Unable to install application to root directory with NSIS

Question

I have a windows 7 system logged in as an administrator and I am unable to install to the root directory (c:\MyAPP). If I install for all users it puts the file in C:\Program Files (x86)\C\MyAPP. If I install for a single user it places the file in that users application data directory or something like that. I have AllowRootDirInstall set to true. I found a supposed work around in a bug report.

CreateDirectory $INSTDIR
StrCpy $OUTDIR $INSTDIR

Didn't even say where to put it so I just placed it at the top of the main section.

Any ideas of what I am missing?

NSIS Script

# Auto-generated by EclipseNSIS Script Wizard
# 28-May-2013 2:27:56 PM

Name MyApplication

# General Symbol Definitions
!define REGKEY "SOFTWARE\$(^Name)"
!define VERSION 1.0
!define COMPANY mycompany
!define URL http://mycompany.com

# MultiUser Symbol Definitions
!define MULTIUSER_EXECUTIONLEVEL Highest
!define MULTIUSER_INSTALLMODE_DEFAULT_CURRENTUSER
!define MULTIUSER_MUI
!define MULTIUSER_INSTALLMODE_DEFAULT_REGISTRY_KEY "${REGKEY}"
!define MULTIUSER_INSTALLMODE_DEFAULT_REGISTRY_VALUENAME MultiUserInstallMode
!define MULTIUSER_INSTALLMODE_COMMANDLINE
!define MULTIUSER_INSTALLMODE_INSTDIR C:\MyAPP
!define MULTIUSER_INSTALLMODE_INSTDIR_REGISTRY_KEY "${REGKEY}"
!define MULTIUSER_INSTALLMODE_INSTDIR_REGISTRY_VALUE "Path"

# MUI Symbol Definitions
!define MUI_FINISHPAGE_NOAUTOCLOSE
!define MUI_UNFINISHPAGE_NOAUTOCLOSE

# Included files
!include MultiUser.nsh
!include Sections.nsh
!include MUI2.nsh

# Variables
Var StartMenuGroup

# Installer pages
!insertmacro MUI_PAGE_WELCOME
!insertmacro MULTIUSER_PAGE_INSTALLMODE
!insertmacro MUI_PAGE_INSTFILES
!insertmacro MUI_PAGE_FINISH
!insertmacro MUI_UNPAGE_CONFIRM
!insertmacro MUI_UNPAGE_INSTFILES

# Installer languages
!insertmacro MUI_LANGUAGE English

# Installer attributes
OutFile myapp-1.0-installer.exe

InstallDir "C:\MyAPP"
CRCCheck on
XPStyle on
ShowInstDetails show
AllowRootDirInstall true
VIProductVersion 1.0.0.0
VIAddVersionKey ProductName Proshots
VIAddVersionKey ProductVersion "${VERSION}"
VIAddVersionKey CompanyName "${COMPANY}"
VIAddVersionKey CompanyWebsite "${URL}"
VIAddVersionKey FileVersion "${VERSION}"
VIAddVersionKey FileDescription ""
VIAddVersionKey LegalCopyright ""
InstallDirRegKey HKLM "${REGKEY}" Path
ShowUninstDetails hide

# Installer sections
Section -Main SEC0000
    CreateDirectory $INSTDIR
    StrCpy $OUTDIR $INSTDIR
    SetOutPath $INSTDIR
    SetOverwrite off
    File subjects.xml
    File messages.xml
    SetOverwrite on
    File myapp-run.bat
    SetOutPath $SMPROGRAMS\$StartMenuGroup
    CreateShortcut $SMPROGRAMS\$StartMenuGroup\MyAPP.lnk $INSTDIR\myapp-run.bat
    SetOutPath $INSTDIR
    File C:\fotonow-working\myapp.jar
    WriteRegStr HKLM "${REGKEY}\Components" Main 1
SectionEnd

Section -post SEC0001
    WriteRegStr HKLM "${REGKEY}" Path $INSTDIR
    SetOutPath $INSTDIR
    WriteUninstaller $INSTDIR\uninstall.exe
    SetOutPath $SMPROGRAMS\$StartMenuGroup
    CreateShortcut "$SMPROGRAMS\$StartMenuGroup\Uninstall $(^Name).lnk" $INSTDIR\uninstall.exe
    WriteRegStr HKLM "SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\$(^Name)" DisplayName "$(^Name)"
    WriteRegStr HKLM "SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\$(^Name)" DisplayVersion "${VERSION}"
    WriteRegStr HKLM "SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\$(^Name)" Publisher "${COMPANY}"
    WriteRegStr HKLM "SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\$(^Name)" URLInfoAbout "${URL}"
    WriteRegStr HKLM "SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\$(^Name)" DisplayIcon $INSTDIR\uninstall.exe
    WriteRegStr HKLM "SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\$(^Name)" UninstallString $INSTDIR\uninstall.exe
    WriteRegDWORD HKLM "SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\$(^Name)" NoModify 1
    WriteRegDWORD HKLM "SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\$(^Name)" NoRepair 1
SectionEnd

# Macro for selecting uninstaller sections
!macro SELECT_UNSECTION SECTION_NAME UNSECTION_ID
    Push $R0
    ReadRegStr $R0 HKLM "${REGKEY}\Components" "${SECTION_NAME}"
    StrCmp $R0 1 0 next${UNSECTION_ID}
    !insertmacro SelectSection "${UNSECTION_ID}"
    GoTo done${UNSECTION_ID}
next${UNSECTION_ID}:
    !insertmacro UnselectSection "${UNSECTION_ID}"
done${UNSECTION_ID}:
    Pop $R0
!macroend

# Uninstaller sections
Section /o -un.Main UNSEC0000
    Delete /REBOOTOK $INSTDIR\myapp.jar
    Delete /REBOOTOK $SMPROGRAMS\$StartMenuGroup\MyAPP.lnk
    Delete /REBOOTOK $INSTDIR\myapp-run.bat
    Delete /REBOOTOK $INSTDIR\messages.xml
    Delete /REBOOTOK $INSTDIR\subjects.xml
    DeleteRegValue HKLM "${REGKEY}\Components" Main
SectionEnd

Section -un.post UNSEC0001
    DeleteRegKey HKLM "SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\$(^Name)"
    Delete /REBOOTOK "$SMPROGRAMS\$StartMenuGroup\Uninstall $(^Name).lnk"
    Delete /REBOOTOK $INSTDIR\uninstall.exe
    DeleteRegValue HKLM "${REGKEY}" Path
    DeleteRegKey /IfEmpty HKLM "${REGKEY}\Components"
    DeleteRegKey /IfEmpty HKLM "${REGKEY}"
    RmDir /REBOOTOK $SMPROGRAMS\$StartMenuGroup
    RmDir /REBOOTOK $INSTDIR
SectionEnd

# Installer functions
Function .onInit
    InitPluginsDir
    StrCpy $StartMenuGroup MyAPP
    !insertmacro MULTIUSER_INIT
FunctionEnd

# Uninstaller functions
Function un.onInit
    StrCpy $StartMenuGroup MyAPP
    !insertmacro MULTIUSER_UNINIT
    !insertmacro SELECT_UNSECTION Main ${UNSEC0000}
FunctionEnd

Answer 1

From the docs: MULTIUSER_INSTALLMODE_INSTDIR:

Name of the folder in which to install the application, without a path. This folder will be located in Program Files for a per-machine installation and in the local Application Data folder for a per-user installation

If you always want to install to the root you should not be using MultiUser at all since only administrators can write to the root of a drive...

Answer 2

My solution was to switch from NSIS to Inno Setup with istool as suggest in the accepted answer of

What is the best choice for building Windows installers?

So far so good, I can install to c:\MyApp and I have the installer installing the newest version of jre.