Windows Installer
As a Microsoft Windows user, you are probably more familiar with Windows Installer than you think you are. This isn't necessarily by choice but rather by design. Many software vendors use Windows Installer to help you easily install their programs onto your computer system. Developers like the flexibility and control they have over designing their installation programs and users benefit by having a consistent installation process that they are familiar with.
Windows installer is used to install, repair, configure and remove programs from your computer. You can either access the software program's Windows Installer from the command line or it can "autorun".
As a user, you may not particularly care about the developer's needs but it's important to understand that they too like easy to use programs and having complete control over their processes. You want a consistent experience and so do they. Many software developers choose Windows Installer in order to provide you with a consistent install process, but they enjoy the benefits as well. By using Windows Installer, they are better able to manage shared components, they follow consistent installation rules and have control over their installation processes.
Because older versions of Windows such as Windows 95, 98 or NT don't have Windows Installer preloaded into their system, users must install it. In addition, users of Windows 95 and Windows NT will need the Windows Desktop Update , only available in Internet Explorer 4.01 with SP 1, installed. Getting Windows Desktop Update is a bit of a pain if any other version of Internet Explorer is installed. It requires an uninstall of the later version, an install of IE 4, installing the Windows Desktop Update component and finally a reinstall of the Internet Explorer version of choice.
Install on demand and the advertising of programs makes Windows Installer a great choice for a networked environment. Programs can be advertised, that is icons for the programs and shortcuts can be displayed on the user's system, without being installed. When the user wants to install the program, they click the icon and Windows Installer begins the installation process.
In addition to advertising and install on demand, developers can customize the installation to fit their needs yet still maintain a familiar user interface for the end user.
One of the best features of Windows Installer is the rollback. By allowing the rollback feature, which is automatically enabled, failed installations can be fixed. For example, during the install, Windows Installer copies all the files that it is deleting or altering and stores them in a hidden system directory. If the install goes as planned and succeeds, Windows Installer deletes the no longer needed files. But if the installation fails, it can restore the files and the system is returned to its original condition.
Removing programs that have been developed with Windows Installer is easy too. The developer can allow for removal through the Add and Remove Programs folder in the Windows Control Panel. Removal of programs here can be assigned for removal at either the user level or machine level. In fact, if the developer wishes, he can even exclude the program from being populated in this list.
The next time you need to install a program, you will be a little more familiar with the basics of Windows Installer.
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