Capturing all changes during an application install on Windows

Note: Please see my other answer below as well.

Seeing as you want to create a Wix setup, I want to add a new answer with some hints on how to accomplish this in the quickest way.

I would recommend using the InstallRite (no longer available) software to get a log of changes done by the installer you got. This tool does not allow you to convert the capture into an MSI, but it gives you a good change log (which does contain a bit of junk). The PictureTaker tool appears to have been renamed and is now commercial - it does allow conversion of the capture to MSI though.

There seems to be a new capture tool called Scalable Smart Packager CE (link removed Nov, 2017 - target site has changed and looks a little suspicious). I have not tested this tool thoroughly.

Once you have your log or capture, you can convert to WIX in 2 "fast track" ways:

1. Use the dark.exe WIX MSI decompiler (if you have an MSI already)
2. Use the heat.exe WIX harvester tool (to auto-generate WIX XML for folders, registry etc..)

If you use the dark.exe tool you should get a complete WIX XML file that you can then compile again - but you should clean it up a bit (take out the UI junk, then link with WIX's detault built-in GUI etc...).

Using heat.exe is the cleaner way. You simply run the heat.exe tool against a folder, and it will create WIX XML elements for you to install those files. You will then need to put it all together in a WIX source files along with other required sections. I can provide you with a basic WIX "minimal sample" to get you going (I don't seem to be able to attach files here).

Looks like this is a duplicate of a question answered already on ServerFault (my bad!). The answers given there are:

• Process Monitor from SysInternals Software
• Total Uninstall from Martau.com

UPDATE: Stefan Kruger's comprehensive list of repackaging tools at installsite.org.

Your question is a bit open ended since it is not entirely clear what the overall goal is:

1. Application Repackaging: capture all changes and then package them into a deployable package format such as MSI (or similar).
2. Reporting / Monitoring: just looking for a way to "see what happens" during an installation.

For application repackaging the main tool is AdminStudio (the main competitor "Wise InstallStudio" was pulled from market due to legal issues, see Wise section here: What installation product to use? InstallShield, WiX, Wise, Advanced Installer, etc).

AdminStudio has very comprehensive feature sets and a hefty price tag (and learning curve). You could try to use the trial version to do your repackaging and see if the resulting MSI is useable. If it is not you can convert it to a Wix MSI relatively easily via the dark.exe Wix tool.

Then there used to be more light weight tools such as PictureTaker and InstallRite which I suppose were better suited for "reporting purposes" but could be used for MSI creation. Both these tools seem to have disappeared as well.

There seems to be a new capture tool called Scalable Smart Packager CE (removed broken link Jan, 2018 - the tool appears discontinued). I have not tested this tool thoroughly.

UPDATE: I just removed a broken link to Scalable Smart Packager CE (appears discontinued). For repackaging software / tools, perhaps see Stefan Kruger's comprehensive list at installsite.org. Hard to keep up with all these tools that are useful but end up deprecated.

You could use the method suggested here: Tracking file and registry changes, or you can try to locate the old version of WININSTALL LE on a Windows 2000 Server CD in \VALUEADD\3RDPARTY\MGMT\WINSTLE.

I believe Advanced Installer allows capture, but I am not sure you can export a proper MSI file with the trial version (or at all for that matter).