Remotely Install Office 2010 - Part 2 - The Deployment
Posted by Shawn Anderson on Wed, Sep 22, 2010
Our previous post discussed using the Office Customization Tool for Office 2010. Now that you have your custom .msp file, you are ready to remotely deploy Microsoft Office 2010.
Ensure that your customized .msp is in the same directory as your setup.exe. We named ours custom-office.msp.
Step 1 - Choose Install File
Using PDQ Deploy, select your setup.exe by clicking on the elipse button.
Be sure to select the "Include Entire Directory" check box. Next enter your msp information in the "Parameters" box.
/adminfile custom-office.msp
Because our .msp contains all of our customizations, including installing silently and entering the license key, we won't need to add any additional parameters.
Go ahead and select next step to choose which target computers receive the installation. You have four options to select target computers:
- Manual hostname entry
- Import a text file
- Active Directory
- Admin Arsenal Collections
To change the account that you will install Office with, select "Next Step", or if you are already logged in with that account, go ahead and select "Deploy".
Your installation will begin. It can take a little while for Office to install, depending upon which features and products you are installing. A full installation can easily take over 30 minutes. Your installation status will be displayed as it updates.
We have a video which demonstrates deploying Microsoft Office 2010 available from our YouTube channel (youtube.adminarsenal.com).
The secret to a successful Office deployment rests in using as many .msp's as your organization needs. Afterall, users have different needs. If they simply won't be using certain products in the Office suite, don't install those products. It can simply add clutter to their program menu.
Also, testing is important, especially if you are upgrading to Office 2010 from Office 2003 (i.e. if you skipped '07). The interface has changed quite abit between versions '03 and '10, so be sure your users are prepared for the change.
If you have any tips on successful deployments of Office, please let us know.
Deploying Microsoft Office 2010 - Customization and Deployment Methods, our newest White Paper, goes deeper into the Office Customization Tool as well as highlighting methods to deploy Office without disrupting users. Download your free copy today!
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