Logging

This per-machine system policy is used only if logging has not been enabled by the "/L" command line option or by MsiEnableLog. If the policy is set in this case, the installer creates a log file in %temp% with the random name: MSI*.LOG. Specify the logging mode by setting the policy value to a string of characters. Use the same characters to specify logging mode policy as used by the "/L" command line option. Note that you cannot use "+" and "*" for the policy.

The logging mode can be set using policy, a command line option, or programmatically. For more information about all the methods that are available for setting the logging mode, see Normal Logging in the Windows Installer Logging section.

You can prevent confidential information, for example passwords, from being entered into the log file and made visible. For more information, see Preventing Confidential Information from Being Written into the Log File

Registry Key

Set the value named Logging under the following registry key.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Installer

Data Type

REG_SZ

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Build date: 11/12/2009

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Community Content

Robert Flaming - MSFT
Sample WindowsInstallerTroubleshootingViaPolicy.reg Use and Contents

When you need to troubleshoot a failing install, it is often useful to use the policy hive rather than the command line to catch things like repairs and multi-pacakge installs.

To use the code below

1) Start Notepad

2) copy and paste the snippit below into the notepad file

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Installer]
"Logging"="voicewarmupx"
"Debug"=dword:00000007


3) File -> save

4) use file name WindowsInstallerTroubleshootingViaPolicy.reg

5) be sure to change the file type to All files so that notepad doesn't attend .txt

6) hit save

7) at the command prompt (make sure it's elevated if you are running Vista or greater)

  1. net stop msiserver
  2. run the file WindowsInstallerTroubleshootingViaPolicy.reg which will add the values below to your registry
  3. net start msiserver

8) rerun your scenario

9) look in the %temp% directory for files that start with the letters "MSI". Depending on the nuances of your scenario, these files could be in

    • user temp
    • administrator temp
    • Windows temp


10) consult your favorite reference for reading logs such as

    • Appendix of the original Windows Installer whitepaper "Windows Installer: Benefits and Implementation for System Administrators" (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=84111)
    • Richard Macdonald's blog post "How to Interpret Windows Installer Logs" (http://blogs.technet.com/richard_macdonald/archive/2007/04/02/How-to-Interpret-Windows-Installer-Logs.aspx)
    • WiLogUtl.exe from the Windows Installer portion of the Windows Platform Software Development Kit (http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa372811.aspx)

Robert Flaming
Windows Installer Program Manager
Team Blog: http://blogs.msdn.com/windows_installer_team
Own Blog: http://blogs.msdn.com/rflaming

All postings are provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights. Use of included script samples are subject to the terms specified at http://www.microsoft.com/info/cpyright.htm


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