From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Installation (computer programs)
Installation (computer programs)
setup)
Installation (or setup of a program (including drivers, • Shared and non-shared program files
plugins, etc.) is the act of putting the program onto a • Folders/directories
computer system so that it can be executed. • Windows registry entries
Because the requisite process varies for each program • Configuration file entries
and each computer, many programs (including operating • Environment variables
systems) come with a general-purpose or dedicated in- • Links or shortcuts
installer–a
stallation program called an installer specialized pro-
gram which automates most of the work required for
their installation.
Type of Installations
Unattended installation
Installation that is performed without user
Overview interaction during its progress or, in a stricter
Some software can be executed by simply copying it to a sense, with no user present at all, except
computer and executing it with no further ado; no instal- eventually for the initial launch of the process. An
lation procedure as such is required. Other programs are installation process usually requires a user who
supplied in a form not suitable for immediate execution, "attends" it to make choices at request: accepting
and require an installation procedure. Installation may an EULA, specifying preferences and passwords,
include unpacking of files supplied in a compressed form, etc. In graphical environments, installers that offer
copying them to suitable locations, tailoring the software a wizard-based interface are common. However
to suit the hardware and the user’s preferences, provid- these installers may also provide command line
ing information about the program to the operating sys- switches that allow performing unattended
tem, and so on. The installer may test for system suitabil- installations.
ity and available mass storage space. Answer file
Some software is designed to be installed simply by Some unattended installations can be driven
copying their files to the desired location, and there is no by a script providing answers to the various
formal installation process. This was once usual for many choices such as the answer file which can be
programs running under MS-DOS, Mac OS, Atari TOS, and used when installing Microsoft Windows on a
AmigaOS. This is the de facto standard in Mac OS X appli- large number of machines.
cations and is also used for many Windows applications.
Windows applications that do not require installation are Self installation
oftentimes called "portable," as they do not require an Unattended installation, without the need of initial
installation to run, and may be run for many different launch of the process (i.e. Vodafone Mobile
computers with only the executable. There are versions Connect USB Modem or Huawei E220’s Mobile
of some operating systems which do not require instal- Partner software that self-installs from the USB
lation and can be run directly from a bootable CD, DVD, port).
or USB drive. This allows one to test out the operating
Headless installation
system without altering the existing setup. Examples are
Installation performed without using a monitor
AmigaOS 4.0, different Linux distribution, MorphOS Ami-
connected to the destination computer (in
gaOS clone, or Mac OS 1-9.
particular, on a computer with no video output at
Installation usually implies that once installed, the
all). This can be an (attended) installation
program can be executed again and again, without the
performed from another machine connected via
need to reinstall before each execution. Some software
LAN or via a serial cable.
does not need installation at all. There is server-based
software that mimics locally-installed software, and can Unattended and headless installations are common
be run inside of a web browser, using only the local sys- tasks for system administrators.
tem’s cache. This allows portability among computers
with access to the server. This technique is often referred Clean installation
to as cloud computing. Given the complexity of a typical installation there
Common operations performed during software in- are many factors that may interfere with its
stallations include creation or modification of: successful completion. In particular files that are
1
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Installation (computer programs)
Package Management System Installer
Typically part of the operating sys- Each product comes bundled with its own installer.
tem.
Uses a single installation database. Performs its own installation, sometimes recording information about that
installation in a registry.
Can verify and manage all packages on Only works with its bundled product.
the system.
Single package management system Multiple installer vendors.
vendor.
Single package format. Multiple installation formats.
leftover from old installations of the same program
or an unstable situation of the operating system
Installer
may all act to prevent a given program from An installation program or installer is a computer pro-
installing and working correctly. An installation gram that installs files, such as applications, drivers, or
performed in absence of such interfering factors other software, onto a computer. Some installers are
(which may vary from program to program) is specifically made to install the files they contain; other
called a clean installation In particular, a clean
installation. installers are general-purpose and work by reading the
operating system installation can be performed by contents of the software package to be installed.
formatting its destination partition before the The differences between a package management sys-
actual installation process. tem and an installer are:
Flat installation Bootstrapper
An installation of a program performed from a
During the installation of computer programs it is some-
copy (called a flat copy) of its original media
times necessary to update the installer or package man-
contents (mostly CDs or DVDs) to a hard drive,
ager itself. To make this possible, a technique called boot-
rather than directly from the media. This may help
strapping is used. The common pattern for this is to use
in some situations where the target machine isn’t
a small executable file (e.g. setup.exe) which updates the
able to cope with random access reads from CD/
installer and starts the real installation after the update.
DVD at the same time as performing the CPU-
This small executable is called bootstrapper. Sometimes
intensive tasks often required by an installation, or
the bootstrapper installs other prerequisites for the soft-
where the target machine does not have an
ware during the bootstrapping process too.
appropriate physical drive.
Network Installation Common installers
An installation of a program from a shared Cross platform installer builders that produce installers
network drive. This may simply be a copy of the for Windows, Mac OS X and Linux include InstallAny-
original media (as in a Flat Installation), but where (Flexera Software), JExpress (DeNova),[1] and In-
frequently, software publishers which offer site stallBuilder (BitRock Inc.).
licenses for institutional customers provide a Installers for Microsoft Windows include Windows
version intended for installation over a network. Installer, a software installation component. Additional
third party commercial tools for creating installers for
Virtual installation Windows include InstallShield (Flexera Software), Ad-
AmigaOS features a centralized standard vanced Installer (Caphyon Ltd),[2] InstallAware (Instal-
installation utility called Installer since version 2.0 lAware Software),[3] Wise Installation Studio (Wise So-
in 1991. It is driven by a LISP language interpreter, lutions, Inc.), SetupBuilder (Lindersoft, Inc.),[4] Installer
and users have the faculty of editing the VISE (MindVision Software), MSI Studio (ScriptLogic Cor-
installation scripts as these are plain text files. poration), Actual Installer (Softeza Development),[5]
Installer also features the unsurpassed chance for Smart Install Maker (InstallBuilders Company),[6] MSI
users to perform virtual installations and verify Factory and Setup Factory (Indigo Rose Software), Cen-
any possible problem before committing the real turion Setup (Gammadyne Corporation).[7] Free installer-
installation. authoring tools include NSIS, IzPack, Clickteam, InnoSet-
up, InstallSimple and WiX.
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Installation (computer programs)
Mac OS X includes Installer, a native Package Manag-
er software. Mac OS X also includes a separate software
References
updating application, Software Update but only supports [1] Denova.com
Apple and system software. Included in the dock as of [2] "Caphyon setup authoring solutions". Advanced
10.6.6, the Mac App Store shares many attributes with Installer. http://www.advancedinstaller.com/.
the successful App Store for iOS devices, such as a similar [3] "Installation Software for Windows Programs".
app approval process, the use of Apple ID for purchases, InstallAware. http://www.installaware.com/.
and automatic installation and updating. Although this [4] "Lindersoft: Software Installation Solutions - High-
is Apple’s preferred delivery method for Mac OS X,[8] quality Software Installations". Setupbuilder.com.
previously purchased licenses can not be transferred to http://www.setupbuilder.com/. Retrieved
the Mac App Store for downloading or automatic updat- 2010-05-02.
ing. Commercial applications for Mac OS X may also use [5] "Installation Software for Windows Programs".
a third-party installer, such as Mac version of Installer Actual Installer. http://www.actualinstaller.com/.
VISE (MindVision Software) or InstallerMaker (StuffIt). Retrieved 2010-05-02.
[6] "Smart Install Maker - Custom setup files made
easy". Sminstall.com. http://www.sminstall.com/.
See also Retrieved 2010-05-02.
• Application virtualization [7] "Centurion Setup". Gammadyne Corporation.
• Java http://www.gammadyne.com/centurion.htm.
• List of installation software [8] http://www.apple.com/mac/app-store/great-mac-
• Package management system apps.html
• Portable application
•
•
Pre-installed software
Software distribution
External links
• Uninstaller • The Application Deployment Information Center
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Installation_(computer_programs)&oldid=473392865"
Categories:
• Installation software
• Package management systems
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