1. Pre-requisites

Creating a MSI file using the Snapshot Capture feature of Wise Package Studio requires a clean machine to ensure all the components are captured (a component will not be captured if already present on the machine).

To avoid pollution as much as possible, deactivate all components running in background (Defender, Windows Updates, SCCM Agent…).

Some application need pre-required component to be installed first (C++ libraries, .Net Framework…)

Install all the pre-required components (to capture the application only).

Install Wise Package Studio.

If the packaging machine is a VM, shutdown the machine and create a snapshot.

2. Snapshot Capture

Launch Wise Package Studio.

Select the tool SetupCapture

Next

Target Installation: Browse the location of the future project file (.wsi) and name it

Select “Copy Source Files During Installation Save”

Destination Directory: Browse the location of the project

Select “Store Source File Pathnames as Relative Pathnames”

Next

Click Next to launch the first capture

1^st capture in progress…

Once the 1^st capture completed:

Browse the setup file of the software to package and click Execute

Install the software…

Once the software installed and configured, click Next to launch the 2^nd capture

Once the 2^nd capture completed, click Next

Wise compare the 2 snapshots and displays the result

Check the files displayed and exclude unwanted ones.

To the same for registry, ini and shortcuts

Then click Next

The excluded files are now displayed.

Check them and include some of them if necessary.

Do the same for registry, ini and shortcuts

Then click Next

Type the name (will set the ProductName MSI property)

Type the version and the Manufacturer

Click Finish

3. Personalization

Now launch the tool Windows Installer Editor

Windows Installer Editor allows to modifiy the package.

3 tools can be used:

Installation Expert: Allows to manage files, registry, ini, environment variables with a GUI
MSI Script: Allows to manage Custom Actions
Setup Editor: Allows to manage features, properties, tables (like Orca would do)