Creating MSI Installer Packages for Group Policy Deployment

[Matt Anderson]

Hey Everybody,

 

Well I've been working for a while to figure out a way to create an MSI installer package that I can use in Group Policy to push software to my workstations.

 

I haven't perfected the process and I'm currently limited to very simple programs that allow you to copy and paste the C:\Program Files\Program Folder from one location to another but it is working and so far is all I really need.

 

I've used it to begin deploying the following programs to our workstations:

CamStudio

Audacity

Skype

 

Check out my site below for the actual details and the pdf with instructions.

 

http://techchucker.wordpress.com

 

Hopefully it is somewhat helpful and if anybody else has figured out a FREE way to create MSI files that is easy and works let me know.

 

Thanks,

[Brian Moskalik]

Your post made me remember we're looking at the same thing. I dug around a bit, and found a simple and free tool that does this. I've tried it once so far, and it appears to work.

http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/freeware/dir/62766/Download-Exe-to-...

Try it out on some sandbox machines first, and see if it works with your applications.

[Matt Anderson]

Yeah I tried this program first and none of the executables I used worked. Perhaps I didn't have the right arguments but none worked.

[Brian Moskalik]

I've not messed with any of the arguments it provides by default. I just tried making a MSI for VLC media player version 1.0.5, and noticed that it switched the default arguments from my first attempt (CutePDF).

VLC in MSI format, installed without a hitch.

I'm guessing that maybe it knows what arguments to use by default?

[Matt Anderson]

When I used it I tried it with CamStudio, Audacity, and Skype and none of them worked. I was really hoping it would. It created an MSI but the installer would always give me fatal errors or never run.

Brian Moskalik said:

I've not messed with any of the arguments it provides by default. I just tried making a MSI for VLC media player version 1.0.5, and noticed that it switched the default arguments from my first attempt (CutePDF).

VLC in MSI format, installed without a hitch.

I'm guessing that maybe it knows what arguments to use by default?

[Brian Moskalik]

I just noticed this -

While the software was advertised as FREE it isn't. 30 day trial. I'll give CamStudio and Audacity a shot, and see if I can't compile a working version.

[Brian Moskalik]

Audacity has a known installer, and worked for me.

Cam Studio doesn't have a known installer, and fails.

[Matt Anderson]

Hmmm... Maybe I didn't try it with Audacity but yes Camstudio failed for me. I'll try it again and see... where did you get your info from? when I went to their site (I think it was www.qwertylabs.com) there wasn't really anything useful.

Brian Moskalik said:

Audacity has a known installer, and worked for me.

Cam Studio doesn't have a known installer, and fails.

[Brian Moskalik]

I was just about to edit my post. CamStudio works, if you don't add any flags. However, you are prompted to fill in the questions. So, it's not really useful with this application, as I'd guess that would hang up a GPO push install.

I've just been doing trial by fire. I looked at the same website you did, and didn't get much info.

[Matt Anderson]

I just downloaed their free version. I don't have the menu's you have. That might have been why I was getting errors.

[Brian Moskalik]

Aha. I did some further digging, and found the free version. That's a total guessing game. It doesn't give you any support, doesn't do any auto detection, and doesn't even give you hints at what arguments are valid with the installer that was used to build it.

No wonder you got stumped.

[Matt Anderson]

Hey Brian,

So I did go out and downloaded their full version as a trial and was able to create an MSI for GIMP. Worked like a charm.

[Brian Moskalik]

For the asking price of $50, that may prove to be a good purchase. I can see this utility coming in pretty handy.