IE MSI'ed ?

[CChong]

Gentlemen !
I have a very simple question -- did any of you make the MSI package for Inernet Explorer 5.x or 6 ?
I've run into a strange problem -- when trying to repackage installation, the second, "after" snapshot can't be performed in AdminStudio 3.0 repakager.
So, if anyone made this, can you share some bits of knowledge -- simply where to start ?
I know the way of "encapsulation" of standard IEAK .exe installation, but I also want to control when my system shuts down along with Runonce key values.
I can't understand also why M$ didn't released MSI version of IE, for it would be far more simple to upgrade from version to version in big environments.
Any comments ?

[CChong]

Hy Cristopher,

I have done this with IE 5.5SP2.
The prob with Repagager u discover are not the real prob.
If u use the Multiple Step option the Repagager wil work fine.

But...

The core components of IE are part of the OS ( or MS used SFC Technologie to protect them )

The .msi setup will generate 69 Errors like this one:

Product: Internet Explorer -- Info 1931.The Windows Installer service cannot update the system file C:\Programme\Internet Explorer\IEXPLORE.EXE because the file is protected by Windows. You may need to update your operating system for this program to work correctly. Package version: 5.51.4807.2300, OS Protected version: 5.0.2920.0

So i think the orginal IE Setup uses the SFC technologie to update protected files.

But...

after 20 min. testing of the installed version with teh 69 errors the IE ist working ... allmost 🙂


Regards

[CChong]

Hi, Emmanuel !

Yeah, I fixed problem with repackager, but it seems far too more problems are ahead. The best way IMHO will be to clean some registry entries IE checks and fill by itself and then run standard setup via custom action from MSI.

The only thing I still can't get is why they don't make MSI on their own ?! They advertize the technology like hell and still force us, users and developers to complete their unfinished crap. Damn it !:mad:

[CChong]

I think IE is a special case. M$ state that it's part of the System and will be protectet by the OS itself.

If they made the technology to update protected systemfiles public available we will have a virus hell never seen before.
Ok this is a small protection but there is little good in the bad.

Regards

But...

if there are "special" versions of Windows in the feature witch do not contain components like IE or WMP there is a chance for us...

[CChong]

I live by a simple rule of thumb when it comes to MS products:
Don't even ATTEMPT to repackage them, you're just asking for trouble. Especially IE since it is so embedded into the OS.

I found an MSI that launches the IE5setup.exe but it ended up creating multiple entries in Control Panel. I ended up just using a ZAP file. Quick, Clean, and easy.

[CChong]

Hi, guys !
A .Zap file is not an option -- I don't want to publish, I want to assign.
Anyway, there _is_ a solution, trust me ! There's a command line for iesetup. Take a look at the following article in M$ knowledge base: Q257249.
If you'd inserted it as custom action, the only last thing to do is to restart PC _after_ installation and get logged on. But you can use startup script in order not to get logged on.
Moreover, you won't need to bother with IEAK any longer.
It really works, lads.
As for repackage -- yes, dmoritz, you're damn right, M$ stuff is a hell of an undocumented merde, I gonna play with it no more.
Regards,
CB