creating msi files to automate install of several apps

[kr0sys]

I'm wondering if anyone that has experience with creating an msi to simplify the process of installing one or many apps. There is a process known as diffing where a before "snapshot" is created, before the software installation, as well as an after "snapshot", after the software is installed. The two snapshots are compared. Then the msi or setup.exe is is generated by the comparison. This msi or exe is supposed to be a one click or an automated install. Simply put it just copys files and configuration settings to the pc based on the configuration of the original install.

My scenario is that I'm trying to get a ms sql 2005 client as well as some other client apps to be streamlined into one msi or exe. These apps do require the .net 2 architecture. I dont know if its a good idea to install .net with this diffing process. Seems to me that its quite a major instalation into the os structure. So far I've failed in my quest. The msi's crash. If anyone has any thoughts or recommendations for the program or process to use to go about doing something like this, please feel free to reply. TIA

 

[pxc]

Some software installers, especially many MS products, have quiet installation mode. You could chain several together in a batch file using:

start /wait "installername1.exe /quiet /any_other_parameters_as_needed"
start /wait "installername2.msi /quiet /any_other_parameters_as_needed"
etc...

 

[Wolf-R1]

Some software installers, especially many MS products, have quiet installation mode. You could chain several together in a batch file using:

start /wait "installername1.exe /quiet /any_other_parameters_as_needed"
start /wait "installername2.msi /quiet /any_other_parameters_as_needed"
etc...

This is assuming said installers have some sort of unattended install mode.

 

[pxc]

This is assuming said installers have some sort of unattended install mode.

Read the first sentence of what you quoted and the examples that the OP used. It all makes sense.

 

[bigdogchris]

The installer builder that comes with vista lets you choose the .exe's to install. Seems pretty strait foward.

 

[calanthe]

I do this stuff almost daily... Microsoft is usually fairly decent about making their packages install silently. I've successfully pushed .NET through version 3.5 silently to 5000 workstations without error.

The SQL client should be deploy-able as well. I know I have a few apps that I've done that with, too.

However - don't repackage if you don't have to. You'll almost always create more damage in doing so. Microsoft actually has a KB article about how repackaging can be dangerous - I'll look for it when I get back in the office on Monday.

What are you using for deployment, or do you just want the installation to be straight-forward and silent?

 

[kr0sys]

Thanks for the .bat file idea, I'll look into that. However, I dont know if all the apps have a command line install option with a set of options to boot.

I do this stuff almost daily... Microsoft is usually fairly decent about making their packages install silently. I've successfully pushed .NET through version 3.5 silently to 5000 workstations without error.

The SQL client should be deploy-able as well. I know I have a few apps that I've done that with, too.

However - don't repackage if you don't have to. You'll almost always create more damage in doing so. Microsoft actually has a KB article about how repackaging can be dangerous - I'll look for it when I get back in the office on Monday.

What are you using for deployment, or do you just want the installation to be straight-forward and silent?

Just looking to automate the installation of a few client apps for about 3000 clients on campus.
Ive been experimenting with winstall le from the windows 2000 disk of bundled software as well as ghost 7.5's aisnapshot and aibuilder tools, what we have in the office. I havent been able to find anything about these features being included in the latest release of ghost which is 14. Version 7.5 came out before xp hit the shelves so I guessing the errors that I'm getting are due to these tools being fairly old.

Do you create self installing msi's or exe's to install your apps? Or do you run a script that supports silent install with install options specified above?

Thanks a bunch

 

[calanthe]

I'm the SMS (soon to be SCCM) Admin for a non-profit hospital.

Basically, I try to do as little repackaging as possible. If the app is no big deal, I've used Wise Package Studio and captured the installs - especially for oddball apps that don't like to install silently - and have gotten away with it. Once you start adding other pieces, it gets a lot more complex.

I essentially create a script 'wrapper' around what I'm deploying, and have everything called from within the script. I also make any file, registry, etc modifications that do not happen within the vendor's in my scripts.

I might recommend http://www.appdeploy.com and http://www.myitforum.com as some resources for you - not that the [H]ard guys aren't awesome - but those sites contain info that is much more specialized to what you're trying to do.

Or, if you want to give some more specific details on the exact software you're installing, and in what steps (ie - the order you installed when trying to repackage it) I can tell you, roughly, what I'd do in a normal day to make it work.