How to determine files an install creates ?

[skint]

Is there an easy way to determine what files an installation has created ? More specifically i am interested in drivers that have been installed. I know i could do a 'before' and 'after' on various folders or i could turn on windows installer tracing but the product i'm interested in is ALREADY installed.

thanks for any help.

skint

 

[Dzomlija]

Is there an easy way to determine what files an installation has created ? More specifically i am interested in drivers that have been installed. I know i could do a 'before' and 'after' on various folders or i could turn on windows installer tracing but the product i'm interested in is ALREADY installed.

thanks for any help.

skint

Sorry for the ubrupt answer, but No.

The only way would be to do a trace on Windows Installer (I'd like to know myself how to do that). If the product is already installed, then it can't be done.

EDIT:
If the installer is in the form of an MSI file, then you can try to use Orca, from the Microsoft platform SDK.

 

[Bill2]

You can use 3rd party tools.

5 programs to Monitor changes in Windows Registry and Trial Software Installation

Tracking Registry and Files Changes When Installing Software in Windows | Raymond.CC Blog

This seems to be a nice one:

Track Change In Registry & File System With TrackWinstall

Obviously, all these will not work on something that has ALREADY been installed.

 

[skint]

thanks for the replies...

re .1: I thought it may not be possible and i am familiar with tracing an install and using ORCA so this approach may work for me (though i'll need to get hold of the kit from somewhere)

re .2: Useful tools which i'll add to my 'toolkit'. thanks.

skint

 

[mikedl]

Hi, skint! Welcome to the Seven Forums!

I see you're in good hands with Bill and Dzomlija (they're both wonderful fonts of knowledge) as well as having quite a bit of insight yourself.

I thought it may not be possible and i am familiar with tracing an install and using ORCA so this approach may work for me (though i'll need to get hold of the kit from somewhere)

Perhaps I can help you with the above part of your post by presenting this link?

 

[xwray]

Killing two birds

I have used Total Uninstall for many years. It is a program that keeps track of every file/registry change made by a program when you install it. You can then use Total Uninstall should you ever decided to remove the installed program in the future. It does a complete uninstallation as opposed to windows uninstall or the installed program's uninstaller - it leaves nothing behind. you can view the log at any time and it will show you all of the changes made during an install via a tree list.

I install and uninstall many programs and Total Uninstall has never let me down nor corrupted my system in any way.

Bottom line: Total Uninstall provides the change info you are seeking plus you get the best uninstaller I am aware of. It is shareware but if memory serves you can try it before you buy it.

 

[FliGi7]

I would just see what the creation date on the program folder was and odds are highly likely that any file it installed will have been created around that very same time on the system. Then, just do a search based on that date/time by typing something like "datecreated:<date>" where <date> is the date the program was installed, then search through the list of files for those created at or around the same time as the program folder.

It may not be 100% accurate if a bunch of programs were installed around the same time but it's your best shot.

 

[jenkins]

I have 2 hard drives.

If I open an game installer while I am using hard drive 1 (as the master drive) and I install the game into a directory on hard drive 2, will anything be installed or left on hard drive 1?

 

[FliGi7]

It is very possible that things will still be written to the primary drive that holds the OS you are running. For example, when install something onto a secondary data drive from the main OS drive, it often needs to write values to the registry which is on the main OS drive.