Deploying Adobe Reader Updates Using SCCM
In this post, we will look at the steps for deploying adobe reader updates using SCCM. Adobe reader updates are available as .msp files and we will learn how to deploy the same using SCCM.
One of the recommended ways to deploy third-party software updates is by using System Center Updates Publisher (SCUP).
System Center Updates Publisher (SCUP) is a stand-alone tool that is used with Configuration Manager to allow administrators to more accurately and efficiently install and update software.
However, in this post we will do it in a simpler way, i.e. by creating an update package and deploying it to the collections which already have the software installed.
Deploying Adobe Reader Updates Using SCCM
First we will create a package for Adobe Reader 11.0.02 and deploy it to a SCCM collection. If you know how to create a package and deploy you can skip the below step.
In the SCCM console, click on Software Library, click Application Management. Right click on Packages and click Create Package. Provide the Name, Source Folder for the package and click Next.
Choose the Program Type as Standard program. Click Next.
Specify the information about the program as shown in the below screenshot. Click Next.
Complete the Create Package and Program Wizard and click Close. The next step is to distribute the Adobe Reader Program to the distribution point and deploy it to the collection.
To distribute the program, right-click on the program and click Distribute Content, follow the wizard and wait till the content status color shows green. After that right click, the program and deploy it to the collection.
After you have deployed the Adobe Reader software to the collections, the next step is deploying adobe reader updates using SCCM 2012 R2. In the above example we had deployed Adobe Reader 11.0.02 to client systems, now what if there is a new version of Adobe Reader?.
We have the latest version of Adobe reader 11.0.06 which can be downloaded from here. But since you have already deployed Adobe Reader 11.0.02 to the client systems it makes no sense to deploy 11.0.06 over it again. So we will now deploy only the update patch which will update Adobe Reader 11.0.02 to 11.0.06.
Download the latest version of Adobe Reader from here and extract the executable using the command line AdbeRdr11006_en_US.exe -nos_o”E:SourcesApplicationsAdobe_11″ -nos_ne (where AdbeRdr11006_en_US.exe is the executable name, E:SourcesApplicationsAdobe_11 is the path were the executable is stored).
Note – If you extract the Adobe Reader executable using winrar or any third party software you will not see .msp files. You have to extract it using a command line.
After we extract the setup file we see that it contains the update .msp file named AdbeRdrUpd110006.msp. This is the update file that we will be deploying using SCCM and this will update the existing adobe reader 11.0.02 version to 11.0.06 version.
Copy the AdbeRdrUpd110006.msp to the folder where Adobe 11.0.02 files exists.
Right click on Packages and click Create Package. Provide the Name, Source Folder for the package and click Next.
Choose the Program Type as Standard program. Click Next.
Syntax – “msiexec /update msipatchname.msp /qn (OR) msiexec /p msipatchname.msp /qn
Specify the name for the program, enter the command line msiexec /p AdbeRdrUpd110006.msp /qn and click Next.
We now see that the Adobe Patch package is created. Right the package and distribute the content to the DP. Once the content status of the package shows green deploy it the collections.
On one the client machine we open the execmgr.log file and we see that the patch file is being downloaded and installed.
After few minutes we see that the Adobe Reader is updated to version 11.0.06.
I am getting the same 1603 error code using Manoj method. Any fixes to this?
Any other errors apart from 1603 in log files ?.
Manojo – you may be running into the prerequisite install problem.
Should i have to deploy Both Package or deploy latest one only
@Clint.
Did the application method work? I have tried but the keep getting a failed install with an exit code of 1636.
I noticed that the working directory is C:\Windows\System32 and not ccmchace folder.
Any ideas why?
+1. Very helpful. Used this plus a script found on windows-noob that finds any version of Adobe older than 11.0.10 (most recent as of this post). Tested and verified. Thanks!
Here is more detail on modifications I made. See my previous comment for a summary. This approach should allow targeting the ‘Update’ deployment to a collection that automatically looks for the installed base application. It’s quite difficult to write all the details, so hopefully the following doesn’t add to any confusion…
1. Create an application (not a package) that installs the base unpatched Acrobat Reader from the .msi (Current base version of Acrobat Reader 2015 is 15.006.30033)
2. Create the an application to apply updates
2a. Download the latest .msp patch for the same track from the FTP site (current patch is 15.006.30201)
2b. Put the .msp file in the same directory as the .msi file
2c. Copy the SCCM Software Library application created in step 1
2c. Open the properties of the copied application. Rename it! (e.g. Acrobat Reader DC Updates)
2d. Select ‘Deployment Types’ tab, click the item in the list and choose edit
2e. Select ‘Programs’ tab and update Installation Program to:
msiexec /p “AcroRdr2015Upd1500630201_MUI.msp” REINSTALLMODE=vomus REINSTALL=ALL /qn
NOTE: change the .msp file to match the one downloaded
2f. Select ‘Detection Method’ tab and select the detection rule and edit item
2h. Select the second radio button (MSI product must exist and the following condition must be met)
2i. Select MSI Property: “Version”, “Greater than or Equal to”, 15.006.30201
2j. Select the ‘Dependencies’, click ‘Add’ and then ‘Add’ again: select the base application created in step 3 and select auto install
2h. Distribute the application
2j. Deploy the application to a collection that detects if the base software is installed. I’m using a collection query on SMS_G_System_INSTALLED_SOFTWARE.SoftwareCode = {GUID} taking the GUID from the Detection Method of the application. In this way you can require the installation and it will only target machines that need the update on already installed software.
In the future: download a new .msp. Update the Installation Program value and update the Detection Method Version Number property. The new update should then get pushed to everyone.
Great article. Very helpful. I modified some things to give me a little better control. I’ll try to give a little more detail on that in a second comment, but here are some key elements.
-I set up mine as an Application vs. Packages because install detection is better (Wasn’t sure it would work, but I had no issues)
-In the application I edited the Deployment Type’s ‘Detection Method’ to also look for version and the ‘Dependencies’ to look for the original Acrobat Reader install. The update can then auto-install the base application.
-On the update command I used: “msiexec /p “[currentpatchfile].msp” REINSTALLMODE=vomus REINSTALL=ALL /qn” My understanding is that if you don’t so this the client machine’s cached .msi will not be updated
Ok so we are saying here that SCCM cannot patch third party products using detection logic? For example LANDESK can detect if an OS with say Chrome needs a security update and can report on this but to do this in SCCM we would have to deploy and hope for the best as a Software Deployment?
Ok so we are saying here that SCCM cannot patch third party products using detection logic? For example LANDESK can detect if an OS with say Chrome needs a security update and can report on this but to do this in SCCM we would have to deploy and hope for the best as a Software Deployment?
You can do this better using SCUP 2011
Agreed.
Any reason you did this as the old “Package” setup instead of the new “Application” type?
@Kelemvor – I could deploy updates using package. I tried using app type but it didn’t work as expected. You could try deploying it by creating app and let me know if it works.
Excellent post. Thanks…………
@Ram Lan – Thank you.