Did anyone do a post-installation verifier ?

[Myicq]

I have a need to verify an installation of a quite complex software, consisting of several files, directories and registry settings. After installation, or when customers install themselves, I would like to verify the installation. Mainly doing these actions:

• Check file(s) present as they should be
• Compare MD5 checksum of files
• Read and compare DLL file version (as listed in "properties" on DLL)
• Check registry values are set as should be
• Check paths of source files and ini files - the may have been copied from previous installations

 

I would imagine something like that has been done already, so to avoid re-inventing the wheel, first the open question: did anyone do something like this ?

Goal is to have a report of some kind, perhaps a binary OK or not ok.

If not, I will have a go at it, of course in AutoIT. Ideas are welcome btw!

 

[JohnOne]

Only you know what files and versions need to be present, I doubt there's a boil in the bag script.

[Myicq]

John, of course you are right, and I did not expect that. My plan is to have a button to "teach files" in a directory.  Sorry for not making that clear

There are plenty of "compare directories" software out there, but I think they all require two "live" directories. My take is to make an "image" of a directory (metadata), then compare current content.

[jdelaney]

You can output all the file data you need into an xml file, and then loop through that and verify that everything is correct in your 'live' dir.

[JLogan3o13]

I typically break my install into pieces, and do one "tag" file for each piece. For example, with the following install:

1. Middleware product just as Java
2. Main Application
3. Security Change
4. Directory Change

I would usually do something like this:

1. Capture return output from Middleware, through the setup.exe/MSI itself or watching the Event Viewer. Given a successful install, drop my first tag file in a temp directory.
2. Capture return output from Main App, same process as above. If this is not a true application, but just a bunch of file copy and registry functions, I would drop my tag file last - if error checking at any point fails, the tag file does not drop.
3. Simple error checking for 3 and 4; if no errors, drop the tag files.
4. Cleanup function runs last, confirms presence of all tag files. If successful, it deletes. Otherwise, return nature and point of the failure.

Often I will bundle everything (except the middleware) into a single MSI for better reporting.