combine *.msi with its prereq component *.exe

I have a application which already in installable format (*.msi). In order to
run this *.msi, there are quite a few components need to be setup, e.g.
SQL2000.MSDE-KB884525-SP4-x86-ENU.EXE
msxmlenu.msi
WindowsInstaller-KB893803-v2-x86.exe
vcredist_x86.exe
dotnetfx.exe
aspnet_regiis.exe

Now I need to combine these prerequisite components and the application
*.msi together. What is the best approach?

Please advice.

Most people use a bootstrapper to install the prerequsites and then launch
the MSI install. Most MSI dev tools come with a bootstrap of some kind.
After that, you zip up the entire collection with a zip-type program that
extracts all the files and launches your bootstrapper. If the prerequisites
are to be installed from download rather than a CD-image type of install
then your zipped-up package will obviously be smaller.

--
Phil Wilson
Definitive Guide to Windows Installer
http://www.apress.com/book/view/1590592972


"wc" <wc@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:F45B6464-25E5-4B7C-B33D-6E5922FBFA9D@microsoft.com...
>I have a application which already in installable format (*.msi). In order
>to
> run this *.msi, there are quite a few components need to be setup, e.g.
> SQL2000.MSDE-KB884525-SP4-x86-ENU.EXE
> msxmlenu.msi
> WindowsInstaller-KB893803-v2-x86.exe
> vcredist_x86.exe
> dotnetfx.exe
> aspnet_regiis.exe
>
> Now I need to combine these prerequisite components and the application
> *.msi together. What is the best approach?
>
> Please advice.
>

Hi Phil,
I'm a newbie on installer. Can you elaborate more on bootstrapper? How can
it be done on VS 2005?
Thanks,
/Winnie

"Phil Wilson" wrote:

> Most people use a bootstrapper to install the prerequsites and then launch
> the MSI install. Most MSI dev tools come with a bootstrap of some kind.
> After that, you zip up the entire collection with a zip-type program that
> extracts all the files and launches your bootstrapper. If the prerequisites
> are to be installed from download rather than a CD-image type of install
> then your zipped-up package will obviously be smaller.
>
> --
> Phil Wilson
> Definitive Guide to Windows Installer
> http://www.apress.com/book/view/1590592972
>
>
> "wc" <wc@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:F45B6464-25E5-4B7C-B33D-6E5922FBFA9D@microsoft.com...
> >I have a application which already in installable format (*.msi). In order
> >to
> > run this *.msi, there are quite a few components need to be setup, e.g.
> > SQL2000.MSDE-KB884525-SP4-x86-ENU.EXE
> > msxmlenu.msi
> > WindowsInstaller-KB893803-v2-x86.exe
> > vcredist_x86.exe
> > dotnetfx.exe
> > aspnet_regiis.exe
> >
> > Now I need to combine these prerequisite components and the application
> > *.msi together. What is the best approach?
> >
> > Please advice.
> >
>
>
>

If you're using Visual Studio there's already a bootstrapper, that's what
you get when you use the Prerequisites button to build setup.exe. This
install prereqs then launches your MSI file.
You can't install aspnet_regiis.exe - I don't think that's a
redistributable.
--
Phil Wilson
Definitive Guide to Windows Installer
http://www.apress.com/book/view/1590592972


"wc" <wc@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news431E759-12E4-42C3-AE0F-F476C507B11C@microsoft.com...
> Hi Phil,
> I'm a newbie on installer. Can you elaborate more on bootstrapper? How can
> it be done on VS 2005?
> Thanks,
> /Winnie
>
> "Phil Wilson" wrote:
>
>> Most people use a bootstrapper to install the prerequsites and then
>> launch
>> the MSI install. Most MSI dev tools come with a bootstrap of some kind.
>> After that, you zip up the entire collection with a zip-type program that
>> extracts all the files and launches your bootstrapper. If the
>> prerequisites
>> are to be installed from download rather than a CD-image type of install
>> then your zipped-up package will obviously be smaller.
>>
>> --
>> Phil Wilson
>> Definitive Guide to Windows Installer
>> http://www.apress.com/book/view/1590592972
>>
>>
>> "wc" <wc@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> news:F45B6464-25E5-4B7C-B33D-6E5922FBFA9D@microsoft.com...
>> >I have a application which already in installable format (*.msi). In
>> >order
>> >to
>> > run this *.msi, there are quite a few components need to be setup, e.g.
>> > SQL2000.MSDE-KB884525-SP4-x86-ENU.EXE
>> > msxmlenu.msi
>> > WindowsInstaller-KB893803-v2-x86.exe
>> > vcredist_x86.exe
>> > dotnetfx.exe
>> > aspnet_regiis.exe
>> >
>> > Now I need to combine these prerequisite components and the application
>> > *.msi together. What is the best approach?
>> >
>> > Please advice.
>> >
>>
>>
>>

Hi Phil,
Thanks, I'm able to get Prerequisites setup from VS setup project, and found
the prereq components for
..NET Framework 2.0
VC runtime libraries(x86)
Windows Installer 3.1

As I did some research on MSDE2000, I downloaded the MSDE 2000 Deployment
Toolkit. Copied the .NET framework and extracted the MSDE2000 Release A in
the template folder. However, when I run the setup.exe, it result in
following error:
The MSDE 2000 Bootstrap Loader cannot find its configuration file C:\Program
Files\Microsoft\MSDE 2000 Deployment
Toolkit\Template\CD\MSDEBootStrap.exe.config. How can I create the
MSDEBootStrap.exe.config?

How can i include MSXML4.0 and MSDE2000 into the bootstrapper? I can't found
them from the menu.

Thanks for your advice.

Best Regards.
/Winnie