Office in reference image

[epoch71]

Hi all

Currently in our Windows 7 reference image (created in MDT) we perform an Office 2010 cache-only install.

Then, during the SCCM OSD task sequence we do an Office 2010 install from the cache.

The downside we're finding with this is that Windows patches are installed when the reference image is created, but not Office patches.  So, when a machine is built and hits the user's desk they may very well have a fully patched copy of Windows, but a load of Office patches will be waiting.

So my question is are there likely to be any problems with Office 2010 being fully installed in the reference image?  Or might we encounter issues (GUIDs .. SIDs ... whatever)?  For sure the image will be slightly bigger, and take a little more time to deploy, but if it means less post-deployment hassle for our users then I'm happy with that.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

 

 

[loewie1984]

I'd say not, as long as you initiate the Office 2010 Rearm vbs, which is enabled by default in MDT when you are doing a sysprep. Look it up in the scripts.

LTISysprep.wsf:

 

        '//----------------------------------------------------------------------------
        '//  Rearm Office 2010 if it is present
        '//----------------------------------------------------------------------------

        If not UCase(oEnvironment.Item("SkipRearm")) = "YES" then
            For each sOSPPPath in Array(oEnvironment.Substitute("%ProgramFiles%\Common Files\microsoft shared\OfficeSoftwareProtectionPlatform\OSPPREARM.EXE"), oEnvironment.Substitute("%ProgramFiles(x86)%\Common Files\microsoft shared\OfficeSoftwareProtectionPlatform\OSPPREARM.EXE"))
                If oFSO.FileExists(sOSPPPath) then

                    oLogging.CreateEntry "Re-arming Office 2010 activation", LogTypeInfo
                    iRetVal = oUtility.RunWithConsoleLogging("""" & sOSPPPath & """")
                    If iRetVal = 0 then
                        oLogging.CreateEntry "Re-armed Office 2010 successfully.", LogTypeInfo
                    Else
                        oLogging.CreateEntry "Unexpected return code while re-arming Office 2010, RC = " & iRetVal, LogTypeWarning
                    End if

                End if

            Next
        Else
            oLogging.CreateEntry "Re-arming skipped by user request.", LogTypeInfo
        End if

 

Cheers! Rens

[epoch71]

Hi Rens

Thanks for replying.

So I can see in the MDT task sequence that LTISysprep.wsf executes prior to the image capture.  And I see there's some rearm sections in there for Office 2010 - 2016.

I guess that means we're all good then?

[loewie1984]

That should be correct

[epoch71]

Thank you for your advice.  Much appreciated.

[loewie1984]

Sure no problem, and make sure you have downloaded and extracted the service packs of Office 2010 and put them in the .\updates folder in the root of your Office 2010 directory. Will make patching much faster because of the updates already present in the SP's.

Use <sp_file>.exe /extract:<folder>

[epoch71]

Got it .. thanks!