Shortcut installed on user's desktop (instead of public) when software is published via GPO

[opqa]

I found this strange behavior using 15.3 Free version on Windows 10 (recently updated)

STEPS TO REPRODUCE THE ISSUE:

1) Create simple project consisting on a test.exe file on 'Application Folder' and a shortcut to it in 'Desktop' folder.

2) Select the (default) 'Per-machine only' Installation Type in the 'Install parameters' section. Build .msi

3) (optional) Install generated .msi either from admin or ordinary user account (introducing credentials when asked for):
-It puts test.exe under C:\Program Files\ (as expected)
-It puts shortcut in C:\Users\Public\Desktop (as expected)

4) Now Publish .msi in an Active Directory as explained in point 5 of this tutorial:
https://www.advancedinstaller.com/user- ... leshooting
And install it in a domain-joined computer from a Domain User account following tutorial's steps:
- It puts test.exe under C:\Program Files\ (as expected)
- It puts shortcut in C:\Users\<USER ACCOUNT DIRECTORY>\Desktop (!!! Is this expected?)

When installing pre-packaged software products (i.e. Chrome, VLC) this same way, they place the shortcut in the Public desktop, so it is visible to any user in this computer, no matter which one triggered the install. I would like to reproduce this behaviour with the Advanced Installer created packages, I have tried with different configuration options with no luck so far.

Thanks for your attention in advance.

[Daniel]

Hello and welcome to our forums,

We tested your scenario but we cannot replicate the behavior.

Can you please send us the .aip (project file) to support at advancedinstaller dot com so we can investigate its settings? And also the verbose log of the GPO installation.

All the best,
Daniel

[opqa]

Ok, thank you for your time, let's see if we can sort this out.

First I would like to say, I'm beginning to think that this is some kind of windows default behaviour, not sure whether it is a bug at all, but I would like to be able to choose/change this behaviour, maybe it won't be possible.

Also first I would like to correct one of my previous statements, no al pre-packaged software does what I said, some of them behave like Advanced Installer, in fact, one of the examples I said, the VLC one, does behave like AI. Two examples that for sure place the shortcuts at public scope (not user's one) are Google Chrome:
https://enterprise.google.com/intl/es/c ... e-browser/
and LibreOffice:
https://es.libreoffice.org/descarga/lib ... =6&lang=es

For what you demand... I attach a .zip file with some information. In screenshot1 you can glance how I configure the installer and publish it via GPO, in screenshot2 I show the problem, when I install the .msi via GPO from a user account both DESKTOP and PROGRAM shortcuts are being created per-user, altough (not shown in screenshot), the executable itsef is installed per-machine (in C:\Program Files (x86)\Your Company\Your Application)

If I install the .msi form the user account, by double clicking on it and introducing admin credentials when asked for, this problem does not arise, everything is installed per-machine.

You will also find in the .zip the 2 corresponding LOGS, one for the AD installation, other for the direct .msi installation.

Ah, and also there is the .aip, although it is a very simple one.

I have also tried, in the .aip project, to explicitly place the desktop shortcut in the public desktop by hanging it from 'Public' or even 'Windows Volume' Folders in the 'Files and Folders' section, but somehow it always ends up in user's Desktop when installing via GPO.

[opqa]

deleted

[Daniel]

Hello,

Thank you for your follow up on this. By using your scenario we were able to replicate the behavior. We are not sure if there is a GPO policy triggering this behavior or is something influenced by the Windows Installer service, but we find out that during the GPO setup installation the "ALLUSERS" property is reset and this causing the shortcut redirection.

To overcome this we created a custom action which set the ALLUSERS property to 1 which forced a per-machine installation and thus the shortcut installation under Public Desktop.

So, can you please proceed like this:
1. go to "Custom Actions" page and add a "Set installer property" custom action with sequence, scheduled after "Install Execution Stage" -> "Paths Resolution" action group, like this:

• Property: ALLUSERS
  Value: 1
  Condition: Not Installed And Privileged

2. select the custom action entry and while keeping the [SHIFT] key pressed drag and drop it under "Wizard Dialogs Stage -> Paths Resolution" action group; this way the action will be shared between the two installation stages; also make sure that the "Dialogs Stage Condition" is set to the same condition expression : Not Installed And Privileged

3. rebuild and test again your setup project GPO publishing operation

Let us know if this helped.

All the best,
Daniel