SCCM – Deploying Adobe Acrobat XI and Reader XI
This is one of those deployment of software updates, where one might be pulling their hair if not done correctly. I have been assigned to deploy Reader XI and Acrobat XI updates to all computers.
So I thought it’s easy like any other update. But in reality I was working on it for a day without any progress and headway. I tried researching on google, bing an also asked few of my colleagues.
It is quite a process to correctly perform updates, here is the process below
Download Latest Files
Before you can start, download the last files from Adobe website if you don’t have already. Latest files can be downloaded from here
Acrobat XI Standard and Professional – here
Acrobat Latest Update – here
Actually open FTP link in Windows explorer, if you having issues opening. you can also use WinSCP or something like this.
After downloading files, extract files for the version required.
Let’s perform updates for Professional Edition for exercise.
Double click on AcrobatPro_11_Web_WWMUI.exe and extract files to required folder.
Once Extract Folder will appear at the target location.
After extraction, folder will appear like below.
Customize Acrobat msi file
You can download the Adobe customization XI from here
After Download, Install and run “Adobe Customization Wizard XI”
Open the Required Adobe Msi
Select AcroPro.msi from required location
Fill in Required Fields to automatic apply when installing.
Normally you will need to provide “Username, Organization and Serial Number”
On Installation Options, Select required options.
On Online Services and Features, Select or Deselect required Features
Once all the changes are done, Click on Save or Generate Transform.
Fetch Base files
Now Fetch Base Files so that you can apply patches. This exercise will fetch the base version of 11.0.0.
This is required in order to apply updates correctly.
Execute following command from the appropriate folder where “AcroPro.msi is located.
msiexec /a AcroPro.msi
You can also create a batch file with following command so that you don’t have to remember comamnds
msiexec /a “%~DP0AcrpPro.msi”
I have created “FetchBase.bat” file, which will execute the command for me.
Make sure you “Run as Administrator”
After executing the command, it will open “Acrobat XI Pro Setup”, click Next to Continue
Select the Folder Location where you would like to extract the Files
Setup will automatically extract files by running whole setup.
Once completed, click Finish to Continue
Below is example of the folder after extraction.
now you will need to copy any Updates or patches which you would like to apply.
Also mst file, which will serve as answer file for installation.
Apply Patches
Ok, we have required “Base folder” with required “Updates Files” and mst file.
Now to install or apply patches, run following commands.
Execute following command from the appropriate folder where “AcroPro.msi is located.
msiexec /a AcroPro.msi /p AcrobatUpd11021.msp
You can also create a batch file with following command so that you don’t have to remember comamnds
msiexec /a “%~DP0AcrpPro.msi” /p “%~DP0AcrobatUpd11021.msp”
I have created a batch file called “ApplyPatches.bat”.
Right click and Execute File with “Run as Administrator” privileges
On Execution, it will start Installation process.
Note: This is not installing on the machine. It is only applying patches in its own memory and will not affect current computer.
Once you see “Acrobat Setup”, Click Next to Continue
On Network Location, Select the folder you would like these files to be saved.
You can select the same folder you are executing running msi from.
Setup will continue and install
Once completed, Click on Finish to Continue
Now you have “Installation Folder” ready for “Adobe Acrobat XI 11.0.21”. You can also patch other updates if any.
You can use this folder to deploy application to computers now.
Comments: 2
Thanks for this post. I’ve never seen this method for building a package that is already patched. I plan on trying it for DC. Acrobat has been maddening to deploy for as long as I’ve been deploying it. Do I understand it correctly that in order to deploy the fully patched app after building this package, the command would just be “msiexec /i AcroPro.msi TRANSFORMS=AcroPro.mst /qn”?
Yes that’s correct.
You will use the normal msiexec command to deploy.