Question

Easiest & Simplest way to deploy (upgrade) Office 2007 on Windows XP client machines?

Asked by: ThinkPaper

Hey experts, I'm in charge of upgrading our client pcs from Office 2003 to Office 2007. I basically need a simple answer here. I don't have SMS and I'm hesitant to use BDD.. and was thinking of pushing this out thru GPO but read that there were issues with this as well?

What's the best (ahem simplest) way to push Office 2007 to all our pcs? Would it be logon script, straight GPO installation?
I'm relatively new to GPO and have only done some minor things here and there so I need a dumby down version here. I don't care too much about the customization besides the basics (automatic serial key, silent install)

From what I understand:
1) GPO - configure Config.xml and create GP and link to computer OU. What security setting do I need to configure to get this working? I'm confused as to what privileges are needed - authorized users, computers?? As I understand it, this doesn't remove Office 2003 but installs beside it?
2) Script - is this more reliable as we could possibly test for existance of Office 2k3/2k7 and install from there? Examples?
3) SMS -  I don't have SMS so no go.
4) BDD - or WIMs.. I'd rather not create an image just to get push out Office 2k7. I've had issues with BDD in the past and wouldn't like to use it until I get a full grasp on how to actually use and understand it properly.

Please don't start throwing me the standard links to MS Tech websites on Office 2k7 GPO deployment.. I've read them... =/

I have run some test GPOs with Office 2007 on a few machines but it doesn't seem to be running.. (i had it run once on my pc (with Office 2k7 already manually installed on it, GP kicked in and I saw the dialog boxes stating it's installing but came to find it out actually uninstalled my Office 2007 after reboot) so would appreciate any help you can offer.

My config.xml looks like this so far.. real basic...

<Configuration Product="Enterprise">

      <Display Level="Basic" CompletionNotice="No" SuppressModal="Yes" AcceptEula="Yes" />
      
      <PIDKEY Value="ABACSDSFSDFDF" />

      <USERNAME Value="User" />
      
      <COMPANYNAME Value="MyCompany" />
      
      <DistributionPoint Location="\\swn005\Software\Installation Software\Office\Office 2007 Enterprise" />
      
      <Setting Id="Reboot" Value="IfNeeded" />
      
      <!--- <Command Path="msiexec.exe" Args="/i \\Software\Installation Software\Office\Office 2007 Enterprise\Enterprise.WW\EnterpriseWW.msi" QuietArg="/q" ChainPosition="after" Execute="install" /> --->

</Configuration>


BTW if i'm doing this via GP.. do I need to do something security wise to allow this to occur? I read conflicting things about adding Computernames vs Users to the security filter? (again i know nothing about that either). Why would I need to add computernames since I already linked the GP to a computer OU?! That didn't seem to make sense to me.

Help!

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Asked On
2008-01-14 at 09:31:56ID23081388
Tags

Microsoft

,

Office 2007

,

2007

,

Deployment of Office 2007, upgrade from Office 2003 to 2007

,

GPO, script

Topics

Deployment Software for Development

,

Active Directory

,

Microsoft Office Suite

Participating Experts
4
Points
0
Comments
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Answers

 

by: kamleshgwalaniPosted on 2008-01-14 at 09:40:37ID: 20654841

Microsoft's Business Desktop Development 2007 is better option. But test in 2-3 PC, before you actually do it for a large user community.

Unfortunately you cant install Office 2007 through GPO.

I would also tell my experience, when we initially installed we installed for our IT department and we found that upgrade succks as it gave a lot of problem, so we have un-install office 2003 and then install 2007 which was required lots of pain going around.

So please test under your environement before you actually go ahead on large basis

 

by: ThinkPaperPosted on 2008-01-14 at 10:04:49ID: 20655036

I read this about BDD..
http://pcmusings.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!42B71883C19FDDAE!230.entry

"You see, BDD is really primarily about getting the whole desktop image deployed. So, if you want to deploy Office at the same time as Vista, BDD can help. However, if you want to deploy Office separately, for example if you want to leave Vista for a few more months, you can't use BDD."

We aren't trying to push out Vista anytime soon. Is it still possible (and preferred) to use BDD to deploy Office 2k7 in this case?

 

by: ThinkPaperPosted on 2008-01-16 at 09:49:45ID: 20674160

ok. I determined BDD will NOT work as it only applies to Vista and O2k7 installs.

So back to square one. I'm thinking of doing a remote push to all computers with PsExec but can't quite get it to work.

The code below will work if I am installing it on the machine I am logged on, but I want to do this remotely (using PsExec) but this isn't running.

It basically states "system cannot find file specified". I know it has something to do with my syntax although I can't figure out what. I have tried the -c switch (but of course that does not work). I've had issues running certain setup.exe's via PsExec (when MSIs work fine).

Help, please!

from this sample:
 
"\\server\office 12\setup.exe" /adminfile "\\server\office 12\folder\custom.msp"
 
I attempted to do this method:
 
psexec \\computer -u domain/User -p Password "\\Software\Installation Software\Office\Office 2007 Enterprise\setup.exe" /adminfile "\\Software\Installation Software\Office\Office 2007 Enterprise\o2kdisplaybasic.MSP"
                                              
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by: merowingerPosted on 2008-03-04 at 08:47:11ID: 21042598

 

by: ThinkPaperPosted on 2008-03-11 at 11:33:15ID: 21098601

Sorry, but I don't think Office 2k7 deployment thru GP is an option. I have tried implementing it thru this method initially, but have had issues it not fully removing Office 2003 in order to install Office 2007. From what I've read, while MS still continues to support software pushes thru group policy.. they're not longer "fully" supporting it as before.  And from what I understand, you'll need to have had pushed Office 2003 thru group policy before in order to be able to uninstall Office 2003 and then install Office 2007. Plus a couple of runs ended with problems - it removed certain Office 2003 products but not installing Office 2007.. and it continuing to do this everytime I log on.. or it not installing at all (even though it looks like it does when you start the computer)  =/

I know people have pushed Office 2007 before. The issue is not customizing it or creating an auto-install.. I've already figured out how to configure the MSP and the updates...

The issue is the method of deployment. I have tried to use PsExec to see if I could remotely install on a computer, but that doesn't seem to work. If I run the same command (ex: setup.exe) directly on the computer, it works.. but if I run it using PsExec.. it does not.

 

by: bwagererPosted on 2008-04-07 at 11:32:08ID: 21299427

I am in the same boat! Has there been any update or solution to deploying Office 2007?

 

by: ThinkPaperPosted on 2008-05-07 at 06:48:41ID: 21516320

unfortunately i'm still trying to figure it out.

The installs via GPO are very VERY quirky. I've had one install go thru, but it WON'T remove Office 2003. And the user had to click a 2007 application for it to actually "install" and it would kick off.

The other problem is that for some reason, it didn't install Outlook 2007. Which is one of the MAJOR applications we needed updated... @_@

I have another question open and active.. perhaps some info on there will be of assistance.
http://www.experts-exchange.com/Software/Office_Productivity/Office_Suites/MS_Office/Q_23312845.html

 

by: ThinkPaperPosted on 2008-07-11 at 07:52:09ID: 21982889

Here is some further info on upgrading from Office 2k3 to O2k7 : (see the bolded)

Upgrading previous versions of Office
If you deployed a previous version of Office by assigning it to computers using Group Policy-based Software Installation, you can upgrade those installations by editing the associated GPO.
Note

The following procedure assumes that you deployed the previous version of Office by using Group Policy Software Installation to assign Office to computers. If you deployed Office by assigning or publishing the application to users, or if you used a deployment method other than Group Policy, the existing version of Office will not be upgraded if you use this procedure. Instead, the previous version of Office remains on the computer when the 2007 Office system is installed. To remove the previous version of Office you must uninstall Office.Upgrading previous versions of Office
If you deployed a previous version of Office by assigning it to computers using Group Policy-based Software Installation, you can upgrade those installations by editing the associated GPO.

Note

The following procedure assumes that you deployed the previous version of Office by using Group Policy Software Installation to assign Office to computers. If you deployed Office by assigning or publishing the application to users, or if you used a deployment method other than Group Policy, the existing version of Office will not be upgraded if you use this procedure. Instead, the previous version of Office remains on the computer when the 2007 Office system is installed. To remove the previous version of Office you must uninstall Office.

 

by: abakshi1111Posted on 2009-01-30 at 08:54:11ID: 23510322

Any updates on this please...

I want to do Office 2007 install through Group Policy and havent been able to get it running.


Can someone list down the steps for it....

Thanks

20120131-EE-VQP-002

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