Question

We are not able to create the installer after migrating the code from VS2005 to VS2010. We have done all the settings for the new boot strapper file, and the setup.exe which is generated using the msbuild is able to install the windows installer 4.5 (if not present in the system) and then it is successfully installing the .net framework 4.0 (if not installed on the system previously). But after this, it is showing the below error and not continuing with installation of our product which it is supposed to do which it was doing when we were using VS2005.

After installing the .net framework it is showing an error which is pasted below.

“The product is designed for platform but is being installed on Intel. Obtain the correct setup from the manufacturer.”

Note: The above error also occurs when we manually double click on the setup.exe.

We have noted one thing that, when we are dragging the setup.exe to command prompt (opening setup.exe through command prompt) it is successfully running the product installation shot.

Once net framework 4.0 is installed through setup.exe and when we are trying to install the product through Setup.msi then it is continuing with the product installation, but this is working only when we have framework 4.0 installed. If one system does not have framework 4.0 installed then the product is not working after installing through Setup.msi(Setup.msi will install only the product and not the framework). In short we have to merge the functionality of setup.exe and setup.msi together so that after installing the framework 4.0 it should continue with the installation of the product.

Note: We are using WIX, cruise control, msbuild and Nant for generating the build.

Please help us if any of you have faced this kind of error. Your support will be much appreciated.

Answer 1

The problem is in the bootstrapper generator – namely the 7.0A bootstrapper generator. If setup.exe is generated using the 6.0A bootstrapper generator, the error message does not appear.

One (hacky) solution is to use the 6.0A bootstrapper and supply it a modified package descriptor (product.xml) for prerequisite packages taken from 7.0A.

Copy these two folders into C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SDKs\Windows\v6.0A\Bootstrapper\Packages:

C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SDKs\Windows\v7.0A\Bootstrapper\Packages\WindowsInstaller4_5

C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SDKs\Windows\v7.0A\Bootstrapper\Packages\DotNetFX40

Tweak your GenerateBootStrapper task in your build script to reference 6.0A bootstrapper:

<GenerateBootstrapper
  ApplicationFile="Files\$(TargetName).msi"
  ApplicationName="Your app name"
  Culture="en"
  ComponentsLocation ="HomeSite"
  CopyComponents="True"
  Validate="True"
  BootstrapperItems="@(BootstrapperFile)"
  OutputPath="$(OutSubDir)"
  Path="C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SDKs\Windows\v6.0A\Bootstrapper\" 
/>

<ItemGroup>
  <BootstrapperFile Include="Microsoft.Windows.Installer.4.5">
    <ProductName>Microsoft Windows Installer 4.5</ProductName>
  </BootstrapperFile>
  <BootstrapperFile Include=".NETFramework,Version=v4.0">
    <ProductName>Microsoft .NET Framework 4.0</ProductName>
  </BootstrapperFile>
</ItemGroup>

You will also need to tweak product.xml of DotNetFX40 to resolve the XSD validation errors you will encounter (they apparently added some features to the product.xml syntax).