I'm new to Sandboxie.

I need to be able to watch the actions of install programs to obtain a trace log of what and where files are created eg. \VST\subdirectories, C:\... subdirectories.
Also what (if any) registry keys are created?

I know there are applications available for the purpose of providing a 'clean uninstall' by maintaining trace logs of what other applications do when they're installed or that can {watch / trace / log file} the actions on an install .exe, eg. Comodo sandbox, Ashampoo uninstall etc

I will very much appreciate if anyone can provide instructions or advice on how to use Sandboxie for this purpose?
- suggestion any other app. which might suit my need?


Thanks.

 

And you're planning on going through this for every install? Not worth it. If you're worried about virii on Audioz, it is completely unnecessary and a total waste of time.

 

i am very happy with Revo Uninstaller, its an amazing tool, it traces and logs literally every change that is happening during an install, and it can undo everything

http://www.revouninstaller.com/

 

i use "Spoon Studio" to virtualise Applications ("Portable Appz") only!
But (if i understand you right) i can tell you that "Spoon Studio" is (involuntary) sure a better Tool for for your Plans \ your Request compared to many shareware "specialist's" out there for such a job!

Simply because you have to make a PRE and a AFTER scan to realise a Portable App in Spoon-Studio, wich means : Spoon Studio compares 100 % ANY changes between such a Scan (wich could be limited in some uninstaller tools , cause some "cheaper" types, stupid rip and collect only the setups entry\process and not the things wich could also happens after that, eg: first application start! who is also able to add finally needed regentrys\folders etc.)

Interesting for you is:
finally you have to made the last settings & step in spoon: you Land EXACTLY now in all Folders who was installed by the new App (to let you eg. add , delete or replace folders\files! and also yes: SURE, there is also the REGISTRY section who shows you also ANY added \ new things, installed by the Application! Alternately to browsing all manually, you also found a "classic" LOG-FILE wich stores all related inside as Text!

(100% i can made this quote:i promise that Spoon Studio never fails here and always scan\add ANYTHING)

so if you generelly dont want make Portables in anytime, i Suggest ANYWAY (for the reasons above) to use it - instead making the final build-setp, just close the process after finish your self with the data\reg analyse!

[dont know it 100%, maybe there are also some EXCELLENT tools out there four your plans, but if you don't get better suggestions\hints here -> feel free to pm me if interested in spoon, its MORE EASY to use than the most think and you not limited as with similar appz ...] btw. personally i think you have !more or less! "MODIFICATION" plans after getting all the infos you need ...and not because of any sercurity-fear reasons ;)

 

To clarify my intention;
Many VST apps (free or commercial) come in the simplest form of a RAR containing *.dll + any fxb, fxp, documentation etc. You only need to copy the dll to your VST plugins folder and you're done!

Many other VST apps come as an installer, which has a fancy install GUI to manage an install process which simply unwraps any dll's and fxb/p's to the locations provided at the GUI input.

I want to know what an install .exe is unwrapping, so I can make my own RAR of just the core files of a VST app. and throw away with the .exe bloat.
Then in future I simply drag-n-drop the files out of the RAR to their correct locations.
Also to apply any registry keys needed.


Catalyst:- I'm not at all concerned about virii from audiosex.
Obsessive compulsives like myself like to archive things in as compact format possible!

erbmit:- Yes Revo Uninstaller is one I'm thinking of evaluating.
Does the "Real-Time Installation Monitor" run as a background process all the time, or started manually only when you go to run an install?

tracer:- Thanks for your details.
The "log-file" interests me.

 

Revo is good but it has to be started manually before you install something and you can't run any other programs while it's running because that will also get logged and if you uninstall using this information it can uninstall other programs.

 

I use VirtualBox virtual OS for that: https://www.virtualbox.org/ And for many other things like testing programs and even different operating systems without touching your real OS. You can also browse safely from it, for instance. You can do anything you want in it, screw up the OS totally and be back at the start just by restarting it from any of the "snapshot" images you've made. It works remarkably well and I use it for years and years now.