How to make a folder into a single .exe?

T

Turbosound

Limp Gawd
Joined
Sep 10, 2011
Messages
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Is there anyway to take a folder and all of it's contents and convert it into a single exe file.
I bought adobe photoshop CS5 and would like to backup the software for future installations. I have sucessfully backed up all my software discs by simply downloading the trial version and documented all of my product keys. All of my software trials are a single exe file except photoshop CS5, which is a 1.6 GB folder with all the contents.

Thanks
 
While I can't help but think this revolves around pirated software (why did you buy CS5? and why are you backing up the trial version? this doesn't make sense...) and will soon be closed, I'm still not sure what you mean about a single .exe.

Closest thing I can think of is just using a ZIP or RAR file to put it all into one place to archive it. If you're saying use a single .exe to re-install the whole program for you, there are utilities for simple programs out there for when you re-install windows that I've hear of, but not for something as complex as CS5.
 
No this is an authentic copy of photoshop CS5 and I'm registered with adobe! I can't believe you would think that. I bought CS5 for editing pictures and I'm backing up the trial version to have a digital backup. I have purshased other software in disc format such as Wavelab 7, Office 2010 and downloaded the trial versions and they are all a single exe file. I don't know how else to explain that, when I run the exe it launches the installation and then prompts me for my product key. However with the trial version of CS5 it is not a single exe file, but a folder with all the contents. I'm just trying to have all my digital backups match, that's all. I have the disc and it works fine, but want to have a digital backup for safe keeping.
 
Buy winrar, winzip, maybe even 7zip will build an exe. Application to launch though, you will need to check the docs...
 
Does anyone else backup there software discs, how do you do it? I heard that some new PC's don't even come with a optical drive! It seems that all physical media (disc format) is becoming digital.
 
Thanks, but will windows 7 be able to open the self extracting exe? I used 7-zip to create a SFX zip file, however when I opened it, it became the folder again and didn't launch the installation?
 
Turbosound said:
Thanks, but will windows 7 be able to open the self extracting exe? I used 7-zip to create a SFX zip file, however when I opened it, it became the folder again and didn't launch the installation?
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Self-extracting WinZip file... will basically unload the files into a specified directory with internal tree intact. If you are asking for an installer to install the files plus make registry entries or something, that likely cannot be done without a lot of coding work.
 
There are settings where you can instruct 7zip and Winrar to execute the .exe file after extraction. But as mentioned, doing this is creating more work than should be needed since all it's going to do is duplicate the internal contents (which isn't time efficient) somewhere else on the drive to then start the install process.

I understand this if you're doing it for OCD reasons in that if you want everything to be the same, but it's far more efficient to just use the "store" setting and put them in an archive. Then all you have to do is go in the archive and start the install from there instead of having to wait for the whole thing to extract.

I use UltraISO and rip all my software into ISOs. Then when I want to install something I just mount the ISO, and it's a great deal faster installing that way than from the CD or DVD.
 
Can I simply copy the contents of the disc to my desktop? Then create a notepad txt file with the product key and put that into a folder with all the data from the disc. When I need to install the software again I can just launch the installation by locating the setup exe. I quess zipping/self zipping doesn't really do anything but add an extra step in the process. Thanks
 
rive22 said:
I use UltraISO and rip all my software into ISOs. Then when I want to install something I just mount the ISO, and it's a great deal faster installing that way than from the CD or DVD.
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This.
 
There are settings where you can instruct 7zip and Winrar to execute the .exe file after extraction
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I don't see where I can do this in 7zip, can you please explain more? I have no plans in making ISO's for the simple reason that it will always need third party software.
 
use imgburn and backup into an ISO. It'll be just one .iso and you can mount and unmount as if the software is a cd/dvd. I think that's what you want.
 
No, I don't want to create ISO's. I would like to make the folder into a self extracting 7zip (exe), that automatically executes the setup file.
 
Turbosound said:
No, I don't want to create ISO's. I would like to make the folder into a self extracting 7zip (exe), that automatically executes the setup file.
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If you're dead set against using ISOs (seems completely illogical to me but, hey, whatever), why not just copy the installation folders to a location on your HDD and leave them as they are, without compressing them into a single SFX? That way you could just run each setup.exe as required without adding unnecessary complications.

Most program installation files are already compressed, so you won't gain much disk space by compressing them again (if that's even a consideration with the size of modern HDDs), and they'd need to be decompressed to a temporary location anyway before launching.

If you're absolutely determined to create a single SFX for each program, you can do it in 7-zip, but it's a bit fiddly - you have to create a config file using the "RunProgram" ID string (check the help file for more details). IIRC it's much easier in Winrar and Winzip, you just need to select the option somewhere in the SFX options - it's been a while since I used either program and I can't remember the exact procedure, although it's unlikely to be rocket science.
 
So your saying to simply drag the contents of the disc and create a folder to store everything? When I want to launch the installation, just locate and double click the setup file inside the folder? I have for instance office 2010, anti-virus 2012, wavelab 7 and photoshop cs5, will this work for all of them?
 
It's always worked for me, although I can't say with complete certainty that it will always work in absolutely every instance for every single program - for example, maybe some particular apps require the installation CD or DVD to be physically inserted for copy protection purposes. Still, if that were the case, compressing the install folders into a single SFX wouldn't solve the problem.

I can't really see any circumstances where adding the extra stage of creating (and subsequently extracting) SFX archives will achieve anything particularly useful, unless it's to satisfy some kind of OCD-type urge as someone suggested above.
 
Yes, I completely agree with you. Unless I'm missing something, that is my exact point with ISO's. I think they are pointless, when you can just copy the folders. When you open/mount an ISO you get all the folders/file that were on the disc, so I would think this would be an extra step as well plus you would always need 3rd party software.
 
Turbosound said:
that is my exact point with ISO's. I think they are pointless, When you open/mount an ISO you get all the folders/file that were on the disc, so I would think this would be an extra step as well plus you would always need 3rd party software.
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That IS the point. Many programs have thousands of little files in multiple folders. Putting them in an archive of any kind keeps things neat and clean.

And what exactly do you think 7zip or Winrar is? They are just as 3rd party as an ISO program. ISOs can be entered without mounting with any good archiving software. And as mentioned some programs require mounting to be installed, a simple right click and "mount" is hardly a big step compared to packing already compressed large .exe's into another .exe. Your determination in this matter combined with a few other things you've said make you appear like you are up to something shady....
 
Sounds to me like you are attempting to redistribute to people who may not have the technical know-how to use/mount/run ISO files but instead a single click EXE.

Either way, if you're that worried - registering with Adobe will allow you to download your CS5 at any time convenient.
 
Your completely missing my point. Creating ISO's and SFX archives both adds an extra step when accessing the setup exe, and you don't need third pary software to open/extract an SFX archive only with ISO's. My point is why would anyone use ISO's or SFX archives when you can simply create one folder to store everything. I'm just trying to understand all the different ways people backup there programs so I can decide how I would like to back my up, mabey some people think that's shady. By the way I can only download the trial version of CS5 until they come out with CS6. This doesn't apply to just CS5, also my other programs like my Linksys PCI adaptor disc.
 
when you install a program, not only does it create the program folder, it creates several registry keys, edits, and many other things.. Unless you manually created an installer based on how the installer unpacks the disc, this will never work..

You cant just backup a folder and expect it to magically be installed on another computer..

you *MAY* be able to use something like the U3 software that comes on Sandisk USB Drives, but that install software only lets you build/install certain types of programs..



I just cant quite figure out why the hell the trial is so important to you... If it was just as easy as downloading a trial and copying full version files over top of it then piracy would be 100x more rampant than it already is.. And unless the trial comes with the full install and unlocks with a key, your adding more potential problems than just installing the damned CD.

If you looking for help on pirating, your in the wrong place.


But to pseudo answer your question, you can create a self extracing archive (ZIP) of the folders tier, but I 100% guarantee you its not going to work how you want it.. Your gonna put full version files over top of trial while the reg keys/entrys/edits will still retain trial info, along with version difference of updates..

Example, in your my documents, create Program Files folder, open it, create ADOBE folder, open it, create Photoshop CS5 folder and dump your files... Then zip the Program files folder you created.. When you extract it, extract it to C:\ and it will retain the folder path and merge folders and overwrite files.

Ideallistically, your trying to create a portable run-able/bootable version of Photoshop..
And even if you pack it all up in a zip, to my knowledge there is no way to auto run after unzipping unless you use windows installshield wizard.
 
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Evil Juggalo said:
when you install a program, not only does it create the program folder, it creates several registry keys, edits, and many other things.. Unless you manually created an installer based on how the installer unpacks the disc, this will never work..

You cant just backup a folder and expect it to magically be installed on another computer..
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Unless I've completely misunderstood, that's *not* what he's trying to do, which makes the rest of your post a waste of everyone's time.

All he wants to do is find a convenient way of launching program setups without using the physical discs - he seemed to be under the impression earlier that simply copying the setup files from the supplied CD or DVD wouldn't work, hence (I assume) his interest in downloadable trials running from a single self-extracting executable.

I really can't see why everyone's pecking his head about piracy and whatnot, it's completely unwarranted, particularly coming from people who clearly couldn't even be bothered to read the thread properly.
 
i think he wants to run his full verison on multiple comps by putting it on a disk, but that isnt possible unless u reg adobe in a vm and have the disk have the vm program
 
nick8571 said:
Unless I've completely misunderstood, that's *not* what he's trying to do, which makes the rest of your post a waste of everyone's time.

All he wants to do is find a convenient way of launching program setups without using the physical discs - he seemed to be under the impression earlier that simply copying the setup files from the supplied CD or DVD wouldn't work, hence (I assume) his interest in downloadable trials running from a single self-extracting executable.

I really can't see why everyone's pecking his head about piracy and whatnot, it's completely unwarranted, particularly coming from people who clearly couldn't even be bothered to read the thread properly.
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Perhaps you should have kept reading it, may have made more sense..
But a large capacity disc based PE with said apps installed running within a RAMdisk would be possible. Not easy, but possible.
 
I gave up on this since the only way to do this would be take a folder and somehow turn it in to a single exe that automatically executes the setup file. I think this would envolve writing lots of codes.
 
There is a way to accomplish what you want, however it will not be free and will require some time for you to experiment with the various settings to accomplish exactly what you want.

By using a combination of Winzip and Winzip Self Extractor, you can combine all files into a single .exe and upon double clicking the .exe, self extract into a temporary folder and launch the installer of the program.

Checkout this link on Winzip's website for a more detailed description.
 
Personally, I just image my physical media to ISO. Then I can either burn the ISO back to disk or mount it, or even extract it with 7zip. Been doing it this way for years.
 
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