axel.
Posts: 4
Joined: Mon Dec 05, 2022 5:37 pm

Nsis format repackaging

Tue Dec 06, 2022 4:21 pm

Hello,

I encountered a problem with Nsis package (Scratch 3 .exe). I tried to repackage exe from MSI, or extract it and build a MSI, but at the end the MSI is created, I deploy it through SCCM but when I launch it on a client computer, nothing is showed, nothing in task manager, it just makes nothing...
I tried two times, that's the same behavior. I'm wondering where is the problem (I always had problem with NSIS package)...
May be I don't do that the right way or I miss something important. If someone has an idea, thanks a lot

Catalin
Posts: 6537
Joined: Wed Jun 13, 2018 7:49 am

Re: Nsis format repackaging

Tue Dec 06, 2022 6:10 pm

Hello and welcome to our forums,

I'm not quite sure what Advanced Installer has to do with your NSIS pacakge.

Could you perhaps give me some more details? Are you using our repackager to repackage an EXE setup created with NSIS?

If your issue is with the NSIS product, then perhaps you should contact their support team.

Best regards,
Catalin
Catalin Gheorghe - Advanced Installer Team
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axel.
Posts: 4
Joined: Mon Dec 05, 2022 5:37 pm

Re: Nsis format repackaging

Wed Dec 07, 2022 2:50 pm

Thanks for answering.

I'm using Advanced Installer to "repackage" the exe in msi. That did not work, after all the process has been done, the MSI was here, and when i launched it, it just launched the exe setup, which installed in /%username%/appdata/ instead of %programfiles%

So i tried to unpack the setup.exe, to take all files in a folder and to build from scratch the MSI with Advanced Installer. It was done quickly, but when I launch the program, no windows is opening, and the process is not in task manager.

Catalin
Posts: 6537
Joined: Wed Jun 13, 2018 7:49 am

Re: Nsis format repackaging

Mon Dec 12, 2022 3:57 pm

Hello,

Most likely, what you have used there is the "EXE to MSI" converter.

What this does is it adds your EXE setup as a feature-based prerequisite in your MSI project. Basically, this MSI is a bootstrapper over your EXE.

With that being said, behind the scenes, the installation of your EXE is still performed.
So i tried to unpack the setup.exe, to take all files in a folder and to build from scratch the MSI with Advanced Installer. It was done quickly, but when I launch the program, no windows is opening, and the process is not in task manager.
This aproach, although it seems correct, actually isn't.

Beside the files, there are still many things to consider from the setup package created with NSIS, such as registry entries, custom actions, etc.

If you are not the developer of that setup package, it's almost impossible to recreate that manually.

What you can do here, however, is use our Repackager feature, available in the Architect suite. Below you can find some articles which should be helpful:

1. Repackaging an installation

2. Repackaging using Virtual Machines

3. Repackaging an installation on a Hyper-V virtual machine

Best regards,
Catalin
Catalin Gheorghe - Advanced Installer Team
Follow us: Twitter - Facebook - YouTube

axel.
Posts: 4
Joined: Mon Dec 05, 2022 5:37 pm

Re: Nsis format repackaging

Wed Dec 14, 2022 11:05 am

Hello thanks for reply, I tried both converter and repackaging with no luck. I will try another repackaging in a VM from scratch to see if it works for both install & uninstall with silent switch inside. The goal is to deploy through SCCM so without window, completly silent in system environment.

I'm in VMWare env, so I try with the article you gave to me and will see if anything is different...

Catalin
Posts: 6537
Joined: Wed Jun 13, 2018 7:49 am

Re: Nsis format repackaging

Thu Dec 15, 2022 2:28 pm

Hello,

Sure thing!

Please let me know if you require any further assistance.

Best regards,
Catalin
Catalin Gheorghe - Advanced Installer Team
Follow us: Twitter - Facebook - YouTube

axel.
Posts: 4
Joined: Mon Dec 05, 2022 5:37 pm

Re: Nsis format repackaging

Thu Dec 15, 2022 2:59 pm

Catalin wrote:
Mon Dec 12, 2022 3:57 pm
Hello,

Most likely, what you have used there is the "EXE to MSI" converter.

What this does is it adds your EXE setup as a feature-based prerequisite in your MSI project. Basically, this MSI is a bootstrapper over your EXE.

With that being said, behind the scenes, the installation of your EXE is still performed.
So i tried to unpack the setup.exe, to take all files in a folder and to build from scratch the MSI with Advanced Installer. It was done quickly, but when I launch the program, no windows is opening, and the process is not in task manager.
This aproach, although it seems correct, actually isn't.

Beside the files, there are still many things to consider from the setup package created with NSIS, such as registry entries, custom actions, etc.

If you are not the developer of that setup package, it's almost impossible to recreate that manually.

What you can do here, however, is use our Repackager feature, available in the Architect suite. Below you can find some articles which should be helpful:

1. Repackaging an installation

2. Repackaging using Virtual Machines

3. Repackaging an installation on a Hyper-V virtual machine

Best regards,
Catalin
Ok I'm back with informations, and most of all, issues... I've done this thing :

Upgrade ESXi (this should be done and all prereqs from AI or VMWARE are now all full set)
Upgrade Vsphere (this should be done and all prereqs from AI or VMWARE are now all full set)
Installation of VMWARE Workstation Pro 17 (because it did not work in the vcenter when the VM is at the root or under another folder, i got the problem "shared folder" and try your FAQ but nothing worked, and in the combobox i don't see all my vm..)
Build a fresh install of W10x64 uptodate
Install / Upgrade VMWARE Tools

Ok now I've a clean VM and a clean environment, I'm following the tutorial you gave me for repackaging with VMWARE.

So I launch the repackage, i'm choosing my setup.exe files, i'm adding additional params to commandline.
Then I'm editing VM and feeding it with credentials and do all stuff in tutorial, then i launch the process :
- first issue : the iso is not mounted automatically for osprovision in local, however it's ok in the vcenter
:> i mounted it manually in the VM and click retry
-second issue :
process tries to install osprovision tool and throw a "AI Tools can be installed only in a virtual machine"
:> no solution found here except in the forum a guy who said "it's under investigation in 2017"

So, in the vcenter I can mount the tools and launch the process but I cannot solve the problem of "shared folders" and I don't see all my VM, only 3 or 4 directories instead of 40 (so i cannot choose some of vm), finally it doesn't work.
In Local, with all frsh install workstation,w10,tools, same I cannot launch the entire process which is blocked at AI tools installation.

I'm someway stuck... any ideas or link to solutions ? (of course all my AI and OS and drivers are uptodate). Thanks

Catalin
Posts: 6537
Joined: Wed Jun 13, 2018 7:49 am

Re: Nsis format repackaging

Mon Dec 19, 2022 3:32 pm

Hello,

For the VSphere repackaging, did you follow this article?

Repackaging using VMware vSphere

If I understand correctly, you do not see your VM in the list? Did you correctly configure the connection?
So, in the vcenter I can mount the tools and launch the process but I cannot solve the problem of "shared folders" and I don't see all my VM, only 3 or 4 directories instead of 40 (so i cannot choose some of vm), finally it doesn't work.
It would greatly help if you could provide some more information about this, perhaps some screenshots.
In Local, with all frsh install workstation,w10,tools, same I cannot launch the entire process which is blocked at AI tools installation.
Here, could you please try opening the VM and making sure that the UAC is not blocking the installation? The UAC might have been prompted on the VM and this is blocking the installation.

Or perhaps you can, before starting the process, open the VM and install osprovision.exe.

Best regards,
Catalin
Catalin Gheorghe - Advanced Installer Team
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