MSI, quiet option

[alexzakharov]

Hi,

I used Group Policy Wizard to convert my install to a single MSI - mysetup.msi. I created it without specifying /s parameter.

Now, if I wanted to install it silently I can execute the following at cmdline: "msiexec /i mysetup.msi CMDLINE=/s" which works as expected. I'm new to MSI, but shouldn't "msiexec /i mysetup.msi /q" or "msiexec /i mysetup.msi /qn" also work, regardless of what CMDLINE is?

I was under the impression that with msiexec one can take ANY msi file and execute it with /q or /qn switch which would result in a silent installation. But it doesn't seem to work with mysetup.msi that I created with InstallAware. Please advise.

While we are on a subject I noticed that when I run the the EXE created by IA then in the Select Program Folder "Anyone who uses this computer" radio button is selected by default. Yet when I run the corresponding msi then neither "Anyone..." nor "Only for me" radio option is selected and you can actually click next without selecting either one. Any thougths?

I'm running ver 3.01 of Windows Installer.

Much thanks,

Alex

[CandiceJones]

Hi Alex,

This behavior is as designed. You need to set the CMDLINE variable when using InstallAware setups with the Group Policy wizard.

Group Policy wizard generated MSIs are not meant to be used stand-alone. They are designed for efficient Group Policy deployment only.

[alexzakharov]

OK, fair enough. Two questions:

1. Can InstallAware generate single-file MSIs that are meant to be used standalone?

2. If not - can we still use Group Policy Wizard-generated MSI in a standalone mode? Are you saying that if we use them in a standalone mode the results are unpredictable? For example, will they work "msiexec /a" - i.e. administrative install on the network?

Please reply ASAP if you can - this is a showstopper issue for us.

Alex

[alexzakharov]

To elaborate a bit, given that i'm not sufficiently familiar with MSI i dont understand whether MSIs made for group policy deployments are fundamentally different from non-group policy deployment MSIs? What are those differences? Is it easy it is to convert between the two MSIs? Does it mean that group policy-geared MSIs are not meant to be used with msiexec?

Furthermore, from searching the web it sounds that there are two MSFT-specific ways of pushing out MSIs to multiple users: either via "msiexec /a" or via active directory (i.e. group policy). so, do i understand correctly that these two approaches require different types of MSI?

Which of course brings me to the question as to why InstallAware chose only to support group policy MSIs without supporting non-group policy (i.e basic) MSIs? It would seem like a major oversight since a lot of our clients do ask for basic MSIs, but maybe i'm not understanding something here. Please advise.

[CandiceJones]

InstallAware has features like 50% better compression using the LZMA/BCJ2 algorithm. This algorithm is not supported by Windows Installer, and therefore InstallAware setups are packaged into an EXE file that extracts the MSI file, and the accompanying uncompressed data files. The installation then proceeds normally using the Windows Installer engine.

However, Group Policy Deployment accepts only MSI files. Therefore, InstallAware creates an "outer" MSI file, which encapsulates the tightly compressed EXE file, and the "inner", "real" MSI that it contains. Since InstallAware setups are all based on Windows Installer technology, InstallAware setups are fully compatible with Group Policy Deployment, with the only caveat that an "outer" MSI "wrapper" is required to wrap the tightly compressed EXE. This external wrapper is already set up to correctly advertise, install, uninstall the inner setup silently, as configured by the administrator, using regular Group Policy Deployment options.

You will provide the EXE file for your end-users. To system administrators who want to use Group Policy Deployment, you will provide the Group Policy Wizard wrapped MSI file. To system administrators using any other deployment method, you will provide the EXE file - they can just run it with the "/s" switch for silent installation.

[alexzakharov]

Candice,

Thanks very much. I appreciate the detailed response.

The one question you forgot to answer is "msiexec /a": for admins who want to use silent installs on the network via "msiexec /a"? Seems like they won't be able to use an .exe (since msiexec requires .msi), nor can they use group policy's MSI, no?

Basically if we have customers that want/require (for one reason or the other) to use msiexec - how can I accomodate them?

Alex

[CandiceJones]

As far as I know, msiexec /a creates an admin install point, which is later used by Group Policy deployment anyways.

There is absolutely no reason why any customer would want to use msiexec per se. InstallAware itself calls msiexec internally during installation.

You are fully covered for Group Policy (or other means of) unattended deployment, using MSI and EXE output files.

[alexzakharov]

Got it - thanks very much.

So as a final confirmation do I understand correctly the following about group policy msis:

- group policy msis are not to be used standalone
- the fact that neither "all users" nor "single user" was selected when i tried running it shouldn't bother me because it is so by design.
- system administrator responsible for deployment will specify whether the app is to be installed for single user or all users and my group policy msi will install correctly based on admin's settings.

Please confirm (especially the last point).

Alex

[CandiceJones]

Yes, exactly. Group Policy requires the sysadmin to specify the installation level at deployment time.