An MSI file is a Windows Installer format used to install software on Windows operating systems. The MSI file extension is used to install, uninstall, configure, and update programs on the computer.
Let us define MSI extension:
What is an MSI file?
MSI or Microsoft Installer files represent Windows package files that store installation information. Installer packages are data collection sets (relational databases) formally arranged into data tables.
MSI files are used by some versions of Windows to install updates from Windows Update and use third-party installation tools. The MSI file contains all the information necessary to install the software, including the files that need to be installed and where those files need to be installed on your computer.
MSI files are generally used to install software on Windows computers but can also be used to update or uninstall software. The Windows Installer service configures installer packages like Windows applications or update packages.
When you execute an MSI file format, the installation wizard will start. During this process, what generally happens is:
- Files are copied to the system,
- The registry keys get applied,
- Installation instructions are executed, including file associations, services, and custom actions.
When you download a software package in MSI format, you usually see both .msi and .exe file extensions. The .exe file is the executable installer file to install the software on your computer. The .msi file is the installation package that will be used by the Windows Installer service to install the software.
Difference between MSI file and EXE file
Windows Installer uses MSI files to install software on a system. They contain all the information necessary for the installer to copy files, set registry values, etc. Non-MSI installers extract their installation resources directly and manage their installation themselves. This can be difficult to do correctly, as errors may not be caught until runtime.
Setup.exe files are used as bootstrappers or non-MSI installers. A bootstrapper is a self-extracting executable that contains an MSI file. When run, the setup.exe will call Windows Installer to install the MSI. This is preferable to using individual MSI files, as it allows several MSIs to be installed sequentially.
MSI files are installer packages that always meet certain requirements and are standardized, making them reliable and easy to use. On the other hand, EXE files are highly customizable and offer more flexibility to developers. They can contain other EXE and MSI files, as well as dependencies. Additionally, they can be compiled in many different ways and languages. While MSI files require the Windows Installer, EXE installers do not. This makes them ideal for network deployments where the Windows Installer is unavailable.
What is Windows 64-bit MSI?
Windows 64-bit MSI is a Windows Installer that installs 64-bit packages. 64-bit MSI files are also used to install, store, and remove programs.
Let us see how we can open the MSI file:
How to install the MSI file?
MSI files will be opened automatically with the Windows installer if you double-click on the file. Additionally, you can install MSI files using the command prompt in Windows. MSI files are packaged in an archived format, so you can extract content using a file unlock program such as 7-Zip.
If you have this or a similar program installed, you can right-click on the MSI file and choose to open or remove all the files stored inside.
How to install MSI files on MAC?
To open an MSI file on MAC, you need to use MAC file extractor software and follow the steps:
- Download the MAC extractor software, for example, “Extract Now.”
- Install the software.
- Open extracting software.
- Extract the MSI files.
See how to extract MSI files using 7zip software:
How to run and install the MSI file from the command prompt?
To run the MSI file from the command prompt, do the following steps:
- Type “CMD” in the Start menu or press the Ctrl+Shift+Enter keys simultaneously.
- Click the Yes button to see the command prompt black window
- Navigate to the MSI file folder. To enter the new folder, type “CD NewFolder.” To exit from directory “CD..”
- When entering the MSI file folder, type the MSI file name and press Enter.
See how to run the MSI file from the command prompt in this video:
What are IIF MSI files?
IIF MSI files represent the Microsoft installer format commonly used in Microsoft software, such as spreadsheet software. To open IIF format, please use an Excel file or Notepad. This file format is usually used by Quickbooks and other spreadsheet programs.
IIF functions return the value passed as the TruePart parameter if the expression evaluates to True; otherwise, they return it as the FalsePart parameter.
Setup MSI
A setup MSI is a setup.exe file that acts as a bootstrapper because it contains an MSI instead of individual files. However, some setup.exe acts as a non-MSI installer to extract the installation resources and manage their installation directly. In this case, the setup.exe will call Windows Installer to install the MSI.
Many organizations offer IT developers MSI versions to customize the software in their environments. For example:
Firefox MSI
Firefox Enterprise offers MSI installers per CPU architecture 32 or 64-bit, locale, and channel. Firefox MSI helps system administrators to customize and deploy Firefox in their environments.
See example: https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/all/#product-desktop-release.
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The Microsoft® Windows® Installer (MSI) is the application installation and configuration service for Windows. These download packages will update the version of Windows Installer on your system to version 4.5.
Multiple Package Transaction: In a multiple package transaction, you can create a single transaction from multiple packages. In a multiple package transaction, a chainer is used to dynamically include packages in the transaction. If any of the packages do not install as expected, you can roll back the installation.
Embedded UI Handler: You can embed a custom user interface (UI) handler in the Windows Installer package. This makes a custom UI easier to integrate. You can also invoke an embedded UI handler from the Add or Remove item in Control Panel. Or, you can invoke an embedded UI handler during a Windows Installer repair process.
Embedded Chainer: You can use the embedded chainer to add packages to a multiple package transaction. You can use an embedded chainer to enable installation events across multiple packages. For example, you can enable the install-on-demand events, the repair events, and the uninstall events across multiple packages.
Update Supersedence Resiliency: This feature enables you to correct for changes in the FeatureComponent table during supersedence.
Shared Component Patching Resiliency During Uninstall: This feature makes sure that the most recent version of a component is available to all the products.
Custom Action Execution On Update Uninstall: This feature enables an update to add or change a custom action so that the custom action is called when an update is uninstalled.
After installation of this package, the version of Windows Installer on the system will be upgraded to 4.5.
For some time now I have been packaging for x64 and x86 machines, and have faced numerous issues while creating the MSI for x64 machines. Well MSI will mostly work in x86 because of less complexity of 32 bit machine. There always seems to be a problem when you try to install the application in 64 bit environment.
Registry Structure:
The Registries install differently in 32 and 64 bit machines. in 64 bit machines, there is a provision to install 32 bit applications registry and this goes in SysWOW64 folder.
By default all 32 bit installers install the registry in SysWOW64 hive. If you need to install the registries in normal mode as in directly in the registry as it was in 32 bit machines, then you need to change the Component in your MSI to 64 bit component. This will ensure that your registries are to be installed as 64 bit and not 32 bit.
You might face issue in compiling your 32 bit application with a 64 bit component. I would suggest you to compile your Application with 32 bit component and change the component attribute with ORCA later on.
Folder Structure:
I would like to share the 2 basic folders which are different in 64-bit machines.
• Program Files: There are two folders for Program Files in 64 bit machines and they are Program Files and Program Files (x86). All applications which have 64 bit installer are installed in «Program Files» folder, whereas all 32 bit applications are by default installed in «Program Files (x86) folder.
• System folder: The System 32 folder also behaves in the similar manner as Program Files and in this for 64 bit installers, the files which are to be placed in System 32 are directed to «System32» Folder only. The 32 bit installers however place these file in «SysWOW64» Folder.
Now the question comes to package the applications in such a way that we get desired output. I will list down certain scenarios and how to handle them in packaging. I hope to cover most as in whatever issues I have faced and your feedback for more scenarios is most welcome.
a) Scenario: In a capture application, files are getting installed in SysWOW64/Program Files (x86) folder when you want the files to be placed in System32/Program Files folder.
Resolution: You need to check the Summary section in your WISE Package Studio. If your package is marked as Intel,1033 (or Intel,xxxx), then you need to change this to x64,1033 (or x64,xxxx).
By doing this you are changing the installer type from 32 bit to 64 bit. You cannot install this package now on 32 bit machines and you will have to create a separate installer for that. I have done a lot of research and this only seems to be the most viable option as of now.
Also you need to change your directory in WISE package Studio/MSI.
There are additions of new already defined folders in MSI for 64 bit support. These folders are explained below:
[ProgramFiles64Folder] will redirect files to “Program Files» folder and [ProgramFilesFolder] will redirect the files to «Program Files (x86)» folder in 64 bit machines.
[System64Folder] will redirect files to «C:\Windows\System32» folder and [SystemFolder] will redirect the files to «C:\Windows\SysWOW64» folder in 64 bit machines.
Choose accordingly in your package. If there is still some problems, you can try making the components to be 64-Bit and try again.
b) Scenario: There is a vendor MSI which is 32 bit and install files to «Program Files (x86)» Folder in x64 machine. But due to the functionality of the application, you would require it to install to «Program Files» folder.
Resolution: If you are thinking that you will change the Summary section in MST file from Intel,1033 to x64,1033 and it will work, well you are thinking in right direction, but it does not work. You will have to change the summary section in MSI directly through ORCA and then do rest of the customizations in MST.
WIN64DUALFOLDERS determines what happens to the path variables while installation of an MSI. Based on the application type as in 64 bit or 32 bit, the paths are determined.
If it is a 64 bit installer then you will see something like this in the log file:
WIN64DUALFOLDERS: Substitution in ‘C:\Program Files (x86)\ABC\XYZ\’ folder had been blocked by the 1 mask argument (the folder pair’s iSwapAttrib member = 0).
This means that the file system redirection will not happen. All paths will be defined as desired.
For example:
ProgramFilesFolder will be C:\Program Files (x86)
ProgramFiles64Folder will be C:\Program Files
and so on…
The end result would be as expected.
The 64-bit msiexec.exe is used in the whole process.
If it is a 32 bit installer then you will see something like this in the log file:
WIN64DUALFOLDERS: ‘C:\Program Files (x86)\’ will substitute 17 characters in ‘C:\Program Files\’ folder path. (mask argument = 0, the folder pair’s iSwapAttrib member = 0).
This means:
ProgramFilesFolder will be C:\Program Files (x86)
ProgramFiles64Folder will become C:\Program Files (x86)
I hope this will help you in Packaging your applications for 64 bit.
Windows Installer is a program for installation on the *.msi standard support system.
Windows Installer enables easy, reliable, and streamlined installation, management, and removal of software applications on Windows operating systems.
— OS: Windows 7 or higher
— RAM: 512MB or more
— Hard Drive Space: 100MB
— Administrative privileges for installation
Automatically manages installation and uninstallation of programs.
Supports repair options for faulty applications.
Ensures system stability during software updates.
Can be complex and confusing for novice users.
Potential for installation errors or corruption.
Lacks advanced customization options.
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image/svg+xmlBotttsPablo Stanleyhttps://bottts.com/Florian Körner
Liam
nice website, clean and well designed, not much info and didn’t look to appealing to me. too many empty spaces. I didn’t know where i needed to click looks incomplete. The large white section looks out of place to me.
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The Windows Installer software allows for quick and easy installation of programs.
image/svg+xmlBotttsPablo Stanleyhttps://bottts.com/Florian Körner
Jay L.
Windows Installer is a software package that assists in the installation, maintenance, and removal of software on Windows operating systems. It offers features such as automatic repair, rollback of failed installations, and installation customization options. It also allows for the installation of software across a network and supports the installation of 64-bit applications. Additionally, Windows Installer offers support for multilingual installations and can be used to install both desktop and server applications.
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Windows Installer 4.5 for Windows XP x86/x64 Windows Server 2003
x86/x64/ia64 and Windows Vista/Server 2008 x86/x64/ia64. Archived by me
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