Using the Windows Installer
Last Updated: 02 Mar 2006
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*** PLEASE NOTE: Link(s), If Provided, May Be Wrapped ***
The Windows Installer technologies (including MSIEXEC)
are available in Windows 2000 (and later) for creating
consistent software installations that are easy to deploy,
update and remove, either manually, or through Active
Directory group policies.
Many of the prominent 3rd party installation programs can
be used to create .MSI files.
OVERVIEW OF WINDOWS INSTALLER
• http://support.microsoft.com/?KBID=310598
DOWNLOAD THE LATEST INSTALLER
• http://support.microsoft.com/?KBID=292539
FORMERLY FREE MSI PACKAGER TOOLS
• http://www.ondemandsoftware.com/FREELE2003/
• http://www.masaieditor.com/
FREE MSI PACKAGER TOOLS
• http://nsis.sourceforge.net/
COMMERCIAL MSI PACKAGER TOOLS
• http://www.ondemandsoftware.com/
• http://www.capasystems.com/index.asp?p=2&p2=103
• http://www.setupfactory.com/site/index.php
WHITEPAPERS & TECH DOCUMENTS
• http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/windowsnetserver/proddocs/entserver/msiexec.asp
• http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/en/datacenter/help/sag_WinInstall_Command_Line_Syntax.htm
• http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/en-us/msi/setup/command_line_options.asp
• http://support.microsoft.com/?KBID=227091
• http://www.lrz-muenchen.de/~fakler/windowsnt/faq/msi_cmdl.html
• http://www.swynk.com/friends/rice/switches.asp
• http://www.winappslist.com/developer/installation_tools.htm
• http://www.myitforum.com/articles/6/section.asp?w=2&au=pteodorescu
PERSONAL NOTES
• Mar 2006: Where, oh where have the free installers
all gone? Everyone is buying up everyone else and
getting rid of the freeware options...
• Mar 2006: If you never downloaded WinInstall LE 2003
before, you're going to be disappointed to find out
that it's no longer free. Too bad, but there are
very nice alternatives out there, so the loss is
definitely OnDemand's.
• WinInstall LE is provided with both Windows 2000 and
Windows Server 2003 for creating MSI packages.
