[wix-users] Issues with Component with Auto Generated GUID

[Ven H]

I have an MSI which has a component with 4 files (agreed that this violates
component rules. But my client was unaware of the best practices and had
implemented it in that way some time ago). They have also configured auto
generated ID (*) for the Component GUID (again this may not be the best
thing to do, but they have done it).

Of the 4 files, one will be a config file. So, once it is installed at
their end customer, their end customer can manually modify this config to
suit to their environment. Now we are working on an Upgrade. In this, they
don't want to touch the already installed config file at the target even
though it is modified in the MSI, but other modified files should get
updated / overwritten.

So, I suggested them to include a MajorUpgrade element with
Schedule="afterInstallExecute". But even with this, the config file also
seems to be getting overwritten with the installation of the upgrade MSI,
probably because the Component GUID is auto generated (*) all the time. In
fact, I tried it out in a sample and could observe that if the component
GUID is different, no files are getting installed during upgrade, although
this is strange.

If I keep the Component GUID constant, then I believe it will work as
expected. But, is it possible to achieve this requirement with an auto
generated Component GUID everytime? Please suggest if there is a good
solution / workaround.