How to make size of the .exe smaller?

[toby_cn]

Could anybody tell me how to make the .exe smaller?
I used to create setup.exe by inno, but now i have to transfer this job to IS because my company decided to purchase this software.
I did the following test between IS and inno.

source file size: a mmorpg game software. total size up to 5.85G. with two big resource package in, one is 3.35G,the other is 1.42G.

the result of using IS:
is version : is 2010 premier evaluation.
project type: installscript.
parameter: almost default.
single setup exe file size:3.43G

the result of inno:
set Compression=lzma/max, and the single setup exe file size is 3.04g.

as a rookie, I am not familiar with the parameters of IS.
Could anybody tell me how to make the .exe smaller? Are there some compression type settings like inno?

p.s., someone told me to modify the content of Settings.xml in \2010\Support\0409\ by changing compressionlevel from "-1" to "9". I tried it, but it didn't work.

[Reureu]

Go for either a Basic MSI or an InstallScript MSI project.
There is an "Optimize Size" setting, which works as follows:

Specify whether you want InstallShield to use the LZX method of compression when building this release's cabinet files.

Using compression generally decreases the size of your compressed files, but the build process may take more time to complete. Depending on the number and size of the files being compressed, the LZX compression and the build may take hours to complete. Therefore, if you specify that you want to use LZX compression type (Optimize Size), it is recommended that your build machine have the latest hardware to minimize the time that it takes for the build to complete.

This setting is used only if your release is configured to compress some or all of its files.

I could not see any equivalent option for pure InstallScript projects.

[toby_cn]

where can i find this "Optimize Size" setting?

[Reureu]

[LIST=1]

In the Installation Designer, browse to Media-->Release.

Add a New Product Configuration, add a New Release.

Set the Compression to "Compressed", which enables the "Optimize Size" settings.

[toby_cn]

3x.
I also found it in the setting dialog.

[toby_cn]

I have tried the "optimize size" setting.
But I have another problem.

I met A error with error code -7108, whose description is "%s is too large to store in a CAB.(2GB maximum)".

but in an installscript project, there is no error when building the *.cab files.

[#7]

Hi toby_cn,

Here is some information from InstallShield KB.

"The Basic MSI and InstallScript MSI projects use the Microsoft Windows Installer service to perform the installation. InstallShield uses the Microsoft Cabinet SDK to compress files because the Windows Installer service supports the Microsoft CAB file format for compressed sources.

The Microsoft CAB file format has the following limitations:
The maximum size of a single file that can be contained in a CAB file is approximately 2GB.
The maximum number of files a single CAB file can contain is approximately 64,000.
The maximum size of a single CAB file is approximately 2GB.

Workaround:
If you need to include files that are larger than 2GB in a MSI-based project, the release settings need to be set to build an uncompressed release."

[toby_cn]

Thanks for your reply, kevin.

But I want to include the files larger than 2GB in cab and then compress.

Is there anyway to achieve the two goals simultaneity?