What's New in Windows Installer 4.0

The information in this topic identifies the additions and changes that are available in Windows Installer 4.0.

Windows Installer 4.0 is available for Microsoft Windows Server 2008 and Windows Vista. For a complete list of all Windows Installer versions and redistributables, see Released Versions of Windows Installer.

This page is provided as a guide to the documentation. You should refer to the Requirements section on the main reference pages to determine the actual operating system requirements. Parts of the Windows Installer that are not linked to from this page may be available in another version of the Windows Installer. For information about other Windows Installer versions see What's New in Windows Installer.

Installer Functions

• MsiGetPatchFileList

Properties

• MSIARPSETTINGSIDENTIFIER
• MsiLogging
• MsiLogFileLocation
• MsiSystemRebootPending
• MsiRunningElevated
• MSIRESTARTMANAGERCONTROL
• MsiRestartManagerSessionKey
• MSIDISABLERMRESTART
• MSIRMSHUTDOWN
• MSIUSEREALADMINDETECTION

Summary Information Properties

• The Word Count Summary Property has new flag bits to specify whether the installation of the package requires elevated privileges.

System Policy

• DisableLoggingFromPackage
• DisableAutomaticApplicationShutdown

Database Tables

• Shortcut Table

  New columns: DisplayResourceDLL, DisplayResourceId, DescriptionResourceDLL, and DescriptionResourceId

Dialog Boxes

• MsiRMFilesInUse Dialog

Control Attributes

• ElevationShield

ControlEvents

• RmShutdownAndRestart

External UI Message Types

• INSTALLLOGMODE_RMFILESINUSE

Windows Installer on 64-bit Operating Systems

• msidbComponentAttributesDisableRegistryReflection attribute in Component Table

Automation Interface

-

Methods of [**Installer Object**](https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa369432\(v=vs.85\))

  - [**Installer.AdvertiseProduct**](https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa369299\(v=vs.85\))
  - [**Installer.AdvertiseScript**](https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa369300\(v=vs.85\))
  - [**Installer.CreateAdvertiseScript**](https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa369391\(v=vs.85\))
  - [**Installer.ProvideAssembly**](https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa369464\(v=vs.85\))

• Properties of Installer Object

  • Installer.PatchFiles
  • Installer.ProductElevated
  • Installer.ProductInfoFromScript

Notes

Applications that use Windows Installer 4.0 on Windows Vista for installation and servicing automatically use the Restart Manager to reduce system restarts. For information, see Using Windows Installer with Restart Manager.

Windows Installer version 4.0 complies with User Account Control (UAC) in Windows Vista. For information, see Using Windows Installer with UAC and User Account Control (UAC) Patching.

User Account Control (UAC) Patching was called Least-Privileged User Account Patching in Microsoft Windows XP.

The names of the Windows Installer System Folder Properties remain unchanged in Windows Installer 4.0 and Windows Vista. However, beginning with Windows Vista, applications should use the SHGetKnownFolderPath function to determine the full path to these folders. The extended functions of the Knownfolder API subsume all the functionality of the original versions. Existing applications that use the SHGetFolderPath function and the CSIDL will continue to work. For more information, see Per-machine Installations and Per-user Installations.

Windows Installer adheres to Windows Resource Protection (WRP) when installing essential system files, folders, and registry information in Windows Vista. For information about Windows Resource Protection (WRP) on Windows Vista, see Windows Resource Protection on Windows Vista.

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Build date: 9/5/2007