GROUP POLICY DEPLOY OF OFFICE - RETAIL NOT ENTERPRISE

[nate2345]

We bought 20 retail copies of Microsoft office 2003 for 20 users. So obviously we'd rather install it via group policy - but how do we overvome the product activation issue and anything else which might get in the way? What would you suggest.

Thanks
Nate

 

[sammydafish]

I've been working on this for a few days now. I seems that there is no real good way to do it. I used to have Office 97, so I purchaced the upgrade. The upgrade needs the location of a pervious version in order to install. I havn't been able to find a way to prepopulate this value. This makes it simply not work. I also have office XP Pro retail. This doesn't work as the Custom Installation wizard says it's not allowed to use the MSI for XP pro. I'm getting pretty pissed. I bought some 30 coppies of this software and I can't even use it!

- Anthony

 

[nate2345]

Please let me know if you come up with anything else.

Thanks,
Nate

 

[snowone]

Possibly use RIS and/or disk image Ghost etc, to include your Office Install? But this would only work with a full OS build/rollout vs. current workstation upgrade or office only install. Retail version is not compatible with CIW etc. from Office Resource Kit Deployment tools req. for Group Policy Deploy...

 

[MrTBC]

What about running an administrative install of office to a network share, and then creating a batch file to install it. You could then even use the batch file as a logon script?