Deploying Office 2003 over 4 workgroups

Vanilla_Ice · 13 Jun 2007 at 22:13

Hi,

I have been offered the opportunity to deploy Office 2003 onto 75 PC's, which are split up into 4 workgroups – no server as such. Don't ask!

I will be purchasing a Volume license from Microsoft and I am now trying to work out the most efficient way of actually deploying the software to the desktops.

I have just had a quick Google for ideas, but haven't really found what I am looking for as all I have found appears to be geared towards domains.

Has anyone done anything similar before? Any pointers?

I really don’t want to manually install 75 copies of Office!

With Office 2003 OEM I use the d:\setup.exe /p OEM=1 command to install it "silently", is there anything similar that could be used to run the install across the network?

Thanks in advance,

ICE

Butters · 13 Jun 2007 at 22:32

I would imagine its going to be pretty tough not bein on a domain as things like WINS and SMS are out.

Its not like you can even create a logon script to so that each machine installs from a central location.

You could create a batch file for each workgroup or maybe machine that runs the install at a certian time througout the evening / weekend and waits for the install package to be exclusively available.

Not too sure, sorry

oddjob62 · 13 Jun 2007 at 22:40

You can use the Office Resource kit to create an MST file. Then you can just create a batch file that runs setup with that MST used as the transform. This can do things like filling in the company name serial key etc. You could even create an office install point with the latest service. Then it's just run the batch file on each PC and leave it to do its thing.

Relentless · 13 Jun 2007 at 22:51

Unless there is some 3rd party rollout software out there its going to be visit each one.

If I were you I would suggested that the company installs a server or 2 and you create a domain, create users, maybe OU's etc and deploy it through group policy.

75 ps's in peer to peer workgroups is pure stupidity IMO.

aix0 · 13 Jun 2007 at 23:02

Relentless said:
Unless there is some 3rd party rollout software out there its going to be visit each one.

If I were you I would suggested that the company installs a server or 2 and you create a domain, create users, maybe OU's etc and deploy it through group policy.

75 ps's in peer to peer workgroups is pure stupidity IMO.

Agreed, for that many clients a workgroup just won't suffice. It might be worth taking a look at Windows SBS, I'm sure that's geared towards supporting up to 75 clients, pretty inexpensive too when you consider the amount of time saved on laborious tasks like you're about to endure.

M0KUJ1N · 13 Jun 2007 at 23:08

I would recommend using something like wpkg (http://www.wpkg.org) on a Samba server for something of this form, either that or some sort of login hook that pulls the package from a web server via http and then installs it.

bringans · 13 Jun 2007 at 23:34

I would guess, the reason a server is not in play is... they have a lot of XP home OS's in the game ?

What MOKU said is a def route to go down.

Vanilla_Ice · 15 Jun 2007 at 09:36

Thanks for all the replies.

I will look into the Samba server route a bit more, but I have no expereince of setting one up etc.

I was thinking more along the lines of going in with a image of the CD stored on a laptop/workstation and running the install across the LAN from that.

I dont mind initiating the installation on each PC. I just want the install to be silent. Any more ideas?

Thanks,

ICE

Sone · 15 Jun 2007 at 10:19

i would just use the CIW (custom installattion wizard, in the resoucre kit), stick this on a share and a pen drive / cd.

Run from a share, if any pc's give you trouble just do it from the cd / pen drive instead of faffing about.

If it was me and possible i would want to do it when no one was there. Start at 6pm on a friday night if things go well will be home for 9pm

Vanilla_Ice · 15 Jun 2007 at 16:50

Sone said:
i would just use the CIW (custom installattion wizard, in the resoucre kit), stick this on a share and a pen drive / cd.

Run from a share, if any pc's give you trouble just do it from the cd / pen drive instead of faffing about.

If it was me and possible i would want to do it when no one was there. Start at 6pm on a friday night if things go well will be home for 9pm

That sounds more like it!

Have you had experience with this yourself?

Does anyone know if the 2003 installation will automatically remove previous versions of office? e.g 97/2000/xp?

Cheers,

ICE

bledd · 15 Jun 2007 at 16:55

oddjob62 said:
You can use the Office Resource kit to create an MST file. Then you can just create a batch file that runs setup with that MST used as the transform. This can do things like filling in the company name serial key etc. You could even create an office install point with the latest service. Then it's just run the batch file on each PC and leave it to do its thing.

but without a server os (or a linux box) once there are 12 pc's connected to the share, it'll say "max connectinos reached" or whatever the message is

oddjob62 · 15 Jun 2007 at 17:26

bledd. said:
but without a server os (or a linux box) once there are 12 pc's connected to the share, it'll say "max connectinos reached" or whatever the message is

Sooooo use a server OS or linux box

bledd · 15 Jun 2007 at 17:29

wasn't trolling, just pointing it out before he may run into the problem