Silently install ten top Win32 apps with Intune

We've heard a lot about Winget and the Windows Package Manager recently. However we'll still need to be able to deploy Win32 apps via Intune for the foreseeable future, especially during an Autopilot process. This blog post isn't about using the Win32 Content Prep tool to convert apps into the intunewin format. It's about the research I carried out to understand how to install ten top apps (with a focus on the financial sector) silently and to detect them afterwards. This research can take a while so I thought it might save others some time.

Edit the installation command with your executable name. Note that I've used the presence of a file as my detection method for many of the apps. You can be more specific with this rule by configuring a file version if that's what you need.

Bloomberg Terminal:

Provides coverage of markets, industries, companies and securities across all asset classes.

Download the latest “Bloomberg Terminal” installer 

• Silent install: sotr102_5_80.exe /s maindir=“C:\blp\” conn_type=Private
• Detection (file or folder exists): C:\blp\Wintrv\wintrv.exe

Refinitiv FXall:

Formerly Reuters, a complete end-to-end solution for your FX trades

There is one additional consideration with this application. A response file must be generated in order to install it silently. Generate the response file by running this command (as administrator):

Refinitiv-FXall-Setup.exe -r installer.properties

The installation wizard launches. Follow the wizard to the end. This installs the application and creates the response file. This file must be saved in the same folder as the EXE when the app is being converted to a .Intunewin file.

• Silent install: Refinitiv-FXall-Setup.exe -i silent
• Detection (file or folder exists): C:\Program Files\Refinitiv\Refinitiv FXall_\7.9.0.53\Refinitiv FXall_.exe

Anaconda:

Anaconda Distribution is the world’s most popular open-source Python distribution platform. Download 

• Silent install: Anaconda2-4.2.0-Windows-x86_64.exe /InstallationType=AllUsers /S /D=C:\Program Files\Anaconda2
• Detection (file or folder exists): C:\Program Files\Anaconda2\pythonw.exe

Morning Star Direct:

Morning Star Direct is an investment & portfolio analysis software, which gives you the tools to build strategies and products.

Morning Star Direct is a pretty straightforward installation as it is MSI based. However there are two additional consideration here.

• Firstly, the Morning Star Direct application forces a reboot, which happens automatically and without warning. We have to use the parameter REBOOT=ReallySuppress to prevent that. A reboot is still required to complete the installation but the user is notified to restart.
• Secondly, there are two installations.
• The Morning Star Direct prerequisites can be downloaded from here 
• The Morning Star Direct application can be downloaded here 
• The Prerequisites app has to be added as a dependency for the Morning Star Direct application and is installed first.

• Silent install: msiexec /i "prerequisite.msi" /qn
• Detection : MSI {7FA41A52-1D83-4C2D-A432-475AA3F7881B}
• Silent install: msiexec /i "direct.msi" /qn REBOOT=ReallySuppress
• Detection: MSI {D9C2A982-D2E0-4E83-B8FD-8E7B8160EBA2}

SQL Server Management Studio:

This app was developed by Microsoft and is used for configuring, managing, and administering all components within Microsoft SQL Server. It can be downloaded here

• Silent install: SSMS-Setup-ENU.exe /quiet
• Detection (file or folder exists): C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio 18\Common7\IDE\Ssms.exe

Visual Studio Code:

Visual Studio Code is a lightweight but powerful source code editor. Download

• Silent install: VSCodeSetup-x64-1.74.2.exe /silent
• Detection (file or folder exists): C:\Program Files\Microsoft VS Code\Code.exe

Power BI Desktop:

Get a 360° view of your business data and quickly connect, shape, visualize, and share data insights through Power BI. Download

• Silent install: PBIDesktopSetup_x64.exe -s ACCEPT_EULA=1
• Detection (file or folder exists): C:\Program Files\Microsoft Power BI Desktop\bin\PBIDesktop.exe

Adobe Reader:

This app can be downloaded here

• Silent install: AcroRdrDC2200320258_en_US.exe /sALL /rs /msi EULA_ACCEPT=YES
• Detection (file or folder exists): C:\Program Files (x86)\Adobe\Acrobat Reader DC\Reader\AcroRd32.exe

Sophos Antivirus:

This app can be downloaded here

• Silent install: SophosSetup.exe --quiet
• Detection (file or folder exists): C:\Program Files\Sophos\Sophos UI\Sophos UI.exe exists

Remote Help:

Remote help is a premium add-on application that works with Intune and enables your users to get assistance when needed over a remote connection. 

Remote help must be installed on each device before that device can be used to participate in a remote help session. You can download the latest version of remote help directly from Microsoft 

• Silent install: remotehelpinstaller.exe /quiet acceptTerms=1
• Detection (file or folder exists): C:\Program Files\Remote help\RemoteHelp.exe

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That's it, that was the ten apps that I recently had to deploy via Intune for a financial services customer. I hope you find it handy if you need to work with one of them. It was difficult to get this information for some of the apps as the enterprise installation documentation was only available with a support contract.

Until next time.....