InstallShield Self-Extracting EXE
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(Add unshield to Software section, provide examples for unshield, add references.) |
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== Identification == | == Identification == | ||
For at least one version (3?) of InstallShield, ASCII "{{magic|InstallShield Self-Extracting Stub Program}}" appears beginning at offset 943. | For at least one version (3?) of InstallShield, ASCII "{{magic|InstallShield Self-Extracting Stub Program}}" appears beginning at offset 943. | ||
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| + | == unshield examples == | ||
| + | List the contents of example.exe: | ||
| + | unshield l example.exe | ||
| + | Extract example.exe: | ||
| + | unshield x example.exe | ||
== Software == | == Software == | ||
| + | * [https://github.com/twogood/unshield unshield] - Linux only. [https://github.com/ScoopInstaller/Binary/blob/master/unshield/unshield-1.5.1.7z Unofficial x86_64 Windows builds] exists.<ref>[https://github.com/twogood/unshield/issues/157 Where do I find the latest Windows binaries? #157 - GitHub]</ref> | ||
* STIX - Extracts from InstallShield v3 files. (DOS, OS/2) | * STIX - Extracts from InstallShield v3 files. (DOS, OS/2) | ||
** [{{SACFTPURL|pack|stix.zip}} stix.zip] (from SAC) | ** [{{SACFTPURL|pack|stix.zip}} stix.zip] (from SAC) | ||
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* {{CdTextfiles|100gg/100%20Great%20Games%20-%20No%20Shareware%20(1999)/|100+ Great Games CD}} → {{CdTextfiles|100gg/100%20Great%20Games%20-%20No%20Shareware%20(1999)/100_Games/Games/game17/solcon.exe|solcon.exe}}, {{CdTextfiles|100gg/100%20Great%20Games%20-%20No%20Shareware%20(1999)/100_Games/Games/game26/bgf2int.exe|bgf2int.exe}}, {{CdTextfiles|100gg/100%20Great%20Games%20-%20No%20Shareware%20(1999)/100_Games/Games/game38/gamchest.exe|gamchest.exe}} | * {{CdTextfiles|100gg/100%20Great%20Games%20-%20No%20Shareware%20(1999)/|100+ Great Games CD}} → {{CdTextfiles|100gg/100%20Great%20Games%20-%20No%20Shareware%20(1999)/100_Games/Games/game17/solcon.exe|solcon.exe}}, {{CdTextfiles|100gg/100%20Great%20Games%20-%20No%20Shareware%20(1999)/100_Games/Games/game26/bgf2int.exe|bgf2int.exe}}, {{CdTextfiles|100gg/100%20Great%20Games%20-%20No%20Shareware%20(1999)/100_Games/Games/game38/gamchest.exe|gamchest.exe}} | ||
* {{DexvertSamples|archive/installShieldSelfExtractor}} | * {{DexvertSamples|archive/installShieldSelfExtractor}} | ||
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''Wanted: Lots more samples from different versions of InstallShield.'' | ''Wanted: Lots more samples from different versions of InstallShield.'' | ||
| + | |||
| + | == References == | ||
| + | <references/> | ||
Latest revision as of 10:59, 2 August 2025
InstallShield Self-Extracting EXE is an executable installer file created by the InstallShield installation software for Windows.
This article is intended to cover only the outer-layer distribution file, and not the various executable and other component files that it may contain.
Not all editions of InstallShield supported creating self-extracting EXE files, and it's not uncommon to find InstallShield component files packaged in other ways (e.g. ZIP), or unpackaged.
Running the .exe with a `-s` flag seems to allow these to run silently and they then extract their contents into C:\users\<user>\Temp\
[Ed. note: This article needs much more research and expansion.]
Contents |
[edit] Identification
For at least one version (3?) of InstallShield, ASCII "InstallShield Self-Extracting Stub Program" appears beginning at offset 943.
[edit] unshield examples
List the contents of example.exe:
unshield l example.exe
Extract example.exe:
unshield x example.exe
[edit] Software
- unshield - Linux only. Unofficial x86_64 Windows builds exists.[1]
- STIX - Extracts from InstallShield v3 files. (DOS, OS/2)
- stix.zip (from SAC)
- [1] → stix.arj
- https://github.com/DeclanHoare/stix/
- ISx - InstallShield installer extractor. Claims to support InstallShield versions released from about 2003 to 2016.
- IsXunpack.exe - For InstallShield v7. Can be found in Universal Extractor. Source is this forum post.
- InstallShield Setup Extract (Probably very limited support.)
[edit] Sample files
- 100+ Great Games CD → solcon.exe, bgf2int.exe, gamchest.exe
- dexvert samples — archive/installShieldSelfExtractor
Wanted: Lots more samples from different versions of InstallShield.
