Unattended Codec Rollout in an AD Network

[Hersch]

Please read the whole post first - Thanks in anticipation!

The Problem: I manage a medium size Windows 2003 AD LAN/WAN. All the IT Admin is centralized, staff strength is very thin on the ground and we have about 1000 XP Pro PCs and 400 Laptops across various sites. For ease of management all our PCs and Laptops are deployed using an SOE (Standard Operating Environment) image, which is fairly restrictive and offers just a few Multi-Media options. Users cannot install or modify the OS, Applications, Drivers etc.

Now all of sudden the management wants all the PCs to have full blown Multi-media capabilites, which means that we now have to compile and deploy a number of popular codecs and a few media players across all the 1000 PCs. Now you will say "Well that's easy, just create an MSI package and use AD Group Policy for the rollout". So far so good and the concept at least on paper is sound enough. However, this is where help is sorely needed:

How do I:

1) Create the Codec package to deploy via Group Policy. This will mean, decompressing and extracting all the needed codecs and players from a number of popular codec packages, then compiling my own package, probably in MSI format, and then deploying it to all the PCs. If there are other automated solutions then I would love to hear about them as well.

2) Specifically what tools or commands can I use to decompress and extract the needed codecs/players from popular codec packages? I need a lot of detail from you guys as I haven't done this before and hand-holding will be deeply appreciated. This is not a typical application rollout, I can handle those!

3) Assuming that I have amassed and documented all the required codecs/players. How do I create an MSI package. Meaning, what program can I use to create the MSI package and how (detailed instructions would be greatly appreciated)? To do this, I would prefer to use free software as much as possible. Please detail your experiences with stuff like WinInstall LE 2003, AutoIT etc and advise which is the best possible solution in my situation and why?

4) Lastly, I am sure that the problem I face is not unique and that someone has already encountered this dilemma before and has already solved it. And yes I have read Shark007's post in great detail and I am quite inspired by it. So Dear Shark007, if you happen to read this post, your intervention in solving my predicament will be appreciated to the nth degree!

Finally, thanks to all of you for your patience and attention, this forum is the top dog in the Microsoft Desktop World!

Hersch

[Shark007]

4) Lastly, I am sure that the problem I face is not unique and that someone has already encountered this dilemma before and has already solved it. And yes I have read Shark007's post in great detail and I am quite inspired by it. So Dear Shark007, if you happen to read this post, your intervention in solving my predicament will be appreciated to the nth degree!

Finally, thanks to all of you for your patience and attention, this forum is the top dog in the Microsoft Desktop World!Hersch

I can only assume you've tried my MSI release of the Advanced Filter and Codec Pack. The company that employs you seems big enough to need one more employee in its IT department and i am unemployed at this time. Why dont you PM me some details while you test my MSI on a few pc's. It was just updated 2 days ago and is found the top of my repository listing ...

shark

Edited July 20, 2006 by Shark007