Where Customization Begins 

  • InstallShield Installers

 #336  by Buster67
 18 Dec 2009, 21:45
InstallShield Installers

To silently install a package that uses InstallShield, you will have to first create a setup.iss file on a working operating system. Use a test PC if you can.

1. Start the setup application using the -R (case-sensitive) switch from command prompt.

Setup.exe -R


2. The setup screens will appear as they normally would, asking you questions as you go along, such as destination directory, etc. It's important that you do not choose the "Restart the computer now" option. If you do, you will terminate your batch when you run an unattended installation.

3. After installation has completed, go to your C:\Windows\ (or C:\WINNT\) directory and take out the setup.iss file. Put this setup.iss file in the same directory where your application setup.exe file resides in.

4. Start the Silent installation using:

start /wait %systemdrive%\install\Application\Application_name\Setup.exe -s


5. Repeat the steps for other setup applications that uses Install Shield.

» Installing Installshield Applications from RunOnceEx CD

Install shield applications will fail to install when executed from RunOnceEx on CD, unless a log file location is specified. An example of this is shown below, adapt this example for your Install Shield applications (shown in bold):

REG ADD %KEY%\045 /VE /D "Kerio Personal Firewall 2.1.5" /f
REG ADD %KEY%\045 /V 1 /D "%CDROM%\apps\KPF\Setup.exe -s -f2\"%systemdrive%\kerio.log\"" /f


You can then delete the kerio.log file afterwards.

» How do I identify an Install Shield package?

Most of them can be extracted. The Properties box of Setup.exe should show something like "Install Shield (R) Setup Launcher" or something similar. And lastly, if you see a setup.iss file in the directory, then its definitely Install Shield!