How to create a third-party Microsoft Installer package

This article describes how to create a Microsoft Installer Package (MSI) for installing third-party programs. If you want to install a third-party program by using this method, you must install a copy of Veritas Software Console by Seagate Software at a location that is accessible by the reference computer. This program is available on the Windows 2000 CD-ROM in Valueadd\3rdparty\Mgmt\Winstle\Swiadmle.msi. This includes a copy of WinINSTALL limited edition, which allows for basic functionality.

Definitions

Instruction File

An instruction file (Microsoft Installer package) contains information about what needs to be done to install a product.

Clean PC

A clean PC is defined as a computer with only the following items on it before you run Discover:

• The operating system
• The service packs for the operating system

If you install Veritas Software Console (or any other product) on the computer, it is by definition no longer a clean PC. You must install Veritas Software Console somewhere, but not on the clean PC.

Reference Computer

A clean PC ensures that the Discover program will pick up all files and registry entries necessary for the program to run.

The reference computer should have access to the Discover program (Discoz.exe) in the Winstall folder from My Network Places, Windows Explorer, or the Run command on the Start menu. Do not map a drive to the Winstall share. Doing so may cause Discover to pick up the added drive, possibly causing problems in your Microsoft Installer packages.

Discover

The Discover program is the program you use to create the instruction file (Microsoft Installer package) that contains information about what needs to be done to install a product.

How to Create a Third-Party MSI Package

For this process to work properly, you should start with a clean PC.

1. Start with a clean PC, or one that is representative of the computers in your network.
2. Start Discover to take a picture of the representative PC's software configuration. This is the Before snapshot.
3. Install a program on the PC on which you took the Before snapshot.
4. Reboot the PC.
5. Run the new program to verify that it works.
6. Quit the program.
7. Start Discover and take an After snapshot of the PC's new configuration. Discover compares the Before and the After snapshots and notes the changes. It creates a Microsoft Installer package with information about how to install that program on such a PC in the future.
8. (Optional) Use Veritas Software Console to customize the Microsoft Installer package.
9. Clean the reference computer to prepare to run Discover again.
10. (Optional) Perform a test installation of the program on non-production workstations.

To obtain support for Veritas Software Console, please contact Veritas.

For more detailed step-by-step instructions, visit the following Web site: This link is contained in the following document that describes the basic technology and compares competing products: For a detailed description of the technology, consult the "Microsoft Windows 2000 Server Deployment Planning Guide," which is one of the volumes included with the Microsoft Windows 2000 Server Resource Kit.

For detailed information, consult the Microsoft Software Development Kit (SDK) at the following site: For technical information about third-party products using MSI technology, see the following Web site: Microsoft provides third-party contact information to help you find technical support. This contact information may change without notice. Microsoft does not guarantee the accuracy of this third-party contact information.

The third-party products that this article discusses are manufactured by companies that are independent of Microsoft. Microsoft makes no warranty, implied or otherwise, about the performance or reliability of these products.