[wix-users] Automatic Updates

[Herman van Drie]

Keep in mind following:

- Security context in which Windows service runs (NT AUTHORITY\Local System), runs as anonymous credentials when accessing network locations thus ie webserver/proxy access requiring authentication will fail)
- Utilizing another User context based thread that would use its credentials to detect any updates, download and stage it for the windows service to execute (with authenticode signing)
- Windows Information Protection, it's new and not widely adopter but is the next level of anti-threat protection. Be sure to code sign all your executable binaries.

Cheers,

Herman

-----Original Message-----
From: wix-users [mailto:wix-users-bounces at lists.wixtoolset.org] On Behalf Of Habib Salim via wix-users
Sent: maandag 21 mei 2018 04:03
To: 'WiX Toolset Users Mailing List' <wix-users at lists.wixtoolset.org>
Cc: Habib Salim <habib at hsalim.com>
Subject: [wix-users] Automatic Updates

Good Morning All,

I am using WiX to install my application - PivotViews.  

I want the application to update itself automatically.  Check a designated location for an installer; if newer,update, else quit.

Because users cannot be counted on to have admin rights to their machines even a robocopy type file compare and replace operation won't do. Besides, a file replace solution will violate WindowsInstaller rules (reference
checking?) and that might cause problems - such as a rollback to a previous version.

About the only thing I can think of is to create a windows service that checks for updates periodically - once daily should be sufficient.  The updater service, If installed with admin rights can run the install with elevated credentials, which, to me, seems to solve all issues.

As the install base grows, it is becoming increasingly difficult to roll out updates to users.  We roll out updates often - new features/improvements and bug fixes of course.
If I can automate updates, I'd love to adopt a continuous delivery model and send out updates once a week.

I found this:
https://github.com/ravibpatel/AutoUpdater.NET
Looks like a robocopy operation.

And this
https://wyday.com/wybuild/

would appreciate your suggestions and guidance.

Regards
Habib








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