Unpacking msi-files of Management Packs

In OpsMgr R2 this ‘problem’ is gone – since one can download and import MPs directly from the console – but until OpsMgr SP1 downloading and unpacking the msi-files containing the MPs can take some time.

Be aware though that with OpsMgr R2 the MP guide is still needed. Read this posting how to go about it.

Mostly because the MPs are packaged as a msi-file. When one runs this file the local msi-database gets filled up with all kind of unneeded information about installed programs which are mostly unpacked MPs.

With a free MSI-editor/-unpacker/-viewer the installation of the msi-file isn’t needed. Simply run the MSI-editor/-unpacker/-viewer, open the msi-file and in the same folder where the msi-file resides a new folder will be created, containing all files which are to be found within the msi-file, without filling-up the local msi-database with all kinds of unneeded information.

This free tool can be downloaded here. I have used it on Windows Vista without any problems and now I use it on Windows 7 as well, also without any problems.