Server 2008 T/S program reinstalls every time it starts for different users

Question

Our application which runs fine on previous versions of TS have a new "issue" when running on TS on Server 2008 R2.

A user logs in and starts the application. They're shown an installation dialog. If it's a new install/re-install you might expect this while the registry gets updated with new settings and "stuff" from the new installation.

After the user logs in, they can log out and back in with no issues. AS LONG AS.. No one else has started the program in the interim. AS soon as another user connects and starts the program (they get the installation dialogs as well..) the first user will now have to go thru the installation dialogs again..

The application is bastardized in VB6, with no real plans for "upgrade", although "re-write" has been bantered about a bit.. I'm currently looking for Registry "issues" for the Win2008 vs. Win2000 handling of UAC & registry..

Any ideas for things that are gonna bite me in my quest for VB6 perfection? :-) !!

Answer 1

Step 1 : Look at event viewer to get the Component ID causing the resilency trigger

Step 2 : Examine the MSI in Orca to know what the keyfile of that component is

Step 3: Mitigate ( depends a lot on what you find in step 2 )

Just please don't do crazy things that I've seen people do like disable the windows installer service or use MSIZap to make MSI 'forget' about the app. ( Ooops, suppose I shouldn't have told you that. JK )