Software Deployment

You wouldn't want to repackage Access 2003, as it is already MSI-based. If there are no existing installations of the other Office 2003 applications out in your organisation, grab a copy of the Office 2003 Resource Kit from

http://www.microsoft.com/office/orkarchive/2003ddl.htm

and use the Custom Installation Wizard it installs to generate a transform which you can then use in conjunction with the Office 2003 MSI. You can fine tune the transform it generates afterwards using the WPS Editor, should you need to.

If it's a case of just adding Access 2003 to an existing Office 2003 user base, you could just run

msiexec /i <Enter ProductCode GUID for Office 2003 Here> ADDLOCAL=ACCESSFiles

plus any silent switches (e.g. /qb-!) if required.

on the machines that require Access 2003.


Regards,

Spartacus

Thanks for the tips. What is in case of Project 2000? Do I need the ORK as well?

Yes, you would use a similar method for Project 2000 with respect to the Custom Installation Wizard.

You can find the information you need here

Make sure you use the Office 2000 Resource Kit, rather than the one for Office 2003 though [;)]


Regards,

Spartacus

Thanks for your input; you're making a difference . My office has finally agreed that Office 2003 suite should be packaged, which I have done with the ORK. Came out all good but in MST. I want it in MSI though, not in MST. How do I convert this to MSI for the SMS to deploy to the users' computer? That is where I'm stuck right now.

Please bail me out.

Thanks.

MSI is an installation database containing all the files, registry entries...

An MST is an additional file that either adds, removes or otherwise configures the settings, files, registry entries of an MSI. An MST is used in conjunction with the original MSI.

You basically call the installation of the MSI and pass it the MST for any alterations you need.

Basic syntax is

msiexec /i "\\path\name.msi" TRANSFORMS="\\path\name.mst"

msiexec is the installation engine in Windows
/i is for install
followed by the path and full name of the msi
TRANSFORM tells msiexec that you have an additional MST with alterations to apply to the MSI followed by the exact path and name of the MST

If there are any spaces in the path or name, use quote marks around the path and name of the msi and mst

Hope that helps

Here is my command line in SMS to call project installation. I use a share on a server rather than the "this package contains source files" for various reasons but the idea is the same.

\\server1\projectpro2002$\setup.exe TRANSFORMS=\\server1\projectpro2002$\pro.MST /qb-


If you use a data source and "This package contains source files", you'd just do
setup.exe TRANSFORMS=pro.MST /qb-

As you may have noticed, this uses setup.exe rather than msiexec /i "\\path\name.msi". This works fine because the setup.exe passes the information to the MSI and MSIEXEC.

Thanks much for your input.

I am trying to get the Office 2003 and Project 2K customized (packaged) with ORK without even messing with the WPS at all. I want to complete the whole thing in ORK and be able to deploy them via SMS and/or AD. The Transform file in and itselt would install on the user's desktops. Something is not just working right for me. I have spent the whole day searching for the information on how to do this right, nothing out there that I have found that would exactly tell me how. I have been told that it could be done but just not how.

Please, Help! Help!! Help!!!

Thanks.

Use ORK to create the transform which will save as mst. Then simply use the command like below:

msiexec.exe /i "\\SERVER\Apps\Office\Office2003\PRO11.MSI" TRANSFORMS="\\SERVER\Apps\Office\Office2003\Office_2003_Pro_Delete_OLD.MST" /qb-

This is our example for Office2003 Pro. Just correspond the correct msi with its transform.