Tricking an installation program [solved]

[Corporal Agarn]

MS has always been good at not allowing for newer versions than what is available at the time the installation software was written. P.S. You may get down voted for asking a programming question in the lounge. [edit]Notice I did not down vote[/edit]

modified on Thursday, August 25, 2011 11:52 AM

[DaveAuld]

Use sysinternals tools to track what registry keys and or files the installation process is accessing then temporarily edit or replace them. That might work..........(It used to with winzip to reset the nag screen many years ago :rolleyes: )

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Folding Stats: Team CodeProject

[realJSOP]

You might be able to modify the installer itself if you can find the spot where it looks for the IE version. If it's a MSI file, you might be able to chantge it without much hassle.

".45 ACP - because shooting twice is just silly" - JSOP, 2010
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You can never have too much ammo - unless you're swimming, or on fire. - JSOP, 2010
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"Why don't you tie a kerosene-soaked rag around your ankles so the ants won't climb up and eat your candy ass." - Dale Earnhardt, 1997

[Ian Shlasko]

If the above suggestions don't help, you might be able to bypass the installer entirely, depending on how complex the application is... For instance, 7Zip is great at extracting files from any kind of archive, including MSI installer files.

Proud to have finally moved to the A-Ark. Which one are you in?
Author of the Guardians Saga (Sci-Fi/Fantasy novels)

[Simon_Whale]

If you have Windows 7 professional download the XP Compatibilty mode[^]

Lobster Thermidor aux crevettes with a Mornay sauce, served in a Provençale manner with shallots and aubergines, garnished with truffle pate, brandy and a fried egg on top and Spam - Monty Python Spam Sketch

[Marc A Brown]

djj55 wrote:

P.S. You may get down voted for asking a programming question in the lounge.

But... but... but... it wasn't a programming question! Although some folks probably won't notice that before the downvoting begins. :-D

[leppie]

The Windows SDK comes with a tool called Orcas. You can disassemble the MSI, and modify the checks, and reassemble it. Missed the not an MSI part. Go with answer below. Odds are WinRAR can open it.

((λ (x) `(,x ',x)) '(λ (x) `(,x ',x)))

modified on Thursday, August 25, 2011 10:17 AM

[realJSOP]

My WPF Performance thread looks more like a programming question than this one does, and it's already been 1-voted at least once. However, that 1-vote could also have been because I mentioned Reputationator (it seems like every time I mention that app, the post gets 1-voted by at least one platinum debator).

".45 ACP - because shooting twice is just silly" - JSOP, 2010
-----
You can never have too much ammo - unless you're swimming, or on fire. - JSOP, 2010
-----
"Why don't you tie a kerosene-soaked rag around your ankles so the ants won't climb up and eat your candy ass." - Dale Earnhardt, 1997

[Lost User]

Since it is not an MSI file, check if the exe is an SFX archive. If yes, you should be able to extract the files using Winrar or Winzip. And then try installing the app manually with the extracted files.

[Michael Bergman]

Before messing around with the registry on your main machine, you might want to create a virtual machine (Virtual PC) and try to install it on that.

m.bergman

-- For Bruce Schneier, quanta only have one state : afraid.

[Oakman]

John Simmons / outlaw programmer wrote:

by at least one platinum debator

probably this guy[^]

“Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one." ~ Albert Einstein

[Peter Mulholland]

John Simmons / outlaw programmer wrote:

every time I mention that app, the post gets 1-voted by at least one platinum debator

:laugh: Someone in the lounge doesn't like that you can actually produce software. That makes me laugh.

Pete

[AspDotNetDev]

Yeah, he downvotes ALL my stuff.

Martin Fowler wrote:

Any fool can write code that a computer can understand. Good programmers write code that humans can understand.

[Fabio Franco]

John Simmons / outlaw programmer wrote:

and it's already been 1-voted at least once.

But that's because of the evil JSOP stalker that always 1-votes you, it's just a matter of time before you get 1-voted here also. Unless you keep the Outlaw Programmer alter ego in the cage.

"To alcohol! The cause of, and solution to, all of life's problems" - Homer Simpson

[neurobox]

Michael Bergman wrote:

Before messing around with the registry on your main machine, you might want to create a virtual machine (Virtual PC) and try to install it on that.

That was my thought... if the installer is having that much trouble, you may come to have several issues with the software itself. If it uses embedded IE controls, it might depend on a certain interface being there which may or may not be in your system. VirtualPC is good, Virtualbox works and it's available for free. If you have an old Windows 2000 disk set, that might all take an afternoon to install but it's more likely to work out in the end.

[SCCatman]

That's a good idea, I have had trouble installing SQL after a demo version timed out. Also having trouble getting VB2008 to convert a vb6 program, probably because of where regestery entries went during an install on 64 bit Thanks

[djdanlib 0]

Sounds like manually patching the code might be an option if you can't extract the installation files and DIY. "I have altered the installer. Pray that I do not alter it any further."

[Fuzzychaos]

I just had to do this yesterday. Check out the MS KB link and modify the registry or files as needed according to the IE version matrix[^]. In my case the installer checked for IE 5 for NT. With Procmon running, I only updated whatever registry keys where checked by the installer and then restored them once the installer completed the checks. It also worked to fix the check for an older version of a Windows Service Pack, an old Adobe Acrobat Reader and an old Java Runtime Environment. Jeremy

Jeremy Props to the family: New Dawn Engineering