MSI (Microsoft Software Installer) is a file format developed by Microsoft that is commonly used to install, maintain, and uninstall software on Windows systems. An MSI file is a database-like "package" containing all the necessary information and instructions for installing a program.
The MSI database file contains tables with detailed information about the files to be installed, shortcuts, Windows registry settings, etc. These tables are then compressed, packaged, and saved as a single MSI file for distribution.
Windows MSI files use a standardized format that uses norway telegram data Windows Installer technology, making it easy for system administrators and end users to install programs in a corporate IT environment. This ensures that software is installed correctly and consistently across different Windows computers.
Windows Installer takes the contents of the MSI file and handles the bulk of the installation process. In particular, MSI packages can be installed silently, without requiring users to provide any data or participate in the process—another benefit for large enterprise IT environments where software may need to be installed on many endpoints.