A wizard appears, asking for user input (installation path, license agreement, features).

While modern installers often utilize the Microsoft Installer ( .msi ) format, a setup.exe is still used to handle tasks that an .msi file cannot easily perform on its own:

When executed, setup.exe generally performs the following, often guided by a setup.ini configuration file:

Registry entries are created, and shortcuts are added to the Desktop or Start Menu.

A small file that downloads required components from a remote server during the installation process (e.g., the Visual Studio Installer ). 3. Key Stages of the Installation Process