Capture (Snapshot) and Export System Changes (!NOT PORTABLE!)

[Markus1234]

Hi guys, im searching a tool which can capture system changes and let me export them right away!

For example Thinstall(ThinApp, ...) does the job - almost.

My problem is i cant export the changes, i see the them, but all i got at least is an installer or a portable.

I want to have all changes at once, i want to "copy" all the changed files/dirs and export all registry changes into a directly usable format, as a .reg file.

This way i want to build cab files and extract them after a fresh windows7 x64 install, that for i got my programs (!with all changes + registred already!) - and after it i can simply import the .reg file.

And just now i focus another problem, ive tried to make an antivirus app portable.

The biggest problem about it are the services, how do i add them as they were running after an install - and not able to close?

As i restart while doing a snapshot, lets say into safe mode - the system changes are kind of "big" because no tool recognizes safe mode, also installrite doesnt even start up automatically.

Maybe somebody understands what im trying to do and knows a fast and easy longtime-solution.

Would also be nice to get a solution for the services problem to make my bought antivirus ready to get installed by my custom cab-files and registry imports.

Greetings so far,

Markus

[urie]

I would use installwatchpro it is free originally made by epsilonsquared. but no longer supported here is link Download

Edited March 20, 2011 by urie

[Markus1234]

Dont looks like i could export the Files and dirs or registry entries, but im checking it out now, thanks!

Edit: Okay, i know this kind of tool from another Installer Tool, looks almost similar (wasnt it installrite? i guess so, the scanning is the same).

But it wouldnt let me export the modified files at once, i still need to pick them all by myself and to keep the directory structure to extract them.

I guess there is no "easy" way to do, but thanks for now.

Also i cant "copy" my antivirus application that way.

But yeah, thank you!

Edited March 20, 2011 by Markus1234

[urie]

Why are you not just saving the registry changes after you have installed and registered your virus checker. Then you would just do virus checker silent install if you have the switches for the program then import your registry settings.

Edited March 20, 2011 by urie

[Markus1234]

Because i want all my settings and updates to be added.

Otherwise i need to do a huge configuration before its usable.

My Av, F-Secure, does not support any ways to do so.

About the registry stuff - im doing it previously in a virtual machine.

To import the whole registry into a fresh installed windows wouldnt work, and if - then there would be a ton of vm services and registry entries.

From the upper program i could export the registry and edit it afterwards.

Then i created a new dir on desktop, called it WinRar for example and added all the files which got installed in the same structure such as on my c device.

For example a folder called users, then administrator or all users, then microsoft, windows, start menu and so on ...

After all i went back on top of it, created a batchfile in the structure windows/temp and start it automatically after extraction to add all registry stuff about winrar which i captured before, such as right click menue entries, "open with" stuff and so on.

At least i packed it into a SFX archive. Now all files and directories get extracted into their "should be" destination, and after the registry gets imported, silently for sure.

But that took me half a hour ... i wish there was a faster way to do so, without to copy any directory or file manually!

If i would capture my visual studio that way it would take me a week or so i guess

The biggest problem is that i want to create my own installer that way. If i use tools such as ThinApp or InstallRite they also can create installers, but i cant configure them as i want, also i cant modify them after they are completed (such as update single files or registry entries which will get imported).

Sad that there are tools for everything, but not that.

[Markus1234]

My godness, last night i had a nightmare because of my problem

I take it as a sign for pushing up my topic, and in return i hope the moderators wont push me for doing so.

[Markus1234]

A last push:

At least i figured out that i can do almost anything (but not the antivirus stuff) with WinInstall LE.

But just now i focus a new problem with WinInstall LE, i will open a new thread for it, just to keep a clean overview

Edited March 25, 2011 by Markus1234