...but I would rather use the native/built-in MSI repair functionality so it works with all my deployed files, not just the "ntrights.exe" file.
I expected this answer :)
This is exactly the problem. Repair means 'redeploy' and your ntrights.exe has nothing to do with the deployment (I guess it is some kind of OS user right configuration). Thus you cannot reconfigure/update the user rights unless you reinstall the all files. This is the reason you never configure user account as part of the email client installation. You can auto-start the "add account" wizard after the install but you never do the actual account configuration from the install/repair activity.
If you try to get your application "certified for Windows Vista+" you would have real problems because of the deployment strategy you chosen.
Anyway, enough of this. This discussion is purely theoretical. You will choose the approach you think is the most appropriate for the situation. :)
... this is not working because the files are not copied yet at this stage...
Why? I suggested "Add your ntrights.exe to your project as Binary not as File". Meaning it is never-ever going to be installed. "In the managed CA extract ntrights.exe from MSI" means you need to extract the file from the database (msi) not to find it among installed files. 'Simplified Bootstrapper' sample does exactly that. It shows how execute the file which is embedded into msi but is not destined to be installed.
I expected this answer :)
This is exactly the problem. Repair means 'redeploy' and your ntrights.exe has nothing to do with the deployment (I guess it is some kind of OS user right configuration). Thus you cannot reconfigure/update the user rights unless you reinstall the all files. This is the reason you never configure user account as part of the email client installation. You can auto-start the "add account" wizard after the install but you never do the actual account configuration from the install/repair activity.
If you try to get your application "certified for Windows Vista+" you would have real problems because of the deployment strategy you chosen.
Anyway, enough of this. This discussion is purely theoretical. You will choose the approach you think is the most appropriate for the situation. :)
... this is not working because the files are not copied yet at this stage...
Why? I suggested "Add your ntrights.exe to your project as Binary not as File". Meaning it is never-ever going to be installed. "In the managed CA extract ntrights.exe from MSI" means you need to extract the file from the database (msi) not to find it among installed files. 'Simplified Bootstrapper' sample does exactly that. It shows how execute the file which is embedded into msi but is not destined to be installed.