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Install MSI through Group Policy Silently


2 replies to this topic

SlyDogJeff77

SlyDogJeff77
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Posted 04 November 2005 - 14:40

I am a sys administrator for a group of 1000+ workstations. I want to deploy
the latest version of Symantec Antivirus Corp Edition 10 to all of my
workstaitons via group policy. Symantec provides a msi file for the install.
here are some of my problems.

I want to perform a completely silent install so the users have no
interaction.
I want to have it install complete and not be optional through add/remove
programs.
I want to have the msi install without the local user being an administrator
of the local machine.
I want to know that when the policy runs it will not automatically install
each time. If the client has an OLDER version of the program I want it to
install. If the client doesn't have any version (like a new machine) i want
it to install. If the client has the newest version, I want the policy NOT
to install.
This should be a fully automated feature

I have looked on several forums and help boards and i keep getting bits and
peices. Is there a way to accomplish this task? Do i HAVE to do it through
a script?
i know i can put the following into a script but again my concern is that it
will run the script/install every time the user logs on.
"msiexec /package symantec antivirus.msi /qn"
or something like that... i haven't researched that too much because i want
to do it completely through group policy.

i'm pulling out my hair. I read a few posts that said there is a way to
modify the msi file so it does not require elevated privilages to install the
program but i dont know how to modify the msi. an alternative would be to
grant the users TEMP admin privilages to the local machine and revoke it once
the install is complete.

In addition, symantec has informed me that they DO NO SUPPORT the install of
their software through group policy, they just mention that it can be done.

What about patches? Symantec has already relased a patch for version
10.0.1.1000 that patches the software to version 10.0.1.1007. The patch is
an MSP file. How would i automate that? again, SILENTLY.

any advice is greatly appreciated.


Zweitze

Zweitze
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Posted 04 November 2005 - 17:07

1. The versioning is by default OK. The DC checks whether the version is present, if a lower is present, it is upgraded etc.
2. Elevated priviliges are always present.

Did you try to create a software installation GPO?

BTW: If I was a system administrator (actually I'm a developer), and given an import piece of software like a virus scanner... I would never deploy this software through GPO, or not buy this software at all. Think about it, the vendor is saying that they do not want to guarantee its correct working. So if you have a problem and all systems get infected, they will blame your configuration.

VBScab

VBScab
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Posted 24 November 2005 - 17:22

I imagine that their stance is that your company ought to have bought some form of Enterprise Edition...?
- Don't know why 'x' happened? Want to know why 'y' happened? ProcMon will tell you.
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