MSI Packaging

[Kained]

looking for software to make msi packages? any recomendations

[jwood]

Don't Veritas make a MSI package builder?

As a possible alternative, what about using Ghost AI packages to install new software? This works on a before and after snapshot, so you're able to make very precise changes which you can't do with an MSI.

[FN-GM]

there is something on the Windows Server 2000 disc i think, im not sure of its name though.

[Jackd]

there is something on the Windows Server 2000 disc i think, im not sure of its name though.

WinInstall LE

[Norphy]

Which does the job for a given value of "does"

[Teth]

There is also ORCA which is part of one of the XP or 2k3 support packs.

Its a much more powerful tool but but has a vertical learning curve.

Between them you can do most things but there are much more userfriendly tools some with alot of automation but they are prohibatively expensive at least for us.

appdeploy.com is your friend here. It has general hot-to articals and a database of apps with notes from experienced packagers on the various quirks and work arounds for them.

[Teth]

Last thign worth mentioning some apps such as Office and Visual studio come with tools to produce their own GPO deployable packages.

Other apps are the oposite end of the scale such as Macromedia Studio MX and Photshop elements which are an absolute ^&*$ to package. I've been beating my head against the brick wall that is Elements 5.0 since lunch and I still can't make it install without that photo import wizard which hijacks any mass storage device you plug in.

[ajbritton]

Another option which some love (and some hate) is the Windows Installer Wrapper Wizard, which can create an MSI 'wrapper' around a silent installer/uninstaller. So if you have, say, and InstallShield based installer (which can usually be made to run unattended by creating a SETUP.ISS), you can create an MSI which will install the application.

ORCA is not a packaging tool, but can be very useful for creating/tweaking 'transform/.MST' files. or finding out about the internals of an MSI file. In that respect, it as essential utility for anyone doing packaging or MSI based installations.

[dhicks]

I use AutoIt on our system. Wonderful piece of software - has now grown into an entire programming language specialising in automating the Windows GUI. It is, even more amazingly, free. You can automate pretty much any installer (or other software) you like, even the aukward ones that don't like being automated.

I've not tried auto-installing MS Office 2007 yet - seemingly there's some differences between how it and MS Office 2003 worked. Someone reckoned that MS Office 2007 was no longer a "pure" MSI install, it always has to ask for some input from the user. I could have the wrong idea, though - I'll know in a few weeks when I've got MS Office 2007 installed :-)

--
David Hicks

[leon]

In the past I've used Wise Package Studio from a clean VM session, which is very good, but not cheap. The created msi is very configurable, once you get past the bewildering array of options. For everyday stuff WinInstall gets the job done.

This site's pretty useful: http://www.appdeploy.com/

[roland]

I have had some success with http://www.advancedinstaller.com/

Advanced Installer, comes as Freeware for the basic version or you can pay for the Extra Features, (Quite reasonably priced) but by all accounts it seems to work well.

Best Roly

[Kained]

Thanks for all the responses guys will give them a shot

[Newton]

I use EMCO MSI creator, its quick and simple, free 30 day trial.

[farmerste]

does anyone know where i can read/buy any info, or books on the subject of building .msi or writing .mst files?
I understand how to use winstallle to make an msi, it is when i look at all the table values that i am at a loss.
I tend to try and write .mst file for existing .msi's wherever possible, but the little knowledge i have tends to make this very much a 'trial and error' approach ( as most of my knowledge is made up from small items i have read on the internet), at the moment i use orka, from the ORK to edit .mst ( and at the moment i am 'MR drop row' using orca)

Any pointers would be gratefully accepted.

[Geoff]

I use MAKEMSI to build my MSI files.

MAKEMSI - Make MSI based installation files. Can automatically build new or update existing MSI files or other Windows Installer databases file types. Has guid generator plus many other tools.

The help file it comes with is comprehensive. It's also available on-line.

MAKEMSI CONTENTS