Learned that mini_installer's linker settings cannot actually be shared...

chrome/installer/installer.gyp

 {
   'variables': {
     'version_py': '../../chrome/tools/build/version.py',
     'version_path': '../../chrome/VERSION',
     'lastchange_path': '<(SHARED_INTERMEDIATE_DIR)/build/LASTCHANGE',
     # 'branding_dir' is set in the 'conditions' section at the bottom.
   },
   'includes': [
     '../../build/common.gypi',
   ],
@@ skipping 289 matching lines @@
               'msvs_cygwin_shell': 0,
             },
           ],
           'direct_dependent_settings': {
             'include_dirs': [
                '<(SHARED_INTERMEDIATE_DIR)/installer_util_strings',
             ],
           },
         },
         {
-          'target_name': 'mini_installer',
-          'type': 'executable',
-          'msvs_guid': '24A5AC7C-280B-4899-9153-6BA570A081E7',
-          'dependencies': [
-            '../chrome.gyp:chrome',
-            '../chrome.gyp:chrome_dll',
-            '../../testing/gtest.gyp:gtest',
-            'setup',
-          ],
-          'include_dirs': [
-            '../..',
-            '<(PRODUCT_DIR)',
-            '<(INTERMEDIATE_DIR)',
-          ],
-          'sources': [
-            'mini_installer/chrome.release',
-            'mini_installer/mini_installer.cc',
-            'mini_installer/mini_installer.h',
-            'mini_installer/mini_installer.ico',
-            'mini_installer/mini_installer.rc',
-            'mini_installer/mini_installer_exe_version.rc.version',
-            'mini_installer/mini_installer_resource.h',
-            'mini_installer/pe_resource.cc',
-            'mini_installer/pe_resource.h',
-          ],
-          'msvs_settings': {
-            'VCCLCompilerTool': {
-              'EnableIntrinsicFunctions': 'true',
-              'BufferSecurityCheck': 'false',
-            },
-            'VCLinkerTool': {
-              'RandomizedBaseAddress': '1',
-              'DataExecutionPrevention': '0',
-              'AdditionalDependencies': [
-                '"$(VCInstallDir)crt\\src\\intel\\mt_lib\\memset.obj"',
-                '"$(VCInstallDir)crt\\src\\intel\\mt_lib\\P4_memset.obj"',
-                'shlwapi.lib',
-              ],
-              'AdditionalLibraryDirectories':
-                ['<(DEPTH)/third_party/platformsdk_win2008_6_1/files/Lib;<(PRODUCT_DIR)/lib'],
-              'DelayLoadDLLs=': [],
-              'EntryPointSymbol': 'MainEntryPoint',
-              'GenerateMapFile': 'true',
-              'IgnoreAllDefaultLibraries': 'true',
-              'OptimizeForWindows98': '1',
-              'SubSystem': '2',     # Set /SUBSYSTEM:WINDOWS
-            },
-          },
-          'configurations': {
-            'Debug': {
-              'msvs_settings': {
-                'VCCLCompilerTool': {
-                  'BasicRuntimeChecks': '0',
-                },
-              },
-            },
-            'Release': {
-              'msvs_settings': {
-                'VCCLCompilerTool': {
-                  'BasicRuntimeChecks': '0',
-                },
-              },
-            },
-          },
-          'rules': [
-            {
-              'rule_name': 'mini_installer_version',
-              'extension': 'version',
-              'variables': {
-                'template_input_path': 'mini_installer/mini_installer_exe_version.rc.version',
-              },
-              'inputs': [
-                '<(template_input_path)',
-                '<(version_path)',
-                '<(lastchange_path)',
-                '<(branding_dir)/BRANDING',
-              ],
-              'outputs': [
-                '<(INTERMEDIATE_DIR)/mini_installer_exe_version.rc',
-              ],
-              'action': [
-                'python', '<(version_py)',
-                '-f', '<(version_path)',
-                '-f', '<(lastchange_path)',
-                '-f', '<(branding_dir)/BRANDING',
-                '<(template_input_path)',
-                '<@(_outputs)',
-              ],
-              'process_outputs_as_sources': 1,
-              'message': 'Generating version information'
-            },
-            {
-              'rule_name': 'installer_archive',
-              'extension': 'release',
-              'variables': {
-                'create_installer_archive_py_path':
-                  '../tools/build/win/create_installer_archive.py',
-              },
-              'inputs': [
-                '<(create_installer_archive_py_path)',
-                '<(PRODUCT_DIR)/chrome.exe',
-                '<(PRODUCT_DIR)/chrome.dll',
-                '<(PRODUCT_DIR)/locales/en-US.dll',
-                '<(PRODUCT_DIR)/icudt38.dll',
-              ],
-              'outputs': [
-                'xxx.out',
-                '<(PRODUCT_DIR)/<(RULE_INPUT_NAME).7z',
-                '<(PRODUCT_DIR)/<(RULE_INPUT_NAME).packed.7z',
-                '<(PRODUCT_DIR)/setup.ex_',
-                '<(PRODUCT_DIR)/packed_files.txt',
-              ],
-              'action': [
-                'python',
-                '<(create_installer_archive_py_path)',
-                '--output_dir=<(PRODUCT_DIR)',
-                '--input_file=<(RULE_INPUT_PATH)',
-                # TODO(sgk):  may just use environment variables
-                #'--distribution=$(CHROMIUM_BUILD)',
-                '--distribution=_google_chrome',
-              ],
-              'message': 'Create installer archive'
-            },
-          ],
-          # TODO(mark):  <(branding_dir) should be defined by the
-          # global condition block at the bottom of the file, but
-          # this doesn't work due to the following issue:
-          #
-          #   http://code.google.com/p/gyp/issues/detail?id=22
-          #
-          # Remove this block once the above issue is fixed.
-          'conditions': [
-            [ 'branding == "Chrome"', {
-              'variables': {
-                 'branding_dir': '../app/theme/google_chrome',
-              },
-            }, { # else branding!="Chrome"
-              'variables': {
-                 'branding_dir': '../app/theme/chromium',
-              },
-            }],
-          ],
-        },
-        {
           'target_name': 'mini_installer_test',
           'type': 'executable',
           'msvs_guid': '4B6E199A-034A-49BD-AB93-458DD37E45B1',
           'dependencies': [
             'installer_util',
             '../../base/base.gyp:base',
             '../../testing/gtest.gyp:gtest',
           ],
           'include_dirs': [
             '../..',
@@ skipping 154 matching lines @@
       'variables': {
          'branding_dir': '../app/theme/google_chrome',
       },
     }, { # else branding!="Chrome"
       'variables': {
          'branding_dir': '../app/theme/chromium',
       },
     }],
   ],
 }