Msiexec
Provides the means to install, modify, and perform operations on Windows Installer from the command line.
To install or configure a product
Syntax
msiexec/i {Package | ProductCode}
Parameters
- /i
-
Installs or configures a product.
- Package
-
Specifies the name of the Windows Installer package file.
- ProductCode
-
Specifies the globally unique identifier (GUID) of the Windows Installer package.
Remarks
-
Windows Installer command-line options are not case-sensitive.
-
For more information about the Windows Installer command-line options, see Related Topics.
Examples
To install a product from A:\Example.msi, type:
msiexec /i A:\Example.msi
To use the administrative installation option
Syntax
Parameters
- /a
-
Applies the administrative installation option.
- Package
-
The name of the Windows Installer package file.
Remarks
-
Windows Installer command-line options are not case-sensitive.
-
For more information about the Windows Installer command-line options, see Related Topics.
To repair a product
Syntax
msiexec/f [p][o][e][d][c][a][u][m][s][v]{Package | ProductCode}
Parameters
- /f
-
Enables one or more of the command-line options listed in the following table.
|
Command
|
Description
|
|---|
p | Reinstalls only if file is missing. |
o | Reinstalls if file is missing or if an older version is installed. |
e | Reinstalls if file is missing or an equal or older version is installed. |
d | Reinstalls if file is missing or a different version is installed. |
c | Reinstalls if file is missing or the stored checksum does not match the calculated value. |
a | Forces all files to be reinstalled. |
u | Rewrite all required user-specific registry entries. |
m | Rewrites all required computer-specific registry entries. |
s | Overwrites all existing shortcuts. |
v | Runs from source and re-caches the local package. |
- Package
-
Name of the Windows Installer package file.
- ProductCode
-
Globally unique identifier (GUID) of the Windows Installer package.
Remarks
-
This option ignores any property values that you type at the command line.
-
The default parameter for this command-line option is /fpecms.
-
Windows Installer command-line options are not case-sensitive.
-
For more information about the Windows Installer command-line options, see Related Topics.
Examples
To repair the installation package, type:
msiexec /fpecms Example.msi
To uninstall a product
Syntax
msiexec/x {Package | ProductCode}
Parameters
- /x
-
uninstalls a product.
- Package
-
Name of the Windows Installer package file.
- ProductCode
-
Globally unique identifier (GUID) of the Windows Installer package.
Remarks
-
Windows Installer command-line options are not case-sensitive.
-
For more information about the Windows Installer command-line options, see Related Topics.
Examples
To remove or uninstall a package, type:
msiexec /x Example.msi
To advertise a product
Syntax
msiexec/j [{u | m}] Package
msiexec {u | m} Package /t TransformList
msiexec {u | m} Package /g LanguageID
Parameters
- /j
-
Advertises a product.
- u
-
Advertises to the current user.
- m
-
Advertises to all users of the computer.
- Package
-
Specifies the Windows Installer package file.
- /g LanguageID
-
Identifies the language.
- /t TransformList
-
Applies transform to advertised package.
Remarks
-
This option ignores any property values that you type at the command line.
-
If you want to install the application with elevated privileges, use /jm.
-
Windows Installer command-line options are not case-sensitive.
-
For more information about the Windows Installer command-line options, see Related Topics.
Examples
To advertise a package to all users of this computer, type:
msiexec /jm Example.msi
To set logging level
Syntax
msiexec/L [i][w][e][a][r][u][c][m][p][v][+][!]LogFile.txt
Parameters
- /L
-
Specifies the path to the log file.
- i
-
Logs status messages.
- w
-
Logs nonfatal warnings.
- e
-
Logs all error messages.
- a
-
Logs startup of actions.
- r
-
Logs action-specific records.
- u
-
Logs user requests.
- c
-
Logs initial user interface parameters.
- m
-
Logs out-of-memory.
- p
-
Logs terminal properties.
- v
-
Logs verbose output. To use v, specify /L*v.
- +
-
Appends to existing file.
- !
-
Flushes each line to the log.
- *
-
Logs all information except for the v option. This is a wildcard.
- LogFile .txt
-
Name and path of the text log file.
Remarks
-
Windows Installer command-line options are not case-sensitive.
-
To include the v option in a log file using the wildcard flag, type /L*v at the command prompt.
-
The Windows Installer log file options can also be used with the uninstall and repair processes.
-
For more information about the Windows Installer command-line options, see Related Topics.
Examples
To install a package and create a log file that contains the information related to the status, out-of-memory, and error messages, type:
msiexec /i Example.msi /Lime logfile.txt
To apply an update
Syntax
Parameters
- /p
-
Applies an update.
- UpdatePackage
-
Specific update.
Remarks
-
To apply an update to an administrative installation package, use the following syntax:
msiexec/pUpdatePackage/aExample.msi
-
Windows Installer command-line options are not case-sensitive.
-
For more information about the Windows Installer command-line options, see Related Topics.
To install a transform using the command line
Syntax
msiexec /iPackageTRANSFORMS=TransformList
Parameters
- /i
-
Installs or configures a product.
- Package
-
Specifies the Windows Installer package file.
- TRANSFORMS=
-
Property that is used to specify what transform (.mst) files should be applied to the package.
- TransformList
-
List of paths separated by semicolons.
Remarks
-
Windows Installer command-line options are not case-sensitive.
-
For more information about the Windows Installer command-line options, see Related Topics.
To install and advertise a product using a transform with the command line
Syntax
msiexec /iPackage/j[u][m] /tTransformList
Parameters
- /i
-
Installs or configures a product.
- Package
-
Name of the Windows Installer package file.
- /j
-
Advertises a product. This option ignores any property values entered on the command line.
- u
-
Advertises to the current user.
- m
-
Advertises to all users of this computer.
- /t
-
Applies transform to advertised package.
- TransformList
-
List of paths separated by semicolons.
Remarks
-
Windows Installer command-line options are not case-sensitive.
-
For more information about the Windows Installer command-line options, see Related Topics.
To set the user interface level
Syntax
msiexec/q{n | b | r | f | n+ | b+ | b-}
Parameters
- /qn
-
Displays no user interface.
- /qb
-
Displays a basic user interface.
- /qr
-
Displays a reduced user interface with a modal dialog box displayed at the end of the installation.
- /qf
-
Displays the full user interface with a modal dialog box displayed at the end.
- /qn+
-
Displays no user interface, except for a modal dialog box displayed at the end.
- /qb+
-
Displays a basic user interface with a modal dialog box displayed at the end.
- /qb-
-
Displays a basic user interface with no modal dialog boxes.
Remarks
- /qb+- is not a supported user interface level. The modal box is not displayed if the user cancels the installation.
-
Windows Installer command-line options are not case-sensitive.
-
For more information about the Windows Installer command-line options, see Related Topics.
Examples
To display the basic user interface options during the package installation of Example.msi, type:
msiexec /qb Example.msi
To display copyright information for the Windows Installer
Syntax
Parameters
- { /?| /h}
-
Displays the Windows Installer version and copyright information.
Remarks
-
Windows Installer command-line options are not case-sensitive.
-
For more information about the Windows Installer command-line options, see Related Topics.
To call the system API DllRegisterServer to self-register modules passed on the command line
Syntax
Parameters
- /y
-
Calls the system API DllRegisterServer to self-register modules passed on the command line.
- Module
-
Specifies the file name of module.
Caution
-
Incorrectly editing the registry may severely damage your system. Before making changes to the registry, you should back up any valued data on the computer.
Remarks
-
This option is used only for registry information that cannot be added using the registry tables of the .msi file.
-
Windows Installer command-line options are not case-sensitive.
-
For more information about the Windows Installer command-line options, see Related Topics.
Examples
The following example shows how you can use the msiexec /y command:
msiexec /y my_file.dll
To call the system API DllUnRegisterServer to unregister modules passed on the command line
Syntax
Parameters
- /z
-
Calls the system API DllUnRegisterServer to unregister modules passed on the command line.
- Module
-
File name of module.
Remarks
-
This option is used only for registry information that cannot be added using the registry tables of the .msi file.
-
Windows Installer command-line options are not case-sensitive.
-
For more information about the Windows Installer command-line options, see Related Topics.
Examples
The following example shows how you can use the msiexec /z command:
msiexec /z my_file.dll
Formatting legend
|
Format
|
Meaning
|
|---|
Italic | Information that the user must supply |
Bold | Elements that the user must type exactly as shown |
Ellipsis (...) | Parameter that can be repeated several times in a command line |
Between brackets ([]) | Optional items |
Between braces ({}); choices separated by pipe (|). Example: {even|odd} | Set of choices from which the user must choose only one |
Courier font
| Code or program output |
See Also