Copy Files to a user's Desktop Using MSI installer

Scenario

You don’t want to use UEM/DEM, and you want files made avaibile to the user when they sign in. Or you have some files you need to get out to endpoints and don’t want to write a script to copy the files from the SCCM cache to the location. Sometimes you have to do things outside ofthe box. However these file don’t install they just need to be copied to a directory, such as the default/public desktop.

We will go over putting the files in an .MSI and then installing them while in Appvol Capture mode.

I know some one is reading this going why? I have had scenario where this was my only option UEM/DEM could not be used. It worked so i thought i share, so someone does not have to reinvent the wheel.

Download & Setup

Download Visual Studio Community 2019 from here: https://visualstudio.microsoft.com/

Download the extensions to create .MSI installer

1. Go to Extensions > Manage Extensions > Online > Search, find, download and install Microsoft Visual Studio Installer Projects extension.

2. Open Visual Studio and start a new Setup/installer project.

Create the MSI package

With you newly created project, you need to add files to it, you can add a custom path. but in this case we are going to add files to the users desktop. So everytime a new user signs in they will have those files on there desktop. You can drag and drop your folder/files to the precreated “User’s Desktop” Folder in the filesystem pane.

When you have your files system laid out how you want, you can go to menu and click build Solitjion or your poject. You will get an .MSI file. This File can be installed just alike any other .MSI file with GUI or MSIexec. IT will place the files in the folder you speicfied. The cool thing is if you wanted to update the files you can create a .msi to upgrade them. or if you wanted to Remove simply uninstall the .MSI.

Use Cases

SCCM

You can now import the MSI to sccm and deploy it out to your endpints, no more writing scripts to have files copied. Keep in mind tho i would only use this for small files and nothing large. I dont have an extact file size range you will have to expiement with that on your own. i do know you can the files stored in the MSI or external from the MSI but i think they have to be inthe directory as the MSI. That might work better for larger files.

Vmware App Appvols

With Vmware’s Appvols solution you can captures installions of software and mount that software on other VDIs. However if you just copy files while in capture mode. it will not add those files to the project. However during installation if the installer copies files Appvol will capture those files. Once the “install” is captured when you mount that appvol on an VDI those files will appear.