Re: Deploy an MSI with custom parameters via GPO

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Hi,

Nimral schrieb:
Unfortunalely the GPO facility to specify a package to be deployed
does not seem to support passing any command line parameters to teh
Windows Installer. Is this correct [...]

Yes. Thats right.
But there are solutions if there is a need for it. Usually you only need
command line params if you are using legacy .exe files, but you don´t need
it for runnig MSI.

The AD expert suggests I create a .mst for every deployment.

No prob. The GPO/AD solution supports deployment inclusive MST.

While I (technically ...) could do this I do not think this is a good idea
and I furthermore do not see any reasonable outcome of this approach -
after all this is a lot of work and he won't be able to create and
assign an individual GPO for each computer (80 machines in total)
anyway. Is this correct?

I´m not sure if I get it, but an MST only allows you to do an custom
install like you can by doing manually.
But IMO, most of the software is default with default setup setting
(perhaps office is a "core" exception). But even in custom installation
you do not need a custom file per computer.

[...] is it correct to say that for this scenario software
deployment via GPO does not make any sense, and that I'd have to buy
3rd party software deployment software (like Netinstall)?

There are other criterias, that disqualify it:
- no report, no summery
- no actual overview for clients downloading/clients nstall/client errors
- no BITS, because no BITS -> no Background refresh -> no deployment to
notebooks, if people log in VPN after loggin in to the system
- no change of sourcepath, DFS is a "must have"

No "commandline" support is nothing critical. You can build your own
MSI file with the command line parameters integrated. It is only an
entry in the "CustomAction" Table.

/commercial ;-)
If you like to take a look at 3rd Party, I would recommend: Specops Deploy.
http://www.specopssoft.com/
http://www.specopssoft.com/products/specopsdeploy/

One big point on the list of this product: usability.
Everyone who has a idea about what he wants to do and how GPOs are applied
and inherited can deploy software with this product. No need for a
training.
../commercial

Mark
--
Mark Heitbrink - MVP Windows Server - Group Policy

Homepage: www.gruppenrichtlinien.de - deutsch
Blog: gpupdate.spaces.live.com - english
.

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