An MSI is a Windows Installer Database that can be installed by the Windows Installer subsystem on a Microsoft machine. As it is a database instead of a traditional script based install, an MSI has the ability to maintain the “installed” product.
Its advantages over an EXE or script based installation are:
1. Self-repair (healing) of corrupted applications
2. Rollback support for un-install of failed installations
3. Logic to ensure old files never overwrite newer versions (downgrade)
4. A background, silent method for reliable application installations.
5. Automatic reporting capabilities on the successful install of applications.
6. Automatic logging of faults with application installations.
MSI databases consist of standard tables that can be “Transformed” by overlaying a separate table… these overlays are known as Transforms or MST’s. An MST can completely change any of the database fields within the original MSI so destination directories, registered owner and selected features may all be customised.
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