[XXsplit]

Aloha all...

Not sure if the topic has been fully covered yet... So here it is.... Making your own silent install of Adobe Acrobat Pro 7 and the updates...

What you will need:

- Adobe Acrobat 7.0 Profesional Full Source from your CD
- Adobe Acrobat 7.0.1 Professional and Standard update - multiple languages. Here
- Adobe Acrobat 7.0.2 Professional and Standard update - multiple languages. Here
- Adobe Acrobat 7.0.3 Professional and Standard update - multiple languages. Here
- Adobe Acrobat/Adobe Reader 7.0 Bootstrap Installer for IT administrators. Here
- InstallShield Tuner 7.0 for Adobe Acrobat. Here


1 - Install InstallShield Tuner 7.0 for Adobe Acrobat on your computer

2 - Create a folder structure:

C:\
     AcroPro
          ACROPRO700
          ACROPRO701
          ACROPRO702
          ACROPRO703

3 - Unzip "Adobe Acrobat/Adobe Reader 7.0 Bootstrap Installer for IT administrators" (Acrobat7Chaining.zip) into your "AcroPro" folder.

4 - Extract complete Adobe Acrobat 7 Professional source from your cd to your "ACROPRO700" folder.

5 - Place each update in it's corresponding reserved folder.

- Acro-Reader_701_Update.exe --> "ACROPRO701"
- Acro-Reader_702_Update.exe --> "ACROPRO702"
- Acro-Reader_703_Update.exe --> "ACROPRO703"


6 - Creating your transform file:

- Start InstallShield Tuner 7.0 for Adobe Acrobat and follow the instructions. Choose the *.itw file and the *.msi from the "ACROPRO700" folder. By Default the Tuner will create an AcroPro.MST in "ACROPRO700". At this stage you can configure most of the options and reg tweaks you want configured... Xcept maybe Activation...

- When you're done entering your tweaks and info just save your *.mst file buy selecting "File\save" from the Tuner's menu bar.

! - Packaging isn't really required since the Bootstrap Installer will take care of the silent options for us...


7 - Changing the setup.ini options: (setup.ini in the "AcroPro" folder)

[Startup]
CmdLine=/sALL

[Product1]
Launch=msi
msi=.\ACROPRO700\AcroPro.msi
CmdLine=TRANSFORMS="AcroPro.mst" ISX_SERIALNUMBER=xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx
 
[Product2]	
Launch=self_exe
exe=.\ACROPRO701\Acro-Reader_701_Update.exe
ProductName=Adobe Acrobat 7.0.1 and Reader 7.0.1 Update 	 
ProductCode={AC76BA86-0000-7EC8-7489-000000000702} 	 
UpgradeCode={AC76BA86-FFFF-AC7E-0000-87DA8E000000} 	 
CmdLine=
Require=Product1

[Product3]	
Launch=self_exe
exe=.\ACROPRO702\Acro-Reader_702_Update.exe
ProductName=Adobe Acrobat 7.0.2 and Reader 7.0.2 Update 	 
ProductCode={AC76BA86-0000-7EC8-7489-000000000703} 	 
UpgradeCode={AC76BA86-FFFF-AC7E-0000-87DA8E000000}
CmdLine=
Require=Product2

[Product4]	
Launch=self_exe
exe=.\ACROPRO703\Acro-Reader_703_Update.exe
ProductName=Adobe Acrobat 7.0.3 and Reader 7.0.3 Update 	 
ProductCode={AC76BA86-0000-7EC8-7489-000000000704} 	 
UpgradeCode={AC76BA86-FFFF-AC7E-0000-87DA8E000000}
CmdLine=
Require=Product3
IncludeIfSilent=Yes

Obviously you're gonna have to place your serial where the xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx appear in [Product1]. (Yes... even if you've allready entered it in your AcroPro.mst file... and make sure you're using the same serial... ).

Well guess what.... you're done... Just launch the setup.exe from your "AcroPro" folder (no switches required) and everything should install silently...

I won't get into the process of compressing it with 7zip and making a self xtracting silent install since the weight gain is about 20mb and the time taken compressing it and decompressing on install is not worth it...

This metthod will get you through most of the tweaks but Activation will appear on first use... If anyone finds a way of using the "Acivation Transfers wizard" in conjunction with InstallShield Tuner 7.0 for Adobe Acrobat so as to have a fully activated silent install let us know...

Where this all comes from....

Chaining Together Acrobat/Reader 7.0 to 7.0.3 for Enterprise Deployment
Tuner User Doc

Anything missing ? Leme know...

This post has been edited by XXsplit: 05 October 2005 - 03:04 PM

[Greenthumb]

Wow this is just what i needed.
Thanks for this man .
BTW, for activation i use an AutoIt script, may not be as nice as /silent or something, but it does work .

[XXsplit]

hehe.... Glad ya found it usefull Greenthumb...

Quote

BTW, for activation i use an AutoIt script, may not be as nice as /silent or something, but it does work smile.gif.

Maybe you could post some kind of method or hint on how to proceed using AutoIt for the registration part.... (I'm kinda n00b when it comes to AutoIt... ).

[XXsplit]

Quote

Adobe Acrobat 7.0.5 Professional Update- English, French, German and Japanese

The Adobe ® Acrobat ® 7.0.5 Professional update is a cumulative patch that includes all the fixes in versions 7.0.1, 7.0.2 and 7.0.3. This update provides features such as support for Firefox 1.0, Mozilla 1.7 browsers and Hebrew, Arabic, Thai, and Vietnamese language text entry and display. It also includes the Typewriter tool, the existing Text Box tool with a different set of default properties, which allows you to type text anywhere on a PDF document. This tool provides a simple solution for filling out forms without interactive form fields.

This multilingual update can be applied to English, French, German and Japanese versions of Acrobat ® 7.0, 7.0.1, 7.0.2, 7.0.3 Professional. Adobe recommends that all users of Acrobat Professional with version 7 -7.0.3 apply this update as a proactive measure.

Ok.... so since this a patch file (*.msp when xtracted) then i guess the first technique i suggested will fail.... Time to change plans... lol


What you will need:


- Your Adobe Acrobat 7 Pro Original source and Serial key for your Transform.
- Adobe Acrobat 7.0.5 Professional Update- English, French, German and Japanese Here.
- InstallShield Tuner 7.0 for Adobe Acrobat. Here
- WinRAR Here.
- A virtual machine to work on (Not mandatory but very useful).
- MS "Open Cmd Here" powertoy (Again... not mandatory but useful).
- An icon of your choice in the *.ico format.


1 - Create your Admin Install:

Create a Folder named AcroPro in the "C:" drive of your virtual machine. Insert your CD, Open a cmd prompt in your CD dir and use the following code...

setup.exe /a

When asked to choose a destination folder use your newly created "AcroPro" folder.


2 - Patch your Admin Install with the latest "Adobe Acrobat 7.0.5 Professional Update"

- First you've got to xtract the content of the 7.0.5 Update into a Folder you will name "705" and place in your "C:" dir on your virtual machine...
- Now for the patching... Open a cmd prompt in your "705" dir and use the folowing code...

msiexec /p Ac705PrP_efgj.msp /a C:\AcroPro\AcroPro.msi /qb!

3 - Create the *.MST Transform... If you haven't intalled your "InstallShield Tuner 7.0 for Adobe Acrobat" on your virtual machine it's about the right time to do so...

! - When prompted for the required *.itw file (which has disapeared with the admin Install) use the one in your original source "AcroPro.itw" and then open the "AcroPro.msi" that is in your "AcroPro" folder (NOT the Original one).... By default your *.mst file will be created in your "AcroPro" Folder and named "AcroPro.mst".
! - When you're done with *MST settings don't forget to save before exiting .


4 - The Silent Installer... At this point you will only need WinRAR to create a completely silent *.exe

Select all the files in your "AcroPro" Folder (including the AcroPro.mst) and create a WinRAR SFX Archive... Here's for the options... GUI

- General Tab
Name: whatever you want
Format: rar
Compression: best

Create sfx
Create Solid archive
Put recovery record


- Advanced Tab -> SFX Options | General Tab
Run After extraction: msiexec /i AcroPro.msi TRANSFORMS=AcroPro.mst /qn

- Advanced Tab -> SFX Options | Mode Tab
Temporary mode: Unpack to temporary folder
Silent mode: Hide All
Overwrite mode: Overwrite all files (but that's for you to decide...)

- Advanced Tab -> SFX Options | Text & Icon Tab
Load SFX icon from the file (If you have an *.ico file to include).[/code]

And that's it.... validate your choices by clicking OK and your new silent installer is here....


Stats:

- Original Source Before Admin Install 236mb
- Admin Install Point patched with 7.0.5 Update 590mb
- Silent Installer 221mb

Ok... same as for previous method, this is no miracle solution and software still needs to be activated on first use... Well untill someone post a way to transfer it with the install...


Edit :

- As stated by targa and t-b-x there was a pb when trying to use the silent install... The archive uncompresses and nothing happens...
- After days of nightmares I finaly found out that the *.MST (Originaly created with Wise Install Tailor) was probably the pb... It wouldn't pass on the serial parameter correctly and thus stopping the Install after archive uncompressed... Post has now been edited and the *.MST should not have this pb anymore... (Really sorry for all ya peeps that have been going nuts on this lately...).

Since a lot of you seem to be using the 7zip method here it is...

Thank you gelome for providing us with the StartX code and testing it for us... lol... I can now confirm that this code works...


What you will need:

- 7zip... Here
- A reshacked version of 7zS.sfx module (For completely silent install). Info Here & Extra 7zip Module Pack
- StartX.exe Here


Steps 1 to 3 remain the same...

4 - Creating the silent Installer... If you haven't installed 7zip yet it's the right time to do so...

- copy/paste your "StartX.exe" into your "AcroPro" Folder, select all the files in the folder (including your *.MST file and StartX.exe) and make a *.7z archive (Using LZMA method at Ultra compression Level) that you will name "AcroPro.7z"...

- At this point you should copy/paste you reshacked 7zS.sfx module into your "AcroPro" folder and create your config.txt file... Use the code submitted by gelome and save your *.txt file as UTF-8 in the same folder...

;!@Install@!UTF-8!
RunProgram="StartX.exe /WAIT \"msiexec /i AcroPro.msi TRANSFORMS=AcroPro.mst /qn\""
;!@InstallEnd@!

- Now you can open a cmd prompt from "AcroPro" folder and use the following code to create your self extracting silent installer...

copy /b 7zS.sfx + config.txt + AcroPro.7z AcroPro.exe

Seems we are now done...

Stats:

- Original Source Before Admin Install 236mb
- Admin Install Point patched with 7.0.5 Update 590mb
- Silent Installer 165mb

Txs for your comments... Let me know if something is missing or incorrect....

This post has been edited by XXsplit: 24 October 2005 - 04:42 AM

[t-b-x]

Thanks for this fine guide ...

i was going confused by trying to add the 7.0.5 update before i recognized a update of this thread.

autoit: there's a alternative script language called autohotkey - not very different but comes with a macro-recorder. i tryed to use it but with no success up to this time. - because the activation is hardware driven, there won't be a solution for static activation (key, files or what ever...).

[XXsplit]

hehe... yup... i'm a couple of days late.... lol

As for theactivation well i guess i'll have to figure something else... lol... ain't this xtra work just a real pain...

Well.... I'm glad the guide helped ya.... Currently working on a bigger project involving MUI's on xp 2k 2k3 o2k3 and... hmmm... all **** MUIs i can find... lol

If i ever make it there ( **** office MUI admin is about 7.2 Gigs... lol) i might just write another one....

I'll keep this one updated as much as i can....

[targa]

Thank you XXsplit. Your guide is great.

[t-b-x]

FYI: i now played a little bit with 7zip instead of winrar (never the less a great package-proggy ) and got a 1/3 smaller file size. but it's more difficult to build a 7zip-sfx with installation functionality.

[t-b-x]

Okay ... never the less i got a curious problem: wenn i finaly run the package-exe-file, it extracts the content and than ... nothing.

Yes, i've added the needed commands to run the setup after extraction. this command still works great on commandline. seems winrar is not passing the commands? or it cannot lunch the msiexec. also a ahk-script (which still works unpacked) is not launched by winrar.

has someone else these problems? any workarounds?

Thx
TBX

[XXsplit]

hmmmm....

Well t-b-x not sure really what your pb is... I haven't tested it yet in real unattended setup (ie integrated to an unattended XP install CD)... Maybe that's where the pb is...

Quick thinking (yeah i know ya prolly allready checked it a 1000 times but every one gets blind after n hours behind a screen and f**** up an install coz of a lousy " that should or shouldn't be there once in a while).... lol

- Have you inserted the code as is ?

AcroPro.msi TRANSFORMS=AcroPro.mst /qn

- Are you uising WinRAR to Xtract to a "temp folder" ?
- What version of WinRAR are you using...
- Have you updated 7.0.5 from the original untouched source (7.0) or are you doing the operation on an allready updated source (7.0.x) ?
- You've tried changing the compression and use 7zip instead. Are you getting the same results ?

Quote

also a ahk-script (which still works unpacked) is not launched by winrar

- Not really sure what you mean here... (XXsplit <---- Eternal n00b )...

btw.... maybe you could post your compression settings using 7zip if you're using the cmd prompt method coz the best result i got using the GUI was like 5mb less and 30min xtra time for compression...

Also.... is anyone aware on how to use UPX compression as well as 7zip ? Does it work on this type of Admin Install point ?

Well let us know t-b-x if ya manage to get through coz i've gone through the making and install process a few times to try and recreate your pb but no luck... lol (might want to post the error message if any).

[targa]

For me it's the same. When I install it under windows from the folder "acropr" wherein I have made the sfx executable it's OK but under unattended it unpacks and nothing happens.

[XXsplit]

hmmm... well if i'm right you are attempting to install the version in a method that requires MSI 3.1 installer to be active at a time where it's not... lol

As i pointed i haven't tested it in an unattended windows install yet.... just don't have the time right now....

But if my guess is right, you would need to include StartX.exe in the your 7zip archive so as to have it installed in svpack.inf timeframe...

I'll be testing it very soon (hopefully my boss won't have managed to use me 2 much....)and will let u know ASAP...

Till then ya might want to google for startx and search for topics related to it here...

Hope this helps....

[gelome]

hurray i finally made my first 7zip installer file...adobe acrobat pro with updates slipstreamed. man it was a struggle....hey XXsplit just another suggestion u need to add to this excellent guide....this is with regards to the installation done via msi files....heres wht i did with the config.txt ....

;!@Install@!UTF-8!
RunProgram="StartX.exe /WAIT \"msiexec /i AcroPro.msi TRANSFORMS=AcroPro.mst /qn\""
;!@InstallEnd@!

yes i made a mst file and installed and it workled flawlessly...i had earlier tried without the transform file...it just extracted it...and then nothing....i then checked the office 2003 file that i had made and checked where i was going wrong and realised that i hadn't mentioned the mst file along with msi.

however the activation part still has to be done manually once u have installed the software.

now i am off to conquer nero 7...wish me luck.

This post has been edited by gelome: 22 October 2005 - 11:02 PM

[XXsplit]

All right then gelome.... I'll edit... lol (Now you're into it deep... lmao) ...

Txs for the code there.... I use the silent installs from an external HD after having installed and rebooted my XP so i guess StartX was the missing part...

I'll try it though since those dual layer DVD's are getting cheaper... lol...

[t-b-x]

thanx guys for replying to my question. i'm sorry for answering so late but i've lot of work at the moment.

so for deeper analysis i will tell you in detail what i've done so far with the acro installation:

1. my first try was to slepstream the updates up tp 7.0.3 like the guide descript. all things worked fine.
2. want to slepstream 7.0.5. - i proceed like in the guide descripted - of course from the original source, slipstreaming went fine without any error messages.
3. testing the slipstreamed installation: installer startet with the provided command line and installs acrobat.
4. starting acrobat after installation for checking version: acrobat told me version 7.0.0 is installed!?? -wtf??
5. build the executable rar file: all options are set like the guide told me (rar-version: 3.51)
6. test the rar-exe: files are extracted silently and then the installer does not start up.

with 7zip - same problem; made also a ahk-skript, which start the installer - works from harddisk, but when the installer should be launched by winrar - nothing happens.

don't know whats wrong - especially why slipstreamning will not work any more. so i've done this process again and again and soon i'm trying eggs & nuts wtf.

[XXsplit]

hmmm.... well t-b-x, i think i've found where the pb was coming from and edited my post... check in "%userprofile%\Local Settings\Application Data" folder to see if you have any MSI***.LOG files there (in the machine you're testing silent install on)... If it's the case and the error msg is your serial number than you might want to redo your *.MST file with the not so new method i posted... lol

Sorry it took so long... letme know...

As for the splitstreaming part I have no pbs and the installed version is 7.0.5... not sure what is wrong here...

[t-b-x]

YYYYYEEEEEEEAAAAAHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!

okay - guys - i got it now

finally i made new clean vmware install and setup the whole process with the changes XXsplit descript. All works fine now
Thanx XXsplit and gelome for your help!

Man, this was a hard struggle!

This post has been edited by t-b-x: 25 October 2005 - 12:14 PM

[stoffel87]

Hi, I used your guide, ant it is very good! Thank you!

I have one question though ...

How do I install to the "systeldrive" with the installshield tuner ?
I have tried to insert %systemdrive% in the installpath, but it sais unsupportet char (%).

I have more than one windows running on more than one machine, and it allways installs to the C-drive

any ideas ??

thx

[dhoffman_98]

Congrats to everyone who did 7.0 with all the patches up to 7.0.5

But I have a question... why didn't you just install 7.0.5 instead of doing all the patching?

There is a full version of 7.0.5 ready to go and can be installed silently with "/S /v/qn" switches.

Just curious.

[t-b-x]

dhoffman_98, on Nov 9 2005, 03:25 PM, said:

Congrats to everyone who did 7.0 with all the patches up to 7.0.5

But I have a question... why didn't you just install 7.0.5 instead of doing all the patching?

There is a full version of 7.0.5 ready to go and can be installed silently with "/S /v/qn" switches.

Just curious.

we're talkin about the ADOBE ACROBAT - not the ADOBE READER. maybe that's your confusion.

This post has been edited by t-b-x: 12 November 2005 - 06:07 AM