Finding MSI install options and switches
There are times when you’d like to install an MSI file in an automated fashion but finding which switches and options the MSI supports can be tricky and time consuming. Googling can give you the answers but not always.
There is any easy method of finding out the switches and options the application MSI uses to install and it involves running the MSI and logging the install routine.
Simply run the following to create a log file of the install routine:
msiexec.exe /log c:\somelocation\log.txt /i myapp.msi
Once you have manually run through the steps required to install the MSI open the log.txt file that was also created alongside the installation and anything in the log file with a Property (C) or (S) flag is a variable that you can use as part of an unattended installation switch or option.
Example of a log file I created recently to discover a couple of flags for VMware UEM.
Property(S): LicenseFile = C:\VMware-UEM-8.6.0-eval-expiring-2015-08-21.lic
Property(S): ALLUSERS = 1
