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6 Appendix A: Product Behavior

  • Article

The information in this specification is applicable to the following Microsoft products or supplemental software. References to product versions include updates to those products.

  • Windows 2000 operating system

  • Windows XP operating system

  • Windows Server 2003 operating system

  • Windows Vista operating system

  • Windows Server 2008 operating system

  • Windows 7 operating system

  • Windows Server 2008 R2 operating system

  • Windows 8 operating system

  • Windows Server 2012 operating system

  • Windows 8.1 operating system

  • Windows Server 2012 R2 operating system

  • Windows 10 operating system

  • Windows Server 2016 operating system

  • Windows Server operating system

  • Windows Server 2019 operating system

  • Windows Server 2022 operating system

  • Windows 11 operating system

  • Windows Server 2025 operating system

Exceptions, if any, are noted in this section. If an update version, service pack or Knowledge Base (KB) number appears with a product name, the behavior changed in that update. The new behavior also applies to subsequent updates unless otherwise specified. If a product edition appears with the product version, behavior is different in that product edition.

Unless otherwise specified, any statement of optional behavior in this specification that is prescribed using the terms "SHOULD" or "SHOULD NOT" implies product behavior in accordance with the SHOULD or SHOULD NOT prescription. Unless otherwise specified, the term "MAY" implies that the product does not follow the prescription.

<1> Section 2.2.1.1: Windows always uses a timeLimit of 0.

<2> Section 2.2.2.1: Windows always uses a timeLimit of 0.

<3> Section 2.2.2.1: Windows additionally specifies the attribute displayName but then ignores it in the reply.

<4> Section 2.2.2.3: Windows always uses a timeLimit of 0.

<5> Section 2.2.2.3: Windows additionally specifies the attribute displayName but then ignores it in the reply.

<6> Section 2.2.2.4.3: Windows XP operating system Service Pack 1 (SP1), Windows Server 2003, and Windows Vista  all ignore the flag and act as if it was always set. Windows 2000, Windows 2000 Server operating system, and Windows XP use the flag as defined.

<7> Section 2.2.3.1.1: Windows always uses a timeLimit of 0.

<8> Section 2.2.3.1.4: Windows always uses a timeLimit of 0.

<9> Section 2.2.3.1.6: Windows always uses a timeLimit of 0.

<10> Section 2.2.4: Windows uses the Microsoft Windows Installer APIs, MsiAdvertiseProductEx function, and MsiAdvertiseScript function to generate and consume the application advertise scripts. MsiAdvertiseProductEx advertises a product, and MsiAdvertiseScript copies an advertised script file into the specified locations.

<11> Section 3.1.3: When policy application is terminated, Windows clients log an event to a Windows Event Log.

<12> Section 3.1.5.1.1: Windows clients include a software maintenance utility that uses this protocol to display a list of applications from GPOs applicable to the user and allows the user to install any of those applications.

<13> Section 3.1.5.2.1: Windows searches for the packageName of the package being added to ensure that the packageName is unique. If the packageName already exists, Windows appends a numeric string to make the packageName unique.

<14> Section 3.1.5.2.2: In Windows, the administrative plug-in for the Group Policy: Software Installation Protocol Extension generates a new application advertise script whenever the revision attribute is updated.

<15> Section 3.1.5.2.6: Windows  tools use the Group Policy: Software Installation Protocol Extension to check for software that has the equivalent of ACTFLG_Uninstall set or ACTFLG_Orphan set, and they issue a package deletion request for SoftwarePackages that were last updated more than one year before the time the tool is executing (by using the LastUpdateTime property).

<16> Section 3.2.3: When policy application is terminated, Windows clients log an event to a Windows Event Log.

<17> Section 3.2.5.3: The value ACTFLG_UninstallUnmanaged of the packageFlags field of the Software Installation Search Reply message defined in section 2.2.2.4.3, packageFlags Attribute Values, is ignored except in Windows 2000 and Windows XP prior to Windows XP SP1.

<18> Section 3.2.5.4: Windows processes the file retrieved above to install the application.

<19> Section 3.2.5.4: Windows clients require the software installation package to be a Windows Installer package specific to Windows.

<20> Section 3.2.5.5: Windows clients include a software maintenance utility that uses this protocol to display a list of applications from GPOs applicable to the user and allows the user to install or remove any of those applications.

<21> Section 3.2.5.6: When policy application is terminated, Windows clients log an event to a Windows Event Log.

<22> Section 3.2.5.6: When policy application is terminated, Windows clients log an event to a Windows Event Log.

<23> Section 3.2.5.6: When policy application is terminated, Windows clients log an event to a Windows Event Log.

<24> Section 3.2.5.6: When policy application is terminated, Windows clients log an event to a Windows Event Log.

<25> Section 3.2.5.6: When policy application is terminated, Windows clients log an event to a Windows Event Log.