Deploy VB Windows Application with new version of code via GP

[mrkm1188]

I have a simple Windows Forms Application that I published to a network share and manually installed on a handful of users computers from the network share. I had to make a change to the software and had to manually uninstall and reinstall the new version of the form on each computer. Is there a way to automatically remove the old software and install the new without having to go on each computer and manually doing it? Possibly via Group policy?

[Reverend Jim]

I had the same problem a few years back. I was responsible for ensuring that all copies of a very large software package were kept current. Because the install process was so complex I took a different approach. The shortcut on the desktop, instead of launching the app directly, ran a script which did a robocopy from a network share (containing an installation of the app from the most recent build) to the installation folder on the user PC. Typically, on a new build, only one or two modules were changed so the copy took almost no time. Once the robocopy was done the script would run the app.

[mrkm1188]

Is there a way to create an MSI package from the VB application so it can be uninstalled and installed via GP?

[Reverend Jim]

I don't know if that can be done automatically. Wouldn't it be easier just to update separate files? Installation from scratch every time can be time consuming and largely unnecessary unless you are doing a rollout of a major change.