Does MS installer create registry entries-OT

  • Thread starter Thread starter ms
  • Start date Start date
M

ms

A database program claimed to have no registry entries, then I found it
uses the MS installer.

Dosen't the MS installer program write to registry while installing the
program?

Does the Wise installer do the same?

Mike Sa
 
Hi ms!

ms said:
A database program claimed to have no registry entries, then I found it
uses the MS installer.

Dosen't the MS installer program write to registry while installing the
program?
Click to expand...

Depends. The MS installer does exactly what the install script tells it to
do. If the person who wrote that script did not specify registry key, none
are written.
However, AFAIK at least one key is written: the key telling the installer
that the app was installed and where to find the uninstaller/uninstall
script for it.

The fact that the app itselft does not write to the registry has nothing to
do with what the installer does, because they are separate programs.
Does the Wise installer do the same?
Click to expand...

It does the same work, so AFAIK yes.

Greetings,

Joachim
 
Joachim is correct. I have written install programs in both InstallShield
and Wise, both of which can use the MS installer and will do whatever they
are instructed. If there are no instructions to write the registry then
none will be done.

However, the end-user can't tell until after the deed is done. You could
use Total Uninstall which actually "wraps" an install thereby knowing
exactly what has been done and therefore is able to identify it to you and
rip it out. There are also programs out there that stash a copy of your
registry (or something like that) then runs a comparison. Not sure if any
are free though.
 
ms said:
A database program claimed to have no registry entries, then I found it
uses the MS installer.

Dosen't the MS installer program write to registry while installing the
program?

Does the Wise installer do the same?

Mike Sa
Click to expand...

Hi Mike. Yes, MSI installer writes a lot of keys to the registry.
According to RegShot, 102 keys added, almost in the branch

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\CLASSES\CLSID\{

but also here

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\CLASSES\.msi

A couple of files are also created under Windows\System.
There is maybe a freeware to open a .msi file without MSI
Installer. I use Total Commander with a plugin to open
..msi files but TC is not a freeware.
For the Wise installer, I don't know.

Pierre.
 
pgriffet said:
Hi Mike. Yes, MSI installer writes a lot of keys to the registry.
According to RegShot, 102 keys added, almost in the branch

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\CLASSES\CLSID\{

but also here

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\CLASSES\.msi

A couple of files are also created under Windows\System.
There is maybe a freeware to open a .msi file without MSI
Installer. I use Total Commander with a plugin to open
.msi files but TC is not a freeware.
For the Wise installer, I don't know.

Pierre.
Click to expand...

Thanks to all, good data.

Mike Sa
 
ms said:
Thanks to all, good data.

Mike Sa
Click to expand...

I forgot to mention that the values are written on a Win9X because MSI
installer is not part of Windows, you have to download the tool.
But for recent Windows (ME/2K/XP), I think MSI is already installed.

Pierre.
 
Back
Top