Learn how to deploy VBScript for application installation in Intune. This guide will walk you through the process of using VBScript when deploying an application from the Intune portal.
Deploying Win32 applications from Intune is a popular feature that offers various use cases. By utilizing VBScript deployment, you can streamline the transition from SCCM to Intune, especially if you already have packages prepared in VBScript.
When you deploy an application using VBScript, it will automatically install on Intune-managed devices. The deployment process will remain familiar, with the only difference being the command line parameters. This makes it easier for application packagers to handle the deployment.
Before adding a Win32 app to Microsoft Intune, you need to prepare the app using the Microsoft Win32 Content Prep Tool. This tool allows you to pre-process Windows classic (Win32) apps, ensuring a smooth and successful deployment in Intune.
Prepare VBScript
Many organizations rely on the VBScript approach to package their applications for deployment. To accomplish this, you need to create a VB script that handles all the required actions. Once you’ve completed this step, your folder structure should reflect the desired organization. As an example, let’s consider the installation of the VLC Media Player application.
Additionally, you have the option to include the VBS installer within a batch file (.cmd or .bat). This allows for convenient use during the application creation process in Intune, streamlining the overall deployment workflow.
In order to upload your files to Intune and make your app with Win32 App, you’ll need to convert them to the.intunewin format. To begin, download the updated IntuneWinAppUtil.exe from GitHub and run it as an administrator.
You’ll be asked to fill in the blanks as the process progresses.
- Please specify the source folder – Enter the folder that contains your application setup files. (For Example, C:\VLC)
- Please specify the setup file – Enter the setup file name (such as setup.exe or setup.msi) For Example, VLC Media Player.msi
- Specify the output folder – Input the output folder to generate the .intunewin file.
- Do you want to specify catalog folder – Type N.
Deploy VBScript in Intune for Application Installation
Follow these steps to use Intune to distribute the VLC Media Player VBScript installer:
- Go to the Microsoft Intune admin center
- Select Apps > All apps > Add
- On the Select app type pane, select Windows app (Win32) and click Select.
Next click on Select app package file and click on the browse button in the right that appears. Next, select the .intunewin file that we previously created and click OK.
Next, complete all the necessary information such as Name, Publisher which are mandatory and you can configure all the other fields as desired.
When we reach the next page we need to type the installation and uninstallation commands. By default because we selected the MSI as a program when creating the .intunewin file, Intune will get the msiexec commands, but in our case we want to use the VBScript. For this we need to use:
wscript.exe Install.vbs for the Install Command
wscript.exe Uninstall.vbs for the Uninstall Command
The rest of the settings are up to you to configure.
Next we need to select the OS architecture that the application needs and the minimum OS version that is required. You can also check for minimum disk space required, memory, processors, CPU speed or other additional requirement rules.
Another critical part when it comes to configuring the deployment of a certain application is to correctly setup the detection rules that are used. By default Microsoft Offers 3 options:
- MSI : ProductCode
- File
- Registry
Because we are dealing with an MSI here, we chose MSI and placed the ProductCode of the package. Alternately you could you a custom detection rule in form of a PowerShell script.
Next, if you have any dependencies that must be installed before the application, you can chose them from the Dependencies page.
If your application supersedes another one, you can configure this in the Supersedence page. If an app is superseded, during the installation of the new one, the old one is automatically uninstalled. Talking about best practices, this is usually recommended to be placed inside the application itself and not rely on Intune for this.
The last step is to assign the application on the desired groups. In this page you have the following options:
- Required: used for mandatory push without the possibility for the user to cancel the installation
- Available for enrolled devices: Appears in Company Portal
- Uninstall: You can chose to uninstall this application from devices. This is a mandatory action exactly as the Required with no user possibility to cancel
And that is it, you have successfully created and deployed a VBScript application in intune.
