Setup.exe doesn't add all files while adminstudio is captureing setup
Hi All,
I just had a small rollout go very poorly because repackaging an app in adminstudio didn't go well. I would like to find out if others have seen similar things happen and how they deal with them.
1. When running setup.exe w/admin rights on a clean VM image, everything goes well setup.exe installs all the required files.
2. When running clean vm image and then starting up adminstudio repackager and then trying any of the 3 types of install capture options, the setup runs and appears to go through smoothly yet it skips installing random files. These files don't prevent the app from opening yet deal with functionality. The app was developed in house and is powerbuilder code and is probably on an older version of powerbuilder.
3. I ran Zen's snapshot and was able to capture all the required files (and then some)
I'd prefer to make .msi files out of everything because they seem more reliable and are more portable in case we move away from zen. Any suggestions?
I just had a small rollout go very poorly because repackaging an app in adminstudio didn't go well. I would like to find out if others have seen similar things happen and how they deal with them.
1. When running setup.exe w/admin rights on a clean VM image, everything goes well setup.exe installs all the required files.
2. When running clean vm image and then starting up adminstudio repackager and then trying any of the 3 types of install capture options, the setup runs and appears to go through smoothly yet it skips installing random files. These files don't prevent the app from opening yet deal with functionality. The app was developed in house and is powerbuilder code and is probably on an older version of powerbuilder.
3. I ran Zen's snapshot and was able to capture all the required files (and then some)
I'd prefer to make .msi files out of everything because they seem more reliable and are more portable in case we move away from zen. Any suggestions?
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Posted by:
ktm_2000
16 years ago
I am trying to create a .msi package out of a plain setup.exe
During the capture process, I always start with a clean VM image which has no software installed, I am logged in with the local administrator account.
1. if I run the setup.exe when admin studio is not running to capture the setup.exe install installs all the correct files to the target pc.
2. If I start Admin Studio's repack.exe and then launch the setup.exe to capture the setup, the setup.exe installer does not copy all the required files to the local pc while the setup runs.
3. (I did more testing since the 1st post) If I start Novell Zenworks Snapshot utility and then launch the setup.exe to capture the setup, the setup.exe installer does not copy all the required files to the local pc while the setup runs.
During the capture process, I always start with a clean VM image which has no software installed, I am logged in with the local administrator account.
1. if I run the setup.exe when admin studio is not running to capture the setup.exe install installs all the correct files to the target pc.
2. If I start Admin Studio's repack.exe and then launch the setup.exe to capture the setup, the setup.exe installer does not copy all the required files to the local pc while the setup runs.
3. (I did more testing since the 1st post) If I start Novell Zenworks Snapshot utility and then launch the setup.exe to capture the setup, the setup.exe installer does not copy all the required files to the local pc while the setup runs.
Posted by:
ktm_2000
16 years ago
Maybe I'm not saying this clearly but what I'm looking for is if others have seen strange things while repackaging older apps and what type of setups types admin studio might have issues with.
My team and I have repackaged dozens of older setup.exe installers and this app is the first one where we saw the provided setup.exe not install files because a capture program is running.
My team and I have repackaged dozens of older setup.exe installers and this app is the first one where we saw the provided setup.exe not install files because a capture program is running.
Posted by:
HabMan
16 years ago
RE: >> If I start Novell Zenworks Snapshot utility and then launch the setup.exe to capture the setup, the setup.exe installer does not copy all the required files to the local pc while the setup runs.
That makes no sense. Zen snappshot is a real simple tool. It captures a before snappshot. You run a set up. It captures an after snAPPshot. The real knock of snappshot, is that it captures too much unrelated activity.
Can't say that I've ever seen it not capture a needed file. There is something missing in this equation.
RE: >> Maybe I'm not saying this clearly but what I'm looking for is if others have seen strange things while repackaging older apps and what type of setups types admin studio might have issues with.
If you use the Snapshot mode of Admin Studio it is pretty much the same as the snAPPshot of the ZEN variety.
The only issue is that if you use install monitoring, I've had that not work on some older apps, and had to use the snapshot mode.
That makes no sense. Zen snappshot is a real simple tool. It captures a before snappshot. You run a set up. It captures an after snAPPshot. The real knock of snappshot, is that it captures too much unrelated activity.
Can't say that I've ever seen it not capture a needed file. There is something missing in this equation.
RE: >> Maybe I'm not saying this clearly but what I'm looking for is if others have seen strange things while repackaging older apps and what type of setups types admin studio might have issues with.
If you use the Snapshot mode of Admin Studio it is pretty much the same as the snAPPshot of the ZEN variety.
The only issue is that if you use install monitoring, I've had that not work on some older apps, and had to use the snapshot mode.
Posted by:
anonymous_9363
16 years ago
FWIW:
- I *never* run an install as a process 'inside' any capture program.
- I *always* run the vendor install over the top of any MSI I've created or transformed and capture THAT using a lightweight snapshotter (I use Ziff-Davis's In Control) so that I can be sure I've got everything. Some vendors evidently think it's fun to include functionality which belongs in the MSI in their stubs.
- I *never* run an install as a process 'inside' any capture program.
- I *always* run the vendor install over the top of any MSI I've created or transformed and capture THAT using a lightweight snapshotter (I use Ziff-Davis's In Control) so that I can be sure I've got everything. Some vendors evidently think it's fun to include functionality which belongs in the MSI in their stubs.
Posted by:
India_Repackaging
16 years ago
Hi Matt,
I am not sure if you trying to re-capture a file which is already an .msi instead of setup.exe. According to me Admin Studio works well enough to capture most files that are installed by any setup.exe until they are mentioned in the exclusion list.
Also it is recommended never to capture a .msi file as it will not capture the changes that would be made to the system by the Custom Actions.
So I would suggest to start a clean machine, start a snapshot and run the setup.exe and check whether any .msi file is extracted in %temp%. If you find one there then use this .msi file and make changes by creating a .mst file(transform)
Also get a check on the list of files in the Exclusion list.
It is recommended to make .msi files out of setup.exe files but always a must to create transforms to modify vendor supplied .msi files.
I am not sure if you trying to re-capture a file which is already an .msi instead of setup.exe. According to me Admin Studio works well enough to capture most files that are installed by any setup.exe until they are mentioned in the exclusion list.
Also it is recommended never to capture a .msi file as it will not capture the changes that would be made to the system by the Custom Actions.
So I would suggest to start a clean machine, start a snapshot and run the setup.exe and check whether any .msi file is extracted in %temp%. If you find one there then use this .msi file and make changes by creating a .mst file(transform)
Also get a check on the list of files in the Exclusion list.
It is recommended to make .msi files out of setup.exe files but always a must to create transforms to modify vendor supplied .msi files.
Posted by:
anonymous_9363
16 years ago
ORIGINAL: India_RepackagingWhat?!? The reasons why MSIs should not be re-packaged are well documented here and elsewhere but this certainly isn't one of them! Where did you get this idea from? And what makes you think that a capture wouldn' include the changes made by CAs? It's a capture!!! :)
Also it is recommended never to capture a .msi file as it will not capture the changes that would be made to the system by the Custom Actions.
Essential reading: http://blogs.msdn.com/windows_installer_team/archive/2006/05/12/595950.aspx
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