A tool to watch what an installer does?

4

4C4Blessed

Registered
Hello,
Can anyone list a few different tools that watch and log exactly anything and everything an "installer" does? Something that will log any files that were added, deleted, or modified. Most importantly, something that will also catch little sneaky things such as an installer that modifies creation dates of folders, dabbles with invisible files, changes permissions, writes anything to /System/ or any other sneaky things which some "installers" like to do. Would like to be able to see everything which was done after an installer has run.
Thanks!
 
Some applications create a Log of the files installed. Check your Logs folders.

You could also use AppZapper to see all files installed by an app.
 
Checked the logs filder and of course not everything that was done was logged.
Also tried AppZapper but this tool also does not tell me what I need to know. For example, AppZapper has no idea if a folder creation date was modified by an installer. Also AppZapper seems to be a tool for removing applications, which is not my question or task at hand. (And upon testing it for fun, it does miss a lot of files!)

Specifically again, I need to know if an installer: a) modifies creation dates of folders or files , b) modifies the modification date of folders or files, c) dabbles with any invisible files, d) changes permissions anywhere on the hard drive, and/or e) writes anything to /System/ or the root of the HDD or any other unusual places.

In other words, some tool which you run before and/or during and after an installer has run, which not only logs files which were installed, but logs modifications to anything listed above. If the installer touched it, I want to know about it.
Thanks!
 
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