Can I get my code back from an MSI installer?

[Dukane]

I have a project which I created a setup for in an MSI file. My computer crashed, and I lost all of my work. Fortunately, I had the MSI setup file out on the web. Now, I have my MSI file and I can install the program. But is there anyway I can decompile the MSI back into the VB.NET code I had before?

[jbennet]

No. Of course not.

Should have kept backups.

[Jx_Man]

yup, you cannot get the source code from msi except you add your source code too when you build setup program.

[Duoas]

Actually, it might be possible to some degree. VB uses a lot of bytecode and, if I remember right, Microsoft and others have VB decompilers. You'll never get back the absolute original, but if you can find the right decompiler (and can front the cash for it), you should be able to get enough back that you can reconstruct the rest.

You might be better off just writing it over again...

Alas.

[jbennet]

mist decompilers only decompile to assembley. Useful for reverse engineering but not for coding.

[Dukane]

Thanks for all your input guys.