installing MSI files through GPO

Question

Hi all, I have three MSI files that I need to push down to all of our domain PC’s but I have not been successful in getting that done yet. I have been able to publish them and then the users are able to select them to install so I am part way there. I want to automate the process so that the GPO will push them down to certain groups of users.

The three MSI’s are Zoom, WebEx, and Slack. I have the MSI’s for all three.

Can you help out with this please?

Answer 1

Step 1: Download your MSI
If you already have an MSI, great. If not, go to the website of the product that you want to deploy and download one.

Step 2: Put the MSI in a file share
You need to create a folder somewhere on your server that you can remember and find, like the documents folder or the desktop. You need to put the MSI file in this new folder, and then right-click the folder, and go to Share with --> Specific people. Type Domain Computers in the search box, and then give the Domain Computers account read permissions and click Share.

Step 3: Open or install Group Policy Management
Open Group Policy Management from Start --> Administrative Tools --> Group Policy Management. If it is not installed, go to the Server Manager (also in Administrative tools) and go to the Features tab on the left hand side and then click Add Features in the pane on the right. Check the box in the new window that says Group Policy Management, and then click through the next few screens. It will install and then you can open it like described before.

Step 4: Go to the existing policies
Navigate to Forest: YOURDOMAIN --> Domains --> YOURDOMAIN --> Group Policy Objects. This is where your GPO's are stored.

Step 5: Create a new GPO
Right click the folder Group Policy Objects and click New. Type in a name for your GPO. Once you create your new GPO, it will show up under the Group Policy Objects folder. Click on the new GPO with the name that you just assigned. In the right pane on the bottom, there is a box that says Security Filtering. Click on and remove the Authenticated Users entry. If you want this program deployed on certain computers, add all of the specific computer names that you want the software to be deployed on. Otherwise, if you want it on all computers, add the group Domain Computers. Go back up to the YOURDOMAIN folder (in the navigation pane) and right-click it. Click Link an existing GPO. Click your new GPO's name and click OK.

Step 6: Add your MSI
Now go back to the GPO under Group Policy Objects folder, and right-click it. Click on Edit. A new window will open. Navigate to Computer Configuration --> Policies --> Software Settings --> Software installations. Right click inside the empty pane on the right and go to New --> Software Package. In the new windows that pops up, Navigate to the share that you created earlier (\YOURSERVERNAME\FOLDERNAME), not the physical folder on the server (C:\FAKEPATH\FOLDERNAME), and select your MSI. Click the Assigned bubble and then click OK.

Step 7: Close and make it happen
Your almost done. Just close all of your windows on the server and reboot all of your workstations. When they start, they will install your program before the computer allows a user to logon. As it sits there and says Please wait... for the longest time, it is installing the program, not being slow. (Note: It may take 2-3 restarts for the server to update the GPO on the workstations.)

Don't forget to mark the post as answer or vote as helpful if it does, Regards