Problem: How do I create a fully managed installer for Adobe Reader with the latest .msp updates slipstreamed in?
Solution:
First you need to download the latest base version of the Adobe Reader installer. For my example here I took this from ftp://ftp.adobe.com/pub/adobe/reader/win/Acrobat2015/1500630033/
Once you have the base installer downloaded you need to extract the .msi from the .exe file. To do this run the below command:
"C:\Temp\Acrobat\AcroRdr20151500630033_MUI.exe" -nos_ne
The location the .msi file has been extracted to has varied over the years but for my Windows 10 1703 build machine it extracted it to here %ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Application Data\Adobe\Setup
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You now need to download the Acrobat Customisation Wizard DC for Windows. I downloaded this from here https://www.adobe.com/devnet-docs/acrobatetk/tools/Wizard/WizardDC/basics.html
Once you have this downloaded install the wizard, load your .msi file and make your customisations. Once you are finished save the changes to the package and save the .mst file.
We now have to create an administrative install so that we can apply the latest patch to the base installer. To do this run the below:
msiexec /a "C:\Temp\Acrobat\AcrobatBaseInstaller\AcroRead.msi"
This will start the install wizard which will ask you where you want to save the prepared files. In my example I selected the following location C:\temp\Acrobat\AcrobatBaseInstallerPrepared\
You can now download the latest .msp patch from https://www.adobe.com/devnet-docs/acrobatetk/tools/ReleaseNotes/DC/dcclassic15.006april2017.html
Be careful to always download the same versions of the base installer and the .msp files. If you download the classic track MUI version ensure that the .msp version matches this.
Once you have the .msp file you just need to run the below command to slipstream it into the base installer:
msiexec /a "C:\Temp\Acrobat\AcrobatBaseInstallerPrepared\AcroRead.msi" /p "C:\Temp\Acrobat\AcroRdr2015Upd1500630306_MUI.msp"
You now have a fully managed, patched installation that can be rolled out across the network via Group Policy. Just be sure to add the .mst transform when you add the Advanced Software package in the policy editor.
If you want to test your .mst file manually you can run the below:
msiexec /i "C:\temp\Acrobat\AcrobatBaseInstallerPrepared\AcroRead.msi" TRANSFORMS="C:\temp\Acrobat\AcrobatBaseInstallerPrepared\AcroRead.mst"
