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mikey250

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msi - how to convert dell drivers to msi format

hi i am running a windows 2003 domain with gpo and i have connected and installed my dell printer on my file & printer server.  i am aware that as all machines are part of the domain and i have also created and shared a dell printer folder and shared (everyone full access) on my file printer server, but i choose not to do it this way and wish to create an msi file instead!

question 1.  what software shall i use to convert my dell printer (.exe drivers into an msi format) or whatever so that my gpo software installation will detect it to be added  ?

note: in the passed i have converted some (wordview) application into an msi on a windows 2008 platform, but not sure about dell drivers.

ive been reading the below:

http://searchwindowsserver.techtarget.com/tip/How-to-create-your-own-MSI-file-to-deploy-applications

http://www.installsite.org/cgi-bin/frames.cgi?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.installsite.org%2Fpages%2Fen%2Fmsi%2Fauthoring.htm
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Amitabh Singh
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use Microsoft Print Migrator to take backup of your printers then restore on server waer you need thiese printers .

Download Link
http://www.microsoft.com/en-in/download/details.aspx?id=30935

Doc how to use
http://download.microsoft.com/.../Microsoft%20Print%20Migrator%203.1.doc
Avatar of arnold
To install drivers, the user will have to have rights.
Alternatively,
You could deploy the printer using GPO with pushprinterconnection.exe from the print server.
You can deploy the printer per user Or per computer.

MS has MSI creating tools.
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa370557(v=vs.85).aspx
Curious why you are shunning the users getting the driver by clicking on the shared printer?

You may find the exe based drivers are already msi format and running it extracts to temp folder msi when you run it.

Try setup /? as you may be able to so something like setup.exe /a to extract if so, or watch temp directory after install started for files it hs extracted, probably in a new subdir.
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mikey250

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hi dragon, originally i added the drivers to a shared folder and shared, but i have not used this method.  as installing gpo is my preferred method.

i have opened up gpo/software installation and the printer drivers are not seen when i located specific folder as it shows as empty, hence needing to convert to an msi format.

ive looked inside the dell drivers that i installed on my physical print server and there is no (.msi) files inside the 2 folders located in c:\program files\
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arnold
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hi arnold, thanks for your input it is appreciated!!

question 1.  so lets get this straight there is no conversion tool to change my (dell drivers.exe to an .msi) type ?

question 2.  i am running win 2003 not 2003 r2 or win 2008 so it appears this: "pushprinterconnections.exe" is not allowed, also i am not sure where to download it from as looking via google now but cannot find specific link  ?
Still don't understand why not to just create printer on file/printer server, install drivers there, share it.... job done?!
hi dragon,

yes you are right as i can already do that already way as already done on my xp desktop successfully but if there are maybe 100s of users then having it installed via the gpo from my master dc which will auto install onto all (ou groups where client machines are located, without the user installing anything is more efficient and cost efficient, especially if users have issues and then start logging various calls, for whatever apparant reason, although yes the install is straight forward anyway.

i will eventually wish to install:

ms office
various printers
& maybe some other software so want to have the machines all ready with no user intervention as far as install goes

and as i have a domain it means i have the control via the gpo to install or remove what i wish remotely.
But you install it once.  The users just click on \\sever\printer name link or go to http://server/printers or whatever.  You can just set permissions on the printer via groups etc. as to whether they can use it if wanted.

MS Office 2010 is 'interesting' and doesn't support install by MSI.  You have to install it using batch file from startup in group policy.  You can do 2003/XP and earlier MS Office versions.

Other apps. some work, some don't.  

Have been doing this rolling out MSI apps since Windows 2000 so I know the pains and joys when it works or not!

Anyway good luck with it, just making life hard for yourself!

Steve
hi dragon,

im not being arrogant or anything as this is my first time really and just assumed that this was still the preferred way.  i realise these days most people are literate when it comes to general straight forward install.

ok as i have already installed my printer on my file server and created and shared a folder for all users to located i will leave like that.  - it was just for the purposes of allowing no user to install anything at all.

you mention the below:

"ms office 2010 is 'interesting' and doesn't support install by msiYou have to install it using batch file from startup in group policy.  you can do 2003/xp and earlier ms ofice versions."

at the moment i only wish to know how to do the following then:

office 2003 - is the msi file located in a folder after install or how do i convert .exe to .msi  ?

note:  just as a test but in the passed i did convert (wordview.exe to .msi) but i have lost those instructions.

office 2010 - i dont know how to create a batch file to add to the startup in gpo although i have seen batch files but not sure what i need to put  ?

i have been reading about these batch files but i think once ive set my own up i can then start appreciating the reading more but right about now its just cobbldeguk..!
bit much to cover from mobile with 4yr old my lap but... batch file just text file, .cmd or .bat extension running series of commands as youd type in cmd prompt.

many apps you can install with something like setup.exe /quiet or /s /silent /qb etc. depending upon the app.  often setup /? or a google for silent install will tell you for an app.

off 2010 will find doc we followed, is ms offifical way if you google it.  

in ad you can assign atrtup script to computer in a gp and/or a login script for user for each gp. so users in ou X can get batch file run at startup whihc runs office install silently for instance.

as to printer user doesnt need rivers in share, server does that for you if installed on server.  you can install x86/x64 drivers and different os if needed drivers too for each printer.

will dig out office install but if suggest pick couple of bits at a time, have a go at them and post speciifc questions and will try to help.
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thanks for this info i have read through all comments and to do with:

i will however leave office 2010/2013 for last due to question 1 below, but will continue with office 2003.  step by step as you suggest makes total sense after reading those links you sent.

i wont bother ask about sccm at this point as not using it currently, although i have setup (wds) in the passed but for some reason i had an issue, so i put it to one side to eventually return to as during boot up of xp machine it had some gui issue and i could not complete the prompts..!

"why did ms remove the option to deploy office 2010 via gpo intellimirror"

q1.  - the last comment was made in august 2013, so my question next would be, has microsoft changed anything since, as it appears install office 2010/2013 seems to be too complex to do but even then as i have no scripting skills would be impossible for me at this time  ?

q2.  i did find these comment below about (libreoffice - opensource), although beyond me at this point, so whether this is the solution i am not sure..?

"i have also been a supporter of microsoft products for a long time.  however since they have removed the option to push office 2010 trough gpo/msi i'm a bit disappointed.
luckily i have found a great solution. I just push ((libreoffice)) ((opensource!)) through microsofts's group policy.  it has an .msi package and is an acceptable replacement for the ms office suite."

- yes i have seen batch files and that they are saved as (.bat) - that much i have remembered.

q3.  i could install manually drivers on each machine, although hence sharing folder on my file print domain member server so that each user can install when required.  - so not sure what you mean by below comments since you say doesnt need drivers in share  - ?

"as to printer user doesnt need drivers in share, server does that for you if installed on server.  you can install x86/x64 drivers and different os if needed drivers too for each printer."

q4.  pushprinterconnection.exe  - cannot locate this program on google and after reading it stated that win 2003 r2 and 2008 were able to use this, but no mention of win 2003 standard  - ?

q5.  i have checked and yes i can open my master dc/dns/dhcp server via gpo and locate the office 2003 (accessrt.msi) file - but what im wondering is should i copy/paste these files onto my (dc) or put them on my file print server as a share & then log back onto my master dc via gpo and locate network share on the file server, at the preferred method ?
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hi, again.. i did setup (dfs) in the passed but removed it due to trying different things at that time!!

i think i will put back the (dfs) and then do what you say!!

i will let you know.

- i dont suppose you know anything about (webdav) as i have a question out there but no expert has responded.  webdav is allowed, but stuck on specific part but cannot see it: ?

https://www.experts-exchange.com/questions/28284820/webdav-no-one-knows-how-to-resolve-access-issue.html

most appreciated!!
hi anyone,

question 1.  i am about to install 'office 2003' via my gpo and when i browse via my master dc/dns/dhcp/gp server to my file server (domain member server), i can click 'package' & can view 3 msi files but not sure which one i should select:  ?

- owc10.msi
- owc11.msi
- proi11n.msi - i presume this is what i should select to install & the above 1 are just updates...!but not sure
Yes that's right.  Had a quick google and there is a step-by-step here but you are probably 99% of the way there anyway.  Make sure you select the app using the UNC, i.e. \\server\share\office\pro...msi as a drive mapping will only be valid at the time you are adding it to AD and won't be available at all to the computer account, even if the user later has a drive mapped to it.

Steve
yes it installed on my xp desktop machine but this i did via my gpo/software installation as i have never done this before.

although the below installed on 1 single machine i did not install, 'resource kit' but have been reading the below and trying to form a picture of what i need to do!!

http://www.techrepublic.com/article/leverage-office-2003-resource-kits-custom-installation-wizard-to-speed-office-2003-deployments/

but now i am being told the below and not sure why  ?

i would strongly discourage the use of a gpo to do software distribution.  it has proven to be more of a pain than a blessing every time I've seen it used.  It can restrict your ability to move pc's to different ou's.

i would suggest that you figure out how to install the software from the command line, in  non-interactive approach (msiexec with appropriate command line options).  you can use the office resource kit (ork) to create an appropriate mst file to customize your office installation, and then you can reference the use of the mst on the msiexec command line.

this guide will walk you through it - don't worry about the referencing to wise packaging studio - the explanation and instruction for creating a transform (.mst) is applicable for you:
http://www.symantec.com/connect/articles/wise-package-studio-part-8-building-office-2003-generic-transform-file

once you have a good working approach from the command line, then i would use a logon script to do the installation.  you simply create a batch file to run the silent office install and set that batch file as your logon script.

this assumes that you have an administrative install of office to one of your servers that all your users can access.  if you need help with that, google office 2003 administrative install and you'll find step by step instructions.

i again strongly recommend this approach over gpo software distribution.  this way, once office is installed, you don't have to worry that it will get uninstalled if a pc moves from ou to a different ou.
GPO works great, there are other ways and tools but using a login script approach is crazy when there is a GPO way that works!

Apply at the highest relevant level in your AD, or to multiple lower levels, or restrict to members of certain groups.  Then when a computer is put in that OU it gets Office.  Want them on different office version, move to new OU etc.

Steve
hi,  those comments on previous last post about not using the gpo ie:

"i would strongly discourage the use of a gpo to do software distribution."

so what are they referring to  ?
suggesting a login script is madness, that runs as the user, who hopefully has no rights as admin to install software etc.

GPO installed software whether a allocated to the user or computer is installed as the computer.

Office 2007/2010 did away with this ability and we have to resort to startup scripts (ran as the computer not user) in the computer ou.

Original build of ad we made in 2001mins for one customer still going strong moved from w2k and office xp through win xp, to win 7xp using gpo installs for loads of apps, some prepackaged, others made in house.  have done the same for lots of places.

steve
hi,

i have been reading the below url for info also:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc179214(office.12).aspx

task 1

after selecting gpo/computer config & selecting: 'assigned' it then installed office 2003 successfully and then the below window showed with the following tabs but i left as default:

- general
- deployment
- upgrades
- categories
- modifications
- security

question 1.

task 2

i have now uninstalled the above and then repeated same procedure as above but this time selected .........'advanced'........... but it still shows as .......'assigned & not advanced'...... in gpo/computer config window & office 2003 installed on xp desktop successfuly also,.. so i am wondering if 'advanced' only works when i have 'ork.exe' installed, as i have not completed any extra tasks in the below:  ?

- deployment
- upgrade
- categories
- modifications
- security

note: i have not installed 'ork.exe - resource kit' yet
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hi dragon-it, you say the following:  (the below are my only 2 questions left to ask)

"When you create as "assigned" it is the same as advanced but advanced lets you set the settings before rather than afterwards."

question 1.  so after reading your above comments i assume you mean just the following then...if so do i click to create a 'new package' and wait for the below window tabs to show then select 'modifications' or do i go to question 2 below and just click 'properties'..as this is the confusion  ?

- modifications - for mst files

one other thing that puzzles me is if i 'right click software installation' i can also click properties which shows me the below:

- deployment
- upgrade
- categories
- modifications
- security

question 2.  but if i do not click 'properties' as above and click the other option and the select 'package', what is the difference what can i not do, since you say 'assigned and advanced' on the same  ?
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hi and thanks for that clarity!!
I've requested that this question be closed as follows:

Accepted answer: 500 points for arnold's comment #a39647813

for the following reason:

This question has been classified as abandoned and is closed as part of the Cleanup Program. See the recommendation for more details.