Installing ArcGIS Desktop silently

ArcGIS Desktop can be installed without a user interface (UI) by running the setup using Windows Installer command line parameters.

It is highly recommended that you include the ESRI_LICENSE_HOST, SOFTWARE_CLASS, SEAT_PREFERENCE, and DESKTOP_CONFIG command line parameters when installing silently. This will enable a user to install without UI interaction or having to complete the ArcGIS Administrator Wizard.

Requirements

  • Windows Installer version 3.1 must be installed and running on your machine prior to running the ArcGIS Desktop setup silently.
    • The Windows Installer executable, instmsi3.exe, can be accessed from the ArcGIS Desktop Installation DVD to install the Windows Installer if required.
  • All previous versions must be uninstalled before you proceed with the silent installation. See Uninstalling previous ArcGIS products for more information.
  • If you run setup.msi, you will need to install the Microsoft SQL Server Native Client separately from \support\SQlNative. The Microsoft SQL Server Native Client setup (sqlncli.msi) can be run silently using msiexec /i <location of Microsoft SQL Server Native Client setup>\sqlncli.msi /qb.

ArcGIS Desktop installation command line parameters

The following are the command line switches to execute the ArcGIS Desktop MSI directly. Use these with the MSI direct commands as required.

Parameter

Value

Case sensitive

Required

Description

ESRI_LICENSE_HOST=

License Manager

No

Yes

Machine name of license manager.

SOFTWARE_CLASS=

Viewer

Yes

Yes

Installs ArcGIS Desktop as ArcView.

Editor

Installs ArcGIS Desktop as ArcEditor.

Professional

Installs ArcGIS Desktop as ArcInfo.

SEAT_PREFERENCE=

Fixed

Yes

Yes

Installs your ArcGIS software class as a Single Use seat.

Float

Yes

Yes

Installs your ArcGIS software class as a Concurrent Use seat.

INSTALLDIR

No

ArcGIS Desktop installation location. If not specified, the installation location is %System Drive%\Program Files\ArcGIS.

INSTALLDIR1

No

Python installation location. If this feature is required and this value is not specified, the default location is C:\Python26.

DESKTOP_CONFIG

TRUE

Yes

No

Setting this parameter to TRUE will prevent ArcGIS Administrator Wizard from being launched automatically at the end of the setup.

BLOCKADDINS

#0

Yes

No

Load all add-ins regardless of whether they have digital signatures.

#1

Yes

No

Only load and use add-ins that are digitally signed by a trusted certificate authority.

#2

Yes

No

Only load and use add-ins that have been published by ESRI.

#3

Yes

No

Only load add-ins from the administrator folders and all add-ins published by ESRI.

#4

Yes

No

Do not load or execute add-ins in this application.

How to perform a typical installation of ArcGIS Desktop without user interaction

Run this command from the command line to install ArcGIS Desktop as ArcInfo Concurrent Use using the machine, GIS, as the license manager. This example will also install Python to D:\python.

Msiexec /i <setup location>\setup.msi ESRI_LICENSE_HOST=GIS SOFTWARE_CLASS=Professional SEAT_PREFERENCE=Float INSTALLDIR1=D:\python /qb

Additional command line parameters are available:

INSTALLDIR=<installation directory> can be used to specify an installation location. The default location is C:\Program Files\ArcGIS, if no INSTALLDIR parameter is given. INSTALLDIR1=<installation directory> can be used to specify an installation location for Python. The default location for this features is C:\Python26.

The following is an example of a client installation where an administrative user exists on a server (\\machinename):

Msiexec /i \\machinename\ArcGIS\setup.msi INSTALLDIR=C:\ArcGIS ESRI_LICENSE_HOST=GIS SOFTWARE_CLASS=Professional SEAT_PREFERENCE=Float /qb
NoteNote:

/qb provides the basic UI of progress status and error handling; /qn provides no UI at all.

Refer to the Microsoft command line options information for full details: http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/msi/setup/command_line_options.asp.

How to perform a complete installation of ArcGIS Desktop silently

Run this command from the command line to install a Complete ArcGIS Desktop as ArcEditor with the machine, GIS, as the license manager:

Msiexec /I <setup location>\setup.msi ADDLOCAL=ALL ESRI_LICENSE_HOST=GIS SOFTWARE_CLASS=Editor SEAT_PREFERENCE=Float /qb
msiexec.exe /I \VBA\VBAOF11.msi /qb
msiexec.exe /I \VBA\1033\VBAOF11i.msi /q

An additional command line parameter is available:

INSTALLDIR=<installation directory> if you do not want to install to the default location of C:\Program Files\ArcGIS

For example:

Msiexec /I <setup location>\setup.msi INSTALLDIR=C:\ArcGIS ESRI_LICENSE_HOST=GIS SOFTWARE_CLASS=Editor SEAT_PREFERENCE=Float /qb
NoteNote:

To specify the installation location for a silent administrative installation, the command line property is TARGETDIR rather than INSTALLDIR.

How to perform a custom installation of ArcGIS Desktop silently

Run this command from the command line to perform a custom ArcGIS Desktop installation as an ArcInfo seat type with the machine, GIS, as the license manager:

Msiexec /I <setup location>\setup.msi /qb ADDLOCAL=<feature1>,<feature2>,.... ESRI_LICENSE_HOST=GIS SOFTWARE_CLASS=Professional SEAT_PREFERENCE=Float /qb

Specify installation features as follows:

ADDLOCAL feature (Each feature name must be specified; for example, you cannot use ADDLOCAL=Applications to install all Application subfeatures.)

Applications

ArcMap

ArcCatalog

Miscellaneous features

Python

Extensions

Ext_3D_Analyst

ArcScan

GeoStatisticalAnalyst

Maplex

ArcMap_Publishing_Extension

SpatialAnalyst

Schematics

NetworkAnalyst

TrackingAnalyst

Styles

CivicAndBusiness

NaturalResources

Templates

TemplateGeneral

TemplateIndustry

TemplateWorld

TemplateUSA

NoteNote:

  • All dependencies and relevant files will also be installed with the specified feature.
  • Feature names are case sensitive.

How to perform an uninstallation of ArcGIS Desktop silently

To uninstall a product silently, use the following Windows Installer command:

msiexec /x <{product code}> /qb

For example: To uninstall ArcGIS Desktop 9.3 silently, use the following command line:

msiexec.exe /x {64665955-E1A1-4A8B-BFFA-673A95318909} /qb

Any ArcGIS product can be uninstalled silently using the product code. The knowledge base article 28709 is updated and available with the product codes for ArcGIS releases.


8/25/2010