Setup capture

[silverferro]

I want to "capture" application setups and personalized modifications there after into a setup package. I hope you guys understand what i'm talking about. I'm fedup of installing all the software all over again and personalizing them one by one after each time I format my comp.

I want to create such personalized packages and integrate with Nlite so I don't have to go through so many boring steps. My question is, what is the best software to do it? I have tried installshield, wise admin studio and lately symentac AI snapshot. The 1st two were confusing to use as i'm very new to this and didn't know how to set them up to do what I want, often getting unwanted results. AI snapshot seemed to work but they are using some propriety ways of achieving the results and not the typical exe format. Most of the time the personalized package was twice the size of the original setup package. I only personalized the programs to the way I like them and not add any external files or such which can justify the size increase.

Does anyone have experience in this and be able to recommend a good software so i don't waste money on the wrong one. Are my choices fixed to installshield, wise admin studio and AI snapshot or are there better software for this type of job out there? Thanks for your time.

[Kelsenellenelvian]

Installrite is a pretty good one and its free....

http://www.epsilonsquared.com/

[[deXter]]

I use WinInstall LE. It captures setups, settings, etc and creates standard MSI files. You can even edit the MSI later on. And best of all - its free!

Edited April 28, 2007 by [deXter]