of 4.0 but that's
irrelevant I think as assumption was that we skipped 2 generation,
which we obviously did not."

1) The difference between 4.0 and 4.5 is not irrelevant

2) No assumption was made, merely an observation that it fails with 4.5 _and_ the only evidence of requirement was a message _inside_ the Setup.exe file that 2.0 or higher was needed. I don't know how you'd read that, but I read it as it _is_ strongly possible that something _may_ need looking into. (sorry if I stepped on your toes, sounds like I did)

3) Having only your statement to the effect that "we obviously did not" is hardly any kind of evidence that all is well...

Try reading the whole report again, without skimming or keying off "buzz words", very carefully. Nothing more than an absolute fact of installers not working was stated, without assumptions. You can read this elsewhere, but I'll repeat it so that you do not have to:

Description:
"... Setup.exe in the installer zip for either x86 or x64 ... always start with the extracting popup immediately covered over by the Windows Installer syntax synopsis popup."

System:
OS Name Microsoft Windows Vista™ Ultimate
Version 6.0.6001 Service Pack 1 Build 6001
Windows ® Installer. V 4.5.6001.22303

Now, unless, and until, you match this exactly and have no problems, up to that very time, you _cannot_ categorize this as "Status: Can't repeat"!

I spent a great deal of time on this issue, a lot more than you have it seems. Plus I've seen similar problems with other installers (as I pointed out, if you had taken the time to _read_), and waded through and seen lots of postings all over the net regarding this problem. Do yourself a favor? Try googling:

windows update fail "visual studio 2005" OR setup.exe OR msiexec "windows installer 4.5"

updated over the last year and, to keep it small, only in the US and in English. See how many returns you get that look suspiciously just like this one!

You are completely confusing the issue by making approximating statements and presenting them as hard data. That's wasting my time, your time, and MySQL.org's time. There is enough exact data in this report to carry out a real check, which yours is not. So, unless you want to do a real check, why not just stop spinning your wheels? I'm sure you have better things to spend time on and so do I!

Vista box details

Attachment: bug42363-1.jpg (image/jpeg, text), 64.70 KiB.

o "You mention nothing about your Vista Ultimate 64-bit version/service packs/updates."

See attached image.

o "1) The difference between 4.0 and 4.5 is not irrelevant"

I would not know but it was not stated as such in report. I tried locating 4.5 but failed. Only found several "hot-fixes" for XML services msiexec relies on but that's not "new" msiexec version.

o "2) No assumption was made, merely an observation that it fails with 4.5 _and_ the only evidence of requirement was a message _inside_ the Setup.exe file that 2.0 or higher was needed. I don't know how you'd read that, but I read it as it _is_ strongly possible that something _may_ need looking into. (sorry if I stepped on your toes, sounds like I did)"

I read it as "you need msiexec 2+, how else should I read it? I have 4.0 on *both* Win x64 boxes (W2k8 server and Vista Ultimate, both fully updated).

o "3) Having only your statement to the effect that "we obviously did not"
is hardly any kind of evidence that all is well..."

True.

o "Now, unless, and until, you match this exactly and have no problems, up
to that very time, you _cannot_ categorize this as "Status: Can't repeat"!"

Well, yes I actually can. It is not possible for me to have all the SW there is in the world, so I'm obliged, to the best of my ability, to match each and every environment as close as possible. I think I did that and more.
Can you please try reverting to old msiexec 4.0 and retest?

o "Try googling: windows update fail "visual studio 2005" OR setup.exe OR msiexec "windows installer 4.5"

Why would I? It appears to me you sent me on wild goose chase around problem that has nothing to do with MySQL but with certain OS vendor known for it's robustness and high regards for user problems. Especially on failed OS'es.

o "I spent a great deal of time on this issue, a lot more than you have it
seems. Plus I've seen similar problems with other installers (as I pointed out, if you had taken the time to _read_), and waded through and seen lots of postings all over the net regarding this problem. Do yourself a favor?"

Just makes my above point more true.

o "You are completely confusing the issue by making approximating statements and presenting them as hard data. That's wasting my time, your time, and MySQL.org's time. There is enough exact data in this report to carry out a real check, which yours is not. So, unless you want to do a real check, why not just stop spinning your wheels? I'm sure you have better things to spend time on and so do I!"

I agree this is waste of time and someone else fault. But I'll assign my boss to reverify this so to be sure I did not miss anything.

My Vista box is Portuguese 64-bit version and Windows Installer 4.5 (updated by VS2008 Express Edition installer) and I couldn't repeat too.