Software Deployment

[Guest]

I am deploying Project 2000 via a GPO. I have given elevated privileges to the users I have assigned this software to. Project 2000 installs successfully but prompts them for a serial number the first time they attempt to run it. I am using the 'install.msi' file which comes with Project 2000. Can I have the S/N install automatically? Do I need to create my own custom .msi file?

Thanks,
Ron

 

[Cary Shultz [MVP]]

-----Original Message-----
I am deploying Project 2000 via a GPO. I have given

elevated privileges to the users I have assigned this
software to. Project 2000 installs successfully but
prompts them for a serial number the first time they
attempt to run it. I am using the 'install.msi' file
which comes with Project 2000. Can I have the S/N
install automatically? Do I need to create my own
custom .msi file?

Thanks,
Ron
.

Ron,

Not familiar with Project 2000 but I have an idea of what
is missing: you probably need to do an Administrative
Installation ( if Project 2000 allows that ). This is
where you run 'D:\setup.exe /A'. You will be prompted
for the Serial Number at this time. I am guessing that
it would be very similar to the Office 2000 / XP
installation....When you create the GPO you
simply "point" to the UNC of the 'install.msi' ( assuming
that this is the correct .msi file! ).

HTH,

Cary

 

[Guest]

Cary,
thanks for the response. I'm not sure I understand your response but maybe I wasn't very clear with my initial question. The Project 2000 is a Published App which users install via Add/Remove Programs. The assigned users can successful install the application but are prompted for the Serial Number the first time they attempt to run Project. I would like the Serial Number to be included with their install.

Ron

 

[Matjaz Ladava [MVP]]

Yes, Project 2000 supports Administrative instalation. Just read readme file
that comes with the Project. It contains instruction on how to preform admin
install.

--
Regards

Matjaz Ladava, MCSE, MCSA, MCT, MVP
Microsoft MVP - Active Directory
(e-mail address removed), (e-mail address removed)
http://ladava.com

 

[Eric B. Twing]

I understand your settup but what Cary meant was that if you simply copied
the setup disk to your file server it will run like a simple install from
the CD. You need to run the install from the command promt with the switch
the program requires for an admin install. In Office XP the command was

d:\Setup.exe /a

notice the /a switch. It will install to a folder that must be shared and
includes all the registration data required for network installs.

also you might want to want to check into an assigned install to run at
logon if these users are regularly using this software. It will eliminate
the need to navigate to it through add/remove programs.

I hope this helps

Eric B. Twing

Cary,
thanks for the response. I'm not sure I understand your response but

maybe I wasn't very clear with my initial question. The Project 2000 is a
Published App which users install via Add/Remove Programs. The assigned
users can successful install the application but are prompted for the Serial
Number the first time they attempt to run Project. I would like the Serial
Number to be included with their install.

 

[Guest]

I understand what you're all saying but it isn't answering my question.
First, the whole point to software deployment via AD is to eliminate having someone go around typing in 'setup' or 'setup /a'. The user installs the software designated to them via 'Add/Remove Programs' in Published Apps scenario. With over 350 pc's on my network this will save me a lot of time. My question is: how do you incorporate the S/N into the software package being deployed?
I do not want to have to create my own .msi file if possible.

 

[Matjaz Ladava [MVP]]

Ron,

When you do an administrative instalation of the product, you do it only
once so that it is deployed on a network share. During Admin install you
enter product key and the location on a file share where the software will
be prepared to install. Next you publish it trough AD. I'm not 100% for MS
Project, but in MS software there is always a msi setup. Remember you have
already entered a product key, so when your users will install published
software form Add/Remove programs they won't need to insert the product key.
I have done this on several ocasions and it works fine.

--
Regards

Matjaz Ladava, MCSE, MCSA, MCT, MVP
Microsoft MVP - Active Directory
(e-mail address removed), (e-mail address removed)
http://ladava.com

I understand what you're all saying but it isn't answering my question.
First, the whole point to software deployment via AD is to eliminate

having someone go around typing in 'setup' or 'setup /a'. The user installs
the software designated to them via 'Add/Remove Programs' in Published Apps
scenario. With over 350 pc's on my network this will save me a lot of time.
My question is: how do you incorporate the S/N into the software package
being deployed?

 

[Cary Shultz [MVP]]

-----Original Message-----
Ron,

When you do an administrative instalation of the product, you do it only
once so that it is deployed on a network share. During Admin install you
enter product key and the location on a file share where the software will
be prepared to install. Next you publish it trough AD. I'm not 100% for MS
Project, but in MS software there is always a msi setup. Remember you have
already entered a product key, so when your users will install published
software form Add/Remove programs they won't need to insert the product key.
I have done this on several ocasions and it works fine.

--
Regards

Matjaz Ladava, MCSE, MCSA, MCT, MVP
Microsoft MVP - Active Directory
(e-mail address removed), (e-mail address removed)
http://ladava.com


(e-mail address removed)... is to eliminate
having someone go around typing in 'setup'

or 'setup /a'. The user installs

the software designated to them via 'Add/Remove Programs' in Published Apps
scenario. With over 350 pc's on my network this will save me a lot of time.
My question is: how do you incorporate the S/N into the software package
being deployed? possible.


.

Matjaz,

Thank you for explaining what I did not. One of the few
times that I did not exlain 'ad nauseum' appears to be
one of those times that I should have!

Ron,

Sorry for not fully explaining myself. As Matjaz stated,
you would install this to a 'shared network folder' - aka
the Distribution Point. Furthermore, you would perform
an Administrative Installation. This is accomplished by
putting the Project 2000 CD in the CD-ROM Drive (
probably on the File Server - or whatever machine is
acting as the 'Distribution Point') and
typing 'd:\setup.exe /a'. You then point to the shared
folder as well as enter the Serial Number or Product
Code. As this is an Administrative Installation, you
simply enter the DN or PID Code once - here!

You then create the Group Policy. Please remember to use
the UNC ( \\server\share\install.msi ) and NOT a mapped
network drive when telling AD where the 'install.msi'
file is located. You then have three choices to make as
to how to install this: Assigned, Published or Advanced.

It appears that you have choosen to go the Published
route. This requires that the users take that extra step
and go to the Add/Remove Programs and run the
installation. They will not be prompted for the SN or PID
Code. It appears further that you have choosen to
install this to the User Configuration side of things (
as you can either Publish or Assign to the User
Configuration but you can only Assign to the Computer
Configuration ).

Advanced usually comes into play when you want to make
use of .mst files ( for example ). I often use the
Advanced Assign to the User Configuration when installing
MS Office 2000 or MS Office XP as I like to make use of
the so-called Transforms files ( aka .mst files ). You
have to use Advanced for these files to be available.

Eric suggested that you consider using the Assign method
instead. It might not be a bad idea but I am sure that
you have a reason for doing this. About the only
application that I Publish is Adobe Acrobat 6.0! I
pretty much Assign / Advanced Assign everything else.
However, I am not familiar with MS Project.

HTH,

Cary