Adobe CS5 (Photoshop) GPO Deployment
Hi!
Since some time I try to find a solution how to deploy Photoshop CS5 via GPO.
I think Adobe offers two different ways of deployment but both are not made for Group Policies:
The first way is using the Enterprise Deployment Tool which works fine. (See http://www.adobe.com/devnet/creativesuite/enterprisedeployment.html and http://blogs.adobe.com/edtechatadobe/2010/06/adobe_cs5_enterprise_deploymen.html) But the produced MSI is only compatible with SCCM. You can install it with msiexec /i "\\server\share$\AdobeCS5.msi" /silent too but when assigning in a GPO it doesn´t work. Is there a way to edit the MSI manually to make it compatible for installations via GPO? Of course I know Orca but I have no idea where to find the restrictions inside the MSI or what I would have to edit.
The second way is the set-up.exe command line (see http://kb2.adobe.com/cps/842/cpsid_84211.html) which I think is better because it can be used in mixed x32/x64 environments recognizing which version of Photoshop can be installed. This command line works fine for me when executing it in a cmd box. But how to assign this in GPO? I tried to use a MSI wrapper (WIWW). First it seems to work - the set-up.exe is executed by the mapper (you can see it in the Task Manager) but after some minutes the installation aborts. I think the problem could be that the Windows Installer is already in use for the mapper when set-up.exe is trying to execute some MSIs during the installation!? But I´m not sure about the reason... Is there a way how to solve this problem? Or do I have to use a startup script? Didn´t find any examples...
Does anybody have a complete workflow how to deploy CS5 products without SMS/SCCM only via GPO? Knowing ho to update or uninstall a deployed CS5 would be great too...
Regards
Christoph
Since some time I try to find a solution how to deploy Photoshop CS5 via GPO.
I think Adobe offers two different ways of deployment but both are not made for Group Policies:
The first way is using the Enterprise Deployment Tool which works fine. (See http://www.adobe.com/devnet/creativesuite/enterprisedeployment.html and http://blogs.adobe.com/edtechatadobe/2010/06/adobe_cs5_enterprise_deploymen.html) But the produced MSI is only compatible with SCCM. You can install it with msiexec /i "\\server\share$\AdobeCS5.msi" /silent too but when assigning in a GPO it doesn´t work. Is there a way to edit the MSI manually to make it compatible for installations via GPO? Of course I know Orca but I have no idea where to find the restrictions inside the MSI or what I would have to edit.
The second way is the set-up.exe command line (see http://kb2.adobe.com/cps/842/cpsid_84211.html) which I think is better because it can be used in mixed x32/x64 environments recognizing which version of Photoshop can be installed. This command line works fine for me when executing it in a cmd box. But how to assign this in GPO? I tried to use a MSI wrapper (WIWW). First it seems to work - the set-up.exe is executed by the mapper (you can see it in the Task Manager) but after some minutes the installation aborts. I think the problem could be that the Windows Installer is already in use for the mapper when set-up.exe is trying to execute some MSIs during the installation!? But I´m not sure about the reason... Is there a way how to solve this problem? Or do I have to use a startup script? Didn´t find any examples...
Does anybody have a complete workflow how to deploy CS5 products without SMS/SCCM only via GPO? Knowing ho to update or uninstall a deployed CS5 would be great too...
Regards
Christoph
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Answers (8)
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Posted by:
anonymous_9363
14 years ago
What makes you say that the MSIs produced by the toolkit are "only compatible with SCCM"? And to say "when assigning in a GPO it doesn´t work" doesn't really help.
Enable MSI Logging in verbose mode (simple to do in GP but much quicker to use a .REG on a suitable target) and take a look at the resulting log file. In GP deployments, these end up in %SystemRoot%\TEMP, not %TEMP%, even for per-user installs. GP logging is an all-or-nothing setting so you'll get logs for everything, including advertised packages. The quickest way to find the one you want is to search for PS CS5's ProductCode. Remember to disable the policy when you're done.
Enable MSI Logging in verbose mode (simple to do in GP but much quicker to use a .REG on a suitable target) and take a look at the resulting log file. In GP deployments, these end up in %SystemRoot%\TEMP, not %TEMP%, even for per-user installs. GP logging is an all-or-nothing setting so you'll get logs for everything, including advertised packages. The quickest way to find the one you want is to search for PS CS5's ProductCode. Remember to disable the policy when you're done.
Posted by:
ChristophM
14 years ago
ORIGINAL: VBScab
What makes you say that the MSIs produced by the toolkit are "only compatible with SCCM"? And to say "when assigning in a GPO it doesn´t work" doesn't really help.
ORIGINAL in http://blogs.adobe.com/edtechatadobe/2010/06/adobe_cs5_enterprise_deploymen.html:
By Chandan - 9:43 AM on June 9, 2010
[/align] Hi Andrew,
Currently, Adobe Application Manager Enterprise Edition generated MSI is certified only for SCCM managed installations.
Having said that, we would definitely like to know and evaluate your requirement so please share it with us.
Regards,
-Chandan
Doesn´t work mean on a PC with the package assigned in the corresponding OU the dialog during boot "Installing managed software ..." only pops up for 2 or 3 seconds and he doesn´t install. In the Event Viewer I didn´t find any details but during the next days I´ll try the logging. But I think the set-up.exe workflow is more promising.
Regards
[/align]
Posted by:
anonymous_9363
14 years ago
The response from Adobe provides a useful pointer to the level of technical know-how amongst Adobe's personnel.
The "set-up wrapped in an MSI" route isn't going to work, since the stub extracts and executes a bunch of MSIs and you can't run more than one MSI at a time (WI 4.x's MSI chaining notwithstanding, of course, but I doubt very much if Adobe's MSIs are built with 4.x in mind).
The "set-up wrapped in an MSI" route isn't going to work, since the stub extracts and executes a bunch of MSIs and you can't run more than one MSI at a time (WI 4.x's MSI chaining notwithstanding, of course, but I doubt very much if Adobe's MSIs are built with 4.x in mind).
Posted by:
ChristophM
14 years ago
And a start script including the set-up.exe command line and assigned to a gpo is a problem too because there is no way to tell the gpo/computers to run it only once, right? Or does anybody have scripted workflow checking wether CS5 is already installed or not so that the individual PCs skip or run the installation!?
Posted by:
anonymous_9363
14 years ago
If you want to go that route, Google for 'VBScript WindowsInstaller.Installer ProductState'. That should turn something up. Personally, I'd pursue logging the MSI to try and find out why the GP deployment is failing. It could be something as simple as the MSI requiring the pre-installation of one of the InstallShield engines/drivers.
Posted by:
ChristophM
14 years ago
Hmm thanks for your help, found a lot but don´t really know anything about these scriptings and seems to be complicated. Do you think it´s possible to tell the MSI wrapper to kill itself directly after executing the script without waiting for it? Or is there a command for the script to tell the Wrapper "finished" before or while executing the set-up.exe? Of course there would be no progress bar/screen "Installing..." then but that would be ok. At the moment the script only includes the set-up.exe line, no additional information. When it´s possible that the wrapper only executes the script without waiting for it to be finished my problem would be solved...
Posted by:
anonymous_9363
14 years ago
Personally, I'd pursue logging the MSI to try and find out why the GP deployment is failing:)
Posted by:
ChristophM
14 years ago
I succeeded with installing the software on 32bit XP clients now! When I wanted to switch on logging I recognized that I didn´t try the option "Always install with elevated privileges" so far which normally is my first try. I´m not sure wether this is the reason or not but now the x32 package created with the Enterprise Deployment Tool works fine when assigned via GPO to XP 32bit computers.
On Win7 x64 the x32 package doesn´t work...Photoshop CS5 is visible in the software list after assigning but the program directory is nearly empty and there are no shortcuts. But the x64 package works on Win7 x64. Have to split the OU into x32 and x64 machines now but that´s ok.
Does anybody have an idea how to update the packages created with the Enterprise Deployment Tool?
Thank you though
On Win7 x64 the x32 package doesn´t work...Photoshop CS5 is visible in the software list after assigning but the program directory is nearly empty and there are no shortcuts. But the x64 package works on Win7 x64. Have to split the OU into x32 and x64 machines now but that´s ok.
Does anybody have an idea how to update the packages created with the Enterprise Deployment Tool?
Thank you though
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