Deploying Sibelius 2019 with SCCM

[smarties11]

Hi All,

 

Just wanted to post this here as although I found odd bits of advice online, I couldn't find a complete solution. Hopefully this helps someone!

 

Deploying Sibelius using the packaged .exe and passing the command line parameters recommended by Avid does not work with SCCM under the local system account. It also fails if you specify an account which has local admin priviledges on the machine in question.

 

This is what you need to do - these instructions focus on SCCM but the principles should work for any deployment system.

 

1. Firstly, clear out your %temp% folder so you can see the wood for the trees...

2. Run the installer on a temporary machine, allow it to extract in the background. The main MSI extracts before the installer starts asking questions, but the prerequisites don't extract until you've started the install off.

3. In %temp%, you will find a folder named with a GUID, inside this will be a Sibelius.msi file. Copy this entire folder to somewhere safe.

4. As this installer progresses, another folder named with a GUID appears in %temp%, containing 6 x VCRedist files. Copy this entire folder to somewhere safe. You have to be quick with this, as the installer mops them up once installed. There is also an AVID desktop link folder inside this, which isn't required.

5. Once Sibelius has installed, go into your c:\windows\installer folder, and search for msi files with todays date. The msi files in this folder are named randomly. You can right click and check the details to make sure you have the right one - you are looking for Sibelius OpenType Fonts. Copy this file and put it somewhere safe, rename it to Sibelius Fonts.msi or whatever.

 

So you should now have a Sibelius.msi, Sibelius Fonts.msi, and 6 x VCRedist.exe files.

 

6. Put the various VCRedist exe files into a single folder, and inside this create a file and call it something like VCRedist.cmd, inside it paste the following...

 

vcredist_2008_x64.exe /q /norestart
vcredist_2008_x86.exe /q /norestart
vcredist_2010_x64.exe /q /norestart
vcredist_2010_x86.exe /q /norestart
vcredist_2017_x64.exe /quiet /norestart
vcredist_2017_x86.exe /quiet /norestart

 

7. Then build a package in SCCM for this and deploy/apply via task sequence

8. For Sibelius and fonts, these can be created as applications in SCCM and deployed / applied via task sequences in the usual way. Sibelius.msi needs additional command line paramaters to specify the license server and the log path, e.g.

msiexec.exe /i Sibelius.msi /qn LSINFO=SERVERNAME /l*v %temp%\AvidSibeliusx64.log

[smarties11]

Just to come back to this and update for the latest 2023.8 version.

 

Essentially the same however....

- The VCRedists can be handled in the same way, so update the list above with the latest filenames OR you can use the VCRedist PowerShell script to manage your Visual C++ lifecycle (https://vcredist.com/). I use this method and then deploy the latest supported Visual C++ runtimes to all PCs and update them when required

- The fonts MSI package doesn't inherit todays date now when it's cached to the c:\windows\installer folder. It will be dated around the time of the Sibelius release. You can verify this by attempting to uninstall the fonts package from add/remove programs in control panel, when you get the UAC prompt it will tell you the name and location of the MSI

 

Hope this helps!

[DavR]

The fonts MSI package doesn't inherit todays date now when it's cached to the c:\windows\installer folder. It will be dated around the time of the Sibelius release. You can verify this by attempting to uninstall the fonts package from add/remove programs in control panel, when you get the UAC prompt it will tell you the name and location of the MSI

Hope this helps!

Many thanks for this! I had got most of the way with getting the MSI, and am relying on our 2015-22 rollups of VC Redist to cover that, but it was the fonts package I was struggling with.

 

For an installer that's fundamentally MSI based, they don't half make an effort to hide it!

 

Did you bother installing the Avid Link Desktop? I'm unsure, as much as our music teacher only requested Sibelius First for music notation, I think he might have a login to license Sibelius for more via Avid Link :/

[smarties11]

Many thanks for this! I had got most of the way with getting the MSI, and am relying on our 2015-22 rollups of VC Redist to cover that, but it was the fonts package I was struggling with.

 

For an installer that's fundamentally MSI based, they don't half make an effort to hide it!

 

Did you bother installing the Avid Link Desktop? I'm unsure, as much as our music teacher only requested Sibelius First for music notation, I think he might have a login to license Sibelius for more via Avid Link :/

 

No problem! What are you using for your VC rollups btw? I use the script from vcredist.com and deploy by SCCM but if there's a better way let me know!

 

We don't install Avid Link Desktop. Just Sibelius itself, the fonts and the VC Redists. Then the license server on one of our servers to handle the licensing and checking in/out.

[DavR]

No problem! What are you using for your VC rollups btw? I use the script from vcredist.com and deploy by SCCM but if there's a better way let me know!

 

We don't install Avid Link Desktop. Just Sibelius itself, the fonts and the VC Redists. Then the license server on one of our servers to handle the licensing and checking in/out.

 

I've got a static MSI package that installs VC 2015-2022 in one go. Anything older that that, I use the MSI for that release. I suspect if someone's done a PowerShell script for it, that's probably more advanced than my method.

 

I put Avid Desktop on in the end, on the off chance our music guy wants to log in using his own licensing. I knobbled the automatic startup, though, that was intrusive.

 

We don't have a license server, I've only really rolled this out with the intention of using Sibelius First, the cut down version of the notation software.

[Langella]

Thanks Smarties11 for the great tips but they didn't work 100% for me but they have given me an amazing start.

I know its 2025 but we only had licenses for the version 21.2.0.3268 and the way I finally got this working was copying files from the %temp% and getting them installed with a nice Powershell Script.

 

• Monitored the %temp% folder as you suggested, but I've noticed I needed a few more VCRedist exe files and they were made available in different folders in %TEMP%, but it was easy enough to copy them around.
  

vcredist_2008_x64.exe /q /norestart

vcredist_2008_x86.exe /q /norestart

vcredist_2010_x64.exe /q /norestart

vcredist_2010_x86.exe /q /norestart

vcredist_2012_x64.exe /quiet /norestart

vcredist_2013_x86.exe /quiet /norestart

vcredist_2013_x64.exe /quiet /norestart

vcredist_2017_x64.exe /quiet /norestart

vcredist_2017_x86.exe /quiet /norestart

 

 

 

• in the Same %temp% folder, make sure you get the Sibelius.MSI (~600MB)
  
• For the fonts file, because it installs and remove from %temp% very quickly I was able to grab the file by using a test laptop. I did a manual installation then once installation is complete, I have gone to Control Panel/Uninstall or Change a program and click on Sibelius OpenType Fonts and click on Uninstall ( its ok, you are not uninstalling it) - Go ahead until UAC pops up, then voilà!! The Address where the MSI is will be displayed, in my case "C:\Windows\Installer\6599360a.msi" - Copy to your Intune folder and rename it.
  

 

• Make sure you create a folder and place all these files in it. You will need that to create your Intune.win package for Intune
  
• Since you are already using a test machine, make sure you grab the MSI Installation ID, which will be useful for the detection method, the best way I could find was going to the Registry at HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall and check the folders for Sibelius, in the folder you will find the key called "ModifyPAth" and the value should be displayed within {}. Copy that.
  
• Its time now to build the script. You can use mine, or make your. Here is the installation script and Uninstall, please note you will need to check the name of your files and change in the script.
  
  • https://github.com/rodrigolangella/PublicPowerShell/blob/653bcbc7c2d859ce028ba35b6ca076434639ba68/Sibelius-Intune-Install
    
  • https://github.com/rodrigolangella/PublicPowerShell/blob/653bcbc7c2d859ce028ba35b6ca076434639ba68/Sibelius-Intune-Uninstall
    

   

  [*]Compile that into a IntuneWin file

  [*]Create your APP deployment in Intune. I'm not going to teach you how to make this, but instead give you some recommendations on what to fill with.

  • Make sure you fill the APP Version - This is important for future updates
    
  • Install Command: powershell.exe -NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File .\sibelius_install.ps1
    
  • Uninstall Command: powershell.exe -NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File .\sibelius_uninstall.ps1
    
  • Add Return Code 1 ( Failed) - Since the script returns that if the installation fails for some reason.
    
  • Detection Rule: Choose MSI and paste the MSI Code we have retrieved in our test machine. Paste it only the ID with braces, for example: {88351046-B557-40B9-8B6B-4D99072B755F}
    

Edited March 3, 2025 by Langella