MDAC components distribution questions

[lsmeteor]

Hello all,

I have posted the following question on the InstallShield forum hoping to have some answer regarding the necessity of including MDAC components when distributing our applications.

I am asking you what you think as well since you obviously have as much experience with the subject. I am a developer but by no means a guru at installing applications.

"
I have general questions regarding the MDAC merge modules.
I am having a lot of difficulties during upgrades when different MDAC packages are involved.
I noticed that at least 75% of the size of an MSI file that I create is due to the MDAC package that is included. When I remove the MDAC merge module froom my projects, the msi size is way more reasonable.

My question are:

1)What are the odds nowadays that a target system is not already equiped with the required data access files?

2)Is including MDAC is a setup really necessary?

3)Do you include them in every setup?

I am thinking of dropping it since we can no longer buy a computer with Win95 or Win 98, and Win 2000 and XP are already well versed in database communications.
Whatdayathink?
"

[Confucius]

My take is that I've been burned by assumptions enough to know that just when you think it's taken care of......it's not!

Just when your customer(s) tell you they're all on WINNT, they're not........and it goes on and on.

In my opinion, I would leave it in if it doesn't hurt. Besides, we're no longer in the days of 3.5" diskettes scrounging to save space.

[Twodogs]

1)What are the odds nowadays that a target system is not already equiped with the required data access files?
- Very good odds depending on who you're distributing to.

2)Is including MDAC is a setup really necessary?
- Only if you're using data access components in your program

3)Do you include them in every setup?
- see 2 above.

Its not so much that a system doesn't have mdac, its that it might have a lower version than the one you're using - this can cause problems!

[lsmeteor]

Thank you for your replies,

The general opinion of all that I have asked is that it certainly would hurt to include MDAC somehow in the installation "package".
I have decided to leave it out of the installation package, but include it as an independent package on the installation CD. I just put 'mdac_typ.exe' in a support folder that the user can install from if needed.

All this in an attempt to keep the smallest footprint as possible and to make it easier to maintain the installations from a developer's point if view.

[Twodogs]

Your approach could result in a greater amount of installation support calls...is it really worth it? After all, its going to be burnt onto a CD.

There is a technique to create an mdac.msm module which will auto install mdac for you (well, it will with visual studio installer anyway).

[lsmeteor]

Originally posted by Twodogs
Your approach could result in a greater amount of installation support calls...

LOL
It couldn't generate more calls than we currently get...

I am already using the MDAC msm provided by Microsoft. The problem is that they are buggy too. The MDAC 2,5 to 2.7 msm's will not install on Win 2003 Server and simply abort the rest of my installations.
The MDAC 2.8 msm seems to be working fine but is still unproven, and I do not want to be responsible for breaking other installed applications other than mine.

A lot of our clients buy new computers with the latest OS pre-installed (Win XP). A lot of them still use win98.
I figured that it would be acceptable to assume that most installations will be on a post Win98 system, and deal with issues on a win98 machine if required by simply launching the self-installing MDAC package included on the CD.

[Twodogs]

Sorry - I don't have any experience with 2003 server (other than the fact that it broke a few of my web applications that use the CDONTS object!)

MDAC 2.7 comes with (is included in) the XP install, and 2.7 refresh is installed by XP - service pack 1. I would imagine that the reason lower versions (2.5 etc) of mdac that are being installed will fail because of the tightened windows file protection on 2003 (and xp).

However, the msm that you can get from Microsoft is a BLANK msm - you have to use ORCA to put the correct mdac_typ.exe file inside the mdac.msm distributed by microsoft.