Comparing Exe with MSI
After creating MSI from EXE, we need to know what files are present in the MSI and what are missing from MSI, after repackaging.
Here is a very good way to know
- All the files which are present in the EXE are whether present in the MSI or not.
- Whether any unwanted files added in our application.
- What are file going to which destination.
- Is the application installing according to our standards in terms of Location.
We can compare everything with repackaged MSI with the source EXE.
All we need is just two tools apart from Wise Package Studio.
- Fastsum
It's a free tool available at http://www.fastsum.com/download.php
- Beyond Compare
It's a free tool for trail available at http://www.scootersoftware.com/download.php
With the help of these two tools we can easily identify what all are the files missing and what all are the files captured which are not necessary and not part of the application.
Take a clean PC with Wise Package Studio installed on it. Then start the repackaging.
Example
Take a new project:
Give the names according to your naming convention.
Select the vendor package.
Click on Close.
Go to:
Setup capture (Windows Installer) and run it to take the first snapshot.
Click Next to continue.
Click Next for Initial Capture.
Then execute the vendor package (source).
The Source will start the installation.
Complete all the dialog boxes to finish the installation.
Launch the shortcuts from Start menu\Program.
Close the application and proceed.
Click Next.
Click Next to take the Second Snapshot (Post installation snapshot).
Then it takes you to the final step of Capturing.
Click Finish.
Then it will create a WSI file along with the folder which the source extracted.
Now go to C:\Program Files\Altiris\Wise Package Studio\Projects\Projectname\
(Here in this Example: C:\Program Files\Altiris\Wise Package Studio\Projects\Firefox 1.5)
Then copy only the FOLDERS which got extracted there at C:\Program Files\Altiris\Wise Package Studio\Projects\Firefox 1.5
(Here only 3 folders got extracted Application Data, Program files, Windows) and create a new folder in any drive and name it as Source.
Copy all the FOLDERS which got extracted from C:\Program Files\Altiris\Wise Package Studio\Projects\Firefox 1.5
(Here Application Data, Program files, Windows) and paste it in Source Folder C:\Documents and Settings\Admin\Desktop\Source
Now edit the WSI file to apply standards and to validate.
Now edit the WSI file to apply standards and compile and validate to resolve all the errors.
Then we will get an MSI
Now again create a new folder and name it as Package.
Go to CMD and type Msiexec /a path.msi
Then it will open a dialog box asking for the location of the application to be extracted.
Click on Browse.
And select the location of the folder which we created with the name of Package and click on OK.
Click Next to proceed
Click Next.
It will extract all the files and folder to Package folder.
Click Finish to finish the extracting.
Then these folders and one .msi file will be extracted. (3 folders got extracted Application Data, Program files, Windows and one .msi file).
Now we have the two folders:
- Source Folder
Folders copied from C:\Program Files\Altiris\Wise Package Studio\Projects\Firefox 1.5
(Here only 3 folders got extracted Application Data, Program files, Windows) - Package Folder
(3 folders got extracted Application Data, Program files, Windows and one .msi file)
Now here we have to generate a report for each folder.
For this we need to use the FASTSUM Tool.
Install the Fastsum tool
Go to File
Click on Verification Wizard
Click on Add Folder.
Select the folder for which you want to generate a check sum report (The output file will be called as Checksum report)
The selected folder will be displayed. Click Next.
It's generating a report for this folder. After that it will ask you to save the file.
Save the file as Source in the Source Folder.
Click on Save Report then click Finish.
Generate a check sum report for Package folder.
Click on Add Folder.
Select the Package Folder. Click OK.
Click on Next to Generate a report.
Wait till it generates a report.
Now click on Save Report.
Save it as Package .csv
Click Finish to finish the generating of checksum report.
Install the Beyond Compare tool to compare the two checksum files which we generated for Source folder and for Package Folder.
After opening the Beyond Compare tool select New File Comparison.
Check the Files radio button and click OK.
Then a report will be opened like this. You can see a blank row left side.
That was the different between the EXE and MSI. That came because when extracted the Firefox.msi in to the Folder of package , every time you extract any MSI an MSI file will also be extracted. For this you can simply right click on that delete that row, or can keep a comment saying: "Every time you extract any MSI an MSI file will also be extracted". That can be simply ignored.
Likewise some times many files which exclude and shortcuts deleted will not be in MSI report. For this we can write a comment saying that as per the standards, removed the unwanted files. By this we can easily compare EXE with MSI. This is the one of the best practices ever in MSI technology to follow to know details (What files deleted, what shortcuts deleted what unwanted files add like so many) about our application.
Beyond Compare..
Well, I agree with the usage of Beyond Compare.
its an incredible tool, which does compare not only files and folders, but also compares the contents of files and exported registry keys.
I would reckon, that It totally depends on your capture methodology(smartmonitor, snapshot or in conjunction)to get the best package content.
I really dont see a need of genrating a report for this cause. Personally, in such a case I would just use Beyond compare to compare the captured folders and the installed one.
Cheers'
Vijay
Microsoft MVP [Setup-Deploy]
Weblog: www.msigeek.com
EXE to MSI
Is this the best way to convert an EXE to an MSI? Are there any other tools in Wise that will automate this process?
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