How to create very large install

[tcolligan]

Hello, I am a new user with a problem.

Our application has a large database stored in many separate files, totally about 3.5GB.

I defined a simple project, but the CAB file was too large (> 2GB).

What is the best way to have a simple (as few files as possible) installation?

Can I combine multiple CAB files into a msi file?

My marketing department wants this package to be downloadable and simple (single click) to install. I've already had the arguments about downloading 4GB of data, and have lost them.

I could really use some overall direction as to what is the best way to handle creating an installer for 4GB of files.

Thanks,
Terry

[GabrielBarbu]

Hello,

Simply break the contents of your installer into multiple features from the Organization page. Make sure you have the "one cab archive per feature" option selected from the Media page->Media tab and that none of your features exceeds the 2gb limit.

Best regards,
Gabriel

[Dan]

Hi,

Windows Installer has its limitations when it comes to managing large file installation. We’ll explore the available options for building installers with very large resources.

Before diving into, let’s summarize the current MSI limitations. The MSI utilizes CAB (Cabinet) files as storage containers for the files it includes.

• Cab Maximum File Size: The maximum size of a CAB file is 2 GB. This limitation is imposed by the CAB file format itself.
• Installer size: The MSI with resources inside cannot exceed 2 GB and EXE with resources inside cannot exceed 4GB. This is a Windows limitation.

Here's the Authoring Installer for Large Resources Overcoming MSI Size Limits (from a developer perspective) article that debates this subject.

Best regards,
Dan