Looking for Adobe Reader version 7? Adobe released version 6 of their popular free Acrobat Reader application in June 2003. This version, however, includes an hyperlinked animated advert that appears in the top-corner of the application whilst in use, and the default installation also includes PrintMe Internet printing hyperlinks.
Using the packaged installer, it is not possible to disable these functions. However, with a little playing around, you can do it.
To prepare for a custom installation of Adobe Acrobat 6:
Download the Adobe Acrobat 6 installation application. This can be found here. When prompted, save the application installation file to a convenient place on your computer.
Execute the installation file. Once the Adobe installation routine starts, click Cancel to exit the installer at the first opportunity.
Search your hard drive for the following file:
Adobe Reader 6.0.1.msi
The path should be something like: \Windows\Cache\Adobe Reader 6.0.1\ENUBIG
Copy the entire directory to a convenient location.
Download our custom transform file and save to the same directory.
This file modifies the installation process, disables installation of the PrintMe files, prevents installation of the file containing the animated advert, automatically accepts the EULA, and prevents creation of the desktop shortcuts.
Now you have the MSI file for Adobe Acrobat Reader, you can utilise it for deployment via Group Policy or Citrix Installation Manager. All you have to do is apply the transform file to it in the usual manner.
To install the application manually for test purposes (if doing it on the same machine, remember to uninstall Acrobat first), do the following:
Open a command prompt in the directory containing the Acrobat installation files.
Enter the following command line:
msiexec.exe /i "Adobe Reader 6.0.1.msi" TRANSFORMS="acrobat6.mst"
The application will be installed without the animated advert and PrintMe options.
To change the default installation path from \Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 6.0, add INSTALLDIR="Install_directory" to the command line.
To fully automate the installation and perform a silent install, add /qb- to the end of the command line.
Addendum:
We downloaded and tried Adobe's Tuner application - Adobe's own Acrobat MST creator. Whilst it may work differently for the full version of Adobe Acrobat, its ability to customise the free Adobe Reader application is limited solely to adding new files to the existing installation package. There is no facility for pre-loading a user or organisation name, removing the advertising shortcuts, changing the installation path or any other option one might reasonably expect in such a tool. In addition, it crashed repeatedly and predictably on five of the six machines it was installed on.
Sanx's opinion:
Save yourself the 16Mb download and don't bother. As far as Adobe Reader goes, it's a complete waste of bandwidth.
Alternatives:
Should you have the time, inclination and funds, download the truly excellent MaSaI Editor - a fully-featured MSI editor - and generate your own MST file directly. MaSaI Editor was used to make this, and the transform for version 7 of Acrobat Reader.
Using the packaged installer, it is not possible to disable these functions. However, with a little playing around, you can do it.
To prepare for a custom installation of Adobe Acrobat 6:
Download the Adobe Acrobat 6 installation application. This can be found here. When prompted, save the application installation file to a convenient place on your computer.
Execute the installation file. Once the Adobe installation routine starts, click Cancel to exit the installer at the first opportunity.
Search your hard drive for the following file:
Adobe Reader 6.0.1.msi
The path should be something like: \Windows\Cache\Adobe Reader 6.0.1\ENUBIG
Copy the entire directory to a convenient location.
Download our custom transform file and save to the same directory.
This file modifies the installation process, disables installation of the PrintMe files, prevents installation of the file containing the animated advert, automatically accepts the EULA, and prevents creation of the desktop shortcuts.
Now you have the MSI file for Adobe Acrobat Reader, you can utilise it for deployment via Group Policy or Citrix Installation Manager. All you have to do is apply the transform file to it in the usual manner.
To install the application manually for test purposes (if doing it on the same machine, remember to uninstall Acrobat first), do the following:
Open a command prompt in the directory containing the Acrobat installation files.
Enter the following command line:
msiexec.exe /i "Adobe Reader 6.0.1.msi" TRANSFORMS="acrobat6.mst"
The application will be installed without the animated advert and PrintMe options.
To change the default installation path from \Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 6.0, add INSTALLDIR="Install_directory" to the command line.
To fully automate the installation and perform a silent install, add /qb- to the end of the command line.
Addendum:
We downloaded and tried Adobe's Tuner application - Adobe's own Acrobat MST creator. Whilst it may work differently for the full version of Adobe Acrobat, its ability to customise the free Adobe Reader application is limited solely to adding new files to the existing installation package. There is no facility for pre-loading a user or organisation name, removing the advertising shortcuts, changing the installation path or any other option one might reasonably expect in such a tool. In addition, it crashed repeatedly and predictably on five of the six machines it was installed on.
Sanx's opinion:
Save yourself the 16Mb download and don't bother. As far as Adobe Reader goes, it's a complete waste of bandwidth.
Alternatives:
Should you have the time, inclination and funds, download the truly excellent MaSaI Editor - a fully-featured MSI editor - and generate your own MST file directly. MaSaI Editor was used to make this, and the transform for version 7 of Acrobat Reader.
