Tips and Expert Advice on EXE to MSI Repackaging

This site is a learning center and knowledge base with the information about EXE to MSI repackaging. Here you can learn how to convert proprietary EXE installations info MSI format in order to deploy software automatically on the remote PCs.

Articles below explain why do you need to care about installation repackaging in order to make a remote unattended software deployment and provide in-depth overview of EXE to MSI converting process. Articles also highlight advantages and disadvantages of different repackaging methods and contain recommendations regarding using repackage on practice.

Introduction into EXE to MSI Repackaging

Installation packages in EXE and MSI formats seems to be similar from the end-user point of view. Both allow you to install and uninstall software by following installation and uninstallation steps. But MSI installations, also known as Windows Installation packages, have few features, important if you need to make a remote unattended installation or centralized software deployment to remote PCs. By repackaging EXE to MSI format you can keep the functionality of original installation and get benefit from remote software deployment. More

How to Convert EXE to MSI Package

Installation repackaging is a method of installation transformation from one format to another. This method is used by repackaging tools to transform EXE installations to MSI packages. As far as original setup in EXE format is just a binary file, it isn't possible to extract data from it to produce MSI package. Repackaging tools are able to track file system and registry changes performed on the manual installation of the original EXE setup and use captured information to generate MSI. Produced MSI package contains all settings preconfigured during the manual installations and it can be deployed in a silent mode on a local or remote PCs. More

Best Practices of EXE to MSI Repackaging

Repackaging of EXE to MSI can be an easy task if modern repackaging tool is used. Actually you don't need to be an expert in installation in order to convert legacy setup into MSI - you just have to follow steps of the original installation and repackaging tool can track performed changes and generate an MSI package automatically. But sometimes MSI packages created by this way may fail to work. Repackaging process is very sensitive and can be influenced by a number of external factors. In order to convert EXE to MSI successfully you have to follow few repackaging best practices. More