Msiexec (command-line options)

  • Article

Applies To: Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Server 2003 with SP1, Windows Server 2003 with SP2

Msiexec

Provides the means to install, modify, and perform operations on Windows Installer from the command line.

  • To install or configure a product

  • To use the administrative installation option

  • To repair a product

  • To uninstall a product

  • To advertise a product

  • To set logging level

  • To apply an update

  • To install a transform using the command line

  • To install and advertise a product using a transform with the command line

  • To set the user interface level

  • To display copyright information for the Windows Installer

  • To call the system API DllRegisterServer to self-register modules passed on the command line

  • To call the system API DllUnRegisterServer to unregister modules passed on 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

msiexec/aPackage

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

msiexec/pUpdatePackage

Parameters
  • /p
    Applies an update.
  • UpdatePackage
    Specific update.
Remarks

  • To apply an update to an administrative installation package, use the following syntax:

    msiexec/pUpdatePackage**/a**Example.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

Syntax

msiexec {/? | /h}

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

msiexec/yModule

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

msiexec/zModule

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

Concepts

Install a package using the command line
Install a transform using the command line
Install and advertise a product using a transform at the command line
Create an administrative installation package from the command line
Repair a package using the command line
Remove a package using the command line
Advertise a package using the command line
Create an installation log file using the command line
Command-line reference A-Z
Command shell overview