Extract files from an MSI package

Windows has the ability to allow the MSI package (.msi file) contents to be extracted using the command line or via a script. I keep forgetting the correct msiexec syntaxis to use to extract files from an .msi file (MSI package), so here is a short post with the command.

To extract all files from a .msi file, use the following msiexec.exe command:

msiexec.exe /a C:\Users\user\path\to\file.msi /qb TARGETDIR=C:\Users\users\temp
Code language: PowerShell (powershell)

A more PowerShell way is to:

Start-Process
  -NoNewWindow msiexec.exe
  -ArgumentList "/a C:\Users\user\path\to\file.msi /qb TARGETDIR=C:\Users\users\temp"
  -Wait
Code language: PowerShell (powershell)

Make sure you type out full paths and the destination directory must exist.

Msiexec.exe command arguments used:

• /a: Specifies administrative installation
• /qb: Specifies there’s a basic UI during the installation process.
• TARGETDIR=: Represents the installation directory for an InstallScript installation, or for an administrative Windows Installer based installation (when the user runs Setup.exe or MsiExec.exe with the /a command-line switch).

7-Zip can also be used to extract .msi files (read in Dutch “7-Zip installeren“)