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views:

165

answers:

4

I have an old legacy application around for which I only have the installer. it doesn't do anything more than uncompress and register itself and his library's.

As i don't have the source-code it gives me a lot of headaches in maintenance problems. In some particular computers (Acer Aspire One with Windows) just do not run.

I would like to extract the files and re-create this installer with NSIS. Is this possible or I'm nuts?

The original installer has been created with Ghost Installer Studio.

A: 

If it uses a MSI file, you can use Orca or SuperOrca to get at the stuff packed inside.

Nick
http://www.brothersoft.com/superorca-153829.html
SoloBold
If I remember right, 7zip extracts files in an .msi as well.
amdfan
Hi, No it isn't a MSI file is a exe create with Ghost Installer Studio (a demo actually, so the original packager didn't have much respect for licenses either).
levhita
+2  A: 

You could try using a program that monitors new files being installed and then get the files that were installed from their respective paths.

For instance, I found this in about 10 seconds with Google, there are more programs like it, but I am inexperienced with those available for Windows.

SoloBold
An installer can do more than drop files; for example it may evan have conditional behavior based on which system it's running on. I'd assume the OP wants to maintain any MSMs or custom actions that the original installer performed.
Nick
Well, he did ask how to "extract the files" from it ;)
SoloBold
Hi, well there might be problems like the case that the installer selects some libraries to install in some system and not in others.I'm aware of that but if can't get the original packaging script, I'll just go the best bet.
levhita
+3  A: 

One option is to find a machine that it does run on, and then install some "install guard" software (often called things like Acme Uninstaller). Use this to track what actually gets installed and then copy the relevant files and write your own.

It looks like a lot of hassle to me, and you may be on thin ice with regards to the licence.

Anthony Williams
A: 

Just my +1: Actual Installer

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