In this blog post we will see how to deploy Apache OpenOffice 4.1.12 on Windows 10 / Windows 11 devices using Microsoft Intune. For this deployment we will need to download Apache OpenOffice Windows Installer. The Installer is currently only available as a 32-bit application.
Download the application by clicking on the link: Apache OpenOffice – Official Download and selecting the platform as Windows 32-bit (x86) (EXE), language and version number. After that click on Download full installation to start downloading. We will be using Intune Windows app (Win32) app type deployment for this application.
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Before we use Endpoint Mananger admin center to deploy the application. We need to repackage this application in .Intunewin file. The step by step process to create an .IntuneWin file is given below:
- Extract the Apache_OpenOffice_4.1.12_Win_x86_install_en-GB.exe installer in any folder for example: C:\OpenOffice4. Depending upon the version of OpenOffice you have downloaded, the installer version will be different in the file name. At the time of writing this blog post, currently Apache OpenOffice 4.1.12 is the latest version.
- Download Microsoft Win32 Content Prep Tool. Its a zip file therefore extract its contents into a folder.
- Create an empty folder for example C:\output or anywhere you like.
- Repackage the application folder OpenOffice4 to .intunewin file using IntuneWinAppUtil.exe which can be located in Microsoft Win32 Content Prep Tool.
Use below process to repackage the application / setup files to .intunewin file. Launch command prompt as administrator, change the current folder to where Microsoft Win32 Content Prep Tool is downloaded and run below command.
IntuneWinAppUtil.exe -c <setup_folder> -s <setup_file> -o <output_folder>- <setup_folder> = Provide the location of Apache OpenOffice Extracted Setup Folder Path.
- <setup_file> = setup.exe
- <output_folder> = Create an Empty folder somewhere and provide that location.
IntuneWinAppUtil.exe -c C:\OpenOffice4 -s setup.exe -o C:\output
Check the folder c:\output and you should find a file with .intunewin extenstion.
App Deployment steps
- Login on Microsoft Endpoint Manager Admin Center.
- Click on Apps and then click on All Apps.
- Click on + Add and Select Windows app (Win32) from the app type.
Click on Select app package file to select the setup.intunewin file package.
Browse to select setup.intunewin file and then click on OK button.
App Information
After clicking on OK, you will be able to find an App Information page. Provide Information about the Application. Enter the name of Publisher on this page. Click on Next from your App Information page.
Program
Provide the install command and uninstall command.
Install Command:
setup.exe /qnUninstall Command:
The UninstallSting used in below command is specific to the version of Apache Openoffice installed on the PC. You may have a different UninstallSting depending upon the version of Apache OpenOffice installed. To make sure you are using the correct UninstallString, you can check the key from one of below registry locations and update it in the command.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall
MsiExec.exe /X{E9F3BF94-AA18-42B6-8B6D-245BBF585C8C} /qn| Software Version | UninstallString |
| Apache OpenOffice 4.1.12 | MsiExec.exe /X{E9F3BF94-AA18-42B6-8B6D-245BBF585C8C} /qn |
| Apache OpenOffice 4.1.13 | MsiExec.exe /X{D86F0E67-2C02-4DFF-A46A-6871BA809A51} /qn |
Install behaviour: System
Device restart behaviour: No specific action
Requirements
Operating System Architecture: Select 64-bit
Minimum operating system: Select according to the operating system version being used in your enviornment.
Detection Rules
Rules Format: Select Manually configure detection rules
Rule Type: File
Path: You can provide location of the folder where your app gets installed. Most of the softwares are installed in Program Files of Program Files (x86) folder. You can install the application manually on any test machine to find out the default installation directory of the app. Once you get the location then you can provide it as a detection rule for Intune to check if the application is installed on your system or not. If the application folder exists, Intune will consider that application as Installed on your system and If the Folder is deleted Intune will show the application installation status as failed due to detection rules and also will try to deploy the application again in the next sync cycle.
Detection Method: File or Folder Exits.
Assignments
Create an Azure AD Security group which contains users who need this application. Please note that if you add users into the list, it will deploy this application on all of the users devices joined to Azure and Enrolled into Intune. If you want to deploy the app to specific devices then you should add devices in the Azure AD security group not users.
Make sure to add it to the Required section which will install the push the application on users system as soon as possible.
Required: Select the groups for which you want to make this app required. Required apps are installed automatically on enrolled devices. Some platforms may have additional prompts for the end user to acknowledge before app installation begins.
Next tab is for Review + Save. Save the application which will start the process of your uploading .intunewin file and also will start the deployment process.
Monitoring
To check the Installation status of the app, You can follow below steps:
- From Microsoft Endpoint Manager admin center, Click on Apps on the left hand side.
- Click on All apps.
- Search for the app Apache OpenOffice 4.1.12 and click on it.
From the Overview page of the Application, you can check the status of Installation and Failures. As I had just pushed this application to one user who had two devices, its shows User Status as Installed 1 and Device status Installed 2.
To find more details on which devices the software is pushed successfully, you can also click on Device Install status or User Install status.
Conclusion
Apache Openoffice is a great alternative to Microsoft Office and its free to install and use. It can be easily installed via Intune on all the devices using the steps given in this blog post. Please note that once the software has been pushed to users devices, it will not be immediately installed as the Intune Sync takes time to download the software and then perform the installation. In case of any issues in the Installation you can check the Device Install Status or User Install status for any error codes.
