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Performing a Remote Silent Installation

In last week's tip, we discussed making things a little easier by installing new applications and updates remotely instead of running around from one PC to the next. With the right software you can even do an unattended or 'silent' install, for instance pushing out the latest anti-virus update on Saturday night while you are out having a real life.

Today we will go step-by-step through the process of silently installing Adobe Acrobat Reader version 6.0 over a network, using RemoteScope and an MSI file. MSI is a kind of master file controlling the installation of a product that uses the Windows Installer. It includes in compressed form all of the files needed for installation, and decisions in the installation process are made by means of command-line switches. In this way it differs from the ISS file used by InstallShield, which is a basic macro that records the keystrokes used during installation.

You will need two things before we begin: a copy of the Acrobat Reader installation program and a copy of RemoteScope. If you don't own RemoteScope you can get a free demo copy from http://www.micro2000.co.uk

The Acrobat Reader program is available free from many places, including:

http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html.

It is important that you get version 6.0, because earlier versions used InstallShield rather than Windows Installer, and did not include the MSI file.

1. The Acrobat Reader installation program is an executable file that will extract the installation files into a temporary folder. After execution, you can locate this folder by doing a search on 'Acrobat Reader 6.0.msi.' Save all of the installation files into a new folder with a name and location that you can easily remember. In our tip here, we will call this new folder MSI TIP.

2. Next, locate the Windows system file called msiexec.exe. It will probably be located in C:\Windows\System. Copy and paste this file into the MSI TIP folder. Note: if you have an older version of Windows 9x or Windows NT and msiexec.exe is missing, you haven't kept up to date on the patches. To add this feature for Windows 9x, download patch instmsia.exe. For Windows NT, the patch you need is instmsiw.exe.

3.Start the RemoteScope Console program. From the Software Distribution menu, select New Packet. In the window that opens, type in a unique packet name (we called ours 'Reader Install'). A description is optional. Under Product, click New to open the New Product Distribution window.

4. Name the product something obvious, like 'Adobe Acrobat Reader 6.0'. Under Installation Types, select Other Types. Click the Add File button to open the Add Files window, then locate and select the files you will need for installation. This will be easy because you've put them all in a folder (perhaps MSI TIP) with an easy-to-remember name and location. When they have all been added, click Close to return to the Product window.

5. In the box labeled Command Line, type in msiexec.exe /I "Adobe Acrobat Reader 6.0.msi" /qn. In this command prompt, msiexec.exe is the command, the I designates an Install, and "Adobe Acrobat Reader 6.0.msi" is in quotes so that Windows recognizes it all as the name of one file. In the /qn switch, the q means 'Quiet' and the n says No User Interface. In other words, a Silent Install. Click OK to close the Product window, and OK again to close the Packet window.

6. The packet is now ready to install on one or more machines. At this point you could also create a schedule for later installation, but for the sake of simplicity we will do an immediate deployment. In the folder tree in the left-hand pane of the RemoteScope Console main screen, expand the Software Distribution folder and highlight 'Packet'. The right-hand pane will display all of the available packets.

7. Right-click on the icon for your newly created packet, and select Distribute from the pop-up window. This will open the Distribute Software window, with a list of all of the available Client PCs. Pick a few, or a few hundred (or up to 5 for a demo version), and click Start to begin distribution. Go have a cup of coffee while RemoteScope installs the latest Adobe Acrobat Reader to your PCs.

8. Note that most of this tip involved creating the new packet. Once that is done, you can use it again at any time to distribute the software to any group of Client PCs, by doing just steps 6 and 7.

Disclaimer - The Micro 2000 Tech Tip is a free service providing information only. While we use reasonable care to see that this information is correct, we do not guarantee it for accuracy, completeness or fitness for a particular purpose. Micro 2000, Inc. shall not be liable for damages of any kind in connection with the use or misuse of this information.