We had a working MSDE sp3 (500+ installs) install utilizing the M$
merge modules and Installshield DevStudio. We need to allow a
seamless!!! upgrade path to SQL Express which requires sp4 as a
minimum. We aquired the new version, created the directories, and
switched the merge module location in options. The new SP4 version
installed without incidence , but will not uninstall. A snippet of the
log file:

MSI (c) (B8:A0) [10:08:34:812]: Invoking remote custom action. DLL:
C:\DOCUME~1\CBONDE~1\LOCALS~1\Temp\MSIC4.tmp, Entrypoint: GetSqlStates
SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Microsoft SQL Server
Setup.{1A10A0BF-FB74-4DC3-95B1-CC05BDFB51B9}
TempFolder is
C:\DOCUME~1\CBONDE~1\LOCALS~1\Temp\{1A10A0BF-FB74-4DC3-95B1-CC05BDFB51B9}\
Loading extended custom action library
C:\DOCUME~1\CBONDE~1\LOCALS~1\Temp\{1A10A0BF-FB74-4DC3-95B1-CC05BDFB51B9}\sqlcax.dll
SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Microsoft SQL Server
Setup.{1A10A0BF-FB74-4DC3-95B1-CC05BDFB51B9}
Property SqlStates: 134348804 (0x8020004)
MSI (c) (B8!14) [10:08:34:937]: PROPERTY CHANGE: Adding SqlStates
property. Its value is '134348804'.
MSI (c) (B8!14) [10:08:34:937]: PROPERTY CHANGE: Adding MSDE8Upgrade
property. Its value is '1'.
Unable to determine original product code used to install instance due
to missing registry key. GetLastError() returned: 0.
Action ended 10:08:34:
GetSqlStates.2D02443E_7002_4C0B_ABC9_EAB2C064397B. Return value 3.
1: Failed to launch action
'GetSqlStates.2D02443E_7002_4C0B_ABC9_EAB2C064397B', error is 1603
MSI (c) (B8:BC) [10:08:34:937]: Leaked MSIHANDLE (2) of type 790541 for
thread 3004
MSI (c) (B8:BC) [10:08:34:937]: Leaked MSIHANDLE (1) of type 790537 for
thread 3004
MSI (c) (B8:BC) [10:08:34:937]: Destroying RemoteAPI object.
MSI (c) (B8:C8) [10:08:34:937]: Custom Action Manager thread ending.
=== Verbose logging stopped: 5/16/2006 10:08:34 ===

Any ideas!!!

hi,
[quoted text, click to view]

this is one of the problems that caused Microsoft to stop supporting merge
modules consume by installer products... the very first one is related
(actually to the same problem) disabling direct upgrade of the installed
instances via "standard" Microsoft released service packs/hot fixes and
requiring the original ISV to distribute branded versions of them..
(service pack 4 [at least] warned about this condition)..
you can try manually uninstalling MSDE instances following
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;Q290991 advices..
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;320873 adds further
hints on how to clean Windows Installer related registry entries via
MSIZap.exe utility, part of the Windows Installer SDK..
--
Andrea Montanari (Microsoft MVP - SQL Server)
http://www.asql.biz http://italy.mvps.org
DbaMgr2k ver 0.19.0 - DbaMgr ver 0.63.0 and further SQL Tools
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