Deploying Office 2013 via GP setup error

[talksr]

I feel I am going round and round in circles with this.

 

I am trying to deploy office pro plus 2013 to my systems. I have server 2012 and I would like to use Group Policy to deploy it. I have followed several guides now but just cannot get it to work.

First I tried with the x64 installer, that did not work so now I have tried the x86 and same thing.

 

I have the setup folder shared to everyone on the network. I have a shutdown batch file set to run on GP which seems to work very well, however when it calls the config.xml file, I get errors. I only know this as I am running the batch script manually to see what happens.

I get,

Setup Error

The setup configuration file \\servername\Applic\Software\Microsoft_Office_2013_SP1\x86\proplus.ww\config.xml is not valid. Verify this file is formatted correctly and run setup again.

Here is the file in question:

Edited August 5, 2015 by talksr

[Arthur]

Here is the file in question:

Your .xml file contains a few errors (mainly to do with quote marks and missing comment tags on the second to last line).

 

 



 

 













[/color]

 

It should probably look like this...

 

 

For reference, this is what my config.xml looks like.

 

[talksr]

Your .xml file contains a few errors (mainly to do with quote marks and missing comment tags on the second to last line).

 

 



 

 













[/color]

 

It should probably look like this...

 

 

For reference, this is what my config.xml looks like.

 

 

Thanks so much for your post, it has really helped. When I manually ran the batch file, it worked perfectly this time and didn't take all that long. My KMS server seems to have kicked in so no activation issues either.

 

However, I have the script set to run on shut down via group policy.

 

Can you notice anything I may have done wrong there? The batch file is attached to my OP.

It works perfectly if I am logged in and execute the batch but not if I restart the computer or shut it down.

[Arthur]

Can you notice anything I may have done wrong there?

In your batch file are there meant to be spaces between "Microsoft_Office" and "_2013_SP1"?

 

set DeployServer="\\stm-sr-001\Applic\Software\Microsoft_Office _2013_SP1\x86\setup.exe"
set LogLocation="\\stm-sr-001\Applic\Software\Microsoft_Office _2013_SP1\x86\logfiles"

[talksr]

In your batch file are there meant to be spaces between "Microsoft_Office" and "_2013_SP1"?

 

set DeployServer="\\stm-sr-001\Applic\Software\Microsoft_Office _2013_SP1\x86\setup.exe"
set LogLocation="\\stm-sr-001\Applic\Software\Microsoft_Office _2013_SP1\x86\logfiles"

 

Well spotted, but strangely this batch script still works even with the spaces when it is run manually.

I have changed this but still the computers are not installing. Have tried the usual gpupdate /force. Checked gpresult and the policy is showing there so I know it is picking it up. Can't find anything in the logs to help me.

[LinkZ]

An easier way to install this without manually editing a config.xml is to run the setup.exe file with /admin on the end from the command line, that will open up the office customization toolkit. Run through that to set any custom settings you want and it will generate an MSP file. Put that in to \x86\updates then whenever the setup.exe is run on any machine it will automatically pick up the settings you put into that MSP file.

 

To install it via group policy create a batch file with the following (adjust the paths as necessary) and run it as a shutdown script

 

setlocal

REM *********************************************************************
REM Environment customization begins here. Modify variables below.
REM *********************************************************************

REM Get ProductName from the Office product's core Setup.xml file, and then add "office15." as a prefix. 
set ProductName=Office15.PROPLUS

REM Set DeployServer to a network-accessible location containing the Office source files.
set DeployServerx86="\\Shares\software$\default\Office2013\x86\setup.exe"

REM *********************************************************************
REM Deployment code begins here. Do not modify anything below this line.
REM *********************************************************************

REM Check for 32 and 64 bit versions of Office 2013 in regular uninstall key.(Office 64bit would also appear here on a 64bit OS) 
:ARP86
reg query HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\%ProductName%
if %errorlevel%==1 (goto Officex86) else (goto End)

:Officex86
%DeployServerx86%

REM If 0 or other was returned, the product was found or another error occurred. Do nothing.
:End

Endlocal

[talksr]

In your batch file are there meant to be spaces between "Microsoft_Office" and "_2013_SP1"?

 

set DeployServer="\\stm-sr-001\Applic\Software\Microsoft_Office _2013_SP1\x86\setup.exe"
set LogLocation="\\stm-sr-001\Applic\Software\Microsoft_Office _2013_SP1\x86\logfiles"

 

I think you may have solved the problem. The gaps in the batch scrip you unearthed were also present in the xml document. The space was also present in the actual directory. I have sorted it, doubt it would have caused an issue as all references to that path had "" around them which should cope with a space. I have changed the GP from a Shutdown script to a Startup and it is now working perfectly!

 

Thanks for the help

 

- - - Updated - - -

 

An easier way to install this without manually editing a config.xml is to run the setup.exe file with /admin on the end from the command line, that will open up the office customization toolkit. Run through that to set any custom settings you want and it will generate an MSP file. Put that in to \x86\updates then whenever the setup.exe is run on any machine it will automatically pick up the settings you put into that MSP file.

 

To install it via group policy create a batch file with the following (adjust the paths as necessary) and run it as a shutdown script

 

setlocal

REM *********************************************************************
REM Environment customization begins here. Modify variables below.
REM *********************************************************************

REM Get ProductName from the Office product's core Setup.xml file, and then add "office15." as a prefix. 
set ProductName=Office15.PROPLUS

REM Set DeployServer to a network-accessible location containing the Office source files.
set DeployServerx86="\\Shares\software$\default\Office2013\x86\setup.exe"

REM *********************************************************************
REM Deployment code begins here. Do not modify anything below this line.
REM *********************************************************************

REM Check for 32 and 64 bit versions of Office 2013 in regular uninstall key.(Office 64bit would also appear here on a 64bit OS) 
:ARP86
reg query HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\%ProductName%
if %errorlevel%==1 (goto Officex86) else (goto End)

:Officex86
%DeployServerx86%

REM If 0 or other was returned, the product was found or another error occurred. Do nothing.
:End

Endlocal

 

I had initially used the utility you have helpfully suggested. Maybe it did not save correctly the first time round?

[talksr]

Everything is working well, however I have noticed that the copies which have installed are not activated. How can I sort this out? I did add the KMS key to Volume Activation Tools, but it does not appear to have helped.

[Arthur]

Everything is working well, however I have noticed that the copies which have installed are not activated.

Did you add the KMS key to the MSP file in your Updates folder?

[talksr]

Did you add the KMS key to the MSP file in your Updates folder?

 

I am almost certain I did. Is there any way I can double check?

[LinkZ]

Run the following from the command line on your KMS host server

 

slmgr /dli all

 

That will show you what codes you have activated and how many clients have activated. I believe office 2013 clients only properly activate when at least 5 clients have attempted to register with your KMS host.