Software Deployment

Hi Exup,

Please go through this document.It will definitely help you.

1. Introduction
This document gives a detailed description of the Vendor MSI and ways of trouble-shooting.

All the concerned people in repackaging can use this document as reference.

2. Types of Vendor MSI’S

1.source as a vendor MSI.
2.Setup.exe pulling a vendor MSI.
3.Setup.exe pulling a vendor MSI (dependent on Setup.exe to install fine).

2.1 Do’s And Don’ts on getting a vendor MSI as a source.

If we get a Vendor MSI mentioned in the first case as a source, then using the Vendor MSI can directly create the Transforms.

Never Repackage an MSI. It will cause lots of problem in the functionality and even the product code and component information will be changed.

One more reason to retain Vendor MSI without making any changes is Vendor wants to retain the original source and logic in creating the source. Vendor should be able to look back to the changes. Therefore only Transforms should be created.

Transforms are used to make the changes to the Vendor MSI without actually disturbing the original source.

It is similar to giving information in the explanatory log for future references. The changes can be tracked using the tool as a part of wise package studio Visual MSIDiff.

2.2 Setup.exe pulling a vendor MSI

Packaging tools like Install Shield and Wise Package Studio can be used to create MSI embedded inside the set-up file.

How to identify?

There are various methods to identify the above-mentioned condition.

Method 1
1.Double-Click on the Setup.exe
2.Browse to C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Local Settings\Temp
3.Copy of MSI will be placed in the above-mentioned location.

Method 2
1.Double-click on the Setup.exe
2.Go to control Panel/Administrator Tools/Services and Disable the Windows Installer Service and Restart.
3.If the Setup.exe were pulling an MSI then it would throw an error while installing.





Therefore it can be confirmed that the setup.exe has an MSI embedded in it.



2.3 Setup.exe pulling a vendor MSI (dependent on Setup.exe to install Fine)

Install Shield gives option of creating the vendor MSI that is dependent on the setup.exe.

In such a scenario, Extracting MSI form the above mentioned methods will not work, as the MSI will have Install shield scripts for the installation through INI file.

1.How to identify?

1.Identify the MSI from the source by following one of the above-mentioned steps.

2. Steps to be followed.

1. Double click on the setup.exe
2. Browse to C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Local Settings\Temp.
3. Copy the MSI to different location
4. Double click on the MSI and follow the Installation Manual
5. If the MSI Throws an Error







Then the MSI is dependent on the Setup.exe configurations



Steps to Trouble Shoot
1. Delete the contents of C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Local Settings\Temp

2.Double click the setup.exe.

3. Browse to C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Local Settings\Temp

4.Copy the temporary files to a different location

5.Setup.exe is created using Install Shield will have some install scripts which will determine the installation procedure.


In such a case it will copy some MSI’S

1. ISScript.MSI
2. RoboDemo 5.0.msi

There are two ways to solve this
1.Delete all the Install Shield related custom actions in the MST.
2.Delete the launch condition in the MSI (If it is provided) in the MST.
Excellent way of solving
1.Create transforms for RoboDemo 5.0.msi and Add a property "ISSETUPDRIVEN" and set the value to "1".

2. Remove or comment out the "OnCheckSilentInstall" custom actin in the "InstallExecuteSequence".


Mention the ISScript.MSI as the dependency for this software to install fine in the Explanation Log.

By doing this we ensure no custom script of the original source is deleted.

Further these two MSI can be converted to one MSI by calling embedded MSI logic.

Lot of INI files will be copied to C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Local Settings\Temp.

For Example

1. _ISMSIDEL.INI-The function of this INI file is to delete the temporary files copied to C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Local Settings\Temp.
2. Setup.INI- The function this INI file is to provide information for the installation.
3. 0x0409.ini-The function this INI file is to detect the conditions for the proper installation like (detects OS)
And pops an error if the condition is not met.


Author

Nagaraj






End of the Document

The document above is rather in depth and accurate, but there is something to add.

You can now get around this whole mess with the latest version of InstallShield. Open the install with InstallShield and recompile it as a single MSI without an EXE. Even the InstallShield eval can do this, it just throws in a bunch of evaluation messages. All of these eval messages magically disappear after you open it with your licensed Wise and recompile again. Now you're dealing with a nice, clean, simple MSI install that's easily transformable. Kinda sidesteps the whole annoying Setup.exe bootstrap thing.

Also see if you can decouple the setup.exe from the MSI. Sometimes it is a bad thing because the setup.exe is more than a wrapper.

http://support.installshield.com/kb/view.asp?articleid=Q108166

So if you decide to setup capture both the exe and MSI look for anything to do with the InstallShieldScript driver. There will be COM entries and a few files you'll have to remove. If you got time on your hands consider setup capturing all InstallShield script engines from 7 to 9 and add them to your exclusion lists.

Thanks to everyone for their replies... i've tried looking in the temp file for copied files but they don't seem to place them all there... i've d/l'd installshield 10.5pro demo but this is the first of seen/used it and trying to covert/remove the setup.exe option isn't obvious to me- can someone please enlighten me -
cheers once again :)

Yes, I am having this same problem with OmniPage Office 14. Which version of Install Shield do we download, and can you tell us briefly how to do it? I've been working on this freaking package for a month!


BTW- I have only have Wise Installation System...will the evals go away with this as well?

If you want to try the InstallShield conversion wizard you must use Admin Studio 6 or better.

I can't find the Conversion Wizard in Admin Studio 6, so I just tried to package the setup.exe. It keeps on giving me a message that the install is corrupt ot I have bad sectors on my hard drive. This is definately not the case. I only get this message with Install Shield. Weird.

Where is the conversion wizard? BTW, I don't have an "open" button, the one that looks like an open button is to connect to a server or database.

I don't have it installed at the moment, so unfortunately I can only give a general approach. Open the setup.exe package (I think you open the .exe and it finds the rest), change build options to not create an exe (single msi only, cabs or no cabs your preference) and recompile.

The options to set whether or not you create a setup.exe file for a package is located in the "releases" section of Devstudio.

Hi Nagaraj,

It was definitelty placing some files into my temp folder but not them all and nothing that i could do things with....
Setup.exe /a was extracting to to a specified file and seemed to be all the files - but no setup.exe - when trying to run the extracted msi it required the setup.exe..... puzzling.

Hi exup,

For experimentation purposeedit that msi and add a property ISSETUPDRIVEN=1 and comment on the custom action onsilent installation and try launching.

Or else i think i am not understanding your problem

Nagaraj

adaptability,

I did like you suggest to get my packages to work which have require the setup.exe. The one strange thing I see is that If I make those changes then run a shortcut like:
msiexec.exe /i "\\server\applications\L2\L2.msi" TRANSFORMS="\\server\applications\L2\test8i.mst"
this works.

However, if I create this as a job in Altiris The install runs sucessfully in the logs, but shotcuts and such are missing and I'm not sure its 100% complete. Has anyone experienced this kind of behavior before? Thanks.

Anyone ever find out why the shortcuts are not created via the steps detailed by schieb? I'm having a similar issue.

Edit: I know I've done this before... The problem was that I had the language set to "english" rather than "English". :) All better now!

Hi Exup,

It will definitely put a copy in logged in user local settings temp.

or else use command setup.exe/a.It will not place msi under administrator always.........it will place under the current login folder if the its exup under exup temp it will place

Waiting for your response

Nagaraj