I'm looking for something very similar to Sysdiff or Rapid Install Packager (RIP - from Altiris). But I want to buy this for personal use (no distribution). The problem I am running into is that none of the companies that make this type of app think an individual would want to buy it and the costs run in the tens if not hundreds of thousands of dollars (as they are typically bundled with server side deployment tools... which I don't need).

Is anyone aware of an app costed towards individuals that would allow me to package system changes as an executable?

(and example of what I would like to do)

Install oblivion.
install fan patches/utilities.
Modify the ini and other game specific settings.
Install and configure about 100 mods.
Launch the game and change all my settings in game.
Capture all of the above into a single .exe (or msi... doesn't really matter to me).

then, next install... just launch .exe and I'm ready to play.

I tired a free app a few years ago that claimed to do this... I could never get it to work with anything I tried on... can't recall its name. I'm curious if anyone here knows of anything newer, better, or at all.

Thanks.

I think Inno Setup should be able to do it.

Also I'm not sure if Oblivion needs registry entry to run (doesn't matter if it creates one automatically on execution), if it does not, simple executable .rar file would do.

I've done similar things with InnoSetup, though other installer builders (such as NSIS) would work just as well. The trouble is, you'll likely need to learn some sort of (albeit relatively simple) scripting language, depending on the tool used, to add stuff like registry entries and/or be able to change the install path (and have any relevant game files/registry entries update accordingly). You'll also need to figure out what (if any) registry entries are needed.

The most simple solution would just be to extract the relevant registry entries into a .reg file, then zip that up together with the game files - unless the game strews files around everywhere rather than keeping them all in its own designated folder.

Take a look at Cameyo

Edit: BTW, it's free

Very nice.... I'm going to check these out. I don't mind paying for a good app, but enterprise level apps are just a tad (whole BIG, HUGE lot) out of my price range ;)

Thanks!

Inno Setup
Advanced Installer
Or just 7-zip the whole thing.