Introduction

Embarcadero RAD Studio usually install via ISO file or Web based installer. The default installation path is:

${env:ProgramFiles(x86)}\Embarcadero\Studio

The whole installation process consume quite some times. This guide shows how to prepare RAD Studio installation as portable application to avoid time consuming installation process.

Prepare Portable Installation

Install Java SDK

Some platform of RAD Studio may require Java SDK:

winget install "Eclipse Temurin JDK with Hotspot"

Install RAD Studio

First, install RAD Studio in default location. Select all available platforms and libraries when possible.

Interbase Developer Editon is an individual package that can install by user anytime. It is not necessary to include in the portable preparation.

Optional: Install Patch

Deploy RAD Studio zip patch if available.

Recommended: Update Redist folder

After installation or patch, the official RAD Studio distribution might have forgotten to deliver valid files in the redist folder. Use redistsetup to update manually.

# Navigate to Redist folder
cd Redist

# Process *.redistlist
redistsetup.exe Default

Prepare storage device

Next, Prepare an empty directory or even better prepare a virtual hard disk (VHDX) to store the installation binaries.

Mount the VHDX to a mount point. e.g.: E:\

$MOUNT="E:\"

Copy Files

# Copy all files and folders to the storage device:
robocopy /E "$Env:ProgramFiles (x86)\Embarcadero\Studio" $MOUNT

# Delete uninstaller files
Remove-Item -Path "${MOUNT}23.0\unins*.exe"
Remove-Item -Path "${MOUNT}23.0\unins*.dat"

# and public folder
robocopy /E "$Env:Public\Documents\Embarcadero" $MOUNT\Public

Backup default registry entries

RAD Studio installer add entries to registry in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, backup the registry:

reg export HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Embarcadero ${MOUNT}\23.0.reg

Copy license files

RAD Studio requires valid license slip to work properly. Make backup of the license files:

mkdir $MOUNT\License
robocopy /E "$Env:ProgramData\Embarcadero" $MOUNT\License

Prepare automated setup script

A portable RAD Studio requires some configuration to make it works in new machine. A simple setup cmd and powershell scripts is available: setup.cmd and setup.ps1

The portable installation is done.

Manage RAD Studio installation with WIM

Storing RAD Studio installation in virtual hard disk allow future re-use. Each RAD Studio version will release few patches or updates in it’s life time. Using virtual hard disk to store RAD Studio installation shall result to many virtual disk files.

Most files remain unchanged among those patches or updates release for same RAD Studio version. Storing images to a single Windows Imaging File or WIM is particularly suitable as file size won’t over grow among patches or updates.

# Define RAD Studio WIM file
$WIM="c:\radstudio.wim"
$NAME="RAD Studio"

# Capture an image
New-WindowsImage -ImagePath $WIM -CapturePath d:\ -CompressionType Max -Description $NAME -Name $NAME

# Append new image
$NAME="RAD Studio Patch"
Add-WindowsImage -ImagePath $WIM -CapturePath D:\ -Name $NAME -Description $NAME

# List images
Get-WindowsImage -ImagePath $WIM

# Extract Image
Expand-WindowsImage -ImagePath $WimFile -ApplyPath "D:\" -Index 1

Note	The WIM file image can extract with 7-Zip too.

Install Portable RAD Studio

Clone and mount RAD Studio storage device followed by install.cmd.

Uninstall Portable RAD Studio

It is good practice clean up all registered DLLs in current installation before install new version of RAD Studio.