[mdt] MDT App Deployment

[linkazoid]

Hi,

 

We've been investing time into using MDT instead of making thick images with WDS, but how do the majority of you control the apps that you are deploying.

 

We all know that the majority of software aimed at schools in packaged badly, or not deployable at all, but how do you lot deal with this.

 

We don't like when apps install crap start menu items or desktop icons so how do you clean this up for 100's of school apps? Otherwise I can't see that much benefit over just using WDS.

 

Thanks,

 

Michael

[JonThompson]

Scripts. When the apps installed as part of MDT use a .cmd file to install it, and then have a line in the script to copy/move/delete desktop/start menu shortcuts, and then have it copy over shortcuts to the Program Folder. I have a script that runs for example that deletes all of the desktop icons after build and copies over select icons to the Public Desktop folder (MS Word etc.) and turns on My Computer and Recycle bin icons.

 

You could always use a redirected start menu if you want it to be uniform for everyone.

 

You can usually find all of the switches needed for silent installs on itninja.com

Edited June 26, 2016 by JonThompson
Granularity

[linkazoid]

That sounds logical!

 

Thank you, I'll persevere with it tomorrow!

[Sephiroth]

There are a few ways around this. As @JonThompson said, scripts are good to clean up at the end of deployment or for those irritating applications that don't work otherwise.

 

To silently install applications varies... Best is with an MSI, either provided or extracted from an EXE. If you can't get an MSI, most EXEs have a silent switch you can use. There's a website that I use to find what packager was used and what the switches are. I'll find it and post tomorrow when I'm at work. If none of that works, then AutoIT is a very useful tool to script navigation through a GUI. I've had to resort to this a few times to get things installing properly.

 

A well set up MDT system can be nearly zero-touch if you set up the database. I'd never go back to thick imaging again now! It's saved us loads of time, even when preparing an app can take 10 times as long as just doing it manually.

 

Best of luck to you.

[JonThompson]

One thing to add is that with MDT you can target your apps. We have a script that labels the PC Admin, Curriculum, Teacher etc. And I then tag apps with that so for instance SIMS only installs to teacher and admin not Curriculum which is student PCs.

[free780]

You can get MDT to query which OU the PC is in or what IP address etc.

For total control you want SCCM.

[Mustang]

Scripts. When the apps installed as part of MDT use a .cmd file to install it, and then have a line in the script to copy/move/delete desktop/start menu shortcuts, and then have it copy over shortcuts to the Program Folder. I have a script that runs for example that deletes all of the desktop icons after build and copies over select icons to the Public Desktop folder (MS Word etc.) and turns on My Computer and Recycle bin icons.

 

You could always use a redirected start menu if you want it to be uniform for everyone.

 

You can usually find all of the switches needed for silent installs on itninja.com

 

You should try to avoid at all costs from wrapping installers inside .cmd/batch files. MDT looks for the exit code from the running program before it continues to the next item, with a .cmd/batch file MDT sees the exit code from the batch file and not the installer that it was running, so it may continue even if the installer failed.

 

You should always use the silent switches for an installer if possible and then run a separate script/step to clean up the mess that the installer leaves, that way if the script fails you are only left with messy shortcuts and start menus etc and not half installed programs.

[SHimmer45]

most of the software we use is already bundled into the image but its not that big, additional bits are added via GPO if required.

[linkazoid]

There's a website that I use to find what packager was used and what the switches are. I'll find it and post tomorrow when I'm at work.

 

 

Did you remember the website?

 

I think we should have an EduGeek repository so that we can all upload our scripts and installation cleanups for all the badly packaged education software.

[DavetheITguy]

Simple. SCCM 2012, deploys images, and deploys software via, script, exe and msi.

[Arthur]

Did you remember the website?

Just a guess but it's probably IT Ninja.

[ChrisH]

I only use the MDT apps only when I am building a base image. I use a VB Script wrapper that is MDT friendly for return codes and such, I got it from some of the Johan Arwidmark deployment books, I just modify it for each app and it produces good logging etc.