Can you deploy a customized office instillation through a GPO

I ran through all the steps to prep for pushing out software through AD with
a GPO. I have my install point, I have all my customized instillation files,
everything is all ready to go. I create my test OU, create a GPO with a new
software package setup to install my software (office 2003). However, when
the software installs, its not the customized package I created the MST files
and such for, its the typical install for the application. So I guess my
question first of all is, is it even possible to use a GPO to push out office
2003 that has a customized instillation file (.MST)? And second, if so, what
am I doing wrong? There must be a way to make this work. Anyone know how to
do it?

Hi Joe,

Yes, it's possible to use GPO with Office 2003
with an MST to do a custom installation.
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/as...402011033.aspx

Keep in mind that MSTs only work on an initial
installation, they aren't used to modify an
installation (that's where the Custom Maintenance
Wizard files come in).

You may also find the information here useful:
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/FX011353441033.aspx
and
http://microsoft.com/technet/desktop...t/default.mspx

========
"ACE-Joe" wrote in message ...
I ran through all the steps to prep for pushing out software through AD with
a GPO. I have my install point, I have all my customized instillation files,
everything is all ready to go. I create my test OU, create a GPO with a new
software package setup to install my software (office 2003). However, when
the software installs, its not the customized package I created the MST files
and such for, its the typical install for the application. So I guess my
question first of all is, is it even possible to use a GPO to push out office
2003 that has a customized instillation file (.MST)? And second, if so, what
am I doing wrong? There must be a way to make this work. Anyone know how to
do it?
--
Let us know if this helped you,

Bob Buckland ?:-)
MS Office System Products MVP

*Courtesy is not expensive and can pay big dividends*

Office 2003 Editions explained
http://www.microsoft.com/uk/office/editions.mspx

Thanks for the info. I found out how to do it on accident browsing around
the settings and options. I am still having a problem with the outlook
settings not working, but for the most part I have gotten it to work ok. It
still needs some tweaking. I guess SMS would be the better choice to do
this, but I am just looking for a fast easy way to get some software deployed
to a small number of machines.

Thanks again
joe

"Bob Buckland ?:-)" wrote:

Hi Joe,

Yes, it's possible to use GPO with Office 2003
with an MST to do a custom installation.
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/as...402011033.aspx

Keep in mind that MSTs only work on an initial
installation, they aren't used to modify an
installation (that's where the Custom Maintenance
Wizard files come in).

You may also find the information here useful:
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/FX011353441033.aspx
and
http://microsoft.com/technet/desktop...t/default.mspx

========
"ACE-Joe" wrote in message ...
I ran through all the steps to prep for pushing out software through AD with
a GPO. I have my install point, I have all my customized instillation files,
everything is all ready to go. I create my test OU, create a GPO with a new
software package setup to install my software (office 2003). However, when
the software installs, its not the customized package I created the MST files
and such for, its the typical install for the application. So I guess my
question first of all is, is it even possible to use a GPO to push out office
2003 that has a customized instillation file (.MST)? And second, if so, what
am I doing wrong? There must be a way to make this work. Anyone know how to
do it?
--
Let us know if this helped you,

Bob Buckland ?:-)
MS Office System Products MVP

*Courtesy is not expensive and can pay big dividends*

Office 2003 Editions explained
http://www.microsoft.com/uk/office/editions.mspx

What about the Outlook settings isn't working?=20

--=20
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of
Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for=20
Administrators, Power Users, and Developers
http://www.outlookcode.com/jumpstart.aspx


"ACE-Joe" wrote in message =
...
Thanks for the info. I found out how to do it on accident browsing =
around=20
the settings and options. I am still having a problem with the =
outlook=20
settings not working, but for the most part I have gotten it to work =
ok. It=20
still needs some tweaking. I guess SMS would be the better choice to =
do=20
this, but I am just looking for a fast easy way to get some software =
deployed=20
to a small number of machines. =20

Well I setup my software package in the GPO, setup the modification for the
package in the properties tab, under Modifications, then when I throw a
computer in my OU and it installs the software, it does not setup the outlook
exchange profile, it just opens outlook and goes to a PST, so I don't know
whats up, I have to play with it. I am going to try it on a machine I
haven't used yet and see how that works, but for now its not working. And
the outlook settings are in the MST file, so I don't know why its not working.

Thanks
Joe

"Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]" wrote:

What about the Outlook settings isn't working?

--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of
Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for
Administrators, Power Users, and Developers
http://www.outlookcode.com/jumpstart.aspx


"ACE-Joe" wrote in message ...
Thanks for the info. I found out how to do it on accident browsing around
the settings and options. I am still having a problem with the outlook
settings not working, but for the most part I have gotten it to work ok. It
still needs some tweaking. I guess SMS would be the better choice to do
this, but I am just looking for a fast easy way to get some software deployed
to a small number of machines.

Does a Custom*.prf file with the Exchange settings exist in C:\Program =
Files\Microsoft Office\ after the software installation? If not, that's =
the problem. You might want to check the .mst file with the viewer to =
see if it's actually included in the .mst file.=20

If you do have the Custom*.prf file, then on the test machine, before =
you start Outlook for the first time, check the registry under =
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\ User\Settings\{GUID}\Cr=
eate\Software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Outlook\Setup. (The {GUID} is a =
long text string global unique identifier.) Look for the ImportPRF =
value, which should have a path to the Custom*.prf file, and for =
zero-valued First-Run and FirstRun values. Outlook should copy these =
settings to HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Outlook\Setup when it =
runs and then process the .prf file.=20
--=20
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of
Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for=20
Administrators, Power Users, and Developers
http://www.outlookcode.com/jumpstart.aspx


"ACE-Joe" wrote in message =
...
Well I setup my software package in the GPO, setup the modification =
for the=20
package in the properties tab, under Modifications, then when I throw =
a=20
computer in my OU and it installs the software, it does not setup the =
outlook=20
exchange profile, it just opens outlook and goes to a PST, so I don't =
know=20
whats up, I have to play with it. I am going to try it on a machine I =

haven't used yet and see how that works, but for now its not working. =
And=20
the outlook settings are in the MST file, so I don't know why its not =
working.
=20
Thanks

Great, I will check on Monday, thanks for the tip, very helpful!!! I'll let
everyone know what I find.

Thanks
Joe

"Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]" wrote:

Does a Custom*.prf file with the Exchange settings exist in C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\ after the software installation? If not, that's the problem. You might want to check the .mst file with the viewer to see if it's actually included in the .mst file.

If you do have the Custom*.prf file, then on the test machine, before you start Outlook for the first time, check the registry under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\ User\Settings\{GUID}\Create\Software\Microsoft\Off ice\11.0\Outlook\Setup. (The {GUID} is a long text string global unique identifier.) Look for the ImportPRF value, which should have a path to the Custom*.prf file, and for zero-valued First-Run and FirstRun values. Outlook should copy these settings to HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Outlook\Setup when it runs and then process the .prf file.
--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of
Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for
Administrators, Power Users, and Developers
http://www.outlookcode.com/jumpstart.aspx


"ACE-Joe" wrote in message ...
Well I setup my software package in the GPO, setup the modification for the
package in the properties tab, under Modifications, then when I throw a
computer in my OU and it installs the software, it does not setup the outlook
exchange profile, it just opens outlook and goes to a PST, so I don't know
whats up, I have to play with it. I am going to try it on a machine I
haven't used yet and see how that works, but for now its not working. And
the outlook settings are in the MST file, so I don't know why its not working.

Thanks