Computer and Software Support


Msiexec (command-line options)

This page is from Microsoft

Updated: January 21, 2005

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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

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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.
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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.CommandDescriptionpReinstalls only if file is missing.oReinstalls if file is missing or if an older version is installed.eReinstalls if file is missing or an equal or older version is installed.dReinstalls if file is missing or a different version is installed.cReinstalls if file is missing or the stored checksum does not match the calculated value.aForces all files to be reinstalled.uRewrite all required user-specific registry entries.mRewrites all required computer-specific registry entries.sOverwrites all existing shortcuts.vRuns 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

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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

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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.
/gLanguageID
Identifies the language.
/tTransformList
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

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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

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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/aExample.msi

  • Windows Installer command-line options are not case-sensitive.
  • For more information about the Windows Installer command-line options, see Related Topics.
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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.
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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.
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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

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To display copyright information for the Windows Installer

 
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
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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

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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

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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