Create a MSI driver package with Wise

This process is specifically written for Wise package studio but the principle will be the same for other packaging tools.

To Create a MSI driver package using wise package studio you need the DIFxApp.msm merge module, you can either download this from the wise website or you can download this from the Microsoft Windows Driver Kit http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?displaylang=en&id=11800

The driver kit is a bit heavy to download @619MB if all you want is the DIFxApp.msm merge module which is a little 479KB but there is lots of other useful stuff that I am sure you can find a use for.

On your Wise packaging machine (I always use a clean VM for the packaging process) copy the DIFxApp.msm across to the Merge Module folder, Mine is “C:\Program Files\Altiris\Wise Package Studio\Merge Modules” but this may depend on your version.

Launch Wise and select Windows Installer Editor

If prompted select the New installation File “Device driver” and ensure that the “Create .WSI” option is selected and select OK. If you are not prompted simply select File and New from the menu.

Under Project definition select Features

Add a new Feature, call this feature something appropriate for your driver, mine is just called Driver but you could name this specifically for your driver such as “Intel Pro1000 driver” or something similar.

You can add a condition to this driver install if you require such as “VersionNT>=601” this is to only install onto Windows 7 or above, a full list of the property values is available here http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa370556%28v=vs.85%29.aspx

From the Feature details select Merge Modules, ensure you have selected the new Feature that we just created above (this should be set to the feature name and not the condition if you added one) and Click the Add button.

Select the DIFxApp merge module and click Next followed by Finish.

Select the Feature details and the Files option.

Ensure your Current Feature is selected , this should either be the Driver feature or the condition Driver: VersionNT>=601 if you created a condition.

Create an appropriate folder where the driver files will be transferred to, I created the INSTALLDIR under program files called “Driver”

Now add the driver.inf file from your source files, I am using the Lego tower drivers that I signed in a previous post for this so the file is called LTower.inf. Ensure that you only add this one file first.

Now select the details of the file that you have just added, click on the Driver tab

Click the Use DIFxApp to install the driver file and remove the tick for prompt for missing device followed by OK.

Now add the remaining files to your package.

Now save and compile your package and test the new MSI.

If you have used drivers that have been signed but are not trusted you will be prompted with the "Windows can't verify the publisher of this driver" to install the drivers, I will show in a future post how you can add a custom action to allow this package to install without prompting, this is a follow on from the Driver Signing post made earlier.