windows installer - Remove file during minor upgrade

Question

I have one feature with several components. One components contains dynamic linked files in a directory. When I delete one file in that directory, build the setup, and run the upgrade, no file will be replaced. In the log I found this error:

MSI (s) (5C:D8) [12:28:41:180]: SELMGR: ComponentId '{8F4E8185-5B89-9FC9-9FD5-3200102A0265}' is registered to feature 'MyFeatureName', but is not present in the Component table.  Removal of components from a feature is not supported!
MSI (s) (5C:D8) [12:28:41:180]: SELMGR: Removal of a component from a feature is not supported

How can I remove a dynamic linked file?

Answer 1

The book answer is use a major upgrade.

The ultimate MSI hacker's answer is to edit the previous MSI in ORCA to get the exact primary key and GUID values. Author that component statically into your latest ISM and then implement the "puncture component" pattern. This means you set the Revaluate attribute and then give it a condition that always evaluates to false. In this way the new MSI still has the component but it gets removed from the machine.