Windows Installer 5 on Microsoft Windows 7

Windows Installer 5.0 is available for both Microsoft Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2. With Windows Installer 5.0, setup developers can use Windows Installer 5.0 to author a single installation package capable of either per-machine installation or per-user installation of the application.Beginning with Windows Installer 5.0, a package can be authored to secure new accounts, Windows Services, files, folders, and registry keys. The package can specify a security descriptor that denies permissions, specifies inheritance of permissions from a parent resource, or specifies the permissions of a new account. For information, see Securing Resources. The Windows Installer 5.0 service can enumerate all components installed on the computer and obtain the key path for the component.

Windows Installer 5.0 has been released with, and require Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7. Versions earlier than Windows Installer 5.0 were released with Windows Server 2008, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2003, Windows XP, and Windows 2000.

Windows Installer 4.5 was available as a redistributable for Windows Vista RTM and Service Pack 1, Windows XP Service Pack 3 and earlier, Windows Server 2008 RTM/SP1, and Windows Server 2003 SP1 and SP2.

unlike Windows Installer 5, Windows Installer 4.5 does not support some features that enable a single installation package to be installed in either the per-machine or per-user installation context.Moreover, Windows Installer 4.5 does not support some services configuration options that can enable a package to customize the services on a computer.It also does not support some features that enable the Windows Installer to secure new accounts, Windows Services, files, folders, and registry keys.

Get Windows 7 and enjoy the new capabilities in Windows Installer 5.Note that windows 7 free download is available for students of schools enrolled in MSDN AA (Microsoft Developer Network Academic Alliance) program and free Windows 7 upgrade is available for buyers of windows vista.