Software Deployment

Start here:

http://itninja.com/question/antivirus-packaging5

By the way, great username...enjoy yourself!

Sounds to me like you've been given the task of packaging without the necessary tools to actually do the work needed.

I assume that your saying 'using the exe files' means you want to add parameters to the installer EXE for an MSI package for silent and customised install. This is actually the essence of a packaging job since every piece of software has its own custom way of installing them. First step could be running the exe installer with a /? parameter to see if any usefull parameters can be specified when running it. Next would be to look through the package KB on this site if there's info on the different applicatons. If there's nothing there you'll actually have to go to work yourself...

If the installers all contain MSI files the best way to go about it would be to drop the exe and do the following:

1) get yourself a packaging tool. Preferably a full IDE like Wise or Installshield. If that's not possible a freeware lightweight alternative - InstEdit (google it)

2) if possible get a hold of Phil Wilson's book 'The Definitive Guide to Windows Installer' and digest that.

3) The idea now would be to open the MSI files in your authoring tool and add relevant changes in the different tables of the MSI. For the type of customisation you describe it's usually the Property table. Once you made these changes they should be saved in a Transform file (.mst) through the save-as option of your tool.

4) Now install the MSI directly using a commandline like msiexec.exe /i <path to the MSI> TRANSFORMS=<path to mst> /QN

This is a REALLY shorthand description of the process. Like I said, what you described pretty much describes what a packager does. To be honest, if you want more in depth training on this I suggest you get it from an official provider, or you contact me directly, we can talk rates for this kind of training/work :-)

Kind Regards,

PJ

Thanks Jimmy, configuring the MSI manually using the exe files is the only function I have to do atm, and I'm very bewildered by it all.

Specific links will be very helpful, I don't pretend to understand any of it, I'm just filling in, I'm an ITSec guy!

Love the Specials too!

Thanks pjgeutjens.

I'm contacting the Software providers directly, unsure whether we can download any software to assist me in this!

I only have to perform this function, run the MSI, then notify the SCCM guy.

Just one step really, so I could repeat for all the software that is missing the MSI file.

Hmmm, I don't know...

If I get stuck, there may be a PM in your box.

Thanks again!

If you are lucky, some vendors provide instuctions on how to perform a silent install of their software. It is usually included in a pdf on the original disk, but in some cases, you need to go to the vendors site and dig around for it. Easiest way to get started is to google for it.

Some google tips:
appname silent install
appname quiet install
appname answer file
appname /q
appname /s
etc.......

To search within the vendors website directly, use the line below.
site: www.vendor.com appname silent install

Some google tips:
appname silent install
appname quiet install
appname answer file
appname /q
appname /s

Thanks for all your help, I'm slowly getting there!

Cheers!