Wix 3.11 "This action is only valid for projects that are currently installed" after rebuilding the project

Question

I have a WiX 3 setup project, using VS 2017 community with Wix toolset v3.11, install the output using:

msiexec /i cient.setup.msi /lv output.log

everything is good. uninstalling using

msiexec /x cient.setup.msi /lv output.log

is fine also. BUT if I rebuild the WiS setup project and then try and uninstall using the above command, I get the error 1602 from the MSI output. which is "This action is only valid for projects that are currently installed"

Here is the content of my Product.wxs file:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!-- The name of the product -->
<?define Name = "Notification Client" ?>
<!-- The manufacturer, for setup package publisher and folder info -->
<?define Manufacturer = "MyCompanies IT" ?>
<!-- The version number of this setup package-->
<?define Version = "1.0.1" ?>
<!-- UpgradeCode must be unique and not changed once the first version of the program is installed. -->
<?define UpgradeCode = "{GUID-HERE}" ?>

<Wix xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/wix/2006/wi" xmlns:util="http://schemas.microsoft.com/wix/UtilExtension">
  <?define ClientService_TargetDir=$(var.ClientService.TargetDir)?>
  <Product Id="*" Name="$(var.Name)" Manufacturer="$(var.Manufacturer)" Language="1033" Version="$(var.Version)" UpgradeCode="$(var.UpgradeCode)">
    <Package InstallerVersion="200" Compressed="yes" InstallScope="perMachine" />

    <MajorUpgrade DowngradeErrorMessage="A newer version of [ProductName] is already installed." />

    <Feature Id="ProductFeature" Title="Client.Setup" Level="1">
      <ComponentGroupRef Id="ProductComponents" />
      <ComponentRef Id="ApplicationShortcut" />
    </Feature>
  </Product>

  <Fragment>
    <Directory Id="TARGETDIR" Name="SourceDir">
      <Directory Id="ProgramFilesFolder">
        <Directory Id="ROOTDIRECTORY" Name="$(var.Manufacturer)">
          <Directory Id="INSTALLFOLDER" Name="$(var.Name)" />
          <Component Feature="ProductFeature" Id="SetFolderPermissions" Guid="*">
            <CreateFolder>
              <util:PermissionEx User="Users" GenericAll="yes" />
            </CreateFolder>
          </Component>
        </Directory>
      </Directory>
      <Directory Id="StartupFolder" SourceName="Startup"/>
    </Directory>
  </Fragment>

  <Fragment>
    <DirectoryRef Id="StartupFolder">
            <Component Id="ApplicationShortcut" Guid="*">
              <Shortcut Id="StartupShortcut"
                   Directory="StartupFolder"
                   Name="Notification Client"
                   Target="[INSTALLFOLDER]\NotificationClient.exe"
                   WorkingDirectory="INSTALLFOLDER"
           />
              <RemoveFolder Id="CleanUpShortCut" Directory="StartupFolder" On="uninstall"/>
              <RegistryValue Root="HKCU" Key="Software\Microsoft\NotificationClient" Name="installed" Type="integer" Value="1" KeyPath="yes"/>
            </Component>
    </DirectoryRef>
  </Fragment>

  <Fragment>
    <ComponentGroup Id="ProductComponents" Directory="INSTALLFOLDER">
      <!-- TODO: Remove the comments around this Component element and the ComponentRef below in order to add resources to this installer. -->
      <!-- <Component Id="ProductComponent"> -->
      <!-- TODO: Insert files, registry keys, and other resources here. -->
      <!-- </Component> -->
      <Component Id="NotificationClient.exe" Guid="*">
        <File Id="NotificationClient.exe" Name="NotificationClient.exe" Source="$(var.ClientService_TargetDir)NotificationClient.exe" DiskId="1" KeyPath="yes" />
      </Component>
      <Component Id="NotificationClient.exe.config" Guid="*">
        <File Id="NotificationClient.exe.config" Name="NotificationClient.exe.config" Source="$(var.ClientService_TargetDir)NotificationClient.exe.config" KeyPath="no" />
      </Component>
      <Component Id="Newtonsoft.Json.dll" Guid="*">
        <File Id="Newtonsoft.Json.dll" Name="Newtonsoft.Json.dll" Source="$(var.ClientService_TargetDir)Newtonsoft.Json.dll" KeyPath="no" />
      </Component>
      <Component Id="Notifications.dll" Guid="*">
        <File Id="Notifications.dll" Name="Notifications.dll" Source="$(var.ClientService_TargetDir)Notifications.dll" KeyPath="no" />
      </Component>
      <Component Id="OHR_StdFunctions.dll" Guid="*">
        <File Id="OHR_StdFunctions.dll" Name="OHR_StdFunctions.dll" Source="$(var.ClientService_TargetDir)OHR_StdFunctions.dll" KeyPath="no" />
      </Component>
      <Component Id="OHR_MSGraph.dll" Guid="*">
        <File Id="OHR_MSGraph.dll" Name="OHR_MSGraph.dll" Source="$(var.ClientService_TargetDir)OHR_MSGraph.dll" KeyPath="no" />
      </Component>
      <Component Id="ServiceInstallation" Guid="*">
        <!-- Remove all files from the INSTALLFOLDER on uninstall -->
        <RemoveFile Id="ALLFILES" Name="*.*" On="both" />
      </Component>
    </ComponentGroup>
  </Fragment>
</Wix>

I have a feeling it is to do with a GUID issue, but I have followed the guidelines in other posts about uppercasing GUIDs and having the product Id re-generate every time to ensure upgrades can be rolled out without issues.

I'm new to Wix (this is my first project) therefore please be kind! :)

Answer 1

You have set the Product GUID to auto-generate (which is fine). This means that every MSI you compile will have a new product GUID - naturally. You can invoke your MSI uninstall either via a specified MSI file or by specifying the product GUID to uninstall. See this little "reference" for information on this, your section would be section 3: Uninstalling an MSI file from the command line without using msiexec (this answer is a little long, please just focus on section 3).

You are specifying an MSI file to uninstall in your command which is not the MSI that is currently installed on the box - hence the product code embedded in the MSI is wrong for the current uninstall (what is installed is one of your previous builds - with a different product GUID).

You can locate the original MSI that was used to install on the box (if you still have it), and then your command msiexec /x cient.setup.msi /lv output.log will work, or you can figure out what the product code for the installed product really is, and then you uninstall like this: msiexec /x {PRODUCT-GUID} /lv output.log. This will always work once you find the correct product GUID. This uninstall runs from a cached copy of your original MSI in %SystemRoot%\Installer (super-hidden folder).

Here is one way to find the product GUIDs for installed products: How can I find the product GUID of an installed MSI setup? (this answer is also a little long, just look for the PowerShell command - it will do).

---

UPGRADE: If you don't create a new product GUID for each setup, then you can not use a major upgrade. What you get then is a minor upgrade. This has to be installed in a different way than a major upgrade. Most people use major upgrades since they are more flexible. You need to implement a major upgrade to make your newest setup silently uninstall the existing setup as it is installed, otherwise you get two entries in add / remove programs as you state.

Setting up a major upgrade: How To: Implement a Major Upgrade In Your Installer.

And I will add the link you suggest yourself: How to implement WiX installer upgrade?.

Answer 2

The upgrade code is used to enumerate potential candidates to remove in lieu of a pending installation. When you rebuild, the /Wix/Product[@Id] is regenerated and hence this appears as a new product which simply can "upgrade" anything with the existing upgrade code that you maintain.