How are applications installed in Windows XP

I'm writing up a setup application, and when I install the exe file, Windows does not reconginze that I just installed a new program. Do I need to create a registry file? If I do, does anyone know how to create one and what do I need to put in there in order for Windows to reconginze that a new program has been installed.

Thank you,

Brandon M. Hunter

[372 byte] By [Beetle54] at [2008-2-4]