HOW TO: Use IntelliMirror in Windows 2000 to Deploy Office XP Programs by Using a Group Policy Object (312972)

SUMMARY

This step-by-step article describes how to use IntelliMirror technology in Windows 2000 to deploy Office XP programs by using a Group Policy object (GPO).

You can use Group Policy objects to assign Office XP programs to users in the Active Directory. When a user first logs on after the Office XP programs are assigned to that user, the programs are made available to the user.

You can use IntelliMirror to deploy and manage Office XP programs by using a GPO. You can assign Office XP programs to specific users or computers based on group memberships. After you set a policy for Office XP programs, they are applied automatically.

Assigning Office XP to users assures that they will have access to the same Office XP programs and features no matter which computer they log on to. Once Office XP is assigned to a user, information about the software is displayed on the user's desktop or Start menu the first time they log on. Clicking a shortcut starts the Windows Installer, which will then automatically install the program according to policy settings.

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Deploy Office XP

1. Make sure that Office XP is installed on the administrative installation point.
2. Use the Custom Installation Wizard to customize the installation and save the transform file that is created by the wizard on the administrative installation point.
3. Assign the appropriate users (those to whom you will assign the installation) read access on the network share that contains the administrative installation point.
4. Open the Active Directory Users and Computers snap-in.
5. Open an existing GPO (or create a new one) for the domain or organizational unit for which you want to set group policy.
6. Windows opens the Group Policy window.
7. Expand the User Configuration node in the Group Policy window, and then expand the Software Settings node.
8. Click the Software Installation node to display software that has been published to users.
9. Right-click the Microsoft Office XP entry, and then click Properties to open the settings for the Office XP installation.
10. Use the different tabs in the Office XP Installation dialog box to manage the deployment of Office XP.

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