segfaults every time
AppDeploy seems to be designed precisely for people like me; I find its prospect exciting. Unfortunately, I just can't get it to work.
The particular environment I attempted to package was Digsby, a multi-protocol instant messaging program that lacks a vendor-provided MSI, and I did as I believe is expected. From a system that lacked any install of Digsby, I installed AppDeploy, chose to package from a new project, pointed to and ran the installer, filtered out some of the noise and undesirable features from files and registry, and then attempted to package. It's this last step that always fails. AppDeploy builds about 300 KB of the MSI then crashes hard.
I perused the forum looking for ideas. Starting from a "clean" system was recommended so I reimaged a separate machine. Additionally, on this new machine, I ran AppDeploy from a network share. The Digbsy install program was always on the network. Same result at the same step--300K then death.
What does it mean to have a "clean" system? Just a PC without said software installed or is there a particulatar Windows environment AppDeploy expects? My particualar deployment image contains Windows XP with SP3, IE7, and WMP11 slipstreamed. Additionally, the full set of DriverPacks is included. To make room for all this, unnecessary cruft such as "The Windows Experience" movie and duplicate/obsolete/unnecessary drivers have been removed. I don't see how any of this could adversely affect software deployment, but I include it for completeness.
Thanks for any assistance rendered. AppDeploy seems pretty new, so it might just be too raw for general use. If so, I wish you luck; this program has promise.
The particular environment I attempted to package was Digsby, a multi-protocol instant messaging program that lacks a vendor-provided MSI, and I did as I believe is expected. From a system that lacked any install of Digsby, I installed AppDeploy, chose to package from a new project, pointed to and ran the installer, filtered out some of the noise and undesirable features from files and registry, and then attempted to package. It's this last step that always fails. AppDeploy builds about 300 KB of the MSI then crashes hard.
I perused the forum looking for ideas. Starting from a "clean" system was recommended so I reimaged a separate machine. Additionally, on this new machine, I ran AppDeploy from a network share. The Digbsy install program was always on the network. Same result at the same step--300K then death.
What does it mean to have a "clean" system? Just a PC without said software installed or is there a particulatar Windows environment AppDeploy expects? My particualar deployment image contains Windows XP with SP3, IE7, and WMP11 slipstreamed. Additionally, the full set of DriverPacks is included. To make room for all this, unnecessary cruft such as "The Windows Experience" movie and duplicate/obsolete/unnecessary drivers have been removed. I don't see how any of this could adversely affect software deployment, but I include it for completeness.
Thanks for any assistance rendered. AppDeploy seems pretty new, so it might just be too raw for general use. If so, I wish you luck; this program has promise.
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Posted by:
bkelly
15 years ago
Thanks for your comments! As to your problem, I've not seen this happen. Could it be that the application being packaged is running when you attempt to build the MSI? I don't think this should be a cause for problems, but it may be worth ensuring the application is not running before trying to build in light of your problem.
A clean machine is simply a install of Windows with as little installed as possible. This simply helps to ensure that any changes to be made by the setup are made and therefore captured. While it may take longer to perform the snapshot operation on a system with many applications installed, it should in no way generate the problem you are seeing. At worst, your MSI might not contain everything it should -- but the MSI should still be created by the Repackager.
I'd like to reproduce your problem. If you could provide a download link to the application so I can give it a try that would be a great start. If you can use the upload feature of the forum to attach your XML project file here that would be even better.
Thanks,
Bob
A clean machine is simply a install of Windows with as little installed as possible. This simply helps to ensure that any changes to be made by the setup are made and therefore captured. While it may take longer to perform the snapshot operation on a system with many applications installed, it should in no way generate the problem you are seeing. At worst, your MSI might not contain everything it should -- but the MSI should still be created by the Repackager.
I'd like to reproduce your problem. If you could provide a download link to the application so I can give it a try that would be a great start. If you can use the upload feature of the forum to attach your XML project file here that would be even better.
Thanks,
Bob
Posted by:
whelkman
15 years ago
The application definitely is not running, nor are any "quickloader" software or Explorer hooks.
Thought so re: "clean" install. My machines are probably more stripped down than most, even. For the redeployment machine, I even suppressed our "standard" software rollout--the environment was literally WinXP + drivers + IE7 + WMP11 - some bloat.
The normal Digsby installer is an online installer like Adobe's or Sun's; don't use this. Instead, download the redistributable here:
http://update.digsby.com/install/digsby_setup.exe
The XML file is attached as requested.
EDIT: By the way, if installing, uncheck everything near the end of the setup routine unless you want your web browser's settings hijacked.
Thought so re: "clean" install. My machines are probably more stripped down than most, even. For the redeployment machine, I even suppressed our "standard" software rollout--the environment was literally WinXP + drivers + IE7 + WMP11 - some bloat.
The normal Digsby installer is an online installer like Adobe's or Sun's; don't use this. Instead, download the redistributable here:
http://update.digsby.com/install/digsby_setup.exe
The XML file is attached as requested.
EDIT: By the way, if installing, uncheck everything near the end of the setup routine unless you want your web browser's settings hijacked.
Posted by:
AngelD
15 years ago
I got the exact same crash while trying on a clean XP with SP2 (EN).
I'll see if I can find out something from a debugger while we wait for Bob's response.
I'll see if I can find out something from a debugger while we wait for Bob's response.
Posted by:
morris
15 years ago
I got the same crash while I repackaging GIMP 2.6.3 with the attached xml file for your investigations.
Thanks in advance.
Morris Law
Thanks in advance.
Morris Law
Posted by:
bkelly
15 years ago
Thank you for the details guys-- researching now and I'll get back with details once we have them.
Posted by:
trapanator
15 years ago
ORIGINAL: morris
I got the same crash while I repackaging GIMP 2.6.3 with the attached xml file for your investigations.
Me too.
Posted by:
bkelly
15 years ago
Please give the updated version 1.1 a shot!
http://itninja.com/question/gnu,-freeware-and-shareware-programs-to-cloning3220
http://itninja.com/question/gnu,-freeware-and-shareware-programs-to-cloning3220
Posted by:
bkelly
15 years ago
Hmm. Still digging on this Digsby application. I was able to create the MSI without a problem, but installing it actually crashes msiexec! Other applications I've repackaged are working fine so there is something this application is doing which is giving AppDeploy Repackager trouble.
I've attached my recipe file here, but even if you don't use it I am pretty sure this is a reproducible issue with any "Digsby" MSI created by the Repackager.
Kim? Care to give it a shot?
I've attached my recipe file here, but even if you don't use it I am pretty sure this is a reproducible issue with any "Digsby" MSI created by the Repackager.
Kim? Care to give it a shot?
Posted by:
whelkman
15 years ago
Apologies for the silence; I seem to have been unsubscribed from this thread. I dropped by to check the progress of this application and see a 1.1 beta. I'll see if I can provide feedback by the end of the week; I'll run it against the set I deployed with WinInstall LE.
Posted by:
AngelD
15 years ago
Bob,
I tried with 1.1 and it crashed during install of the captured MSI.
I saw that during execution of the InstallFiles action the msiexec.exe process crashes, so my guess was that something in the File table isn't correctly working. Checking the msiexec.exe crash dump gives the evidence that it's something with the InstallFiles action that is causing the crash:
Interesting stack (function calls) before the exception kicks in:
(ntdll!KiUserExceptionDispatcher+0xe)
Cross reference between the verbose log and the debug output:
Debug -> FAULTING_THREAD: 000006b8
MSILOG -> MSI (s) (E0:B8)
Debug -> ExceptionAddress: 7d301649 (msi!InstallFiles+0x00000e88)
ExceptionCode: c0000005 (Access violation)
MSILOG -> Internal Exception during install operation: 0xc0000005 at 0x7D301649.
Could be due to:
File.FileName is not set as ShortFileName|LongFilename
Nice amount ;) of ICE30 errors
I don't really have a clue right now.
I tried with 1.1 and it crashed during install of the captured MSI.
Action start 18:59:33: InstallFiles.
GenerateScript: Copying new files
MSI (s) (E0:B8) [18:59:33:704]: Note: 1: 2205 2: 3: Patch
MSI (s) (E0:B8) [18:59:33:704]: Note: 1: 2228 2: 3: Patch 4: SELECT `Patch`.`File_`, `Patch`.`Header`, `Patch`.`Attributes`, `Patch`.`Sequence`, `Patch`.`StreamRef_` FROM `Patch` WHERE `Patch`.`File_` = ? AND `Patch`.`#_MsiActive`=? ORDER BY `Patch`.`Sequence`
MSI (s) (E0:B8) [18:59:33:704]: Note: 1: 2205 2: 3: Error
MSI (s) (E0:B8) [18:59:33:704]: Note: 1: 2228 2: 3: Error 4: SELECT `Message` FROM `Error` WHERE `Error` = 1302
MSI (s) (E0:B8) [18:59:33:704]: Note: 1: 2205 2: 3: MsiSFCBypass
MSI (s) (E0:B8) [18:59:33:704]: Note: 1: 2228 2: 3: MsiSFCBypass 4: SELECT `File_` FROM `MsiSFCBypass` WHERE `File_` = ?
MSI (s) (E0:B8) [18:59:33:704]: Note: 1: 2205 2: 3: MsiPatchHeaders
MSI (s) (E0:B8) [18:59:33:704]: Note: 1: 2228 2: 3: MsiPatchHeaders 4: SELECT `Header` FROM `MsiPatchHeaders` WHERE `StreamRef` = ?
MSI (s) (E0:B8) [18:59:33:720]: Note: 1: 2205 2: 3: PatchPackage
MSI (s) (E0:B8) [18:59:33:860]: Internal Exception during install operation: 0xc0000005 at 0x7D301649.
MSI (s) (E0:B8) [19:01:04:796]: Crash report directed to WER.
MSI (s) (E0:B8) [19:01:04:796]: Internal MSI error. Installer terminated prematurely.I saw that during execution of the InstallFiles action the msiexec.exe process crashes, so my guess was that something in the File table isn't correctly working. Checking the msiexec.exe crash dump gives the evidence that it's something with the InstallFiles action that is causing the crash:
Interesting stack (function calls) before the exception kicks in:
(ntdll!KiUserExceptionDispatcher+0xe)
008cf194 7d2bf8ef 00959f2e 000d26dc 000d25c8 msi!InstallFiles+0xe88
008cf3e8 7d2c17a7 000c5864 00000000 7d1ec640 msi!CMsiEngine::FindAndRunAction+0x78
008cf414 7d2c135e 7d38e5e8 000c5864 00000000 msi!CMsiEngine::DoAction+0x19e
008cf5bc 7d33fe72 000d25c8 7d33ffbc 000d25c8 msi!CMsiEngine::Sequence+0x407
008cf5ec 7d33ff91 000d25c8 7d2035e8 7d33ff98 msi!RunUIOrExecuteSequence+0x1e5
008cf604 7d2bf8ef 000d25c8 000d26dc 000d25c8 msi!Install+0x1c
008cf858 7d2c17a7 000b67e0 7d1ec640 00000000 msi!CMsiEngine::FindAndRunAction+0x78
008cf884 7d2dac09 7d38e5e8 000b67e0 7d2bd527 msi!CMsiEngine::DoAction+0x19e
008cff54 7d2bebae 00000001 000b67a8 000b67e0 msi!CreateAndRunEngine+0x33eb
008cffb4 7c80b50b 006bf4dc 7d2bd527 006bf1c8 msi!MsiUIMessageContext::MainEngineThread+0x85
008cffec 00000000 7d2beb29 006bf4dc 00000000 kernel32!BaseThreadStart+0x37Cross reference between the verbose log and the debug output:
Debug -> FAULTING_THREAD: 000006b8
MSILOG -> MSI (s) (E0:B8)
Debug -> ExceptionAddress: 7d301649 (msi!InstallFiles+0x00000e88)
ExceptionCode: c0000005 (Access violation)
MSILOG -> Internal Exception during install operation: 0xc0000005 at 0x7D301649.
Could be due to:
File.FileName is not set as ShortFileName|LongFilename
Nice amount ;) of ICE30 errors
I don't really have a clue right now.
Posted by:
AngelD
15 years ago
I removed all entries in the File table and all associated components (which just leaves the REGDIFFCOMP component) and it installes without any crash.
So it's obvious that something in the File table is the bad guy.
/Kim
So it's obvious that something in the File table is the bad guy.
/Kim
Posted by:
pgiesbergen
15 years ago
Reduce your msi to only have this file and component for example:
Alternative Glass (Orange & Graphite)
You will notice it will still crash.
The File_ Column in the file table is not a valid identifier. Change it into a valid identifier and the crash is gone. Identifiers may contain the ASCII characters A-Z (a-z), digits, underscores (_), or periods (.) (from msi sdk)
Alternative Glass (Orange & Graphite)
You will notice it will still crash.
The File_ Column in the file table is not a valid identifier. Change it into a valid identifier and the crash is gone. Identifiers may contain the ASCII characters A-Z (a-z), digits, underscores (_), or periods (.) (from msi sdk)
Posted by:
bkelly
15 years ago
Excellent, I think you nailed it. We should definitely have this addressed in the next release (only I can't promise how soon that will be; I hoping weeks not months).
Posted by:
AngelD
15 years ago
I'm quite sure the crash is due to incorrect identifiers in the File table, however; even the Component table do contain incorrect.
ex. of invalid identifiers
File.File='Glass (Lime & Green).css'
Component.Component='.TYPEATTRIBUTES.DICTCOMP'
Component.Component='ALTERNATIVE GLASS (GRAPHITE & PINK).CCOMP'
I guess the devs needs to come up with a "better" way to compose the Identifier before adding them to any table.
RegEx for it would be:
^[a-zA-Z_][a-zA-Z0-9_\.]+$
So if you use a exclude filter with that regex in both File.File and Component.Component you'll see the incorrect entries.
ex. of invalid identifiers
File.File='Glass (Lime & Green).css'
Component.Component='.TYPEATTRIBUTES.DICTCOMP'
Component.Component='ALTERNATIVE GLASS (GRAPHITE & PINK).CCOMP'
I guess the devs needs to come up with a "better" way to compose the Identifier before adding them to any table.
RegEx for it would be:
^[a-zA-Z_][a-zA-Z0-9_\.]+$
So if you use a exclude filter with that regex in both File.File and Component.Component you'll see the incorrect entries.
Posted by:
AngelD
15 years ago
hmm I guess the below regex would be better as it could be a single character identifier :)
^[a-zA-Z_][a-zA-Z0-9_\.]*$
^[a-zA-Z_][a-zA-Z0-9_\.]*$
Posted by:
bkelly
14 years ago
This issue is fixed in v1.2 Beta 1: http://itninja.com/question/gnu,-freeware-and-shareware-programs-to-cloning9225
Posted by:
dvdzonenz
14 years ago
Slightly off topic but you may want to try pidgin. It also comes in a portable version. Works well too.
BTW appdeploy packager crashed on me in several projects too.
BTW appdeploy packager crashed on me in several projects too.
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