Software Deployment With Snapshots

[PeterS]

Hi,

I am interested to deploy software as packages on the users computers, in stead of installing the same programs over and over on different pc's.

I found a nice freeware product called "Install Rite" (http://www.epsilonsquared.com/)

Problems

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Looking on the changes the before and after snapshots has detected, I get some doubth about deploying software like this.

I wonder what happends if the original install program does detections of the target pc, and installs dynamically stuff, that is needed for the program to run. Now if the pc that is used to build packages allready has the component, it will not install it to the package, and strange problems might accure on the users pc's.

Or if there is special dynamic registry keys, like shared DLL counters, now the package either over writes the counter or does not update it?

Maybe there can be other problems, that I dont know about, or maybe the above really arent that big problems?

Info

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There are alot of registry changes detected that has nothing to do with the installation.

Do anyone know any web page where or other info on what can safely be ignored in snapshots.

There seems to be registry keys containing keywords like "seed", "noroam", "mru" that I think can be igonored, but I might be wrong.

So if anyone know anything about this, I would be very interested to hear your oppinions about software packaging.