Lessmsi

lessmsi: Alternative to Installing MSI Packages on Windows

An open-source tool that extracts MSI file contents, allowing for MSIs installation without relying on the Windows Installer

What is Lessmsi?

lessmsi is an open-source command line tool that allows you to install software on Windows without using the Windows Installer service. It works by extracting the contents of MSI installation packages and placing the files in a directory structure that replicates what the MSI would have installed.

This allows you to avoid issues that can occur when using the Windows Installer, like locked files during installation, rollbacks leaving orphaned files, and the requirement for admin privileges. lessmsi just silently extracts the MSI contents, allowing you to execute the applications normally without an installer.

lessmsi is useful for software deployment in corporate environments where you want to avoid relying on the Windows Installer. It allows installing applications in a simplified and standardized way across machines. And because it just extracts files, uninstall is as simple as deleting the lessmsi directory - no need to run a separate uninstaller.

On the downside, there is no rollback functionality, no repair option, and no add/remove programs entry when using lessmsi. So it trades convenience for simplicity and standardization across deployments. For many organizations, this is an advantageous tradeoff.

Lessmsi Features

Official Links