Packaging Large, Larger, the Largest Applications!

I have a challenge.

Your company decided to use Adobe CS3 for five of their graphic designers. You have to install the suite on all 5 PCs, and all the installations have to be identical.

To add complexity to the challenge, you have to get the suite on the Terminal server for one of the co/workers that needs to access it via Terminal Services.

You know you have a few ways to face the challenge. You (naturally) start with Wise Package Studio.

First Attempt

It's at this point that you run into disapointment number one. Wise cannot handle packages larger than 2.4 GB.

The package is almost 4 GB for the fullinstall.
Second attempt is to do it in, let's say, Softgrid!.
Yes I know, this is like a curse, but okay.
Let's get it done.

Second Attempt

Disappointment 2 comes up.
It's not working?
Why?
Softgrid cannot handle packages over 3.8 GB, and during install the buffers get full and the packaging stops.

Third Attempt

Is there a third way?
Yes there is. It involves SVS and will not be a disappointment because it just does the job for you.

Let's prepare for this.
Installing on Windows 2003 will not work, because Adobe does not support it. Later I will tell you more about it.

I'm a very big fan of packaging VSAs on Windows 2003, but for this particular setup I have to use Windows XP. Please, never use Vista for this.

I start the capturing, and then capturing stops just before the real setup starts.
Let's face it. We have to throw all tips overboard and do it like we never should do.

Start a global capturing. Did I really mention that?
Yes, I have to.
Start a new layer and select global capturing.
Start the setup.
Select all the software you want.

The setup will start, and the next 40 minutes your machine is occupied. Don't even think of doing anything else, because it will show up in the layer making it necessary to clean it out completely.

After setup is finished, leave the capturing on, and start one of the apps.
Fill out the licensing, but do not -- and I really mean do not -- register it on the Adobe website.

Stop the capturing, and export your layer.
Then activate the layer and see if everything starts up.
If yes, then the biggest, largest step is done.

Now we have to take the second step.
Deactivate the VSA, and edit the layer.

Remove the following settings:
Everything that has anything to do with the Internet Explorer. It will be in the package, and you need to get rid of it.
Second, find everything that has anything to do with your virus scanner.
I stopped mine before doing this.
Prevents you from a lot of search work.

Now test the layer. Just start all the apps, and see if they function.
If yes, go to the next step.
If not, delete the VSA, and take the exported one, and start again.

Next step in the task is to export the clean layer, and import it on another machine. Activate and test again.
Then you are ready to roll it out like you always roll out your VSA packages.
I use Altiris Deployment Solution for this but you can also use AD or what ever you normally use.

The PCs are done, but you still need it on the Terminal server.
On the terminal server you can use dvs4sbc to get SVS terminal server ready, and you import it.
And even that Adobe states this will not work, you will get surprised, because it just works.

Very well.
Wise and SoftGrid can't do it.
SVS can. What is the trick?

No, there is no trick. SVS just does not have a limitation in the size of the VSA. It has no limitation in the files in the layer.
It has no limitation in the size of the registry.
It will do the job for you.

Your boss will be happy, and you will be too. It only took me two hours to create the package, and two more hours to install on five clients and on a Terminal Server.
Thanks to SVS.