Software Deployment

Hi eseibold,

I also have the same question. Did you solve the problem?? I used InstallShield Tuner to customize the Acrobat 7.0 and deploy it in GPO. The technote in MS not recommend I.T. Admin to deploy the patch in GPO after deploy the msi. Any idea??

Thanks.

No really good solution, we would have prefered that Adobe produced their update as a .MSP file. What we ended up doing was setting up a secondary GPO that would deploy in sequence, second to the main Reader MSI so the client would end up with 7.0.1.

Can you provide me the link to the MS technote you mentioned in your reply? Thanks...

I'm in the same boat. I am still fairly new to the whole GPO/MSI push thing. To me it looks like i have 4 options, i'm just not sure which is the best.

1. In the same GPO insert the update msi and put it as an update to the 7.0 msi that is already there. I tried this, while it patches up existing installs great, new installs just install the patch msi, not the 7.0 main msi. I was hoping it would do the first and then do the upgrade, ugh.

2. In the same GPO insert the update msi as just another msi. I'm not sure what the repercussions of this are. Will the 7.0 msi ever flip out at some point and reinstall itself thus defeating the update msi?

3. In another GPO have the update msi, just make sure it applies after the 7.0 msi. I'm not sure what the repercussions of this are. Will the 7.0 msi ever flip out at some point and reinstall itself thus defeating the update msi?

4. Edit the 7.0 msi from adobe and insert the files from the update msi into it, thus slipstreaming the update into the original install msi. I don't know if this will work, the update msi has something in the temp dir, is that supposed to stay there or go into the acrobat dir?

Why couldn't adobe put up a 7.0.1 install msi instead of just a patch??

-drew

In regards to GPO deployment, you best bet is one of the following:

1. Use packaging tool (I know Admin Studio 6 has it) to create an .msp from the patch MSI. Update your source & redeploy.

2. Capture the original msi and patch msi togather. Setup an Upgrade in GPO & deploy.


I agree, why the heck adobe releases its patches in the form of MSI's I'll never know. Lotus does the same thing.

I'm really disappointed by this, does anyone have a more pleasing answer? I can't believe that adobe won't offer an msp to update our administrative install points [:'(]

Has anyone perhaps spoken with adobe or seen any accurate documentation on the subject? All I want to do is apply updates to my administrative install points without having to use package management software.

I have not personally looked at this application yet. However, if the new version does not have an upgrade path it is best to de-install than reinstall.

After working on this for a couple days, I found the following to work in our environment where we need to deploy both 7.0.0 and the update at the same time.

To create a combined installation of Acrobat 7.0.0 and 7.0.1 ...

1 - Create a repository folder for all of the installations files.
Start the downloaded EXE file for Acrobat 7.0 but do not click on "Next"
Copy all of the files in C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 7.0\Setup Files\RdrBig\ENU to the repository folder. (Replace ENU with your language code if appropriate)
Complete the Acrobat 7.0.0 installation
Start the downloaded EXE file for the 7.0.1 update but do not click on "Next"
Copy the 7.0.1 update MSI file from C:\Program Files\Adobe\{0C55731F-7B21-4936-839A-BA09B2EAED59} to the repository (the final directory name may differ)
2 - Copy and rename the 7.0.1 update MSI file within the repository to "Update7.0.1.msi"
3 - Complete the 7.0.1 update install
4 - Download and install InstallShield Tuner for Adobe Reader 7.0
5 - Start Tuner and create a new transform "Adobe Reader 7.0.mst" while selecting the "Adobe Reader 7.0.msi" file
6 - Make any changes within Tuner as appropriate
7 - On the "Launch Additional Applications" Section ...
Add Application or File to Launch using the following settings then click on "Add"
Name: Update7.0.1.msi
Command Line Parameters: /qb
8 - Save then Compile the package
9 - Test the package using a command line similar the the following ...
msiexec.exe /i "Acrobat Reader 7.1.msi" TRANSFORMS="Adobe Reader 7.0.mst" /qb

When I was trying to get the Transform file to automatically run the update msi file, I found that I had to be certain that all spaces were removed from the msi file name so I could put it's name in the "Launch Other Applications" section without ANY SPACES OR QUOTES. You might be able to get it to work otherwise, but that was my experience and the source of most of my frustrations. Yet at the same time, if I just renamed the file, I sometimes received an error message stating that Windows Uninstaller was unable to open the msi file, but the error listed the origional file name with the spaces. So to get around this I copied the msi file then renamed it. This way I was able to get the Transform to start the update msi file but then whatever bug existed in that file that was looking for something to extract from it's origional file name it was able to locate that file as well.

This is a very nice quide John. One thing. If I add both updates, update7.0.1.msi and update7.0.2.msi, and check wait for application to launch before launching next application update7.0.2.msi does not install and gives error.

Now that Adobe has 7.02 update out, I had to figure out a way to push down 7.0, 7.01 and 7.02 all in 1 package through Group Policy. I ended up using nested installations. You'll need to obtain all the installation files for 7.0 first, than obtain the .msi files for 7.01 and 7.02. You can use Adobe's Tuner to edit all the .msi files to your liking (i.e., removing automatic updates, etc.). Place all of the 7.0 installation files, and the 7.01 and 7.02 .msi files in 1 folder. Open the 7.0 .msi file in Installshield Editor.

You will create 4 custom actions: 2 for nested installs ("Install01Update" and "Install02Update") and 2 for nested uninstalls ("Uninstall01Update" and "Uninstall02Update"). Launch the Custom Action wizard. Type will be "launch another .msi package" and location will be "stored on source media". Place the 01install in the Execute Sequence after InstallFinalize; the 02install will be placed after the 01install. Under CONDITIONS, set to: Not Installed.

For the uninstall custom actions, the type will be "launch another .msi package" and location will be "application that is advertised or already installed". Place the 02uninstall in the Execute Sequence after InstallValidate; 01uninstall will be placed after the 02uninstall. Under CONDITIONS, set to: REMOVE="ALL".

When the package runs, Reader will be at the current version of 7.02. If you look under Add/Remove programs, you will see all 3 Adobe files (7.0, 7.01 update, 7.02 update). When the installation package is uninstalled, all 3 packages are removed from Add/Remove programs.

Elroy7

Cool thanks for the update. Installshield Editor is an application you purchased I assume? We dont have this app.

Draaku-

Editor is part of the Installshield's AdminStudio suite. You could use any type of editing software for an .msi file, like ORCA.

Hi Elroy


I have used your method to deploy Adobe Reader 7.0 and the two opdates 7.01 and 7.02

It wont install at first.

I get this error:

Product: Adobe Acrobat 7.0.1 and Reader 7.0.1 Update
Error 1316.A network error occurred while attempting
to read from the file
\\bdo.dk\dfs$\Packages\Adobe\Reader7.00\c9ef.msi

the c9ef.msi name ???

I don't now why it wants this spoky name and if it is a random name


To get around this I made a copy of the original Patch MSI and renamed it c9ef.msi

Same thing happend with the reader 7.0.2 update

Installation then works but after uninstalling the two patches are still in the Add and Remove programs list. ???


It is the danish versions af Reader 7.0 and the opdates 7.0.1 and 7.0.2 for Adobe Acrobat and Reader Update


The package is applyed on a GPO as Computer package, with the MST

I allso have problems with the usersettings they wont apply

Sweede;-)

Sweede-
I'm using the English version, but I would think it would work for any language version. Make sure you are testing with a PC that does not have Reader or Acrobat Pro/Std already installed with 7.01/7.02 updates from the internet. You'll get this error otherwise. Re your question on user settings...when you push out via Group Policy on a machine install, you cannot set user settings -- it doesn't know who to apply the settings to because no user is logged in at this point. There were a few user settings I wanted to set and simply created a User GP package with those registry changes. You can condition the User package to only install when it sees Reader/Pro installed.

With ORCA :
Make a transform (new transfrom) named adobe7_update.mst (generate transform)

ADD ->

in CustomAction Tables ->

Actions | Type| Source | Target |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Install_Update_7.0.1 | 23 | update7.0.1.msi | |
UnInstall_Update_7.0.1 | 23 | update7.0.1.msi | REMOVE="ALL" |
Install_Update_7.0.2 | 23 | update7.0.2.msi | |
UnInstall_Update_7.0.2 | 23 | update7.0.2.msi | REMOVE="ALL" |

in InstallExecuteSequence Tables ->

Actions | Condition | Sequence |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Install_Update_7.0.1 | Not Installed | 6700 |
UnInstall_Update_7.0.1 | REMOVE="ALL" | 1402 |
Install_Update_7.0.2 | Not Installed | 6710 |
UnInstall_Update_7.0.2 | REMOVE="ALL" | 1401 |


if you want to test before to put it in GPO ->
"Adobe Reader 7.0.msi" TRANSFORMS="adobe7_update.mst"

Thanks to Elroy to put in the way, but you made a mistake for the Type for Uninstall Component. You say to put Type 39 (custom action launches a child setup that is already installed or advertised on the machine) and with this type it doesn't works.
It tests this TRANSFORM with the French and the English Package. (update are multilanguage)

psychoboust - Last post for me on this topic: it works as originally posted either through Group Policy (machine install) or using a run line (msiexe.exe /i "networkpath to reader.msi" /qb [to install] and msiexe.exe /x "networkpath to readerl.msi" /qb [to uninstall] )...installs correctly and uninstalls correctly. As Reader gets pushed down to over 200 users at our office, I've thoroughly tested and it works everytime. I will note that I got error messages until I moved the install custom actions to run in the Exec Seq AFTER InstallFinalize. The "Nested Installations" help article in InstallShield states to place the nested install after CostFinalize, and this produced errors for me.

Hello,
I tried the following

create admin install on server for deploying

msiexec /a "update.msi" TARGETDIR="\\server-x\acrobat7.0.1"

install package (assigned) per computer (acrobat 7 was already deployed)
edit original acrobat 7 package and choose the new package as update, with the option that it can upgrade from the current version

-----------------
when I look at the logs it seems ok, but the about acrobat shows other info

A BIG thanks Elroy. Install works great but un-install doesn't. Any ideas why. I did the package just as you described, I think. [8D]
Uninstall
msiexec /x "Adobe Reader 7.0.msi" TRANSFORMS="Adobe Reader 7.0.mst" /qn ALLUSERS=2

Edit: Acrobat Reader 7.0 gets uninstalled but updates don't.

Shogun, I've never seen an unstall line with transforms added. Try:

msiexec.exe /X "Adobe Reader 7.0.msi" /qn or
msiexec.exe /X{adobe key}
--> HKLM|software|microsoft|windows|currentversion|uninstall, look for Adobe Reader 7.0 and see key under Uninstall

As long as you've added the two uninstall custom actions to the original .msi file, all 3 listing in Add/Remove programs should be removed.

Maybe I'm so lazy that I've only changed /i to /x. ;) TRANSFORMS has never been a problem until now (maybe becouse of the nested installations).
Anyway, removing it from the uninstall script solved the problem. Thanks!

psychoboust,

Thank you so much for your instructions on adding the updates into ORCA! They worked great for applying the 7.0.1 and 7.0.2 updates.

Now I have a newbie question: How can I add the new 7.0.3 update into this process? I tried to just follow the pattern from the other two updates, but when I did this, I got errors during installation and removal of the software. My guess is that I used the wrong numbers in the InstallExecuteSequence "Sequence" column. Has anyone added this new update using ORCA?

Simply add the rows for installing and uninstalling the Update 7.0.3 as follows:

in InstallExecuteSequence Tables ->

Actions | Condition | Sequence |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Install_Update_7.0.1 | Not Installed | 6700 |
UnInstall_Update_7.0.1 | REMOVE="ALL" | 1403 |
Install_Update_7.0.2 | Not Installed | 6710 |
UnInstall_Update_7.0.2 | REMOVE="ALL" | 1402 |
Install_Update_7.0.3 | Not Installed | 6720 |
UnInstall_Update_7.0.3 | REMOVE="ALL" | 1401 |

(You have to change the Sequence Number of the Uninstall Actions otherwise you get a conflict with InstallValidate)

Thank you Very much rpfenninger!

I figured that would do the trick, but was a little wary to try it myself.

But at your direction, I made the changes you mentioned at it worked flawlessly.

Thanks rpfenninger for posting the instructions. worked great. only question i have is....during the uninstall it looks for the source .msi file that i used for installing the app. I'm running the installs from a share. And if i try to uninstall on a machine, it looks for the .msi located on the share. In the event where i'm off the network, i'm unable to uninstall the reader. Any idea as to how i can store the msi on temp dir and point it there during the uninstall or any other better solution? Thanks in advance all.

This is not really an msi related problem, is it? :-) You always have to make sure that the files you need are accessible...
Anyway.

Try this.

Copy the msi (in advance) to a local temp directory and change the following registry key which points there:
HKCR\Installer\Products\<GUID>\SourceList\Net and either add an additional key with the path of the new local temp drive or simply change the value of key 1 to the new path. That should help.

However you have to make sure as long as the network drive is still available to copy all your stuff to your local machine otherwise this doesn't help.

thanks for the prompt response rpfenninger! worked like a charm!

Hello there,

I've tried to do admin install of AR + 3 patches as you described. It installs without any problems but uninstall doesn't work at all. It gives me 1713 error (package can not be found). Any suggestions?

hi psychoboust
i try to solve my problem with your introduction but i do not knwo where i 'll ORCA?
sorry for asking u maybe that stupid question ...can u help me to cerate MST file with your......


+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
With ORCA :
Make a transform (new transfrom) named adobe7_update.mst (generate transform)
etc....


Actions | Type| Source | Target |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Install_Update_7.0.1 | 23 | update7.0.1.msi | |
UnInstall_Update_7.0.1 | 23 | update7.0.1.msi | REMOVE="ALL" |
Install_Update_7.0.2 | 23 | update7.0.2.msi | |
UnInstall_Update_7.0.2 | 23 | update7.0.2.msi | REMOVE="ALL" |

in InstallExecuteSequence Tables ->

Actions | Condition | Sequence |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Install_Update_7.0.1 | Not Installed | 6700 |
UnInstall_Update_7.0.1 | REMOVE="ALL" | 1402 |
Install_Update_7.0.2 | Not Installed | 6710 |
UnInstall_Update_7.0.2 | REMOVE="ALL" | 1401 |

can u help me
to solve my problem as ELROY mentioned..

where do i find these by creating a MST file?
what is ORCA? sorry for that stupid questionmaking but i do need some help OK?

how do i realize.....can u make more simple? thnx
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
With ORCA :
Make a transform (new transfrom) named adobe7_update.mst (generate transform)

ADD ->

in CustomAction Tables ->

Actions | Type| Source | Target |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Install_Update_7.0.1 | 23 | update7.0.1.msi | |
UnInstall_Update_7.0.1 | 23 | update7.0.1.msi | REMOVE="ALL" |
Install_Update_7.0.2 | 23 | update7.0.2.msi | |
UnInstall_Update_7.0.2 | 23 | update7.0.2.msi | REMOVE="ALL" |

etc......

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

thnx
;-)

can u help me
to solve my problem as ELROY mentioned..

where do i find theses by creting a MST file?

what is ORCA? sorry for that stupid question making but i do need some help OK?

how do i realize that.....here

With ORCA :
Make a transform (new transfrom) named adobe7_update.mst (generate transform)

ADD ->

in CustomAction Tables ->

Actions | Type| Source | Target |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Install_Update_7.0.1 | 23 | update7.0.1.msi | |
UnInstall_Update_7.0.1 | 23 | update7.0.1.msi | REMOVE="ALL" |
Install_Update_7.0.2 | 23 | update7.0.2.msi | |
UnInstall_Update_7.0.2 | 23 | update7.0.2.msi | REMOVE="ALL" |

etc......


joannis.lasaridis@vpv.de
thnx
;-)

Hi Galaga

Orca is a simple msi editor from Microsoft which helps you to either directly modify an existing msi or now (since version 3) to create your own transforms (mst).
Orca is included in the Windows® Server 2003 SP1 Platform SDK which can be downloaded from here: www.microsoft.com/msdownload/platformsdk/sdkupdate (then you get redirected to the current download page).

Be sure to add everything correct (CustomActions table AND InstallExecuteSequence table).

Cheers

Hi Wozik

Did you make sure that everything is correct? The corect lines added and the source files available and the usual stuff? I never encountered an error 1713 so I can't help you more specific. Do you have any other messages (by checking the event viewer for example)?

Hi...did you ever get it to uninstall...i am having the same problems, and have not been able to locate info on how to remove the product.

Thanks.

Hello All,

I followed the instructions posted by elroy 7 (Post #10) and rpfenninger (post #22) to include the 7.0.3 update and the installation as well as the uninstall was successful (as long as the source msi file was available for uninstall). double check the typo's on the custom action table and install sequence table as this is critical. That was my mistake during the first try. I used the Tuner provided by Adobe to edit the tables rather than ORCA. Good luck all. Its my first few postings and i didn't realize how far this forum has gone and hadn't checked in a few...thus the delay in replying.

Hi all

I have followed the steps from here to create mst file.
But when i'm using the Active Directory to deploy the software, this
error message pop up:

An error occurred accessing the software installation data in the
active directory. See the event log for additional details.

When i get into the Event Viewer, i saw the following error messages:
Software Installation was unable to generate the script for \\Server\Package\Common\temp\AdobeReader7.0.msi. The following error was encountered: Error applying transforms. Verify that the specified transform paths are valid.

and
Software Installation encountered the following error: Error applying transforms. Verify that the specified transform paths are valid.

I'm really sure the mst paths is right, but dont know what happen. This
is my first time using the transform that's why dont know much about this. I know it's not related to this topic, but hope someone could show me how to solve it.

Thanks in advance.
enz

Hi enzogoy
Some things to check relating to your transform problem.

Do you know the transform you've defined ActiveDriectory to use is actually a good .MST file? Try installing your MSI manually and apply your transform during the manual install.

How are you deploying the install through Active Directory? Suggest you use an assignement to the system

Some of the installer tools like InstallShield AdminStudio will allow you to merge the transform into the MSI so that just executing the MSI install will apply the changes in the MST automatically.

Good Luck

Hi eseibold

I dont know whether it is a good .mst file or not. I'm using ORCA to create the .mst file.

Manually install, yes, I do know how to manually install the .msi file but how to apply the transform during the installation? sorry, another stupid question. :)

I'm using Active Directory to deploy all of the software to the client PCs. Same as this, but never using the .mst file before. How ??? get into the GPO, right click then New => Package. Then locate the .msi file and open it, then choose Advance instead of Assigned. Get into the Modifications tab, and add the .mst file in there then click Ok. But after I clicked "OK" the error message will pop up. That's why I dont know what did I do wrong.

I'm not using InstallShield AdminStudio, :) still using WinINSTALL 2000.

Thanks
enz

Sounds like you've got a handle on this ORCA thing so I thought I'd ask...

I'd like to do the same thing with AcrobatPro.msi and the Ac705PrP_efgj.msp (7.0.5 update patch).

Can this be done the same way with Orca?

Would the transform just have one CustomAction and one InstallExecuteSequence? What would the sequence numbers be?

Thanks,

Mike

Here's what worked for me
1-d/l 705
http://www.adobe.com/support/downloads/thankyou.jsp?ftpID=3110&fileID=2937
2- admin install
msiexec /a \\...\acropro.msi
then select destination
3- slipstream 7.05 update
msiexec /p \\...\Ac705PrP_efgj.msp /a \\...\acropro.msi /qb
4- use Tuner 7 to create a transform file (copy AcroPro.itw from CD)
http://www.adobe.com/support/downloads/thankyou.jsp?ftpID=2709&fileID=2533
5- batch file looks something like this
msiexec /i "\\...\AcroPro.msi" TRANSFORMS="\\...\AcroPro.mst" /qb- /passive /norestart



B

x3g's workarround is working, but keep in mind what kind /version of msp-file you need, otherwise it doesn't work....

For my German CD "Standard Version" only the "Standard Volume" (Ac705StVP_efgj.exe) file works!

There are existing :

Ac705StVP_efgj.exe -> Standard Volume
Ac705StP_efgj.exe -> Standard retail version
Ac705PrP_efgj.exe -> Professional update