Repackaging Legacy Installations Using the Repackaging Wizard

AdminStudio 2021 R2 SP1 | 22.01 | Repackager

One frequently used method of creating a Repackager project is to repackage a legacy setup. Fundamentally, this involves monitoring the execution of a non-Windows Installer setup and converting changes made by the setup into a Windows Installer file.

Repackager provides the Repackaging Wizard for accomplishing this task. Using this Wizard, you can select the repackaging method (either Snapshot or Installation Monitoring), specify the setup(s) you want to repackage, and run the setup(s). When the Repackaging Wizard has finished its analysis, Repackager automatically creates a Repackager project (.irp) file, which can be modified in Repackager. You can then convert this file to an InstallShield Editor project (.ism) for further editing, or convert it directly to a Windows Installer package (.msi).

Caution:It is highly recommended that you repackage applications on a “clean” system. See Configuring Repackager to Ensure Optimal Installation Capture for more information.

When using the Repackaging Wizard to repackage a legacy setup, you can use any of the following methods:

Repackaging Methods

Repackaging Method

Description

Installation Monitoring Method

Repackager monitors system changes as an application is installed, and that data can be converted into a Windows Installer package. Installation Monitoring is the default method.

See Repackaging Using the Installation Monitoring Method.

Edition:The Installation Monitoring Method is included with AdminStudio Professional and Enterprise Editions.

Snapshot Method

Repackager compares a system snapshot before and after an installation, determines the changes that were made, and that data can be converted to a Windows Installer package. This is the default method.

See Repackaging Using the Snapshot Method.

Using InstallScript Scan

You can use the Repackaging Wizard and InstallScript Scan to convert an InstallScript MSI installation to a Basic MSI package with InstallScript support. InstallScript Scan preserves the original components and much of the InstallScript installation logic, architecture, and maintainability of the original installation package.

See Repackaging an InstallScript MSI Setup to a Basic MSI Setup