MSI to do muliple tasks

[tonywesley]

I have searched the forum and seen someone had created a MSI file to stop screens turning upside down with the keyboard shortcut. I have created MSI files with Winstall LE with great success but I did not know you could create MSI files for tasks like this. Can someone tell me how to achieve this or even if this is a recommended way of doing muliple tasks like this.

[meastaugh1]

It is possible to make per-computer configuration changes with an MSI, in much the same way that you would for installing an application. Simply take your first snapshot, make the changes you wish your MSI to affect, then taking the second snapshot.

 

For example, on a computer where users can rotate the screen, take the first snapshot, disable screen rotation, take second snapshot.

 

It is theoretically possible to make per-user changes with an MSI, but I wouldn't recommend it. The MSI would have to run a repair for each user. You'd also need to have an advertised entry point in order for the per-user repair to take place. For per-user configuration that isn't directly associated with a particular application, stick with administrative templates (for GPO configuration), or logon scripts.

 

If you are going to use MSIs to make per-computer configuration changes, then I'd recommend a separate MSI for each. I believe that Intel stored the "disable screen rotation" registry value in one key for several versions of the driver, then switched to a completely different key for a subsequent series of versions.

Edited May 18, 2008 by meastaugh1

[BBrian]

You can script everything you want done with AutoIt and use WIWW to wrap it as an MSI. A better way would probably be to script the registry changes in the startup script and remove them after a week. I regularly have a few EXEs or EXE/CMD combinations in MSIs by using WIWW.

 

You can get snapshot applications that just do registry changes, regshot being one. I've no experience with them.

 

The correct way to do this is using ADM templates. They work for a good amount of registry keys. Microsoft acquired a company who wrote the software to do the rest, policymaker. I'm not sure if it's available but it wasn't free when I looked at it.