Office 2003 First Run Issue

[thom]

Does anyone else get this?

I install office 2003 from an admin install. Any new user then has to endure a "short" installation on the first run of the software. It then asks what there name and initials are. Can this be disabled?

 

If i change the installation source (or folder name of the install source) then the install asks to search for pro11.msi file. Even if you say the correct source, it says it isn't valid. However, if you keep hitting the install's cancel button then word or excel or whatever wll open fine.

 

It's just a little niggle but would be great to get rid of it.

[NetworkGeezer]

There are two ways to tackle this either run the mini setup in template account and copy it into a default user or reinstall Office with the no username switch.

[thom]

I like the sound of the "no username" switch. How would I implement that? At the moment I use the following cmd to intall office

 

"\\server\office2003\SETUP.EXE" TRANSFORMS="\\server\office2003\2006.MST" /qb-

[mullet_man]

Never knew about the no username switch, we use the default user method. Create a new user run all of the installed software so that it installs, make other changes that profile specific, and then when a new user logs on they get a copy of this profile.

[NetworkGeezer]

I like the sound of the "no username" switch. How would I implement that? At the moment I use the following cmd to intall office

 

"\\server\office2003\SETUP.EXE" TRANSFORMS="\\server\office2003\2006.MST" /qb-

 

Try adding NOUSERNAME=False to the above command. Infact you may be able to set the option when creating the transform with Custom Installation Wizard.

[thom]

I had a look on MS Office site

Setting the NOUSERNAME property allows users to enter their own user names the first time they run an Office application.

So it seems this is enabled by default.

I spotted there is also a USERNAME property. If I set that perhaps that will stop it asking?

Will setting this prevent that initial install or just the user name prompt?

 

The reason I don't want to do the default user option is because I have had problems with that in the past, i.e. when something in the profile needs to change then it has to be done at every machine rather than just change a policy on the server

[thom]

That's not working either!

I set the USERNAME property and set enablecache in setup.ini. I also used the updated Setup.exe from Microsoft. I then started the setup and it gave an error

"25003 ... Installation source has been corrupted"

I am going to start again from scratch as I want this to work and it makes sense to do it now to make it easier in the long run.

[Richie1972]

We were getting that problem with student accounts until we changed over to mandatory profiles - so all students get the same profile that has already been configured - the office 2003 install has also been transformed and there are adm templates in active directory.

Staff still get the prompt first time they log in, but as they have roaming profiles they don't get it again, which is fine by me

[apeo]

Sorry to dig up a dead thread but has anyone found a way to stop office from doing the initial setup when the user uses the application for the first time?

[CyberNerd]

install for one user then copy the profile?

[Dos_Box]

I always setup the default user profile to remedy this. It works for me.

Setup your Windows boxes with a local account, run and setup all the software as you require it, including office, then copy the profile to the local default user profile (or the one in your NETLOGON share), and hey presto it is already configured. Or simply install office from an admin share and tell your users to wait all of the 15 seconds that it takes to run the initial profile setup and stop complaining.

[petectid]

Thats okay unless you are going to image the machines then use sysprep as this will knack all your settings. Sysprep kills the default user profile replacing it with the contents of the local administrator profile. So if you intend to sysprep then do all dos_box suggests in the local administrator account, no need to copy any profiles, if it works there it will work once you sysprep it.

[Richie1972]

I think that behaviour of sysprep only occurs in win2k doesn't it?

The other option is to do what we now do here (got the idea off this site i think) in your startup script delete the default user and copy the default user profile you want in its place.

This has the added benefit that if, for whatever reason, the profile you normally download on logon fails to be put in place, the logging in user will then get the default user profile - ie the profile you wanted them to get (or, at least, the more secure profile)

[apeo]

Ah ok thanks for all the reply, been v useful info. Im gonna go off an do some tweaking now

[Geoff]

You can use the Default user profile in your Netlogon and avoid the sysprep problem too. Assuming you only have XP machines of course.

[StewartKnight]

was this issuse addressed by the Microsoft guy at the conference, does Office 2007 solve this?

[Ric_]

@StewartKnight: I think everybody was thinking the same thing... 'the teachers will hate Office 2007 so what's the point in upgrading?'

 

No 'classic mode' so there's no menu bar, the file menu has been replaced by what can only be descibed as a 'blob' and you have the new tass-orientated 'ribbon'.

 

If you are having issues, try StarOffice. If your SMT don't want to go with a free alternative that will save them hundreds of pounds... wait until after the coursework is handed in and break Office, blame it on MS and say that you will install SatrOffice as a quick fix while you resolve the issues.

[apeo]

If you are having issues, try StarOffice. If your SMT don't want to go with a free alternative that will save them hundreds of pounds... wait until after the coursework is handed in and break Office, blame it on MS and say that you will install SatrOffice as a quick fix while you resolve the issues.

 

LOL.. yes tried and tested technique to get in kit you want

[Dos_Box]

Thats okay unless you are going to image the machines then use sysprep as this will knack all your settings. Sysprep kills the default user profile replacing it with the contents of the local administrator profile. So if you intend to sysprep then do all dos_box suggests in the local administrator account, no need to copy any profiles, if it works there it will work once you sysprep it.

 

Not if you place your default user profile in the NETLOGON share (the first place Windows looks for it before searching locally).