Executable files to MSI installer

Question

I have a folder that includes two EXE files and a lot of other files. How do I turn that into an MSI installer or some kind of self extracting installer so that it installs

Answer 1

This is a very common question. I'll just link to some existing answers:

• How to create windows installer - new and "short version" of deployment tools overview. I would recommend this one as a "quick read".
• What installation product to use? InstallShield, WiX, Wise, Advanced Installer, etc - older, more comprehensive summary of deployment tools and their different strengths and snags - no claim to be "right", but "best effort" to help people get their software to end users.

Advanced Installer (further info) and Installshield (further info) are commercial options with nice GUIs for MSI creation - both with some free features / editions as well. And there is PACE Suite - another commercial product. WiX is free and XML-based, with a learning curve. Integration available in Visual Studio for all (most?) products.

And there are further tools as linked to by Phil above and also linked to in my answers above - some of which are not MSI-based, but create legacy setup.exe style setups (Inno, NSIS, etc...).

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Some Further Links:

• Wrap C# application in .msi installer (brief section on VS Installer Projects - a Visual Studio feature that can't really be recommended - but it is free)
• Windows service NOT shown in add remove programs under control panel
• How do Installation Software Programs Extract Files?
• how to create a wix bootstrapper application that runs self extracting exe as an exepackage