OL2000: (IMO) Symantec Fax Can't Be Installed with Advertise Mode

ID: Q224891

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Outlook 2000
Microsoft Windows NT Server version 4.0 SP4
Microsoft Windows NT Workstation version 4.0 SP4

NOTE: These procedures only apply if you have installed Outlook with the Internet Mail Only option. To determine your installation type, on the Help menu click About Microsoft Outlook. In About Microsoft Outlook you should see "Internet Mail Only" if you have the Internet Mail Only option installed.

SYMPTOMS

When installing Symantec Fax starter edition you may get the following error message

Microsoft Outlook can't use Symantec Fax Starter Edition for sending or receiving faxes. Microsoft Outlook cannot install the necessary files due to Windows installer error 1603.
ERROR_INSTALL_FAILURE.

followed by:

WinFax installation failed. The fax feature is not available.

CAUSE

Outlook or Microsoft Office was installed using the Advertised Installation method, and you attempted to install Symantec Fax on demand.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article.

MORE INFORMATION

When you perform an installation on demand, you click a menu command and receive a message that the feature is currently not installed, and a question asking if you would like to install it. You are then be prompted to insert the Office 2000 CD and proceed with the installation. Once the feature has been installed, clicking the menu command again opens or starts the feature.

The following information is from the Microsoft Office 2000 Resource Kit and discusses advertised installations.

Advertising the Windows Installer Package

If the installation program uses the Windows Installer, as Office Setup and Microsoft Publisher Setup do, then you can use the /jm msifile command-line option to advertise the installer package (MSI file) on computers running under Windows NT 4.0. For example, to advertise Office you can use the following command line.


setup.exe /jm data1.msi

If you also include a Windows Installer transform (MST file) to customize the installation, use the /t command-line switch to specify the transform. For example,


setup.exe /jm data1.msi /t office.mst

When you advertise a package, the package is configured to be installed the first time the user attempts to use the application. You must be logged on with administrator privileges to advertise a package.

Advertising a package is much faster than installing a package. When the user attempts to use the application for the first time, the installer completes the installation under administrator privileges, including rebooting the system if necessary. The user can also run Setup to install specific features, and Setup runs under administrator privileges regardless of how the user is logged on.

Note You cannot install Microsoft Internet Explorer 5 by advertising it. You can, however, install Internet Explorer 5 on the user's computer first, and then advertise Office.

Windows NT 4.0 with Internet Explorer 4.01 and Active Desktop supports Windows Installer shortcuts. In this scenario, the installer adds application icons to the Start menu when you advertise the package. When the user clicks one of these icons, the Windows Installer installs that application on the computer before running it. When installing the advertised package, the Windows Installer runs under administrator privileges, regardless of how the user is logged on, so it can make any needed system modifications.

Windows NT 4.0 without Active Desktop does not support Windows Installer shortcuts. In this case, you can advertise the package, but the user must run Setup to install the program. When the user runs Setup after Office has been advertised, the Windows Installer performs the installation with administrator privileges.

Additional query words: OL2K

Keywords : kbdta
Version : WINDOWS:2000; winnt:4.0 SP4
Platform : WINDOWS winnt
Issue type : kbbug