[wix-users] WIXUI_INSTALLDIR_VALID not being set

[Jacques Eloff]

Just got an update from the customer. Turns out this was being caused by
Windows Defender application control.

Thanks,
Jacques

On Tue, Feb 2, 2021 at 10:22 AM Jacques Eloff <repstosd at gmail.com> wrote:

> Hi
>
> I was investigating an install issue when I came across a very old issue: wix-users
> - PrintEula.ValidatePath fails under VMWare! (nabble.com)
> <http://windows-installer-xml-wix-toolset.687559.n2.nabble.com/PrintEula-ValidatePath-fails-under-VMWare-td5048404.html>
> For this issue, the problem was that the dev rebuilt uica, causing it to
> dynamically link to the CRT.
>
> The issue I'm investigating: We're using the standard custom action that
> shipped with WiX so it should be statically linked. One customer reported
> that they're getting a dialog informing them their local path is not valid.
> After looking at the logs, I noticed that WIXUI_INSTALLDIR_VALID is never
> set. After looking at the code I was baffled since ValidatePath will either
> set the property to 0 or 1 and in both cases log an error if it failed to
> set the property. None of these actions appear to have executed,
>
> Excerpt from the log below:
>
> Action start 19:35:52: WixUIValidatePath.
> MSI (c) (1C:10) [19:35:52:506]: Invoking remote custom action. DLL:
> C:\Users\xxxxxx\AppData\Local\Temp\MSIDAC0.tmp, Entrypoint: ValidatePath
> MSI (c) (1C:3C) [19:35:52:508]: Cloaking enabled.
> MSI (c) (1C:3C) [19:35:52:508]: Attempting to enable all disabled
> privileges before calling Install on Server
> MSI (c) (1C:3C) [19:35:52:508]: Connected to service for CA interface.
> Action ended 19:35:52: WixUIValidatePath. Return value 1.
>
> The copy of DLL in the MSI is from WiX 3.10.4.4718. This was on a physical
> machine and we've only seen one report of it. The customer did share his VC
> redist installs (in case it's related). They had everything from 2005
> through 2019 on the machine, including 2010.
>
> For now, the temporary workaround I suggested was just to launch the MSI
> and set WIXUI_INSTALLDIR_VALID=1
>
> Is there anything else that might explain the behavior? If it was a
> binding issue I suspect the only way to confirm that is to wait for the
> popup and then take a process dump or is there a better way to investigate.
>
> Thanks,
> Jacques
>
>
>