Everyone That Has Problem With Silent Installs

[supadodger]

How Come Nobody Uses Installrite?

you can install your apps, set them up however you want them,register them do whatever then save it all into a silent exe.

it works fine for the following programs

Daemon Tools

Dreamweaver

Emule

Firefox+Extensions

Photoshop (Removed Imageready)

Flash For Firefox

Sun Java

Nero

Newsbin

Quickpar

Serv-u +Accounts+Access

No-IP Ip Updater

Soulseek

Ad Aware

Spybot

Trillian

Real VNC

Winamp

Winrar

ive used it for alot more, but thats currently whats working perfect on my silent install.

it also sets my fonts,active desktop and window settings exactly how i want them,

just take a snapshot, change everything you want changed and then take your second snapshop and save the changes to a silent exe

anyway my whole point is , im just curious why nobody uses it?

[rgreen83]

I for one dont use this program because I have never heard of it. Where would one get it? Also could you do your install on a virtual pc and then install your programs and make a silent exe for use on your disc for your real install?

[Martin Zugec]

It is not good way - InstallRite is only snapshot installation, so I wouldnt recommend it to create installation packages...

I am using it sometimes - when I need to make snapshot (not for installations, but to see what changed between two time stamps)

[rgreen83]

Soulin: What problems would be caused? I am pretty skeptical of this program, just because if it were really that easy I think ppl on here would have been using it a long time ago.

[Martin Zugec]

Lot of stuff - mostly problems you woudnt expect

When I was beginning with deployment (heh, long time ago), I started using snapshots, because other method were not documented as today - and often encountered many strange problems - for example I found out, that with Office 97 I distributed also part of my IM history... Or icon for one program was automatically changed to Recycle Bin... Or similar prolems.

I do not use snapshots as installation method and also I dont use AutoIt macro setups (it is not stable enought for corporate use)

[rgreen83]

I hate to keep bugging you, but you call this a snapshot method, do you mean it works in the same way as a program like ghost or true image?

I certainly havent seen a way to make a silent exe of my programs with them, only reimage an entire partition to an earlier state.

You say they arent good enough for corporate use, and I believe you and understand why it would make a difference, but for home install it would save a lot of time over methods like runonceex wouldnt it?

[Martin Zugec]

You are not bugging

It is difference package between two time points -

Point 1 - create initial snapshot (what files, registry etc.)

Run installations, modify every setting you want

Point 2 - create secondary snapshot (what files were added, deleted or modified)

So it will create .exe (or sometimes .msi, it depends on snapshot program) file, that will contain informations what to change.

It will save you lot of time - but later, when you will encounter any problem, it is really hard to find out why and whats happening. I am using this snapshot method only when if there is no other solution and I spend a lot of time removing trash from end package.

It is not worth the problems it brings with itself... One things that it can be used for is recording tweaks.

[supadodger]

i never have any problems

you get it at www.epsilonsquared.com and i found the link for it in the msfn tutorials section a long time ago.

what you have to do is have a clean install (even a VM install will work)

run the program, it records how everything is.

then you run your installer

then it records all the changes that were made

including registry,ini files and so on.

to avoid the problems this guy was having.

everytime you install a new program to make an installer, close it before you start the next one.

you cant leave programs running that are gonna make changes between the snapshots or the program will pick them up and include them changes.

cant blame the software for his mistake.

if you want to setup the application exactly how u want it then when it asks to take the second snapshop, just tell it to wait and go setup the app

then when your done setup the snapshot.

[tcsdoc]

I use Installrite for programs in my unattended installations for programs I can't make silent installs.

It does help to create the install package using vmware and a fresh installation of windows. This keeps the entries down to a mininum. I've had great success with this method.

The 'snapshop' is simply the result of reading the registry before and after the installation. The result is then loaded in the registry when you install the program. This method works for almost all programs.

I think most people don't use Installrite because they like to master problems by digging into the inner workings of programs and figuring solutions. Installrite makes things too easy.

[supadodger]

I think most people don't use Installrite because they like to master problems by digging  into the inner workings of programs and figuring solutions.  Installrite makes things too easy.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

yes, i guess

but i like being able to install programs and then configure them, so when they install unattended at lets say my moms house, i dont have to go configure them.

then if they need something i can use vnc or servu to help them without ever having to go there.

and if they screw something up, its unattended so they cant give the wrong answer.

[InTheWayBoy]

Also, since it's snapshot based, certain 'extra' packages an installer might need won't be installed.

Lets say the Program installs one way on an Intel system, but on an AMD system it also has to add a few extra registry changes to fix a compatibility issue. If you were to run a snapshot of the Intel installation, then when you install the new unattended application on an AMD system it might not work right.

That's a very simple explanation...lots of software installs, at least recent ones, configure the necessary install on-the-fly...and there is where snapshots suck.

Of course for simple program installations then this works fine!

[supadodger]

Also, since it's snapshot based, certain 'extra' packages an installer might need won't be installed.

Lets say the Program installs one way on an Intel system, but on an AMD system it also has to add a few extra registry changes to fix a compatibility issue. If you were to run a snapshot of the Intel installation, then when you install the new unattended application on an AMD system it might not work right.

That's a very simple explanation...lots of software installs, at least recent ones, configure the necessary install on-the-fly...and there is where snapshots suck.

Of course for simple program installations then this works fine!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

that is right

but for applications that install different for every machine

i make a normal silent install

then just snapshot my configuration changes,so that its still configured how i want right from the start

[<SparTacuS>]

There is nothing "wrong" as such with using the snapshop method of deployment (WinStall, InstallRite etc) and many network admins use them daily.

However, they will almost everytime lead to problems later. One of the main problems is that you criple your upgrade ability. That is, when the author of your favourite app releases a patch it will rarely work to upgrade a snapshotted install - MS Office is very fussy about this (it will work but you have to be very careful with your builds. There are other potential problems but - the main thing is that most of the folks at MSFN see them as an admission of defeat. They are the blunt instrument of UA installs - the last resort.

[jtrober]

i know this is a kinda crude method, but if you are good at scripting, it work. I created a .vbs file for each of my applications that will send keystrokes to the application and walk through the setup. It essentially automates the work you do to set up the programs, by sending tabs and enters and whatever else to the application setup.

Takes some time and knowledge, but it works for me

[totoymola]

I don't really use InstallRite. I also build my own packages but I don't use this. Capturing installation is not as easy as it looks like.

1. Everytime you capture installation, make sure that you are using a clean machine. That means you have to use a computer without any software installed other than the operating system. Others call it "prisine state".

2. When you capture a setup, you can't capture everything all the time. Or you might capture files and activities that are not really related to your installation. For example, registry entries. You don't need all the registry entries that you capture.

Many more to explain.

Incorrect method of repackaging will surely lead to disaster. Do a search on InstallShield's website. Search for "20 Commandments of Repackaging"