One question that is seen again and again in the news forums is “how to configure a custom message prior to running a software package”? In this post you can download a utility developed with help from Jakob G. Svendsen that can be used to customize a message that is shown prior to running the real software package.

The utility – WarnBeforeInstall – is installed on each client. When you want to show a custom message you just call the program with a few parameters. The parameters control the title, the message and the countdown value. When the user clicks OK (or the countdown reaches 0) the program will finish with a success code and the parent software program will then automatically kick off.

The logo in the box can be replaced just place a custom banner.jpg file in the program folder.
Logo:
Size: 300×100
Name: banner.jpg

Download: Coretech-AutoInstallWarning1.0.2.zip 361.36 KB
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How it works

1. First you create and deploy the WarnBeforeInstall  utility to all clients. You cen deploy the package silently without any user intervention.
2. Create a new empty software package – I call it Coretech Warn Before Install messages
3. Create a program in the package for each unique message you want to show. I have create a generic program and programs for each major deployment where specific messages are required.
   1. The command line is AutoInstallWarning.exe ”Dialog title” ”Message to the end user” 300 (counter in seconds)
   2. Example AutoInstallWarning.exe ”Internal IT Message” ”Internal IT is installing software on your computer. Click OK to begin the installation of Microsoft Office 2007” 300

   3. Specify the program to Start in: %programfiles%\Coretech\AutoInstallWarning\
   4. Specify the program to suppress program notification (otherwise the Config Mgr. balloon will be shown prior to running our warning.
   5. On the Environment tab Specify the program to run whether or not a user i logged on and allow the user to interact with this program
4. Configure a custom message to be shown prior to installing a software package for example Microsoft Office 2007
   1. Open the properties for the Office program used to install Office 2007.
   2. navigate to the Advanced tab
   3. Select Run another program first
   4. Select the Coretech Warn Before Install package
   5. Select the program for example Warn Before Office 2007
   6. Select Always run this program first
   7. Select suppress program notification