INFO: Deploying MSI Packages With Group Policy

Document ID: INFO This article applies to the following: All Product(s): All Last Revised: 06/05/2008 Last Reviewed: 06/05/2008

OVERVIEW
Windows Server can be utilized by IT administrators to roll-out Microsoft Software Installer (MSI) packages through Active Directory to computers and users with two methods: o Publishing Software Publish a program distribution to users. When the user logs on to the computer, the published program is displayed in the Add/Remove Programs dialog box, and it can be installed from there. o Assigning Software Assign a program distribution to users or computers. If the program is assigned to a user, it is installed when the user logs on to the computer. When the user first runs the program, the installation is finalized. If the program is assigned to a computer, it is installed when the computer starts and is available to all users that log on to the computer. When a user first runs the program, the installation is finalized. NOTE: Microsoft Windows 2000 Group Policy automated-program installation requires client computers that are running Windows 2000 or later.

INFORMATION
Following are the complete steps for deploying MSI packages throughout an organization. Included are the instructions on upgrading from a version of a MSI package to a newer one. Please review the information below, and contact Technical Support if more information is necessary. Pre-Installation Tasks o Create a shared network folder containing the MSI package to distribute. Set permissions on the share to allow everyone necessary read access to the distribution package. For Computer-based deployment, the local system account needs read access to the share and file system where the MSI is located. Computer objects can be added to Sharing and Security permissions individually or as members of groups.

Deployment of a MSI Package o Log on as a Domain Administrator and open the Group Policy Management Console.

The Group Policy Management Console can be installed on Windows Server 2003 and Windows XP Service Pack 1 and is available for download here (http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=0A6D4C248CBD-4B35-9272-DD3CBFC81887&displaylang=en).

Navigate to Active Directory container (Domain or Organizational Unit) of the users or computers targeted for the MSI package deployment. Right click on the container and select Create and Link a GPO Here

Type in the name of the new Group Policy Object (GPO).

Click on the new GPO and remove the default entry Authenticated Users in the Security Filtering section. Add the desired users, groups, and/or computers.

Open the Group Policy Management Editor by right-clicking on the Group Policy Object and selecting Edit

o o o

In the Group Policy Object Editor, select either the Computer Configuration or User Configuration node according to target as configured in Security Filtering for this Group Policy Object. Click and expand Software Settings. Right-click on Software installation, select New, and then Package

Browse to the MSI package. It should be contained in a file share that has granted read access rights to the users and/or computers that are in the GPO. Do not rename the MSI package at any time. It is recommended that file path not the file name have a consistent naming scheme for ease of administration.

Verify the Source column is a valid UNC path to the MSI package.

For Assigned installations, systems affected will get the update to the Group Policy and prepare for the MSI package installation upon the next restart. For Published installations, systems will get the update to the Group Policy and advertise the MSI in Add/Remove Programs for users to install. Updates to a Group Policy can take 30 to 60 minutes to propagate depending on the size of the Active Directory organization and complexity. o To force a system to immediately get the update to the group Policy, open a Command Prompt window and type gpupdate /force on Windows XP/2003 or secedit /refreshpolicy on Windows 2000. Restart the system.

Upgrading a Previous MSI Package o o o o o o Open the Group Policy Object Editor by right-clicking on the Group Policy Object name in the Group Policy Management Console and selecting Edit In the Group Policy Object Editor, select either the Computer Configuration or User Configuration node according to target as configured in Security Filtering for this Group Policy Object. Click and expand Software Settings. Find the existing Castelle FaxPress Plus Client installation. Right-click on the installation, select All Tasks, and then Remove Select the Immediately uninstall the software from users and computers method in the Remove Software dialog and press the OK button.

o o

Add the newer version of Castelle FaxPress Plus Client in the same manner as the previous version. Right-click on Software installation, select New, and then Package

Verify the Source column is a valid UNC path to the newer MSI package.

For Assigned installations, systems affected will get the update to the Group Policy and prepare for the MSI package installation upon the next restart. For Published installations, systems will get the update to the Group Policy and advertise the MSI in Add/Remove Programs for users to install. Updates to a Group Policy can take 30 to 60 minutes to propagate depending on the size of the Active Directory organization and complexity. o To force a system to immediately get the update to the group Policy, open a Command Prompt window and type gpupdate /force on Windows XP/2003 or secedit /refreshpolicy on Windows 2000. Restart the system. As a system restarts, the previous installation of the MSI package will be removed and the new MSI package will be installed.

Troubleshooting o Systems using may experience an issue during the installation of MSI packages through Group Policy. Event ID 1054 points towards an issue related to a Group Policy failing to communicate with the server. Please see the Microsoft Knowledge Base Article at: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;840669

If you have any further questions and or concerns please contact Technical Support.

Additional query words: Keywords: Group Policy, MSI, Microsoft Software Installer, Windows Installer, Deployment Version: All Platform: All Issue type: Info

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