MSI Customization: Customization of MSI files for installation is a built-in feature of the technology. there are two primary ways to customize the installation:
Light Weight: You can set PUBLIC properties on the command line as a light weight form of customization, sample here and here, or…
msiexec.exe /i setup.msi ADDLOCAL="Core,Spell" SERIALKEY="1234-1234" /qnHeavy Weight: Use transforms (database fragments of changes) to make large changes to the whole installer – you can change almost anything in the whole package.
msiexec.exe /i setup.msi TRANSFORMS="mytransform.mst" /qnTools: Major MSI tools – the major tools available to make and customize MSI files. And some (primarily) free MSI tools. Orca can be used to make transforms – customization fragments for MSI files. See that last link for how to get it downloaded / installed.
msiexec.exe Command Line: The msiexec.exe command line is complex and somewhat unusual:
- msiexec.exe Command-Line Options
- Msiexec.exe Command Line (Advanced Installer)
There is this ancient tool that can help to build command lines. No longer officially available, but it might be gotten from archives.
Links:
- How to make better use of MSI files (
actual explanation of MSI customization via transforms)- How to run an installation in /silent mode with adjusted settings
- MSI Repackaging – free tool
Further: Further links – just for reference, the above should suffice.
- Can the resulting command line be determined after running an .msi installer?
- How to build MSI package on a linux server?
- How to convert an MSM file into an MSI file on the command line? Doing this with the Windows Installer SDK, or COM
- How to push MSI with parameter using SCCM server
- How to uninstall dangerous MSI package
- How to tag or customize the a binary (for example of an installer)
- Microsoft Installer command line string parameter not working?