Frequently Asked Questions
Published : November 11, 2004
Where can I find more information about Microsoft Office 2003?
For more information about Microsoft Office 2003, see the Office 2003 Editions Frequently Asked Questions Web site at https://www.microsoft.com/office/editions/prodinfo/faq.mspx.
Why is there a delay when running Office 2003 advertisements?
A delay occurs because SMS is designed for large organizations. For scalability reasons, it is not designed to run advertisements immediately. For example, because the SMS client is poll-based, it is important to ensure that delays are not due to a delay in the polling cycle.
Also, SMS does not run an advertisement until the package is available on the distribution point, and this can take time with large packages. You can check on the availability of the SMS package by viewing the contents of the package’s share name, as specified by the administrator creating a custom share name. You can also verify the package state in the SMS Administrator console.
Can I suppress all screen display for Office 2003 distributions?
Yes. The .sms file creates packages that include different command lines. Quiet programs do not require any user interaction. However, the Windows Installer informational dialog box does appear on the screen. If the SMS administrator wants to suppress the Windows Installer screen, this can be accomplished in the command line by substituting /qn for /qb-. For complete command-line control details, see article 826530, “Description of setup command-line switches for Office 2003,” at https://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;826530.
Does Microsoft provide application-specific installation and setup information for the applications within Office 2003?
Yes. This information is available at the Microsoft Help and Support for Individual Office Products Web site at https://support.microsoft.com/select/default.aspx?target=hub&c1=505&.
How large is the administrative installation share I create for Office 2003?
It is approximately 630 MB; however, this might vary, depending on your environment.
Where are the Office 2003 Setup log files located?
By default, Office 2003 log files are located in the %temp% directory on the clients. This can be redirected for reporting or file collection purposes. The log file names reflect the version installed; for example, “Office 2003 Professional with FrontPage setup(0001)_task(0001).txt.” The name increments the file name on multiple attempts, so that “setup” is incremented.
Which edition of Office 2003 should I install?
Pricing, licensing, and a list of applications in each edition are listed on the What's in the Office 2003 Editions Web page at https://www.microsoft.com/office/editions/howtobuy/compare.mspx.
How large is the compressed source file that SMS replicates between sites?
It is approximately 350 MB; however, this might vary in your environment.
How much disk space does the SMS site server require, if all Office 2003 deployment storage is located on the site server?
The administrative installation is approximately 630 MB. The package that is created is the same size. The site server can also store a compressed copy for replication to other sites. This compressed copy is approximately 318 MB. There are also temp files that are associated with the compression activity. It is recommended that the SMS site server have more than 2 GB of free disk space.
What is the size of the transform files I create for Office 2003?
The size varies with the specific customizations involved, but sizes between 70 KB and 1 MB have been used in some early deployments. All transform files should be included before delivering the SMS package, to minimize the amount network bandwidth that is used with a change in the package source files (and accompanying replication between sites).
Where do I put the .mst and .ops files that the Custom Installation Wizard and Office Profile Wizard install?
Both files go in the root of the administrative share that you create before the Office 2003 package is created. Delta replication in SMS 2003 ensures that when the SMS administrator creates the Office 2003 package, the files are only replicated only when changes are made to the package.
How can I stagger installations and decrease network bandwidth usage?
By using the Custom Installation Wizard and selecting less frequently used applications to be installed on first use, you can reduce concurrent network usage for installation of Office 2003 and reduce the time it takes to install Office 2003. You can also create multiple advertisements for different collections scheduled at different times.
Can I provide a highly customized Office 2003 deployment that configures tools, templates, and default behaviors?
The Office Profile Wizard provides this support for Office 2003 Setup. It creates an .ops file, which further customizes Office 2003 Setup. For information about the Office Profile Wizard and how to easily configure applications with it, see the Microsoft Office 2003 Resource Kit.
How do I configure Office 2003 to be installed locally with certain applications?
Use the Custom Installation Wizard, which sets up and creates the transform file. You can further customize the options within the application.
Where can I learn about the configuration details that are possible for each application in the Office 2003 suite?
For information about customizing individual applications, see the Microsoft Office 2003 Resource Kit.
Is it possible to deploy to one large collection? For example, can I use the Office 2003 package with the Custom (quiet) program, and advertise the package to the All Systems collection?
Yes, this is possible. However, computers that are not running Office 2003-supported platforms will fail. This can also cause excessive network traffic if all clients attempt to install Office at the same time.
What is the relationship between collections and installing Office 2003?
Each collection should have a single instance of Office 2003 installation created by a single Office 2003 transform file. The .mst provides the configuration information for all Office 2003 installations that use the .mst to guide the installation. Collections are the targets for programs. Ensure your collections uniquely identify common systems for deployment.
Where can I get the Office Resource Kit tools?
You can download individual Office Resource Kit tool, such as the Custom Installation Wizard from the Toolbox in the Office 2003 Resource Kit at https://www.microsoft.com/office/ork/2003/
Can I deploy to clients that are running Terminal Services?
You can use SMS 2003 to deploy Office 2003 to clients that are running Windows 2000 Terminal Services. For additional information about using Terminal Services with SMS, see the “Using SMS 1.2 and SMS 2.0 with Windows 2000” white paper at https://www.microsoft.com/smsmgmt/deployment/wincompat.asp.