I've stopped repackaging software into MSIs and deploying them through group policy. It's a huge pain in the ass to get it right using wininstall LE. I just haven't got the time to be messing around like that. Java had also become a complex problem that I couldn't make head or tail of.

Obviously we can't just stop installing software. Things became a lot easier when I discovered the fantastic Ninite - Install or Update Multiple Apps at Once. We purchased ninite one for the silent install options. I negotiated with the company for a one off yearly CC payment. Finance refused to pay monthly for it.

Ninite painlessly takes care of all the runtimes ~ java, flash, shockwave, dot net, air, flash(ie), silverlight. And some other free software we can use.

My alternative install solution is this ~ an account with local admin rights and a gigantic login script with logoff at the end and custom c++ window that says "Performing Maintenance". Security is maintained with some group policy and setting the shell to ping.exe. Ping!? Yep. That simply prevents the explorer shell from loading. Not needed for installing software.

Pretty much all software has silent install options or I'll get the msi from the temp folder and use msiexec.

For us this is a perfect solution as we've long had room prefixes to our computer names. e.g. k1-hp-12

that means you can do

if %computername:~0,3% == k1- (

do stuff

)

This does lead to some replication but it's simply copy and pasting.

Also can do other things, like deleting local start menu items, changing file associations etc. I <3 dos programs & batch. Commands usually do one job and they do it just how you want.

Funny thing is we used to have a guy who was amazing at repackaging software. That's where most of the existing repackages came from. But he left and no one could replicate his success.

I know the ultimate aim in a network is to have everything automated through windows server functionality but we've never managed it nor have the skills to make it happen. I'm sure that's partly on me. If something gets too mind-bending or overly complex I'll do something else that's easier.