Can't find .msi install file

Report · Feb 13, 2020

Hello everyone. I have applied for Adobe Software Distribution Request and I received confirmation. The problem is there is no link to download an .msi install file, only .exe that I already have, respectively I can't distribute it through group policy.

Report · Feb 13, 2020

There is only an EXE. You must follow the instructions in the Toolkit to extract the MSI and then slipstream the lasted MSP.

Report · Feb 13, 2020

What Toolkit? Do you mean Acrobat Customization Wizard DC? I modified the settings in the .mst file but I don't know how to combine everything to a .msi file. Where are these instructions?

Report · Feb 13, 2020

The customization wizard is just a small part of the Enterprise Toolkit for Acrobat Products https://www.adobe.com/devnet-docs/acrobatetk/index.html

You need to be familiar with this whole document suite, but see especially https://www.adobe.com/devnet-docs/acrobatetk/tools/AdminGuide/basics.html#expanding-exe-packages

Report · Feb 13, 2020

I can't find a download link for that Enterprise Toolkit. If the first step is to choose a license, that means it is paid and is of no use. Anyway I quit, it's FAR too much hassle for a simple .pdf VIEWER. One option is to install the .exe and the .mst with a script or more probably I'll just use foxit reader whos .msi works perfectly. Thanks for the help!

Report · Feb 13, 2020

The enterprise toolkit is online, I linked to it. And I linked to the page that told you how to get the MSI. But it's your choice.

Report · Feb 13, 2020

I have already extracted the .msi from the .exe but apart from the .msi there are 6 more files in the folder that are required for the installation. One of them is the .mst file that includes the settings during the installation. BUT how can I wrap these files into one .msi so they can be deployed through GPO? Right now that 2MB .msi file is not worth anything because it requires the other files which is not good for GPO install. That Enterprise Toolkit points me to an FTP from which I can download Acrobat Customization Wizard DC which I already did. But I can't find anything useful in my case in the Enterprise Toolkit.

Report · Feb 13, 2020

I believe you just slipstream it all into a new MSI, but I've never had to do this. Caution: if you do this you will probably have to manage all future patches, of which there are likely to be many, since the base product will change. This article seems a consise summary of how to get started: https://dailysysadmin.com/KB/Article/85/creating-a-managed-installation-of-adobe-reader-with-slipstr...

Report · Feb 14, 2020

Thanks! I already managed to assemble the required information from the Enterprise "toolkit" (I don't know why they call it "toolkit" at all) and some videos from youtube and got a working GPO. I didn't know it could work with a folder with files and not only one .msi file. But the article from your last link explains it perfectly step by step! One more question - why did I need to have a "distribution license" at first place?

p.s. Actually hit another wall.

1. I download the .exe from https://get.adobe.com/reader/enterprise/

2. Extract the .exe with D:\test>AcroRdrDC2000620034_en_US.exe -nos_ne -nos_o"d:\test2"

3. Do "admin install" with D:\test>msiexec /a "d:\test2\Acrobat\AcroRead.msi" - here if I run the .msi it installs version from 2015.007.20033.

4. Try to update with D:\test>msiexec /a d:\test3\AcroRead.msi /p d:\test\AcroRdrDCUpd2000620034.msp and get error : "the upgrade patch cannot be installed by the windows installer service bla bla bla". The update .msp file is the one extracted from the .exe. Tried downloading other update files from https://supportdownloads.adobe.com/product.jsp?product=10&platform=Windows but I get the exactly same error.

Why the .msi exctracted from the .exe install version from 2015 and not from 2020?

Report · Feb 16, 2020

Thanks! I already managed to assemble the required information from the Enterprise "toolkit" (I don't know why they call it "toolkit" at all) and some videos from youtube and got a working GPO. I didn't know it could work with a folder with files and not only one .msi file. But the article from your last link explains it perfectly step by step (although in the first command you can specify a location rather than the default one with this command

AcroRdrDC2000620034_en_US.exe -nos_ne -nos_o"d:\path"

One more question - why did I need to have a "distribution license" at first place?

p.s. Actually hit another wall.

1. I download the .exe from https://get.adobe.com/reader/enterprise/

2. Extract the .exe with D:\test>AcroRdrDC2000620034_en_US.exe -nos_ne -nos_o"d:\test2"

3. Do "admin install" with D:\test>msiexec /a "d:\test2\Acrobat\AcroRead.msi" - here if I run the .msi it installs version from 2015.007.20033.

4. Try to update the admin install with D:\test>msiexec /a d:\test3\AcroRead.msi /p d:\test\AcroRdrDCUpd2000620034.msp and get error : "the upgrade patch cannot be installed by the windows installer service bla bla bla". The update .msp file is the one extracted from the .exe. Tried downloading other update files from https://supportdownloads.adobe.com/product.jsp?product=10&platform=Windows but I get the exactly same error.

Why the .msi exctracted from the .exe installs version from 2015 and not from 2020?

Report · Feb 17, 2020

"One more question - why did I need to have a "distribution license" at first place?"

If you closely read the Reader EULA you will see it only permits you to accept the license for yourself, and not to copy or reproduce the installer, as well as the usual swathe of restrictions. This is not an accidental use of a license meant for paid software, Adobe specifically want to control and limit the distribution of their free product. For example they are very clear that it is forbidden to distribute Reader on your own web site, no matter how convenient it might be for you or your users. (Abuses in the past lead to tightening up, and now malware threats make this a good thing for us all). So, the redistribution license allows things outside the original EULA - specific things needed by enterprises. This means that the enterprise or signer is bound by the licensing terms and accountable for misuse, rather than the end user.

Report · Feb 17, 2020

Yes, I read a little from the EULA and I understand their reason. What I'm wondering is why there is no protection to the download files? Actually I downloaded the .exe file before applying for a distribution license. I thought I would get a username and password with which to download an .msi file. Besides there was no corporal data that I have provided when applying for a distribution license. Anyway it's up to Adobe to think about licensing. What I'm more concerned right now is how to update the installation from version 2015 to current.

p.s. An Update. I tried the same procedure on a virtual machine that is not domain joined. Had another problem that I figured out and now I have a working installation that could be applied through policy. Here are the steps :

1. Download .exe from http://get.adobe.com/reader/enterprise/

2. Extract the .exe with 7-zip. It's possible to use cmd> AcroRdrDC2000620034_en_US.exe-nos_ne -nos_o"c:\path" - it's the same.

3. Do admin install - cmd> msiexec /a acroread.msi (this .msi is from the extracted .exe).

4. Apply the update from the extracted .exe (AcroRdrDCUpd2000620034.msp - easiest is to copy it in the admin install folder) - cmd> msiexec /a AcroRead.msi /p AcroRdrDCUpd2000620034.msp - here the .msi is the one in the admin install folder.

5. When starting to apply the patch the installation asks for a destination folder again. Use the folder that contains the admin install!

6. At this point you have a set of folders and un updated. msi. If you try to run it, a pop-up says there is no transform file. Use Acrobat Customization Wizard DC to create one, save it in the same folder and that's it!

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Can't find .msi install file

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