SB and Vista

[NewsArchive]

What does one have to do to create an SB project that is both XP and Vista
compatible?

Sim Sherer

[NewsArchive]

The "project" part of the question is easy - code-sign your installer (it
will automatically include a manifest).

However, making your application play well with XP and Vista is best done
with a bit of planning that recognizes the differences between those two
OS - embed manifest, code-sign, don't try to write to the file system or
registry where not permitted, be aware of the dangers of over-the-shoulder
installations, etc.

I'd suggest you read the last 18 months worth of posts on this forum <g>

Jane Fleming

[NewsArchive]

I was hoping the compatibility problems had been ironed out while I wasn't
looking.
My question is really how can I build a setup without having to know whether
the client has XP or VISTA. Seems some system files are supposed to be in
different folders etc.

Sim

[NewsArchive]

> I was hoping the compatibility problems had been ironed out while I
> wasn't looking.

What comaptibility problems?

Friedrich

--
Friedrich Linder
Lindersoft
www.lindersoft.com
+1.954.252.3910

SetupBuilder "point. click. ship"
Create Windows Vista ready installations in minutes

-- Official Comodo Code Signing and SSL Certificate Partner

[NewsArchive]

Hi Friedrich,

Every one of my clients has "upgraded" their Vista environments to XP and
not because of my applications. I get the clear impression that Vista is
some foreign translation of something like "problems". What I wanted to know
was whether there are any caveats or workarounds.

We can all talk to you and get responses that are complete and helpful, but
all the crash reports from around the world to Microsoft do not elicit any
answers at all!

Sim
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[NewsArchive]

Hi Sim,

> Every one of my clients has "upgraded" their Vista environments to XP and
> not because of my applications. I get the clear impression that Vista is
> some foreign translation of something like "problems". What I wanted to
> know was whether there are any caveats or workarounds.
>
> We can all talk to you and get responses that are complete and helpful,
> but all the crash reports from around the world to Microsoft do not elicit
> any answers at all!

Aha, okay. I thought you were talking about SetupBuilder compatibility
problems. We have invested two years of development work and quite a few
$$$,$$$ to make SetupBuilder Vista compatible. SetupBuilder is a
"mixed-mode" application designed to work under Vista/2008/Win7 in
Administrator or Standard User mode and there is no compatibility problem.
SetupBuilder compiles perfectly valid installations for all Windows
operating systems (including Vista, Windows Server 2008 and Windows 7).

What you described above is (IMO) not a Vista problem per-se, the problem is
the application. If your application installs and works in a "locked-down
environment" under XP (that is running as a "Limited User") and you followed
all the Microsoft XP development guidelines then it also installs and works
fine in Vista/2008/Win7.

In fact, a Limited User account is very similar to the resource protection
in Vista. But Vista is better because of the "over-the-shoulder" (OTS)
credentialing feature, etc. A Limited User under XP can also not write to
protected resources. If you write to the Windows folder, or to the Program
Files folder, or if you write to the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINES registry key, the
application needs Admin privileges. This "resource protection" goes back to
NT4 and is fully integrated in Windows 2000, Windows 2003, Windows XP,
Vista, Windows Server 2008 and Windows 7!

But in the past, most XP users lived in Admin mode (against all Microsoft
recommendations) and the developer designed the application in such a way
that Admin privileges are required (against all Microsoft recommendations).
So write access was not really a problem. Until now! I know quite a few
developers who have a complete support nightmare now because their
application cannot run correctly in a "locked down" environment. And I am
sure, this is only the beginning! Why? Because Windows 7 will also have
the UAC (User Access Control) feature. It's a *permanent* change to the
Windows operating system!

Our Script Writing and Installation Consulting is fully booked until June
2009! because companies are in real trouble. They don't have a
Vista/2008-aware application nor a Vista/2008 aware installation and need
help. And Windows 7 is around the corner.

--
Friedrich Linder
Lindersoft
www.lindersoft.com
+1.954.252.3910

SetupBuilder "point. click. ship"
Create Windows Vista ready installations in minutes

-- Official Comodo Code Signing and SSL Certificate Partner

[NewsArchive]

Thank Friedrich,

That makes me feel better. ;-)

Sim

[NewsArchive]

> Thank Friedrich,
>
> That makes me feel better. ;-)

You are welcome, Sim ;-)

Friedrich

[NewsArchive]

> My question is really how can I build a setup without having to know
> whether the client has XP or VISTA. Seems some system files are supposed
> to be in different folders etc.

What Jane said. In fact, there is not a big difference between a XP
(Limited User) and Vista/2008/Win7 installation. Microsoft designed the
rules 10 years ago.

And read the "Best Practices for Well-Behaved Vista Application
Installations" and "Design Vista Applications and Installations with
SetupBuilder" topics in the SetupBuilder manual.

Does this help?

--
Friedrich Linder
Lindersoft
www.lindersoft.com
+1.954.252.3910

SetupBuilder "point. click. ship"
Create Windows Vista ready installations in minutes

-- Official Comodo Code Signing and SSL Certificate Partner

[NewsArchive]

And the following (posted by Arnór last month)
http://www.lindersoft.com/forums/showthread.php?t=10462

--
Friedrich Linder
Lindersoft
www.lindersoft.com
+1.954.252.3910

SetupBuilder "point. click. ship"
Create Windows Vista ready installations in minutes

-- Official Comodo Code Signing and SSL Certificate Partner

[NewsArchive]

Many thanks to you and Arnor!

Sim Sherer