Will deploying my MSI through group policy surpress the questions?

Discussion in 'Software' started by Mikeyboy, Sep 27, 2011.

  1. Mikeyboy

    Mikeyboy Kilobyte Poster

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    Hi All,

    Question is as in the title :)

    Brief scenario, there is an EXE I need to install on every new PC I get, and to save myself a bit of effort, I used advanced installer to create an MSI of it. So far so good, it seems to install on my test PC, but when I run it, it asks where I want to install etc, so I want to avoid these. I tried looking for ways in Advanced installer to just install and not ask any questions but cant seem to find anything, haven't investigated much yet really.

    BUT the main question is, if I can push this MSI out using group policy, will it just install? Or will it just come up with the install location questions etc?

    Thanks :)
     
    Certifications: VCP,MCSA, MCP, MCDST, MCITP, MCTS, A+, N+
  2. Notes_Bloke

    Notes_Bloke Terabyte Poster

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    Hi Mikeyboy,
    Are you using any switches with the install?

    NB
     
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    WIP: MCSA
  3. ChrisH1979

    ChrisH1979 Byte Poster

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    If it's created a proper MSI it should run with a silent switch which is what it will do automatically when you deploy it through GP.
    Look at Command-Line Switches for the Microsoft Windows Installer Tool for switches but to experiment you probably just need the /q or /qn switch, which should install it with no dialogue box. If that works then there should be no problem with what you want to do.
     
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  4. Mikeyboy

    Mikeyboy Kilobyte Poster

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    Good point, forgot about MSI switches!

    So when I load the MSI in the GP software installation bit, where do i specify the switch? Haven't really done it that much, only toyed with it a bit so can't remember really where I would put them...

    Cheers :)
     
    Certifications: VCP,MCSA, MCP, MCDST, MCITP, MCTS, A+, N+
  5. Mikeyboy

    Mikeyboy Kilobyte Poster

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    OK one other question then,

    If i just want it to be installed as soon as I join the computer to the domain, what is the best way to do this?

    Create an account for the computer first in the OU which contains the GPO, correct?

    But what is best way to make it install just once and once only on that computer, regardless of which account is logged in first of all on the PC? Ie. do i put it as computer configuration or user configuration? I have just tried this on a little test lab at home, and doesn't seem to be installing :ohmy so not quite sure what I have done wrong...
     
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  6. Apexes

    Apexes Gigabyte Poster

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    Logon Script maybe?

    get it to install on all machines first time round, and when it installs, create a txt file in the userprofile directory maybe called "installed msi.txt"

    Get the logon script to check each time a user logs on for "installed msi.txt" with some if statements, if it see's it there then it won't install the MSI - or if it doesn't find it, then it'll install it.

    e.g.

    Code:
    IF EXIST "%userprofile%\msiprograminstalled.txt" GOTO InstallMSI
    
    bla bla, random other code
    
    etc
    
    :InstallMSI
    call \\servername\share\msi installer.msi /quiet
    Is this for a works domain, or just a test lab? If in work, if you've got SCCM infrastructure, it can be done on that, and 10x easier

    Also, here's a full list of switches for msiexec.exe

     
    Last edited: Sep 28, 2011
    Certifications: 70-243 MCTS: ConfigMgr 2012 | MCSE: Private Cloud
  7. Darkfunnyguy

    Darkfunnyguy Byte Poster

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    :biggrin:DEasiest way create msi for using software from from exe setup is to used this software below. please click on link :-

    MSI Package Builder - Create MSI packages automatically in no time.

    It very easy to use so download the professional or enterprise version not startup version. Create many msi as you like as you used the software within 30 days. Of when you created the msi you don't need to the emco msi builder software again.

    :D:biggrin:D:biggrin
     
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  8. Apexes

    Apexes Gigabyte Poster

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    I think he's just after how to install the MSI over multiple machines, rather than build an MSI
     
    Certifications: 70-243 MCTS: ConfigMgr 2012 | MCSE: Private Cloud
  9. kevicho

    kevicho Gigabyte Poster

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    More than likely it will just hang there, with all the prompts hidden so you cant input information until it times out.

    Generally speaking to get a silent install of most MSI files you need to create a transform file with all the attributes updated, a good source of information is appdeploy.com

    The other option is a login script using msiexec for an msi file and the correct switches.

    In this case I would check to see if the executable has a silent install method, if so then this would probably be easier or quicker.
    There is also a way of "recording" the setup process, google for setup.iss or check out this link

    AppDeploy.com - Command Line Installation
     
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  10. Darkfunnyguy

    Darkfunnyguy Byte Poster

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    Apexes creating a msi from exe using the EMCO MSI builder software it what it used for creating the msi and deploy the msi created into the group software installation and I have created many msi software using this software and deployed via group policy which works.

    What you are doing is creating a script through the group policy startup/logon script.
     
    Certifications: A+, N+, MCP, MCDST, MCSA 2003
    WIP: Server+, Vista,
  11. Mikeyboy

    Mikeyboy Kilobyte Poster

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    Thanks for all the pointers guys, certainly gave me some more things to research. Correct, it didnt work :) but I am not going to bother looking further into this particular one.
    I did find the command switches for the EXE, so I put the silent install in as part of the MSI. When I ran the MSI locally, yes it did run fine and install silently after I had pressed yes to all the questions, also if I ran the MSI with the /qn switch, again it ran and installed fine locally! However the GPO method just seems to fail, so as you say probably need to make an MST, dont know how to do that yet though...

    At the moment I am studying hard towards my 70-291 (ouch!) and also trying to learn VMWare well enough to start virtualising the servers in work.. this is all in my free time on top of my normal work workload :D so trying not to push too much into my brain at one time!

    But I certainly want to get the software deployment art under my belt at some point too...
     
    Certifications: VCP,MCSA, MCP, MCDST, MCITP, MCTS, A+, N+
  12. kevicho

    kevicho Gigabyte Poster

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    Orca is a good tool to use for MST creation
     
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  13. Apexes

    Apexes Gigabyte Poster

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    I'm fully aware of that, wasn't deploying the MSI over multiple machines what the OP wanted to do in the first place?

    Logon script is also a completely valid way of installing/checking to see if it's installed if there's no top level GPO's or SCCM infrastructure
     
    Certifications: 70-243 MCTS: ConfigMgr 2012 | MCSE: Private Cloud
  14. Apexes

    Apexes Gigabyte Poster

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    Yup, i 2nd this - use it every now and again
     
    Certifications: 70-243 MCTS: ConfigMgr 2012 | MCSE: Private Cloud
  15. Dwalf

    Dwalf New Member

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    I also use NETLOGIN Login scripts
    VBscripts, dos batching
    MSI deployment via policy
    AutoIT

    What ever gets the job done ;)
    PS some EXE files have switches already for /s installs
     

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