Monday, April 30, 2012

Apply MSP patches to MSI (Slipstreaming)


So, I use an Active directory and group policies to assign software to the computer machines using the remote deploy function of the group policy, people now also use the SCUP ... I started sending the packages that I have to make sure that they should be updated , (for example : Adobe reader , Adobe flash player and plugins , office updates ,, etc)... I started to have MSP packages for all the software.. MSP are only patches , or can be considered as differences between msi(s) ..  Now we need to merge them into a new MSI so that this will be the package i send through group policy..

Steps :
1- Windows+R , and type cmd to open the command prompt
2- Copy the msi file and the msp files to any directory
3- Navigate using the command line to this directory
4- Go Ahead and write the command in the following format
 msiexec /a oldmsi.msi /p update1.msp               
5- A normal setup will open , this setup will actually update your existing MSI instead of installing the new patch on your computer ,, so that when you're done with the wizard , you can go back and re-run the MSI , and it will install the setup with the applied patches ....

NOTE: for Adobe reader ,, you'll have to:
1- Run msiexec /a C:\AIP\AdbeRdr1010_en_US.msi without any /p commands first , this will create an uncompressed image of the program . In this step , choose a folder for image creation , C:\AIP for example.. 
2- Run msiexec /a C:\AIP\AdbeRdr1010_en_US.msi /p AdbeRdrUpd1013.msp and you can choose the same directory , you will end up having the C:\AIP\adberdr1010_en_US.msi all patched to the latest 10.1.13 patch, and this will also resolve the "adobearmhelper.exe" error !!..


References :
  1. How to Apply Patches (.msp) to Group Policy Deployed Software (.msi) 
  2. Installation fails when slipstream update 10.1.2 into 10.1.0 MSI-Package
  3. http://helpx.adobe.com/content/dam/kb/en/837/cpsid_83709/attachments/Acrobat_Enterprise_Administration.pdf

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