There are two ways: If you use the runtime in SxS "shared" mode, it can only be installed after granting admin privileges (whether you use the MSM or the EXE installer). If OTOH you use the "isolated" mode (aka private assembly), then you only require the privileges that the directory you are writing into require.
Even though Windows Installer runs your installation script from a service running as "SYSTEM", it will only perform privileged actions (including writing files without impersonating you) if you elevate the installation somehow. Most consumers are used to installations that require admin privileges, except for the software that runs inside their browser (and even much of that requires elevation to install) and many even come to expect it (unfortunately). If you are trying to deploy into a browser (a la ActiveX) the best bet is to do the private assembly route which will allow you to deploy a perUser installation that doesn't require any elevation (unless something else you are doing does require elevation). If you are forced by any other constraint to elevate your setup, make it a perMachine installation (especially on platforms without UAC) and install the runtime in SxS "shared" mode (either MSM or EXE installer) which will allow for the possibility of MSFT servicing of the runtime (which they can't do in isolated mode). -----Original Message----- From: Richard [mailto:legal...@xmission.com] Sent: Tuesday, November 10, 2009 9:41 PM To: wix-users@lists.sourceforge.net Subject: [WiX-users] best way to deploy C++ runtime? OK, so I need to deploy the VS 2008 C++ runtime (w/ATL security fix) and I'm reading the documentation in Visual Studio that says that using the merge modules will install the runtime as side-by-side assemblies. Further, it says that this will require administrative priveleges in order to install the side-by-side assemblies. I'd like to avoid administrative priveleges if possible. The documentation says that my alternative is to deploy the C++ runtime as a private assembly (i.e. just plunk the files down where my EXE lives). I'm curious what other people have done here. In the past, products I worked on always required administrative priveleges, so it wasn't an issue, but the product I'm working on now is more like consumer shrink wrap software and I want to make things as simple as possible. How did all of you deal with this? Did Windows Installer elevate the priveleges automatically so that you didn't need to install the application as administrator? -- "The Direct3D Graphics Pipeline" -- DirectX 9 draft available for download <http://legalizeadulthood.wordpress.com/the-direct3d-graphics-pipeline/> Legalize Adulthood! <http://legalizeadulthood.wordpress.com> ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -- Let Crystal Reports handle the reporting - Free Crystal Reports 2008 30-Day trial. Simplify your report design, integration and deployment - and focus on what you do best, core application coding. Discover what's new with Crystal Reports now. http://p.sf.net/sfu/bobj-july _______________________________________________ WiX-users mailing list WiX-users@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/wix-users ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Let Crystal Reports handle the reporting - Free Crystal Reports 2008 30-Day trial. Simplify your report design, integration and deployment - and focus on what you do best, core application coding. Discover what's new with Crystal Reports now. http://p.sf.net/sfu/bobj-july _______________________________________________ WiX-users mailing list WiX-users@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/wix-users
