MSI Installer Automation Command Line SDK

Do not spend thousands of dollars to purchase packaging software! The Microsoft® Windows® Installer offers the easiest way to package a product on a PC because it is driven by tables. Here are some of the MSI, MSM, MSP, command lines that will save you money and time (time is money) if you know them!

Related topics: MSI Automation, MSI Tables Overview, Create MSI Tables, MSI UAC VISTA, MSI Error Table, BootStrapper VISTA, MSP VISTA, Install MSI SDK Tools V3.1.4, Create CAB File, Build MSPs

The command line to merge a MSM into a MSI is:

"C:\Program Files\Orca\orca.exe" -q -m "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Merge Modules\Microsoft_VC80_ATL_x86.msm" -f Programfiles -r TARGETDIR -l Merge.log -! "C:\DGSMSI\Validation\DGS Professional.MSI"

You can get the path to the orca.exe by grabbing the registry key HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Applications\Orca.exe\shell\edit\command using RegOpenKeyEx (Declare Function RegOpenKeyEx) and RegQueryValueEx (Declare Function RegQueryValueEx)

To export the delivered files of a MSM into a CAB file the command line is:

msidb.exe -d C:\MYProd\MSM\CSS\Disk1\XYZ.MSM -x MergeModule.CABinet

To kill the merge module CAB file the command line is:

MSIdb.exe -d MYMSM -k MergeModule.CABinet

To include the MergeModule.CABinet into a MSM the command line is:

MSIdb.exe -d MYMSM -a MergeModule.CABinet

To export the Media Table from a MSI the command line is:

MsiDb.exe -e media -f "C:\My Tools\My Prod\English\NewIDTs\" -d My Prod.MSI

Once you created all the IDTs you can import them using in the MSI the command line:

MsiDb.exe -i *.idt -f MyIDTFolder -d TheMSIName

To validate a MSI or a MSM on the fly use the command:

msival2.exe MSMSI Darice.cub -f -L Packaging.log

msival2.exe MYMSM mergemod.cub -f -L MSMPackaging.log

To export all the files included in a MSI packaged product into a folder of your choice without installing the product (administrative installation):

msiexec /a MYMSI TARGETDIR="C:\MSP\MSIOUT\out" /qn

To export in a folder all the files included in a MSP without installing the base product and the MSP:

msiexec /P MYMSP /a MYMSI /qn

The MsiZap utility is intended for removal of products installed with MSI that, for some reason, cannot be uninstalled.
You can log an uninstall with: msiexec /x {your product code guid} /l*v mylogfile.log

The other utilities you get with the SDK are: Expand.EXE, GuidGen.exe, MakeCab.exe, msicuu.exe, MsiDb.exe, MsiZap.exe, MsiZapA.exe, regwiz.exe, msival2.exe, orca.exe and WiLogUtl.exe

A partial or complete application reinstallation might be required if any files or registry entries associated with any feature have become corrupted or are missing. See more MSI dialogs...

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