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Adobe Acrobat Reader DC MSI Deployment

Guide for deploying Adobe Acrobat Reader DC on all the computers in your network using MSI files and group policy

Edit 20/09/2021: Updated filenames and URLs for version 2021.007.20091

Edit 10/06/2021: Updated filenames and URLs for version 2021.005.20048, edit instructions for clarity.

Edit 17/05/2021: Updated filenames and URLs for version 2021.001.20155

Edit 29/01/2021: Updated filenames and URLs for version 2020.013.20074

Edit 20/08/2020: Updated filenames and URLs for version 2020.009.20063, edit instructions for clarity.

Prepare Adobe Acrobat Reader DC Files

Note: You need need to have a distribution agreement to download the Adobe Acrobat Reader DC Enterprise version. You can obtain one from here: http://www.adobe.com/products/reader/distribution.html

Download Adobe Acrobat Reader DC Enterprise full installation AcroRdrDC2100720091_en_US.exe from http://get.adobe.com/reader/enterprise/.

Download the Adobe Acrobat DC Customization Wizard from here: ftp://ftp.adobe.com/pub/adobe/acrobat/win/AcrobatDC/misc/ More info on the Adobe Acrobat DC Customization Wizard here: https://www.adobe.com/devnet-docs/acrobatetk/tools/Wizard/WizardDC/index.html

Once you have obtained the necessary files, you need to extract the installer files from the installer. Browse using Windows Explorer to the folder where you have downloaded AcroRdrDC2100720091_en_US.exe, hold the shift key and right click in this folder. Choose Open PowerShell window here. In the PowerShell window run:

.\AcroRdrDC2100720091_en_US.exe -sfx_o"C:\AdobeReaderExtracted" -sfx_ne

Click Yes on the user account control prompt that appears.

Create Adobe Reader DC Admin installation

Now that you have the necessary files extracted, change the current directory of your powershell window to c:\AdobeReaderExtracted:

cd c:\AdobeReaderExtracted

Run msiexec to create the admin installation:

msiexec /a c:\AdobeReaderExtracted\AcroRead.msi TARGETDIR="c:\AcrobatReaderDC_AIP"

Click next when prompted, click Install.

In the folder C:\AdobeReaderExtracted you will have (among other files) the Adobe Acrobat Reader DC msi file AcroRead.msi and the patch AcroRdrDCUpd2100720091.msp.

Patch the installation msi file by running the command:

msiexec /a C:\AcrobatReaderDC_AIP\AcroRead.msi /p C:\AdobeReaderExtracted\AcroRdrDCUpd2100720091.msp

Click Next when prompted, click Install. Click Finish. Note: If you receive an error, uninstall Adobe Reader from your workstation and try re-running the command.

Create a new text file in the folder C:\AcrobatReaderDC_AIP called setup.ini and add the following to the file:

[Startup]
RequireMSI=3.0
CmdLine=/sall /rs

[Product]
msi=AcroRead.msi

Customise Adobe Reader DC with the Adobe Reader Customization Wizard

Note: These notes have been updated to use the Customization Wizard that has been released. See below for the Group policy method.

Install the Adobe Customization Wizard DC, accepting the default options.

Once installed, run the Adobe Customization Wizard DC and choose File -> Open Package. Select the file AcroRead.msi file from the C:\AcrobatReaderDC_AIP  folder.

From here you can step through the options and set as required. As a guide, I have set the following options for our enterprise:

Personalization Options

  • Suppress display of End User Agreement (EULA)

Installation Options

  • Make Reader the default PDF viewer
  • Remove all versions of Reader
  • Enable Optimization
  • Enable Caching of installer files on local hard drive
  • Run Silently (no interface)
  • Suppress Reboot

Security

  • Protected View - Off

Online and Adobe online

  • Disable product updates
  • Disable Purchase Adobe Acrobat
  • Disable Product Improvement Program

Once you have finished customising the installation, generate a transform file and save it in c:\AcrobatReaderDC_AIP.

Deploy Adobe Reader DC

Copy the folder c:\AcrobatReaderDC_AIP to your msi deployment share, and add the msi along with the mst to your software deployment GPO.

References

https://www.adobe.com/devnet-docs/acrobatetk/tools/Wizard/WizardDC/index.html

http://get.adobe.com/reader/enterprise

http://www.adobe.com/devnet-docs/acrobatetk/tools/Wizard/basics.html