Reverse-engineer a Microsoft self-executing file?
Hello. This is not exactly an MSI question, but I'm not sure where else to ask it so please indulge me a bit.
I have a Microsoft-supplied installation file (WSUSSetup.exe) that is self-extracting and self-running. I want to run the installation from the extracted files themselves and not use the original 126 MB installation file during deployment.
I can get the extracted files without a problem. However, when I run the extracted SETUP.EXE, I want to pass some command-line parameters and properties that are permitted for the original installation file. These parameters are not working with SETUP.EXE
In other words, the original Microsoft installation file allows me to do something like this and it works fine:
WSUSSetup.exe /q /d /v" "SQL_INSTANCE=%COMPUTERNAME%" "
When I try using the extracted setup.exe, it doesn't work. The command goes for a few seconds, then the command prompt returns and nothing has been installed, plus there are no error logs.
Can anyone suggest a tool or documentation to help me understand how the original Microsoft installation EXE is passing the parameters and properties to the actual setup process?
(Needless to say, this method is not supported by Microsoft so I haven't gotten an answer on the WSUS newsgroup.)
Thanks
David
I have a Microsoft-supplied installation file (WSUSSetup.exe) that is self-extracting and self-running. I want to run the installation from the extracted files themselves and not use the original 126 MB installation file during deployment.
I can get the extracted files without a problem. However, when I run the extracted SETUP.EXE, I want to pass some command-line parameters and properties that are permitted for the original installation file. These parameters are not working with SETUP.EXE
In other words, the original Microsoft installation file allows me to do something like this and it works fine:
WSUSSetup.exe /q /d /v" "SQL_INSTANCE=%COMPUTERNAME%" "
When I try using the extracted setup.exe, it doesn't work. The command goes for a few seconds, then the command prompt returns and nothing has been installed, plus there are no error logs.
Can anyone suggest a tool or documentation to help me understand how the original Microsoft installation EXE is passing the parameters and properties to the actual setup process?
(Needless to say, this method is not supported by Microsoft so I haven't gotten an answer on the WSUS newsgroup.)
Thanks
David
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Posted by:
TomB
18 years ago
Dcheng,
With out looking at the WSUSSetup.exe and its extracted files I can tell you this.
The /v is a standard switch for passing MSI Properties from the Setup.exe to the MSI itself in InstallShiled Setup.exe files.
Looking at your command line I would make a guess that the /q is for quiet and that the /v passes the "SQL_INSTANCE" property to the MSI for this setup.
What files are extracted? Is there an MSI file and if so can you must run the install for the MSI:
msiexec /q /i filename.msi SQL_INSTANCE=%computername%
Of the extracted files is there a need to call the Setup.exe? Usually it is just a stub launcher to check for the existance of the Windows Installer or a specific version and install if that condition is not met. If you are sure all the machiens recieving this application have the correct verison of Windows installer then you may not need the Setup.exe.
I am not sure what the /d switch does for the WSUSSetup.exe or if it can be replicated some other way with the MSI, so you may not have a choice.
Maybe someone else here who has run this before can provide more information.
With out looking at the WSUSSetup.exe and its extracted files I can tell you this.
The /v is a standard switch for passing MSI Properties from the Setup.exe to the MSI itself in InstallShiled Setup.exe files.
Looking at your command line I would make a guess that the /q is for quiet and that the /v passes the "SQL_INSTANCE" property to the MSI for this setup.
What files are extracted? Is there an MSI file and if so can you must run the install for the MSI:
msiexec /q /i filename.msi SQL_INSTANCE=%computername%
Of the extracted files is there a need to call the Setup.exe? Usually it is just a stub launcher to check for the existance of the Windows Installer or a specific version and install if that condition is not met. If you are sure all the machiens recieving this application have the correct verison of Windows installer then you may not need the Setup.exe.
I am not sure what the /d switch does for the WSUSSetup.exe or if it can be replicated some other way with the MSI, so you may not have a choice.
Maybe someone else here who has run this before can provide more information.
Posted by:
dcheng
18 years ago
Tom - thanks for your reply. The extracted files have a WUSSetup.exe but I just found the actual MSI in one of the subdirectories so I should be able to proceed from here.
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