Software Deployment

It's probably a setup for an installscript MSI. Search the site for "Installscript MSI" and you'll discover how to deploy it on its own. You could also try creating a response file for the setup.exe. Search for "setup response file iss"with Google or on the site.

Thanks for the info, turbokitty. I'm still not sure how to go about pursuing the InstallScript MSI route, but I tried getting the original exe to create a response file, which it did, but now when I try to install the app silently and reference setup.iss (mediaface5038.exe /s /f1"c:\mf\setup.iss" /f2"c:\mf\setup.log"), it hangs at the dialog that prompts for user name/company name/serial #.

I don't see a corresponding entry in the iss file for this dialog, so I reckon my next question is: can I edit the iss file to include this info, and if so, how would I go about determining the name of this particular dialog and the corresponding info I'd need to add for username/company name/serial #?

Not sure if it's useful, but here's what my setup.iss looks like currently:

[{70A3C0E1-1953-4A95-9C66-99FDCDD5E357}-DlgOrder]
Dlg0={70A3C0E1-1953-4A95-9C66-99FDCDD5E357}-SdWelcome-0
Count=6
Dlg1={70A3C0E1-1953-4A95-9C66-99FDCDD5E357}-SdLicense-0
Dlg2={70A3C0E1-1953-4A95-9C66-99FDCDD5E357}-SdAskDestPath-0
Dlg3={70A3C0E1-1953-4A95-9C66-99FDCDD5E357}-SdSelectFolder-0
Dlg4={70A3C0E1-1953-4A95-9C66-99FDCDD5E357}-AskYesNo-0
Dlg5={70A3C0E1-1953-4A95-9C66-99FDCDD5E357}-SdFinish-0
[{70A3C0E1-1953-4A95-9C66-99FDCDD5E357}-SdWelcome-0]
Result=1
[{70A3C0E1-1953-4A95-9C66-99FDCDD5E357}-SdLicense-0]
Result=1
[{70A3C0E1-1953-4A95-9C66-99FDCDD5E357}-SdAskDestPath-0]
szDir=C:\Program Files\Fellowes\MediaFACE 5.0\
Result=1
[{70A3C0E1-1953-4A95-9C66-99FDCDD5E357}-SdSelectFolder-0]
szFolder=MediaFACE 5.0
Result=1
[{70A3C0E1-1953-4A95-9C66-99FDCDD5E357}-AskYesNo-0]
Result=0
[{70A3C0E1-1953-4A95-9C66-99FDCDD5E357}-SdFinish-0]
Result=1
bOpt1=0
bOpt2=1

http://itninja.com/blog/view/appdeploy.com->-training-videos->-dealing-with-installscript-for-administrators

I'd never rely on isscript to install your app, either crack it open as turbo suggests or get vendor support for their crappy installer.

I grabbed all those files and tried to do an install using the msi found there. That produced the error "This installation can not be run by directly launching the MSI package; you must run setup.exe".Almost every time, this can be circumvented by adding a property called 'ISSETUPDRIVEN' and assigning it the value '1'. It's documented many times here on AppDeploy.

VBScab, your info about adding ISSETUPDRIVEN got me past the initial hurdle (well, that and downloading an eval copy of InstallShield) so that now I can install via the MSI, referencing my transform.

And that leads to my next question. When I try launching the app, it errors with a dialog stating "The License module is not installed. Try to reinstall MediaFACE properly."

So I thought it would be easy to edit the appropriate dialog and add in the serial number. But none of the dialogs present themselves in the All Dialogs item in InstallShield, and searching through all the tables, the only place I see any mention of a serial number is in the ISSetupFile table, which lists some of the files I initially extracted, including SerialNumber.dll.

Not sure what to try next.

The trick with any capture is to:

- install to your test box using your captured package
- start a lightweight snapshot tool (I use Ziff-Davis's In Control v5)
- take a 'Before' snapshot.
I suggest this method as another capture by your MSI authoring tool is normally over-the-top for what probably amounts to a couple of files and/or registry entries at worst
- reset any flag in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\[ProductCode] or [ProductName]. I normally just rename the key. This prevents the vendor install initiating a repair, or preventing a re-install.
- start the vendor's set-up stub and go through EXACTLY the same steps you did with the capture (which, of course, you documented with the package for the next guy, right?)
- take an 'After' snapshot
- compare relevant new files and/or registry data. With time, you'll get to know what's junk and to ignore it.
- add the relevant stuff to your package
- re-compile and re-test

VBScab missed the last step:

-pray to god it works

A couple questions: not sure what you mean by "your captured packaged" and "the vendor's set-up stub". I'm guessing the vendor's setup stub is the original exe from the vendor, but not sure what the captured package is supposed to be.
Thanks.

Okay, ignore those previous couple questions. I found the In Control utility, installed it, fumbled around, finally figured out how it works, and now I have a report to look at, and after adding in the reg keys with the user info from the installation dialog I mentioned earlier, I actually have an app that gets as far as the splash screen.

But that's where it stalls. The report that In Control generated lists 3,000+ reg key changes. Just wondering if I can narrow that down a bit. I'm guessing at least a thousand of these are in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT. And a bunch more are in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Installer\UserData\S-1-5-18\Components.

Not sure if there's any good rhyme or reason to sorting through that many entries, or if I just throw up my hands and give up. Earlier someone suggested getting vendor support. I just heard back from the vendor; the short version of their message is "quiet installs aren't supported".

And one last question about In Control. The report doesn't list any changes in the "Disk contents" section, even though the app I installed obviously added a bunch of files/folders. Just wondering how to get In Control to show those changes in the report.

Many thanks, VBScab, for throwing me into the pool on this one. I floundered for a bit, but at least now I feel like I'm treading water, if not swimming. Even if I wind up not getting this app to do a quiet install, I can see where all the new things I've learned will be helpful w/ future repackaging.

Firstly, I apologise. I didn't review the whole thread and assumed that this was a captured app, not a vendor-supplied MSI.

It sounds like you ran In Control (IC) for the whole install, not just the delta - the difference between what the MSI does and what the stub does afterwards (if anything).

This time, repeat the exercise I outlined but, change the first line:

- install to your test box using your captured package

to:

- install the extracted MSI on your test box.

After that, you should get a much smaller report from IC!

As for disk contents, you have to add the drives you want to monitor. From the main start-up dialog, click the 'Drives' button in the 'What to track' frame. Click the 'Add' button, browse to C: and OK out.

You should also exclude some junk. To save you some time, here's the INI which I use for IC. Just copy it to wherever you have the EXE (having backed-up your own INI first, of course.)[Folders]
0=c:\WINDOWS\LastGood
1=c:\WINDOWS\pchealth
2=c:\WINDOWS\Prefetch
3=c:\WINDOWS\system32\config
4=c:\WINDOWS\system32\wbem
5=c:\Program Files\Common Files\InstallShield

[Drives]
0=c:\

[INIs]
0=c:\windows\control.ini
1=c:\windows\odbc.ini
2=c:\windows\odbcinst.ini
3=c:\windows\system.ini
4=c:\windows\win.ini

[Txt]
0=C:\autoexec.bat
1=C:\config.sys

[OptForm Settings]
Left=192
Top=275
Right=582
Bottom=472
MinX=-1
MinY=-1
MaxX=-1
MaxY=-1
ShowCmd=1
flags=0

[Settings]
DrivesInitialized=1
INIsInitialized=1
TxtInitialized=1
TempPath=C:\WINDOWS\Temp\
ReptPath=C:\WINDOWS\Temp\
BootDrv=C:\
InstPath=C:\WINDOWS\
ReportFormat=1
RegInitialized=1

[PathsForm Settings]
Left=447
Top=430
Right=833
Bottom=596
MinX=-1
MinY=-1
MaxX=-1
MaxY=-1
ShowCmd=1
flags=0

[MainForm Settings]
Left=777
Top=29
MinX=-1
MinY=-1
MaxX=-1
MaxY=-1
ShowCmd=1
flags=0

[ReptForm Settings]
Left=287
Top=45
Right=1006
Bottom=525
MinX=-1
MinY=-1
MaxX=-1
MaxY=-1
ShowCmd=1
flags=0

[RegIgForm Settings]
Left=159
Top=320
Right=1116
Bottom=486
MinX=-1
MinY=-1
MaxX=-1
MaxY=-1
ShowCmd=1
flags=0

[Regs]
0=hkey_classes_root\clsid\{0d458be8-d99d-11d3-a92b-00105a088fac}
1=hkey_classes_root\clsid\{8c3c1b17-e59d-11d2-b40b-00a024b9dddd}
2=hkey_classes_root\clsid\{91814ec0-b5f0-11d2-80b9-00104b1f6cea}
3=hkey_classes_root\clsid\{b01feb50-45ed-11d3-b444-00104b261643}
4=hkey_classes_root\clsid\{b9a7e591-6c9c-11d3-b452-00104b261643}
5=hkey_classes_root\clsid\{c9cd1a93-d7b4-11d2-80c5-00104b1f6cea}
6=hkey_classes_root\clsid\{e7d06080-238b-11d3-80d7-00104b1f6cea}
7=hkey_classes_root\clsid\{f4817e4b-04b6-11d3-8862-00c04f72f303}
8=hkey_classes_root\installer
9=hkey_classes_root\interface\{00345390-4f77-11d3-a908-00105a088fac}
10=hkey_classes_root\interface\{067dbaa0-38df-11d3-bbb7-00105a1f0d68}
11=hkey_classes_root\interface\{0ba4ba22-2ef0-11d3-88c8-00c04f72f303}
12=hkey_classes_root\interface\{0c8d0880-1ac4-11d3-a8ff-00105a088fac}
13=hkey_classes_root\interface\{0d458be7-d99d-11d3-a92b-00105a088fac}
14=hkey_classes_root\interface\{112eb4f0-5a48-11d3-a90a-00105a088fac}
15=hkey_classes_root\interface\{15f051e6-59a9-11d3-a25d-06d730000000}
16=hkey_classes_root\interface\{1b1b8830-c559-11d3-b289-00c04f59fbe9}
17=hkey_classes_root\interface\{1f9922a2-f026-11d2-8822-00c04f72f303}
18=hkey_classes_root\interface\{251753fa-fb3b-11d2-8842-00c04f72f303}
19=hkey_classes_root\interface\{2583251f-0a04-11d3-886b-00c04f72f303}
20=hkey_classes_root\interface\{348440b0-c79a-11d3-b28b-00c04f59fbe9}
21=hkey_classes_root\interface\{39040274-3d36-11d3-88ee-00c04f72f303}
22=hkey_classes_root\interface\{3d8b6331-d8b1-11d2-80c5-00104b1f6cea}
23=hkey_classes_root\interface\{3d8b6332-d8b1-11d2-80c5-00104b1f6cea}
24=hkey_classes_root\interface\{3edc2c10-66fe-11d3-a90f-00105a088fac}
25=hkey_classes_root\interface\{44d61997-b7d4-11d2-80ba-00104b1f6cea}
26=hkey_classes_root\interface\{4dfb7010-41eb-11d3-bbba-00105a1f0d68}
27=hkey_classes_root\interface\{54dadab2-28a6-11d3-88ba-00c04f72f303}
28=hkey_classes_root\interface\{54dadab3-28a6-11d3-88ba-00c04f72f303}
29=hkey_classes_root\interface\{61892d50-28ef-11d3-a8ff-00105a088fac}
30=hkey_classes_root\interface\{648a8420-964b-11d4-ab71-00b0d02332eb}
31=hkey_classes_root\interface\{65d37452-0ebb-11d3-887b-00c04f72f303}
32=hkey_classes_root\interface\{761c8359-55af-4e7b-9c83-c1a927e0f617}
33=hkey_classes_root\interface\{787d0980-f63f-462c-86bc-fc23847c70f4}
34=hkey_classes_root\interface\{7bb118f1-6d5b-470e-82d0-afb042724560}
35=hkey_classes_root\interface\{7d795704-435d-11d3-88ff-00c04f72f303}
36=hkey_classes_root\interface\{8415ddf9-1c1d-11d3-889d-00c04f72f303}
37=hkey_classes_root\interface\{8415de38-1c1d-11d3-889d-00c04f72f303}
38=hkey_classes_root\interface\{8c3c1b10-e59d-11d2-b40b-00a024b9dddd}
39=hkey_classes_root\interface\{8c3c1b11-e59d-11d2-b40b-00a024b9dddd}
40=hkey_classes_root\interface\{8c3c1b12-e59d-11d2-b40b-00a024b9dddd}
41=hkey_classes_root\interface\{8c3c1b13-e59d-11d2-b40b-00a024b9dddd}
42=hkey_classes_root\interface\{8c3c1b14-e59d-11d2-b40b-00a024b9dddd}
43=hkey_classes_root\interface\{8c3c1b15-e59d-11d2-b40b-00a024b9dddd}
44=hkey_classes_root\interface\{8c3c1b16-e59d-11d2-b40b-00a024b9dddd}
45=hkey_classes_root\interface\{91814ebf-b5f0-11d2-80b9-00104b1f6cea}
46=hkey_classes_root\interface\{91814ec1-b5f0-11d2-80b9-00104b1f6cea}
47=hkey_classes_root\interface\{91814ec3-b5f0-11d2-80b9-00104b1f6cea}
48=hkey_classes_root\interface\{91814ec5-b5f0-11d2-80b9-00104b1f6cea}
49=hkey_classes_root\interface\{94f4a332-a2ae-11d3-8378-00c04f59fbe9}
50=hkey_classes_root\interface\{9b697780-dbbc-11d2-80c7-00104b1f6cea}
51=hkey_classes_root\interface\{aa7e2060-cb55-11d2-8094-00104b1f9838}
52=hkey_classes_root\interface\{aa7e2061-cb55-11d2-8094-00104b1f9838}
53=hkey_classes_root\interface\{aa7e2062-cb55-11d2-8094-00104b1f9838}
54=hkey_classes_root\interface\{aa7e2065-cb55-11d2-8094-00104b1f9838}
55=hkey_classes_root\interface\{aa7e2066-cb55-11d2-8094-00104b1f9838}
56=hkey_classes_root\interface\{aa7e2067-cb55-11d2-8094-00104b1f9838}
57=hkey_classes_root\interface\{aa7e2068-cb55-11d2-8094-00104b1f9838}
58=hkey_classes_root\interface\{aa7e2069-cb55-11d2-8094-00104b1f9838}
59=hkey_classes_root\interface\{aa7e2084-cb55-11d2-8094-00104b1f9838}
60=hkey_classes_root\interface\{af57a6f0-4101-11d3-88f6-00c04f72f303}
61=hkey_classes_root\interface\{af57a6f1-4101-11d3-88f6-00c04f72f303}
62=hkey_classes_root\interface\{afed5dd0-0694-11d4-a934-00105a088fac}
63=hkey_classes_root\interface\{b01feb4f-45ed-11d3-b444-00104b261643}
64=hkey_classes_root\interface\{b964af40-4ab7-11d3-a908-00105a088fac}
65=hkey_classes_root\interface\{b9a7e590-6c9c-11d3-b452-00104b261643}
66=hkey_classes_root\interface\{be6115a1-7de5-48dc-ad2a-25060e00fce2}
67=hkey_classes_root\interface\{c4aac3b1-c547-11d3-b289-00c04f59fbe9}
68=hkey_classes_root\interface\{cc096170-e2cb-11d2-80c8-00104b1f6cea}
69=hkey_classes_root\interface\{d4ff39b9-1a05-11d3-8896-00c04f72f303}
70=hkey_classes_root\interface\{d4ff39bb-1a05-11d3-8896-00c04f72f303}
71=hkey_classes_root\interface\{dab9bf17-267d-11d3-88b6-00c04f72f303}
72=hkey_classes_root\interface\{ded5feec-225a-11d3-88aa-00c04f72f303}
73=hkey_classes_root\interface\{e1b9357f-24b9-11d3-88b2-00c04f72f303}
74=hkey_classes_root\interface\{f4817e4b-04b6-11d3-8862-00c04f72f303}
75=hkey_classes_root\interface\{febec920-1849-11d3-a8fe-00105a088fac}
76=hkey_classes_root\isscripthandler.scriptwrapper
77=hkey_classes_root\isscripthandler.stringtable
78=hkey_classes_root\setup.kernel
79=hkey_classes_root\setup.logservices
80=hkey_classes_root\setup.scriptengine
81=hkey_classes_root\setup.setupkernelwrapper
82=hkey_classes_root\setup.user
83=hkey_classes_root\typelib\{0d458bdb-d99d-11d3-a92b-00105a088fac}
84=hkey_classes_root\typelib\{682c25c5-d7d9-11d2-80c5-00104b1f6cea}
85=hkey_classes_root\typelib\{91814eb1-b5f0-11d2-80b9-00104b1f6cea}
86=hkey_classes_root\typelib\{b01feb43-45ed-11d3-b444-00104b261643}
87=hkey_classes_root\typelib\{ded1ea29-3f89-11d3-bbb9-00105a1f0d68}
88=hkey_current_user\software\microsoft\installer
89=hkey_current_user\software\microsoft\windows\currentversion\explorer\discardable
90=hkey_current_user\software\microsoft\windows\currentversion\explorer\menuorder
91=hkey_current_user\software\microsoft\windows\shellnoroam
92=hkey_current_user\software\wise solutions\windows installer editor
93=hkey_current_user\software\wise solutions\wise for windows installer
94=hkey_local_machine\software\microsoft\cryptography\rng
95=hkey_local_machine\software\microsoft\eventsystem
96=hkey_local_machine\software\microsoft\windows nt\currentversion\fontsubstitutes
97=hkey_local_machine\software\microsoft\windows nt\currentversion\image file execution options
98=hkey_local_machine\software\microsoft\windows\currentversion\group policy
99=hkey_local_machine\software\microsoft\windows\currentversion\installer
100=hkey_local_machine\software\microsoft\windows\currentversion\uninstall

That definitely produced a smaller report to go through. Best of all, even after getting an email from the company saying that they don't support quiet installs of the product, I was able to get it to do just that. Plus this has given me at least a bit of insight into how an MSI is put together and how I can go about tweaking them via transforms, which I knew I'd have to get to sooner or later. So thanks again for the tips, VBScab. I really appreciate it.

I'm off to see what other apps I can break... [;)]

Good work hunting down the silent install method. Please document it in the 'Package KB' and help the next poor soul who's confronted with this vendor's stubbornness.

Have you tried a silent uninstall, too? Always remember: vendors are, in general, as thick as planks and, in many cases, their uninstalls will pop up a dialog or ten at some point. In all, I'd recommend persevering with an MSI for this app, as it will give you flexibility (does the vendor's install do repair/self-healing, for example?), plus it'll be a good learning exercise to see it through to completion.