1

I am attempting to run an older InstallShield 5.0 setup program using the silent (/s) option, however even after recording an iss file using /r, it does not automatically fill in the install directory/path. The relevant iss file section is as follows:

[SdSelectFolder-0]
szFolder=Some Folder
Result=1

I have also attempted to run setup.exe /v"/qn INSTALLDIR=D:\Some Other Folder" /f1"E:\Path\To\Setup.iss" to specify the install folder at run time, and replaced INSTALLDIR with szFolder since that's the parameter name, with absolutely zero success. Everything in the installer runs silently except the "select folder" page, which always comes up regardless of answer file or any options provided.

Is there anything that I can do to specify, either on the command line, or via iss file, this older program's install folder? Any help/direction would be amazing here!

MonkeyJamboree
  • 61
  • 1
  • 4
  • Not sure what software this is. Let me lob you some links (big busy): [Extract files](https://stackoverflow.com/a/8694205/129130), [Silent deployment (terse)](https://stackoverflow.com/a/53296461/129130) (*see the software library section here*). [Silent deployment (elaborate)](https://stackoverflow.com/a/52338626/129130). [Installscript MSI - setup.exe](https://stackoverflow.com/a/51941558/129130). – Stein Åsmul May 01 '20 at 16:52
  • So, one of the details on one of the pages linked says this: `Installscript (non-MSI) You can run legacy setup.exe files silently by recording a response file with setup.exe /r and then you run the install silently with setup.exe /s. There are some detailed samples for how to do this here.` As do many of the documentation pages for "Old-style InstallShield setups" and such, but none of them seem to indicate being able to specify an install location. Again, I've used the /r switch to record responses, but the response file (my `.iss` file) that was created does not work. – MonkeyJamboree May 03 '20 at 01:09
  • I found this document. Just sending you the link in the hopes you find something here that might help: https://resources.flexera.com/web/pdf/archive/silent_installs.pdf - no time to look at it myself right now, sorry. – Stein Åsmul May 03 '20 at 02:56
  • Thanks for that, though that's all the same info that I've found already, relating to InstallScript/InstallShield anyway. I have a feeling this is just plain broken or something :( – MonkeyJamboree May 03 '20 at 09:47
  • What setup is this? What application and what vendor? Do you have a "packaging team" in your company? Repackaging should do the trick. Getting these old Installshield setups to run silently is always futile for total reliability. It has to do with some dialogs only showing up in specific cases (little disk space, etc...). Then it crashes again - even if it looked like it worked with the "vanilla case". By extracting the files yourself you can also - often - make your own setup relatively easily (not always possible - depends on what is in that setup and application). – Stein Åsmul May 03 '20 at 13:42

0 Answers0