Error when installing msi file

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Ursula
Posts: 3
Joined: 17. Jun 2021, 04:45

Error when installing msi file

Post by Ursula »

I am using a brand new Virtual Box install for Windows 10 since the software I need for work is not available for a Mac.
I just installed the VM Virtual Box and I downloaded a file "PatientNowSetup.msi" to the download folder and I'm trying to install this software.
When I double click it, an error message comes up:
"Could Not Display "PatientNowSetup.msi" - There is no application installed for "Windows Installer package" files. Do you want to search for an application to open this file?" - with button "Search in software"

So If I understand this correctly, then the Windows Installer package is missing?
When I search for this Software in the app store nothing comes up.

I tried it via the command prompt option:
Sudo apt install /home/downloads/PatientNowSetup.msi
But then I'm getting a "Unsupported file" error.

Help please?

Using Ubuntu Windows 10 (64 bit)
Virtual box 6.1.22

Thanks in advance!
granada29
Volunteer
Posts: 690
Joined: 3. Mar 2015, 07:27
Primary OS: Mac OS X other
VBox Version: OSE other
Guest OSses: Linux, macOS, Windows

Re: Error when installing msi file

Post by granada29 »

This is a bit confusing.

1. Are you using Mac hardware?
2. What OS are you running on your hardware?
3. What is your guest OS (i.e. the one running under VirtualBox)

It looks as though you have downloaded the .msi in Linux then tried to have it run in Windows. You should download the .msi with a browser in your Windows machine.

Possibly you have posted in the wrong thread because I see nothing to do with Mac VMs here.
mpack
Site Moderator
Posts: 39156
Joined: 4. Sep 2008, 17:09
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Mostly XP

Re: Error when installing msi file

Post by mpack »

Confusing it certainly is - I see Ubuntu, Windows 10 and Mac all mentioned in one post.

And despite the forum choice, the guest OS is not Mac OS.

Has Ubuntu been installed on Mac hardware? If so then the answer is to copy the MSI file into the Windows desktop and run it from there.

I think a VM log is going to be required. Make sure the VM is fully shut down, then right click it in the manager UI. Select "Show Log" and save "VBox.log" (no other file) to a zip file. Attach the zip here.
Ursula
Posts: 3
Joined: 17. Jun 2021, 04:45

Re: Error when installing msi file

Post by Ursula »

Sorry, I'm now confused as well and obviously I' a newbie ;-)

So I do have a MacBook Pro with MacOS Big Sur version 11.3.1 and installed a Virtual Box 6.1.22 with Windows 10 using Ubuntu 2004.02.0.-desktop-amd64iso file. So I guess the host is Mac OS, the guest is Windows. Sorry for posting it in wrong forum!

While I was in the virtual Windows machine, I opened Firefox and downloaded the msi file to the download folder of the virtual Windows machine. Is this not what I was supposed to have done? From there I'm trying to run it and I'm getting the error message I mentioned in the previous message.

Attaching the log.
Ubuntu Windows 10-2021-06-16-20-40-30.log.zip
(31.05 KiB) Downloaded 10 times
mpack
Site Moderator
Posts: 39156
Joined: 4. Sep 2008, 17:09
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Mostly XP

Re: Error when installing msi file

Post by mpack »

You can't install Windows from an Ubuntu ISO. Or vice versa. Installing Windows requires a Windows ISO. And if you want to install Ubuntu then you need an Ubuntu ISO.

MSI is the standard installer in Windows 10, so if you are running Win10 and double click an MSI file, and it's a valid MSI file, then Win10 will install whatever it contains.

But...

According to the log you provided, your VM is running Ubuntu, it is not a Windows VM. That would be why you can't run Windows installer scripts (MSI).
00:00:41.267530 VMMDev: Guest Additions information report: Version 6.0.0 r127566 '6.0.0'
00:00:41.268136 VMMDev: Guest Additions information report: Interface = 0x00010004 osType = 0x00053100 (Linux >= 2.6, 64-bit)
I'll move this topic to "Mac OS Hosts" for now, since it still is not clear what the guest OS is supposed to be (it's clear what it is).

I still have no idea how you came to believe that installing Ubuntu could give you Windows. Perhaps if you can explain your reasoning here I might be able to point you in the appropriate direction.

To be clear: if you want to run Windows apps the usual recourse is to install Windows. For that you'll need a Windows license as Windows is not free.
Ursula
Posts: 3
Joined: 17. Jun 2021, 04:45

Re: Error when installing msi file

Post by Ursula »

Sorry y'all, I feel like an utter fool. Not sure why I had it in my head that this would work with Ubuntu!
mpack
Site Moderator
Posts: 39156
Joined: 4. Sep 2008, 17:09
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Mostly XP

Re: Error when installing msi file

Post by mpack »

Ursula wrote:Not sure why I had it in my head that this would work with Ubuntu!
It's not impossible that it could. There's a package you can install in Ubuntu called Wine, which allows you to run Windows programs in Linux. There is even info on how to run msiexec under Wine... I assume that this is a Wine rewrite of msiexec, so I have no idea how well it will work. Wine itself works best with apps that have few hardware and system dependencies, only using Windows for the user interface.
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