Shrinking size of MSI File
Hi All,
Having noticed an MSI file containing only several registry components (~50) was almost 1 MB, I did some research on how size can be reduced. I found this article http://www.symantec.com/connect/blogs/reducing-size-msi-file and followed the steps as suggested.
Basically, I opened the MSI in ORCA, exported all the data tables to .idt's, created a new MSI in ORCA and imported all the tables.
I checked the size of the new MSI, however, it wasn't any smaller (I think it may have been a few KB larger). Did I miss a step or would this mostly apply to MSIs containing several items stored in the binary table?
Having noticed an MSI file containing only several registry components (~50) was almost 1 MB, I did some research on how size can be reduced. I found this article http://www.symantec.com/connect/blogs/reducing-size-msi-file and followed the steps as suggested.
Basically, I opened the MSI in ORCA, exported all the data tables to .idt's, created a new MSI in ORCA and imported all the tables.
I checked the size of the new MSI, however, it wasn't any smaller (I think it may have been a few KB larger). Did I miss a step or would this mostly apply to MSIs containing several items stored in the binary table?
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Posted by:
anonymous_9363
15 years ago
an MSI file containing only several registry components (~50) was almost 1 MBPlease take this comment in the spirit it is meant - so what? In the days of 1.44Mb floppies that might have been an issue but now? Leave it and worry about more important things! :)
Posted by:
jayteeo
15 years ago
Trying to squeeze a lot of data into a DVD for deployment. Currently without MSI, we are hitting the ceiling.
Posted by:
anonymous_9363
15 years ago
If your package is just registry entries and if space is really that tight, why not use a ZIPped .REG file, plus a script to unzip and merge the .REG?
Posted by:
jayteeo
15 years ago
Hey VBScab - The MSIs are being deployed using a provisioning tool which also remediates machines that are online so the MSI must "self-heal." The .reg approach would work but I'd have to do an appsearch for each reg value to validate.
Posted by:
spartacus
15 years ago
Hello, you might be able to shrink the files by using the free (but old) Ziff Davies unfrag.exe tool available at
[font="ms sans serif"]ftp://ftp.goldensoftware.ws/public/utility/pcmunfrg.zip
[font="ms sans serif"]
This was originally intended for compound documents such as Word file etc. But as MSI files are structurally similar, it does work on these too.
(Make a backup copy of your MSI, just to be on the safe side, though)
Regards,
Spartacus
[font="ms sans serif"]
[font="ms sans serif"]
This was originally intended for compound documents such as Word file etc. But as MSI files are structurally similar, it does work on these too.
(Make a backup copy of your MSI, just to be on the safe side, though)
Regards,
Spartacus
Posted by:
anonymous_9363
15 years ago
This was originally intended for compound documents such as Word file etc.Does anyone else remember the priceless quote from Shaun Orpen [sp?], at the time Office Product Manager? He said "Office files are mostly air..."
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