Application Packaging Interview Questions - Basic MSI Packaging

Following are queries related to Basic MSI Packaging

Components

• What are Critical resources inside MSI?
• What is a component?
• What are Component Rules?
• What is a KeyPath?
• What are Component Attributes? 8, 16, 24 etc
• What is a SharedDLL Component?
• What is a Permanent Component?
• What are sharedDLLs ?
• What is the location of SharedDLLs in registry?
• Can we set conditions to components?
• Can a component have sub component
• What are RED Components?
• Why RED Components appear in MSIs?
• How to resolve RED Components?
• What is Component Assignment?
• Is it possible to have a component assigned to multiple features?
• How to associate a component to multiple features?
• How to set a component not to install?
• How to set a component install only on WindowsXP?

• How to suppress reboot of an MSI
• How to suppress reboot prompt in MSI?
• How to suppress reboot of WiseScript?
• What is sourcelist property?
• What are different language codes?
• What is the language code for English?
• What is Per-User Installation?
• What is Per-Machine Installation?
• What is Determined by user access installation?
• What is the property associated with PerUser,Permachine, Determined by user access installation? and its values?
• What is preferred ALLUSERS=0 or 1 or 2?

MergeModules

• What are MergeModules
• Can you install a MergeModule alone?
• Extension of MergeModule?
• Can you create MergeModule?
• Where are MergeModules stored on computer with WisePackageStudio and Installshield?
• What does MergeModules Contain?
• Does MergeModules contain Features?
• Does MergeModules contain Components?
• Does MergeModules contain files/registries?
• What are mergemodules related MSI Tables?
• Difference between MSI and MSM ?
• Name mergemodule template file in WisePackageStudio
• Can we open mergemodules using WisePackageStudio or Installshield?

• Where are file entries stored inside MSI?
• Where are file contents stored in MSI?
• What is the option to create MSI and external Cab files in WisePackageStudio and Installshield?
• What is the option to create MSI and external uncompressed files in WisePackageStudio and Installshield?
• Maximum number of files MSI can hold?
• What are Files related MSI Tables?

• What is the Advantage of INI files being present in INI Table?
• What is the Disadvantage of INI Files present in File Table?
• Why does it take longer time to install if more INI files are present in MSI?
• What is the syntax of INI file?

• Where are Environment Variables stored in MSI Tables?
• What is the good practice of Environment Variables? Registry or Tables?
• What are the attributes to be set for Environment Variables?
• Different Types of Environment Variables?
• Where can we find Environment variables on the system?

• What are ODBC Related tables in MSI?
• What is the good practice for OCBC etnries in MSI? Registry or Tables?
• When does application contain ODBC entries?

• What is the good practice for Services? Registry or Tables?
• What are the tables related to Services?
• How to stop a service?
• How to start a service?
• How to install Drivers?
• What are signed drivers?
• What are unsigned drivers?
• When does application contain drivers?

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Application Packaging Interview Questions - Basic Level

Following are few queries at Basic Level

• Name available Packaging/Repackging Tools?
• How to convert EXE to MSI? using WisePackageStudio and AdminStudio?
• What are snapshot methods available in WisePackageStudio SetupCapture?
• What are snapshot methods available in AdminstudioStudio Repackager?
• What are exclusion lists ?
• How to capture changes during installation in drives other than system drive?
• What is relative path?
• What is absolute path?
• What is the use of having relative paths over absolute paths?
• What is SmartMonitor?
• What is VirtualCapture?
• What is InstallationMonitoring in AdminStudio Repackager?
• What does WSI file contain?
• What does .IRP file contain?

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Application Packaging Interview Questions - Windows Installer

Following are few questions on Windows Installer

• What is Windows Installer
• Benefits of Windows Installer
• What is the latest version of Windows Installer?
• What is Application Packaging
• What is Application Repackaging?
• Differences between Windows Installer and Legacy Applications?
• Why Application Packaging is required?
• What are the effects if Application Packaging is not implemented in Organizations?
• What is the significance of Windows Installer Service?

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Application Packaging Interview Questions - Windows Basics

Application Packaging Interview Questions related to Windows Basics

Windows Basics

• Explain Windows Installer(MSI) architecture
• Can we make Operating system not to install MSIs?
• How to set Windows to create log files automatically when MSIs are installed?
• What is the use of MSIs present in C:\Windows\Installer folder?
• How to identify if a setup is installing drivers?
• What is a host file? Can we include host file inside MSI?
• What are Environment Variables, and what is their usage?
• Name the locations where Environment Variables can be found on Windows OS?
• How to find whether a Setup is a Legacy or MSI?
• Disadvantages of Legacy apps?
• Advantages of MSI apps?
• Disadvantages of MSI apps?
• What is the use of Windows Installer Service?
• What is ActiveSetup?
• Is ActiveSetup part of MSI or Windows OS?
• What is Run Key?
• What is the difference Run, RunOnce and ActiveSetup?
• What is a File Association or File Extension?
• What is a ProgID?
• What is Windows Registry or simply Registry?
• How are HKCR and HKLM related?
• How are HKCU and HKU related?
• What is SID? and what is present inside SID?
• What is the location of ARP entries in Registy?
• Where are services located in registry?
• What is ODBC? 
• What ODBC entries are required by an application to successfully connect to Database?
• Versions of WindowsXP, Vista, 7, 2003 Server, 2008 Server Operating Systems?
• Difference between WindowsXP and Windows7?
• Is it possible to install MSI file on  clean Windows98 system? and why?
• When was MSI technology came into existence?
• What is Event Viewer?
• command to identify SID of currently logged in user?
• Can we install two MSIs at a time? and why?
• Registry Path for ProductCodes of MSIs installed on Windows?
• What is System Account on Windows?
• Which is master account on Windows?
• What is the extension of shortcut file ?
• How to remove small "arrow" mark for shortcuts on desktop?
• How to make an application not to create an entry in Add/Remove Programs?
• How to hide Remove Button for application entry in ARP using Registry?
• How to hide Change/Modify Button for application entry in ARP using Registry?
• How to hide Repair Button for application entry in ARP using Registry?
• Location of AllUsers desktop shortcuts on WindowsXP and Windows7?
• Location of AllUsers StartMenu shortcuts on WindowsXP and Windows7?
• What are Local, LocalLow, Roaming folders on Windows 7? and how they are related to WindowsXP folders?
• What is UAC in Windows7?
• What is session zero isolation in Windows7?
• How to set UAC not be displayed for installing MSIs?
• Differences between 32it and 64bit Operating Systems?
• How to identify if a application is 32bit or 64bit ?
• Where are 32bit files stored in 64bit OS?
• Where are 32bit application related registries stored on 64bit OS HKLM registry?
• How to detect if OS is 32bit or 64bit?
• Command to Shutdown computer on WinXP and Win7?
• Command to Restart computer on WinXP and Win7 ?
• What is DLL hell?
• What is Windows File Protection? What is the location where Windows protected files are stored?
• What is File Versioning?
• If a machine has DLL of version 2.0 and your application has same DLL with version 3.0, what happens to the file during installation ? 

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Setup is unable to connect to SQL server error while installing SCCM 2012

 Setup is unable to connect to SQL Server with the connection information provided. Verify the following:

- The SQL Server and instance names are entered correctly

- The specified SQL Server instance is not configured to use dynamic ports

- If a firewall is enabled on the SQL Server, inbound rules exist to allow connections to the correct ports if not manually create them 

- The account used to run Setup has permissions to connect to the specified SQL server instance

- the account should administrative privileges on the machine

Resolution: 

Open the “SQL Server Configuration manager” and Naviagte to The Protocols of your SQL Instance in the “SQL Server Network Configuration”

Enable “Named Pipes” and “TCP/IP”

Restart the SQL Service Instance within the SQL Server Services:

This seems to be a common issue during the SCCM 2012 setup:  

Verify also that you are running the one of the supported  SQL versions:

- SQL Server 2008 SP2 with Cumulative Update 9
- SQL Server 2008 SP3 with Cumulative Update 4
- SQL Server 2008 R2 with SP1 and Cumulative Update 6

- SQL Express no longer valid for SCCM 2012

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