Is it possible to install or run dotnetredist.exe (or any arbitrary EXE) as part of .MSI?

Question

Suppose I have an MSI that has the .NET Framework a prerequisite.
I know that the MSI created from the VS2008 installation project will detect when this preliminary request is missing and will direct the user to install it.

Q1 . Is it technically possible to call dotnetredist.exe (or, I suppose, any arbitrary EXE) during MSI startup to process this pre-req and then continue the installation? I mean, I think this is not the case if I limit myself to the setup created by VS2008, but what if I used WIX? What if I'm ready to write my own action? What if I can manually edit the MSI table using Orca or through a script? Is it possible?

Q2 . It is legal? Is this licensed?

Answer 1

, Windows . , MSI MSI.

MSI , Windows. .

.NET installer exe MSI, Windows. bootstrapper setup.exe, .NET, MSI. wix , , msbuild. ; bootstrapper MSI.

, . .

Answer 2

.Net . , . ? ? ? , MSI .

Visual Studio SDK Windows, SDK SDK/standalone.Net Frameword SDK EULA dotnetredist.exe .

Answer 3

Q1.... , , EXE...

Q2. ? ?

The legality of redistributing any arbitrary EXE is determined by the EXE license. dotnetredist is specifically licensed for redistribution, so no problem.

MSI 4.5 allows you to install installation nodes within.