How to extract file from .msu hotfix?

[quest221]

Hi, anybody realize how to extract file from .msu hotfix?

I just konw how to extract in XP:
If you have a file named WindowsXP-KB958644-x86-ENU.exe, you can type "WindowsXP-KB958644-x86-ENU.exe /x" in command prompt, then it will extract the file for you.

I want to konw is there any parameter like "/x" for .msu file?

[ricktendo64]

If you have Kels UberPack there is a hfextract (made by sereby) send to style that you can use

VUT can do this also

[mr_smartepants]

There's also /extract, at least it works for Office 2007 hotfixes.

Code: Select all

foobar.exe /extract:C:\foobar\test

[code65536]

You will need a 6.x version of expand.exe (snag it from a Vista/Win2K8 install) to extract MSU files.

[muiz]

Just use winrar.

[code65536]

Not really... WinRAR, 7-Zip, etc. can only handle the outer layer. You'll then end up with a .cab that you must extract using the Vista expand.exe because the contents are delta-compressed, and you have to use Microsoft's tools to handle that.

[muiz]

Nope its not, winrar will do fine, all the Vista packs i made are done with winrar.
And they work fine.

Sorry but you are wrong

[code65536]

WinRAR 3.80

Extract MSU file, and I get four files. Among those four files is the payload cab. Extract the payload cab with WinRAR. I get lots of cat files, manifests, etc. And a bunch of numbered files. Those numbered files represent the data that needs to be fed to the delta decompression. Yes, WinRAR can extract the inner cab, but all it can get is the raw data that must then be processed by Microsoft's delta compression, which, as far as I can tell, WinRAR does not handle...

[quest221]

Thanks all the guys!

[muiz]

WinRAR 3.80

Extract MSU file, and I get four files. Among those four files is the payload cab. Extract the payload cab with WinRAR. I get lots of cat files, manifests, etc. And a bunch of numbered files. Those numbered files represent the data that needs to be fed to the delta decompression. Yes, WinRAR can extract the inner cab, but all it can get is the raw data that must then be processed by Microsoft's delta compression, which, as far as I can tell, WinRAR does not handle...

*SIGH* whatever dude

[code65536]

*SIGH* whatever dude

It's not like I like using expand.exe for this. If I could use WinRAR, I'd gladly use it instead of punching in a tedious command line each time. But as I have noted, WinRAR does not do this for me. Since you claim that it's possible, perhaps you'd care to demonstrate how it's done? Maybe I'm doing something wrong? Even with the latest version of WinRAR, there is no indication whatsoever that WinRAR is capable of handling delta compression.

[ENU_user]

i don't see this mentioned but here is probably a very neat way to do this though i didn't get testing it

the HFextractor is the best but thats for xp

place it in send2 or make a shortcut for it ..

http://www.2shared.com/file/4247989/44e ... e2cab.html

[muiz]

*SIGH* whatever dude

It's not like I like using expand.exe for this. If I could use WinRAR, I'd gladly use it instead of punching in a tedious command line each time. But as I have noted, WinRAR does not do this for me. Since you claim that it's possible, perhaps you'd care to demonstrate how it's done? Maybe I'm doing something wrong? Even with the latest version of WinRAR, there is no indication whatsoever that WinRAR is capable of handling delta compression.

Richt click on the .msu and open with winrar.
Works like a charm, never had any problems with it.
All Vista packs i made are done this way, and they all work.

[code65536]

Richt click on the .msu and open with winrar.
Works like a charm, never had any problems with it.
All Vista packs i made are done this way, and they all work.

And this is with the latest official version of WinRAR? Well, this is what I get when I open a MSU file with WinRAR:



The bottom WinRAR window is what I see when I open the MSU. The top WinRAR window is what happens when I open the .cab found within the MSU (you can see the raw data files that comprise the delta compression). This is with the latest 3.80 version of WinRAR.

This is also what I see with 7z and MSU. I see this on both XP and Vista. I have never personally seen WinRAR handle a MSU file correctly.

[ENU_user]

this is an .img file that winrar cannot translate yet

for the cabs found inside the parent pack! they can be manipulated only by vista's pkgmgr.exe

pkgmgr.exe /ip /m:*.cab /s:c:\sandbox

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/libr ... 49465.aspx

now i may be wrong since I don't have the file nor vista to test this which would take an extra spare second ..

[muiz]

You cant open the .cab inside the .msu , but you can open the .msu to get the .cab file, and that file is all you need.
I still dont know what you try to proof here, but it workes flawless.
The picture you show is the .cab file inside the .msu, thats not a .msu but a .cab

I quote the first poster :

Hi, anybody realize how to extract file from .msu hotfix?

And that is by right clicking on it and open with winrar.

The files INSIDE the .msu cant be opened properly with winrar, but you dont need to open those.
You only have to extract the main .cab file. starting with : windows6.0-KB...
And that works VERY fine.

[code65536]

You cant open the .cab inside the .msu , but you can open the .msu to get the .cab file

Yes. And that's what I've been saying all along in this thread! And I've been quite explicit in clarifying my position and saying that extracting the MSU itself works with any app that handles cabinets (7z, WinRAR, etc.) but that the inner cab needs a Microsoft tool.

and that file is all you need.

Well, that would depend on what you are trying to do. In most of my use cases, I want to get the stuff inside the inner cab, and having just the cab is often quite useless to me.

I quote the first poster :

While the OP did say "MSU", it was never indicated if all s/he wanted was the cab inside or if s/he wanted the actual system files. Furthermore, the OP indicated that s/he wanted something similar to the NT5.x extract switch, which would have produced the actual system files and not just another cab.

I still dont know what you try to proof here, but it workes flawless.

You never clarified--until now--that you were only referring to the outer layer and not to the inner cab, whereas I've been very clear in my posts what I was referring to.

At the very least, you should have clarified your position by saying, "I only meant the extraction of the cab from the MSU, not the actual system files." or "I don't care about the stuff inside the cab." or "I'm not talking about the cab inside." And then there wouldn't be this argument predicated on a misunderstanding.

[yumeyao]

yeah, so for xp hotfixes, you cannot handle it with winrar/7zip, you should run it or use other tools to get the inner file.

i haven't kept an eye for vista msu files. given info above, i think that if files should be extracted, you must extract the inner layer(just like xp hotfixes's inner sfx); but on the other hand, i think muiz tended to point that winrar/7zip CAN extract the inner cab that is needed for preparing a vista updatepack.

so the arguing can stop here.

cheers,
yumeyao

[ricktendo64]

HFExtract_eng.exe is the best for this, it can extract both vista and xp hotfixes (works on both vista & xp OS)

It will also extract the files from the inner cab

[Fox]

7zip is best for all your Vista/Office 2007 needs.

[muiz]

7zip is best for all your Vista/Office 2007 needs.

Also works fine, but i stay with winrar for the .msu files.

[amirali_esh]

This software can extract msu files :


http://www.sereby.org/index.php?cat=hfext