Software Deployment

Hej potatoes,

I have installed Adobe Acrobat 7.0 Standard without problems. It is easy to install this software siently, howewer it is the new software activation mechanism is the issue.

It is not enough you install the software with the serial number and everything. 1.th time you start to program you will need to activate it via internet or phone, otherwise you can use the program for 30 days. This is new way for Adobe to maintain licenses and control piracy...


Copy Adobe Acrobat 7.0 from your cd to a network share.

I have created a .mst file by using Installshield Tuner for Acrobat 7.0. To install software
msiexec.exe /i \\servername\package\acrostan.msi TRANSFORMS=\\servername\package\acrostan.msi /QB-

This will install Adobe Acrobat 7.0 Silently.

But activation is a still issue and a mystery.....

Thanks Priapus, I've managed to package this up. It'd be nice to do something about the activation, maybe someone will figure it out soon.

[:@]

I am wondering how this new activation system works. I am assuming it will only allow you to activate a product once per serial number and if that is the case, what is the point of allowing you to tune the install. It makes no sense.

I need to get this out to ten or so desktops ASAP and have a working transform. After I distribute is prompts to activate but does not give you the opportunity enter a serial number. This means it uses the one from the transform and then you will only be able to activate once.

I hate these kind of licensing schemes. It drives me crazy.

Adam

There is a version of Adobe Acrobat 7.0 Pro that doesn't need any activation. Like the VLK version of Windows XP Pro.

Sorry to change the thread

Does anyone know how to manipulate the BlockingProduct CA's and Properties. I have a requirement to Remove Acrobat 5.0 first and whilst it detects it with a Full UI and prompts for a uninstall i need it to occurr silently - there are numerous CA's and Properties being set to detect Acrobat 5 but I am struggling to maniplate them so it uninstalls Acrobat 5.0 silently

I was hopoing that I could manipulate the CA's and properties already in the MSI without creating my own CA to remove Acrobat 5.0 for neatness sake but if that is the only way then so be it. Anybody accomplished it?

PS I have successfully created a tranform using Adobe IS tuner 7.0 and mine does not seem to do any activation on installation/first use.

Well, there is an util on the net that can generate the activation code based on your CD serial key. It is illegal but we have legal licenses on-site, I use it just to make it easier for us activate our copy without the hassel.

this activate in 30 days or less is killing me! i have gotten so used to acro pro and don't wanna give it up! does anyone know how i can get by this without buy ing this??

Where do I get Installshield Tuner from without registering with Adobe. Dont worry I just remembered my Adobe login to get InstallShield Tuner. :)

Any other advice would be good. OK people, i can not find it on there website. Thats InstallShield Tuner.

I am using Wise Studio Package 5.5 and got a MST and had the serial number in it. When I went to install it on my other machine. It said the serial number was invaild!!

I can't take it anymore... this is so frustrating. I have followed everyone's advice on this forum, and I have created several different .msi files through several different methods. I must thank you all for sharing your knowledge and methods [:)] as it has been delightful to read, but I'm just still stuck [:(].

After enabling logging, my the log files in my temp directory, although there are only 4 with each reboot, are very very long and impossible to discern any relevant information from. My problem is simple in appearance: I push out the msi with group policy, but when windows restarts I am only left with the "installing managed software Adobe Acrobat 7.0 Standard" message for a matter of seconds, and then it poops out and does not install.

Interestingly, when I run the .msi file by double clicking on it, thus installing the software, everything is fine until I reboot. After rebooting, the gpo successfully uninstalls Adobe Acrobat 7.0 Standard, which is not at all what I want it to do [&o].

It's as if I have somehow set up a group policy that only uninstalls. It looks for the software to uninstall and if it's not there it does nothing. But I want it to install!

Excuse me for being so new at this. Has anyone had a similar problem to the one I'm experiencing?

Thanks,

Luke