Deploying Minecraft Education

[Katy]

Has anybody managed to deploy Minecraft Education from the Windows Education store, preferably using SCCM?

 

I've tried with the offline installer, just extracting the files and following the Application wizard with an "appxbundle". It seems to install but when you try and run it you get "File system error" on the PC.

 

It looks like I might have to set up the Windows Business Store and do it that way? Although what I've read implies the PCs need to be Azure AD joined. Can this be done as part of a task sequence? What difference does this make to anything, the PCs are all currently joined to the AD domain in the normal way.

 

All rather confusing and in the long run might be easier to just cough up the Java costs and stick with the old MinecraftEDU we use.

[free780]

Yes to provision modern apps PC must be hybrid joined. If your using AD Connect there is a wizard to run and some domains that must be allowed through your proxy so that PCs can reach them. You can control the rollout via group policy. I'd start with a test PC and see if any intune policies get applied. The SCCM deployment method means everytime there's an update you have to push the update. Updating via the store is preferable.

[Katy]

So can computers be on both Azure AD and standard local Windows Server AD at the same time?

 

I've managed to get it installed by using a scripted install (ran manually), at least it opens to a white screen which I'm guessing is all I'll get over remote control if it's all hardware accelerated etc. Just waiting for SCCM's usual "you changed something, now wait a day before anything happens" to see if the scripted install works via SCCM.

[free780]

The thing is store apps install per user so unless your script can add the minecraft app to be provisioned for all users. You can force sccm to update the machine and app deployment policy on the client.

 

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/devices/hybrid-azuread-join-managed-domains

 

 

To control the joins switch this to disabled across your domain. By default. The AAD join is set to enabled. Then isolate an OU with a test PC with the setting enabled. You may be able to just add that OU to AD Connect while testing.

 

 

OpenServer Manager, and then go toTools > Group Policy Management.

 

Go to the domain node that corresponds to the domain where you want to disable/enable the auto-registration.

 

Right-clickGroup Policy Objects, and then selectNew.

 

Type a name (for example,Hybrid Azure AD join) for your Group Policy object.

 

ClickOK.

 

Right-click your new GPO, and then selectEdit.

 

Go toComputer Configuration > Policies > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Device Registration.

 

Right-clickRegister domain-joined computers as devices, and then selectEdit.

Edited December 1, 2018 by free780

[Katy]

The thing is store apps install per user so unless your script can add the minecraft app to be provisioned for all users. You can force sccm to update the machine and app deployment policy on the client.

The script is the one that comes in the zip file, massive powershell script which appears to install it on the machine then provision it for all users.

[Katy]

Well it doesn't work deployed with SCCM but does if run manually (running the script provided in the downloaded zip).

[sted]

Well it doesn't work deployed with SCCM but does if run manually (running the script provided in the downloaded zip).

it works for me manually (i decided i could just get it done or spend time automating it) what i have noticed though is it dosent seem to like running from a unc path so \\server\packages\minecraft fails BUT exactly the same file on c:\users\me\desktop\minecraft work. might be worth creating a sccm task that copies the install files to c:\minecraft and run it from there

[Katy]

it works for me manually (i decided i could just get it done or spend time automating it) what i have noticed though is it dosent seem to like running from a unc path so \\server\packages\minecraft fails BUT exactly the same file on c:\users\me\desktop\minecraft work. might be worth creating a sccm task that copies the install files to c:\minecraft and run it from there

 

The task should run from the cache though, i.e. copies to c:\windows\ccmcache\$id and runs from there... not really got enough time to mess with this, how have they managed to make it worse than the java version was for automated install....

[Fazza]

I dont know about the latest version, but an old version we used was able to be zipped up and extracted to a different computer - i.e. manually install it on one PC, create a self-extracting zip file of the folder and then run that silently via SCCM and create a shortcut to it on the start menu or desktop.

[Katy]

I dont know about the latest version, but an old version we used was able to be zipped up and extracted to a different computer - i.e. manually install it on one PC, create a self-extracting zip file of the folder and then run that silently via SCCM and create a shortcut to it on the start menu or desktop.

 

That's how I do it for the old (pre-Microsoft) version. But this is the windows store app version

[DavR]

Sorry to resurrect an old thread, but did anyone manage to get the Minecraft EE app to deploy cleanly through SCCM?

 

I've updated our SCCM to 1810, which should now be capable of deploying a provisioned appx package to all machines. I've deployed the Minecraft app, all files are in place, dependencies are there, it's shown installed as a provisioned app for the machine, and an app installed for the user. But I'm still running into the same problem as @Katy, the app is there but gives the "File system error" when you try and open it.

 

I'm seeing a lot of talk around setting up Azure and Microsoft Store, but that all seems a lot of unnecessary guff when I have a server to install it, and all the necessary files in hand. If I can install it by script without Azure and Store, surely SCCM can deploy the appx package without them?

[Katy]

Sorry to resurrect an old thread, but did anyone manage to get the Minecraft EE app to deploy cleanly through SCCM?

 

I've updated our SCCM to 1810, which should now be capable of deploying a provisioned appx package to all machines. I've deployed the Minecraft app, all files are in place, dependencies are there, it's shown installed as a provisioned app for the machine, and an app installed for the user. But I'm still running into the same problem as @Katy, the app is there but gives the "File system error" when you try and open it.

 

I'm seeing a lot of talk around setting up Azure and Microsoft Store, but that all seems a lot of unnecessary guff when I have a server to install it, and all the necessary files in hand. If I can install it by script without Azure and Store, surely SCCM can deploy the appx package without them?

I don't think I ever got it working but it got forgotten about a while ago and not looked at it again yet.

[DavR]

Shame. I'm kinda stuck between wanting to get a proper appx package deployment working, because that's the clean and proper way, and just writing some scripts to make it so.

 

I'd much rather do a proper deployment, if nothing else, because I spent a lot of yesterday updating my SCCM for that functionality!

[DavR]

Currently trying to sign up for a Azure / Store for Education account, so I can access the store, and download a Store-certified offline installer, as described here. Unfortunately, the sign up options for Store for Education, as per the notes here, have been removed!!!

 

I give up, I guess I'll have to write a script after all.

 

I've said it before and I'll say it again, nothing about Modern Apps has been an improvement on regular programs, even the badly written ones.

Edited January 10, 2019 by DavR

[DavR]

DONE

 

For anyone that's interested, if you download the Minecraft EE install files from here, you can then install the app for all users with the following Powershell script command:

Add-AppxProvisionedPackage -PackagePath "$PSScriptRoot\Microsoft.MinecraftEducationEdition_1.7.1.0.appxbundle" -Online -LicensePath "$PSScriptRoot\Microsoft.MinecraftEducationEdition_1.7.1.0__8wekyb3d8bbwe_License1.xml" -DependencyPackagePath "$PSScriptRoot\Microsoft.VCLibs.140.00.UWPDesktop_14.0.26905.0_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe.appx"

Pop that in a PowerShell script, run the script from the location containing the appx files. Note that this is for x64 environments, for x86 you need to call the other dependency.

 

Additionally in my script I've added the following two lines to install the Code Connection and Classroom Mode MSIs:

 

Start-Process msiexec -ArgumentList '/i "ClassroomModeSetup.msi" /qn /norestart -Wait
Start-Process msiexec -ArgumentList '/i "CodeConnection.msi" /qn /norestart -Wait

 

No Azure or Microsoft Store logins required.

 

To deploy with SCCM, add a Package with a script install, "C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\powershell.exe" .\InstallMinecraftEE.ps1

[SimonInOz]

Hi Dave, is this procedure still valid? I went to the Minecraft download page, and the only download is an actual installer. Cheers

[DavR]

Hi Dave, is this procedure still valid? I went to the Minecraft download page, and the only download is an actual installer. Cheers

 

I would advise just using the executable installer now, if you run it you can extract an MSI. More details over here.

 

The powershell script I wrote was before the MSI version was available.

[Paradigm]

I'm glad others were having issues with this! I've looked and looked AND LOOKED at the installation thinking there is no way this should be this difficult, what am I missing? I'm going to try Dave's suggestion because the SCCM/Microsoft Store/Azure AD/whatever the heck they keep doing is a HUGE Mess.

[free780]

I'm glad others were having issues with this! I've looked and looked AND LOOKED at the installation thinking there is no way this should be this difficult, what am I missing? I'm going to try Dave's suggestion because the SCCM/Microsoft Store/Azure AD/whatever the heck they keep doing is a HUGE Mess.

The Store methods works but it was put together from the idea that each student has a device of their own. In edu we don't have that and MS have had to provide an alternative way.

[SimonInOz]

Hi Paradigm, I ended up using a tool called PDQDeploy. I set up a step which included the following command:

 

MinecraftEducationEdition_x86_1.12.0.0.exe /exenoui /q AI_DESKTOP_SH=1

 

Worked ok for me.