Bootstrappers that download packages over the web from Microsoft

Question

What are the best practices for creating internet download bootstrappers that reference Microsoft packages?

For example InstallShield has a Setup Prerequisite that can download vstor40_x86.exe from Microsoft.com through a go.microsoft.com/fwlink link ID that resolves to the download url for that EXE. InstallShield didn't create a PRQ for vstor40_x64.exe and I need to make one. I've found the Microsoft page that has the download links for x86/x64.exe but I can't find an fwlink ID that resolves to the x64.

What is Microsoft's position on this? Do they document the fwlink ID's anywhere and do they want us linking to Microsoft so that they can control the availability or is this a bad practice which is just leaching off of Microsoft?

Answer 1

I just looked at the bootstrapper that was installed when I put Visual Studio 2010 on my machine. It is in the SDK directory (c:\program files\microsoft sdks\windows\7.0a). The Bootstrapper directory there contains a bunch of them, the ones you get to choose from when you create a VS Setup project and select the prerequisites.

On my machine, the package file is in vstor40\en\package.xml. The fwlink declared there for the x64 version is

http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=158918

Given the ready availability of these bootstrappers in VS, I seriously doubt Microsoft has any problem with you actually using them.