Is there a way to install Adobe Creative Suite 2 along with all its updates using GPO?
Adobe CS2 install
2007-05-14 18:44:26
My Product Information:
Acrobat Pro 3, Windows
Acrobat Pro 3, Windows
2007-08-29 08:30:31
#2
CS2 has a monolithic installer (unlike CS1). It is actually a Microsoft MSI wrapper around an InstallShield core. All Adobe apps seem to be packaged this way. InstallShield (IS) is being used to drive the installation logic (check disk space, location of other apps, system resources, etc.) The MSI is also providing the actual installation files. In regards to installation logic, IS is a much more powerful product than MSI. However, MSI provides such things as Admin Installation Points, the ability to provide patches (MSPs) that do not add to the Add/Remove programs list - they update the existing products' entry, etc.
Because you have a wrapper model, you have the best of both words. However, you have the worse situation that the sum of the worst of both. It's more like the multiplication of the worst of both.
Why? Because of the wrapper system you cannot unpack the installation files from the installer logic. Because of the interconnectedness of the two any tampering of either breaks the entire package. Acrobat Tuner/Customizer aids to some extent (serial number being the critical one) in this regards, but is far from perfect.
Also, you cannot just "add" any updates or patches to the base MSI/IS bundle as this will break the package.
Below is how we handled all of this for Acrobat. Similar work will need to be accomplished for CS2/CS3 or any other Adobe product.
Pull your base installation files together. This is accomplished by starting the installation then copy the necessary .MSI and .CAB files out of the appropriate C:\Temp folder. Put these aside for now.
Next, get the patches. We ran the patch MSI with extracted the files to a C:\TEMP folder. We then combed through the temp folder for the .MSP and copied it out.
Now, start building the package.
Overview package process:
1) Install Acrobat 7.0 to the Admin point, then...
2) Copy and Install all patches to the Admin point, then...
3) Add files to the Admin Point "expanded files" directories, then...
4) Create a Transform from the Admin Point msi (adding files/registry entries), then...
5) Use the msiexec command w/ the transforms switch to install the product to
Adobe outlines the Admin install process on their website here ---> [url=http://www.adobe.com/cfusion/knowledgebase/index.cfm?id=330817]http://www.adobe.com/cfusion/knowledgebase/index.cfm?id=330817[/url]Beware!! - Having followed Adobes guidelines to the letter resulted in repeated failure to successfully apply an HA custom transform. These problems manifested in essentially a "File not found" (a.k.a. 1334 error (in the Data1.cab file)) type of error when performing the patch install even though the file does exist.
Our testing (and retesting) proved that the Adobe's steps are in the incorrect order. Adobe suggested creating the transform first then the Install point . Our experience has been to create the transform only after creating the Admin install point and applying all Adobe supplied patches.
Packaging Details:
Here is a list of files and patches needed to successfully package Adobe Acrobat 7.0.9 for Hewitt.
Base Package consists of:
acropro.msi (v7.0 vendor msi)
Data1.cab (external cab file)
AcroPro.itw (InstallShield Tuner 7 for Acrobat 7 template file)
The Patches consists of:
Ac705PrP_efgj.msp ( v7.0.5 patch )
Acro707.msp ( v7.0.7 patch )
Acro708.msp ( v7.0.8 patch )
Acro709.msp ( v7.0.9 patch )
HA Customization files:
Acropro.mst (workstation transform)
Acropro0.cab (external cab file containing files added to above transform)
--------
Acropro7.0_TS.cab (external cab file containing files added to above transform)
--------
Acrobat7_HA_Prefs.msi (Registry imports containing HA customizations/preferences)
In general, here's the sequence of command line arguments:
Install the base msi to Admin install point:
msiexec /a acropro.msi TRANSFORMS=acropro.mst
Extract the msp from the patch files
Copy the transform and patch files to the install point
Install the patches to the Admin install point:
msiexec /a acropro.msi /p Ac705PrP_efgj.msp
msiexec /a acropro.msi /p Acro707.msp
msiexec /a acropro.msi /p Acro708.msp
msiexec /a acropro.msi /p Acro709.msp
Run the installation on a worskstation
msiexec /i \acropro.msi TRANSFORMS=acropro.mst
But Wait! - after all this you still aren't done!
This info still doesn't resolve the issue of the product serial number. Best option there, due to how the product activation/serial number information is stored in the registry would be to use WISE to try and snapshot the necessary product serialization information. Be warned, that only enterprise type serial numbers and installation media will work as they do not require the activation step.
Sorry for taking so long to get back to you - as you can see, it's not all that easy sometimes.
Some general notes regarding packaging.
To fully realize a corporate custom installation of any product (not just Adobe's) requires two individuals:
One who fully understands the product being installed. Files, registry settings, application settings, user usage, etc.
The second is someone that has a vast experience with packaging software for deployment within your environment.
Both are needed to test all aspects of the package and distribution.
A note of thanks goes to Team Member 'TLo' in our ITS Enterprise Engineering Application Deployment Solutions group. He's the other half of the team that helps me make the magic of a smooth deployment for our customers - the end users.
Because you have a wrapper model, you have the best of both words. However, you have the worse situation that the sum of the worst of both. It's more like the multiplication of the worst of both.
Why? Because of the wrapper system you cannot unpack the installation files from the installer logic. Because of the interconnectedness of the two any tampering of either breaks the entire package. Acrobat Tuner/Customizer aids to some extent (serial number being the critical one) in this regards, but is far from perfect.
Also, you cannot just "add" any updates or patches to the base MSI/IS bundle as this will break the package.
Below is how we handled all of this for Acrobat. Similar work will need to be accomplished for CS2/CS3 or any other Adobe product.
Pull your base installation files together. This is accomplished by starting the installation then copy the necessary .MSI and .CAB files out of the appropriate C:\Temp folder. Put these aside for now.
Next, get the patches. We ran the patch MSI with extracted the files to a C:\TEMP folder. We then combed through the temp folder for the .MSP and copied it out.
Now, start building the package.
Overview package process:
1) Install Acrobat 7.0 to the Admin point, then...
2) Copy and Install all patches to the Admin point, then...
3) Add files to the Admin Point "expanded files" directories, then...
4) Create a Transform from the Admin Point msi (adding files/registry entries), then...
5) Use the msiexec command w/ the transforms switch to install the product to
Adobe outlines the Admin install process on their website here ---> [url=http://www.adobe.com/cfusion/knowledgebase/index.cfm?id=330817]http://www.adobe.com/cfusion/knowledgebase/index.cfm?id=330817[/url]Beware!! - Having followed Adobes guidelines to the letter resulted in repeated failure to successfully apply an HA custom transform. These problems manifested in essentially a "File not found" (a.k.a. 1334 error (in the Data1.cab file)) type of error when performing the patch install even though the file does exist.
Our testing (and retesting) proved that the Adobe's steps are in the incorrect order. Adobe suggested creating the transform first then the Install point . Our experience has been to create the transform only after creating the Admin install point and applying all Adobe supplied patches.
Packaging Details:
Here is a list of files and patches needed to successfully package Adobe Acrobat 7.0.9 for Hewitt.
Base Package consists of:
acropro.msi (v7.0 vendor msi)
Data1.cab (external cab file)
AcroPro.itw (InstallShield Tuner 7 for Acrobat 7 template file)
The Patches consists of:
Ac705PrP_efgj.msp ( v7.0.5 patch )
Acro707.msp ( v7.0.7 patch )
Acro708.msp ( v7.0.8 patch )
Acro709.msp ( v7.0.9 patch )
HA Customization files:
Acropro.mst (workstation transform)
Acropro0.cab (external cab file containing files added to above transform)
--------
Acropro7.0_TS.cab (external cab file containing files added to above transform)
--------
Acrobat7_HA_Prefs.msi (Registry imports containing HA customizations/preferences)
In general, here's the sequence of command line arguments:
Install the base msi to Admin install point:
msiexec /a acropro.msi TRANSFORMS=acropro.mst
Extract the msp from the patch files
Copy the transform and patch files to the install point
Install the patches to the Admin install point:
msiexec /a acropro.msi /p Ac705PrP_efgj.msp
msiexec /a acropro.msi /p Acro707.msp
msiexec /a acropro.msi /p Acro708.msp
msiexec /a acropro.msi /p Acro709.msp
Run the installation on a worskstation
msiexec /i \acropro.msi TRANSFORMS=acropro.mst
But Wait! - after all this you still aren't done!
This info still doesn't resolve the issue of the product serial number. Best option there, due to how the product activation/serial number information is stored in the registry would be to use WISE to try and snapshot the necessary product serialization information. Be warned, that only enterprise type serial numbers and installation media will work as they do not require the activation step.
Sorry for taking so long to get back to you - as you can see, it's not all that easy sometimes.
Some general notes regarding packaging.
To fully realize a corporate custom installation of any product (not just Adobe's) requires two individuals:
One who fully understands the product being installed. Files, registry settings, application settings, user usage, etc.
The second is someone that has a vast experience with packaging software for deployment within your environment.
Both are needed to test all aspects of the package and distribution.
A note of thanks goes to Team Member 'TLo' in our ITS Enterprise Engineering Application Deployment Solutions group. He's the other half of the team that helps me make the magic of a smooth deployment for our customers - the end users.
Creative Suite 2 (CS2) does not have as many deployment options as CS3 or Acrobat.
However, you can run a silent installation if you purchase "license" product/media not "shrinkwrap" (which contains activation). For additional information on performing a silent install here is a link to a technical note:
[url=http://kb.adobe.com/selfservice/viewContent.do?externalId=331297&sliceId=1]http://kb.adobe.com/selfservice/viewContent.do?externalId=331297&sliceId=1[/url]Hope this helps,
Lori
Lori Kassuba is an AUC Expert and Community Manager for AcrobatUsers.com.