README.TXT

Readme.txt for Msispy 
 
Overview 
-------- 
Msispy is a tool that provides a component level view of the products 
and features installed on a system, using either an MSI Package, or 
the registry information. Msispy also displays the status of each, 
and allows you to partially or completely re-install missing or 
damaged items. You can also re-configure any product or feature, 
selecting the install level and specifying whether to install it 
locally or run it from a CD or network server. 
 
Msispy allows you to save the system configuration, and restore it 
at a later date. 
 
 
Installing Msispy 
----------------- 
Msispy can be installed from any of the three Msispy installation  
packages available: 
I386\Msispy.msi:   Intel (SHIP),  
DEBUG\MsispyD.msi: Intel (DEBUG) and 
ALPHA\Msispy.msi:  ALPHA (SHIP) 
 
Msispy can be installed  
(a) on your local machine, 
(b) to run from CD or a network server, 
(c) as a combination of both 
(d) advertised (install-on-demand), on NT 5 only 
 
The typical install installs the most frequently used components 
of Msispy on your local machine, and leaves the rest to be run 
from the CD when needed. This takes up less disk space, but you  
will need the source CD everytime you use any of the features that  
have been configured to run from the CD. 
 
The complete install copies all the files over to your local 
hard-drive. This will take up more disk space, but you will not 
need the CD again (unless Msispy files are deleted). 
 
The custom install option allows you to configure which features 
of Msispy you would like to install locally, and where on the 
local drive these files should reside. It also gives you the 
diskspace that you will need for your selection. 
 
 
Resiliency 
---------- 
If any of the Msispy files are deleted from the local drive, 
they are copied back on from the CD when they are needed. Feel 
free to delete all of Msispy's files and launch Msispy- It will 
automatically copy over ("fault in") the required components as 
and when they are needed. (Keep the source CD handy!) 
 
If you are using Windows NT 4.0, or Windows 95 (or earlier  
versions), the file Msispy.EXE will not be faulted in when you  
click on the shortcut. (You will need to run the installer again 
to fix Msispy if you delete Msispy.exe). 
 
On MSI descriptor enabled systems (NT 5.0, Windows 98, with  
IE 4.0) even if you delete Msispy.exe, clicking on the shortcut 
will automatically fault in the required components, (including 
Msispy.exe) 
 
 
Help 
----  
Once you have installed Msispy, help is available under the Help 
Menu (select "Overview"). You can run the hlp file directly 
before installation from the CD by clicking on spyENU.hlp (for the 
English (US) version) or spyDEU.hlp (for the German (Std) version)  
 
 
Source 
------ 
Many of the MSI initialisation functions performed by Msispy are  
in the source file InitMSI.cpp, available under the "samples"  
directory (..\samples\InitMSI.cpp). This file serves as an example  
of an app using the functions. 
 
Language 
-------- 
For the Japanese DLLs, the font MS UI Gothic is used, which will only 
show up correctly on NT5 J or Windows98, unless the font is installed. 
 
 
Compatibility 
------------- 
Msispy is compatible with Windows NT 4.0. At this time, Msispy is NOT  
fully compatible with the Windows-95 environment. 
 
THIS TOOL AND INFORMATION ARE PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY 
OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT 
LIMITED TO THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND/OR 
FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.