WIX run vcredist_x64.exe on install - wix

Question

I have an application compiled in VS 2015 and requires the VC++ Redistributable package in order to run properly. Prior to this latest build, we were using an older version of VS and simply used a merge module to handle the installation of the appropriate redist files. However, I noticed that when using the latest version of the merge modules for 2015 (Microsoft_VC140_CRT_x64.msm) that my application still wouldn't work out of the box. I did some digging and it appears that some things have changed with the latest version of the merge modules. It appears that Microsoft is now recommending to install the vcredist_x64.exe package directly instead of using merge modules.
So, I'm attempting to create a custom action to do this. I'm following a similar tutorial here, although adapting it for the VC Redistributable executable. The first thing I need to do is setup where the .exe file is going to be placed once installed:
<Directory Id='APPLICATIONROOTDIRECTORY' Name='MyApp'>
<Directory Id="VCREDISTDIR" Name="VCRedist">
</Directory>
</Directory>
Then, I need to add my files into a component group which will be installed as part of a hidden feature (as I want this to be automatically installed).
<ComponentGroup Id="VCRedist" Directory="VCREDISTDIR">
<Component Id="vcredist_x64.exe" Guid="-INSERT-GUID-HERE-" Win64="yes">
<File Id="VCREDISEXE" Name="vcredist_x64.exe" KeyPath="yes" Source="$(var.VCRedistSourceDir)" Checksum="yes"></File>
</Component>
</ComponentGroup>
And...
<Feature Id="VCRedistributable" Title="Visual C++ Runtime" AllowAdvertise="no" Display="hidden" Level="1">
<ComponentGroupRef Id="VCRedist" />
</Feature>
At this point, the vcredist_x64.exe should be copied to the end user's machine. Now, I need to create a custom action to launch the executable after the installation.
<CustomAction Id="InstallVCRedistributable"
FileKey="VCREDISEXE"
Execute="deferred"
ExeCommand="/silent"
Impersonate="no"
Return="check"/>
<InstallExecuteSequence>
<Custom Action="InstallVCRedistributable" Before="InstallFinalize">
<![CDATA[NOT REMOVE]]>
</Custom>
</InstallExecuteSequence>
I also include a status message to my UI so that I can see when the executable is being executed.
<UI>
<ProgressText Action="InstallVCRedistributable">Installing Visual C++ Redistributable for Visual Studio 2015</ProgressText>
</UI>
Now, when I run my installer it should launch the vcredist_x64.exe... and it does... but then during the installation of that executable it gets hung up. I get a popup message that says there is a problem with this Windows Installer Package and that a program run as part of the setup did not complete. It then rolls-back my main application installation and never gets installed. Can anyone explain why this is happening and how to fix it? Thanks!

Answer 1

I found this question and tried it myself, being in the same situation. I found the installer error you're running into was/is Error 1618: "Another installation is already in progress." It seems that running the vc_redist installer inside your own installer simply won't work.
Your other options seem to be creating a bootstrapper as Patrick Allwood suggests above, or simply asking users to install the vc_redist package on their own before running your own installer. You can detect if the Universal C Runtime is already present by checking for ucrtbase.dll in C:\Windows\System32:
<Property Id="UCRTINSTALLED">
<DirectorySearch Id="UCRTSystemSearch" Path="[WindowsFolder]System32" Depth="0">
<FileSearch Id="UCRTFileSearch" Name="ucrtbase.dll" MinVersion="10.0.10240.16389" />
</DirectorySearch>
</Property>
If you only have a 32-bit installer, you can also use the [SystemFolder] property directly.
EDIT: As Kevin Smyth mentioned, the version of ucrtbase.dll is giving weird issues - reporting version 2.X to some tools, and version 10.Y to other tools. You can remove the MinVersion property if you just want to check for the existence of ucrtbase.dll.

Answer 2

I think the correct approach to take when having prerequisites that have their own installers is to create a WiX bootstrapper bundle, which runs through each installer in turn. This handles things like rollbacks on install failures, etc, which running custom actions from within an installer does not.
A barebones sample can be seen here, you add <MsiPackage> and <ExePackage> in the Chain element in the order you need them to install.

Answer 3

I was facing a similar problem (fully described in this closed question, which actually redirected me here). I was able to solve it, inspired by this entry about running the application after setup.
The key part is basically to add a final step to the UI that launches the vcredist installer:
<UI Id="UI_Main">
<!-- ...... -->
<Publish Dialog="ExitDialog"
Control="Finish"
Event="DoAction"
Value="InstallVCRedistributable">1</Publish>
</UI>
Regarding the custom action:
<CustomAction Id="InstallVCRedistributable"
FileKey="VCREDISEXE"
ExeCommand="/install /passive /norestart"
Impersonate="yes"
Return="asyncNoWait" />