How to install MSN Messenger

[Ctwizzy]

I am a total begginer in this stuff, and yes I have used the search feature.

Ok so in my batch file I have this

ECHO.

ECHO Installing MSN Messenger

ECHO This may take a few seconds...

start /wait %systemdrive%\install\MSN\MsnMsgs.msi /qn

now the file MsnMsgs.msi is in the C:\XPCD\$OEM$\$1\install\MSN dir

Now this as I take it will install the file, now how do I specify settings?

There must be registry entries or a config file, or some fields that need to be auto filled in. None of this I have any idea how to do. So a little guidance is all I ask for.

Thanks

[Mekrel]

Make sure boot strap is in the same directory too.

Im not sure, i would place a bet on it storing settings in the registry, so go download regSnap and take a regsnap of msn with default settings, then change the settings to what you want and take another regsnap, compare the two using regsnaps compare option and it will point out the reg keys changed, put these keys into a .reg file and execute the reg file after msn has installed.

It might change files to hold the settings but Regsnap can tell you which files it modifies, so just copy them over after the install.

[Ctwizzy]

So I have to reinstall MSN, watch what registry entries are changed, create a registry file, and load it after the install?

Ok but I figured seeing as there must be over 100 people who do silent installs of MSN 6.2 that there would be someone who could show me which entries I need to modify and add into the registry.

Not only that but during an install of MSN Im sure there are fields that need to be filled in and settings that need to be chosen. Also there must be options to turn off some of the annoying stuff in MSN like not having the MSN welcome box on first load, no ads etc, choosing wether I want it to auto start with windows, auto logon with windows, what my UN and PW is.

How do I touch all these settings? These cant all be registry? There must be a file that acompanies the msi that can fill in the entries for me no?

See this is the stuff I cant find information on, only thing I have found in the batch line to install it and the switch.

Anyone understand what im asking?

[Mekrel]

Cant be, all i know is the installer has 2 files, one is the msi and the bootstrap one which i would be pretty much confident doesnt contain settings.

I dont think a file is the answer too being as no kind of file suitable for containing settings is in the msn program files folder. just dll's and wav files.

You dont have to reinstall msn, just put all the settings you have now to default (or as near default as you can remember) then take then regsnap and make the changes you want again and take another.

It wont take long

[Ctwizzy]

Is that how it works for all silent installs? Just Install the app make my changes and view the reg changes?

Doesnt the install require some information to install? Im lost on this now, I figured you could supply a file or something from which to get the settings to use.

[Mekrel]

Well, no the installer will contain the information to enter into the registry. So the only other way is to directy modify the msi i think.

MSN Messenger is very limited to options with a normal install, its just a lisence agreement and you cant even changed the location it installs to within the GUI.

Other programs like DC++ use files aswell as reg entries, DC++ uses a XML doc to store info that i have entered:

like so:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" standalone="yes"?>
<Language Name="Example Language" Author="arnetheduck" Version="0.668" Revision="1">
	<Strings>
  <String Name="Active">Active</String>
  <String Name="ActiveSearchString">Enabled / Search String</String>
  <String Name="Add">&Add</String>
  <String Name="AddToFavorites">Add To Favorites</String>
  <String Name="Added">Added</String>
  <String Name="AddressAlreadyInUse">Address already in use</String>
  <String Name="AddressNotAvailable">Address not available</String>
  <String Name="AdlSearch">Automatic Directory Listing Search</String>
  <String Name="AdlsDestination">Destination Directory</String>
  <String Name="AdlsDiscard">Discard</String>
  <String Name="AdlsDownload">Download Matches</String>
  <String Name="AdlsEnabled">Enabled</String>
  <String Name="AdlsFullPath">Full Path</String>
  <String Name="AdlsProperties">ADLSearch Properties</String>

Some silent installs which have switches (like Java)

jre5.msi /QB-! ADDLOCAL=jrecore IEXPLORER=1 MOZILLA=1 REBOOT=Suppress

and INI files (like winamp) can let you customise installs but msn installer is very simple.

so it depends on the installer.

[Ctwizzy]

Well does anyone know the reg edits so I dont have to uninstall and reinstall to check.

[Mekrel]

You dont have to reinstall! Change the options back to default manually as near as you can remember, then take the snap shot, and redo the settings to how you want and take another snapshot.

[Ctwizzy]

Ok but arnt there settings during install that I would need to see what reg edits were made during install? Simply setting it back to default and reconfiguring might not be enough?

So am I to understand that all uA installations are basically done by changing registry entries?

Why is it I hear you can change the MSI to have those settings by default? Is it easier to just change them by reg?

Thanks

[prathapml]

Is that how it works for all silent installs? Just Install the app make my changes and view the reg changes?

Not for all. But for most apps that store their settings in the registry, that *IS* the way to do it.

And modifying the MSI is a job better not done. Simply because its a lot of unnecessary trouble to use an MSI editor to do it *CORRECTLY* and then keep modifying it every time a new version is out.

You don't need the bootstrap file - just the MSI is all that's needed. Also, remember that user-login specific info is stored not in the registry - its all in encrypted .dat files and so on.... which is a lot of trouble to do anything with.

Whatever *CAN* be configured is all you can configure, and it is going to be in the registry, and using a reg shot before and after the changes is the way to do it. period.

[Ctwizzy]

Ah thanks pra, you truly are an expert in this field.

So Pra would you sugest not uninstalling as Mekrel says? Or should I uninstall and reinstall then apply changes and watch registry?

Also is it a bad idea to simply export all the reg entries for MSN? and then just reimport them at install?

[prathapml]

What Mekrel said is correct.

Set the settings to defaults, take snapshot 1.

Now set it to how you like it, take snapshot 2.

Compare. Use the changed reg keys in your .REG.

Uninstalling and reinstalling is simply an easier way to guarantee that settings are back at defaults. But even then, you can't be sure of that! The only assured way is to do it on a clean install.

Its a bad idea to export all and re-import all. Because some settings that you don't really need to configure do exist. These settings are kept at default, and might change with a new/different version. If you have *ALL* settings in the .REG, then those settings will no more be at default, and you might have problems. Export only the keys that changed (those which you wish to configure).

good luck!

[Ctwizzy]

Can I take a snapshot as I have it now and then set to defaults and check changes? Oppose to trying to reconfigure it how it was?

Is there a site/page for common applications registry changes?

I just figured there would be a sticky saying

MSN v?

Reg changes available:

this way I wouldnt have to do snapshots as its been done in the past?

Is there something like this?

[Mekrel]

Can I take a snapshot as I have it now and then set to defaults and check changes? Oppose to trying to reconfigure it how it was?

Is there a site/page for common applications registry changes?

I just figured there would be a sticky saying

MSN v?

Reg changes available:

this way I wouldnt have to do snapshots as its been done in the past?

Is there something like this?

I would not recomend doing it that way because the keys will be of the default settings, and the settings to do the opposite to the default may not be opposite in the registry.

I would most likely say that they are dword keys but say if it was a complex hex key then it would be hard to work out.

What we are basically saying is to be fail safe and get no errors do things properly. I cant see why you havent done this already frm my first post, you could have done this by now

I know it can be a pain and can dirty your system by installing/uninstalling but it has to be done. A better thought: if you have vmware or VirtualPC, use your unattended windows disk and install msn as default.

With Vmware and Virtual PC is a tool you install which allows you to copy files from host to guest (VMmachine) operating system. So now you have vmware with msn at default, copy of the regsnap installer and install, take one snap, make changes to msn and take another.

This way you wont dirty up your proper OS.

[Ctwizzy]

Hmm that sounds interesting. So what I can do is build my uA cd as if everything were to be default. Then run it in this virtual place and then apply the changes as if i was actually going to use it, copy the changes and use that? That would probably be cleaner.

Thanks ill take a look at doing that this weekend.

Still unclear as to why there is no thread with the reg keys for apps allready but whatever, maybe while doing mine ill document it and post so people in the future wont have to fuss around.