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when setup isn't just xcopy

Windows Marketplace deployed... "automatedly".

Tonight I was late to the Thursday night WiX Working Group (where a bunch of us get together and slam out some code for WiX) because Zac and I were rolling out the first half of our changes to the live Windows Marketplace site.  We split them in two because we start in the early evening and don't want to be up too late.  Of course, I'm up all night Thursday anyway... but I was supposed to be writing WiX features.

Anyway, there were some bumps and bruises in the new automated deployment system but everything was deployed successfully.  I think I ended up with three bugs to look into before we do the next deployment (most likely later this month).  Fortunately, once we finish the second half of the deployment (in the next few days) the next deployment can be completely automated.

During the deployment, I was pretty wired.  To think that Anita (our Servicing Engineer) could push a button and have everything rollout is very, very cool.  Of course, it didn't quite work out that way this time but we'll get closer to that goal next time.  Now, I'm just relieved that we've finally successfully deployed once.  We've proven it can be done and now we can focus on improving it and the rest of the site.

Keep coding.  You know I am.

 

Tired with two bugs.

I'm tired. 

We missed the deployment date for all the new Windows Marketplace deployment mechanisms by a week.  Pushed hard to make the date and didn't quite get the stability confidence high enough to deploy Tuesday night.  But we're on target for our new date Wednesday next week.

Bummer.

Pile on the fact that there are still two v2 bugs open for the WiX toolset and there isn't a lot in the "hear and now" to holler "woohoo!"  Instead, we got to keep our heads down and keep working to get the job done.  I'm very much looking forward to being done.

Anyway, if you're using the WiX toolset, I encourage you to pick up the latest weekly release of WiX v2 and help make sure it all works for you correctly.  The only thing worse than having two bugs open right now is not knowing that there are even worse bugs that still need fixing.  <smile/>  Your help validating the quality is appreciated.

 

The Windows Vista 64-bit upgrade from Windows Marketplace requires a 64-bit operating system.

Recently there were some reports of problems installing Windows Vista from Windows Marketplace.  I followed up with a couple people who were kind enough to respond and it turns out all of them were having issues installing the 64-bit edition of Windows Vista.  One of them also pointed out this thread where people are all seeing the same problem.  The error message they all were seeing was the following:

Cannot extract Windows Vista Setup to your hard drive.  Please ensure that you can create files and folders in the same folder where VistaSetupPrep.exe was downloaded.

Unfortunately, that error does not actually explain with the real problem is.  Instead, you have to go to the log file that is created in your Temp folder called "Windows Vista Setup Preparation (NNNNN).log".  Patrik, who reported problems on my blog first, provided me his log.

Preparing Windows Vista Setup...
Extracting setup files to: C:\Vista Ultimate 64bit UPGRADE\
Error 0x80070005: Failed to launch: C:\Vista Ultimate 64bit
UPGRADE\Vista\setup.exe
Exiting Windows Vista Setup preparation.

The 0x80070005 error translates into E_ACCESSDENIED.  But access denied isn't exactly the problem either.  If you run the setup.exe in the Vista folder you'll get the real error message.  I don't have the exact text in front of me but it says something like: "This is not a valid 32-bit executable".

And now we have found the actually problem.  The 64-bit Windows Vista install is actually a 64-bit install executable.  Therefore, you must be running a 64-bit operating system (such as Windows XP 64-bit).  Unfortunately, if you are running a 32-bit operating system you cannot upgrade to a 64-bit edition of Windows Vista with the bits currently available for download from Windows Marketplace.

Didi tried to capture this fact in a bright red warning at the top of the 64-bit page.  It says something like:

Warning: You must have a 64-bit capable machine running a 64-bit Windows operating system to run Windows Vista 64-bit Editions. Learn more at http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/windowsvista/editions/64bit.mspx.

Anyway, I'm on my way out the door to go snowboarding for a couple days for some much needed R&R.  I just wanted to get this information out to those of you that have seen this problem.  When I get back next week, I'll follow up with answers about other questions that have been asked here and things we're planning for the near future for Windows Marketplace.

I think I've read about this...

For years I've searched out descriptions of life in a software startups to see how "the other half lives".  As many of you know, my entire professional career (going on 8 years) has been at Microsoft.  More specifically I've worked in Microsoft Office, Microsoft Windows Server and Microsoft Windows Core.  Those groups are probably the very anti-thesis of "software startup".

However, tonight, sitting here right now, I think I've finally had a taste of a phenomenon I've seen discussed by those that release their first "something" from their startup.

You see, right before you ship that "something" you've been pouring your heart and soul into, you are working at a frenzied pace.  It is a race against the clock to get your work done before "time is up" and that that "something" goes out the door.  If you did your homework right that frenzy is just a huge push to make sure everything works the way you know it does.

That's what all of today was for me.  A big push to make sure that Windows Vista and Office 2007 could be purchased and installed from the Internet smoothly.

But it isn't the frenzied push that was a unique experience for me.  What I'm actually talking about is the strange floating feeling that occurs after you push the button and that "something" is made available live.  It is what I imagine stepping out into space feels like.  Suddenly you are out there in the vacuum weightless waiting for the feedback from your users... waiting for what happens next.

Tonight, at approximately 9 PM PST (midnight eastern time) we pushed the button in Windows Marketplace and the Windows Vista and Office 2007 were out there live.  In the next couple hours we'll start seeing the data come back in informing us how well these products are selling electronically.  But, until then, we are all just hanging out waiting weightlessly.

This is so freakin' cool.