Secrets of OpenOffice.org 3 alternative installation

The following are several reasons you may want this alternative method for installing OpenOffice.org on Windows:

• You need to install OpenOffice.org without local administrator rights.
• Your system administrator has set policies to prevent this installation.
• You need to install OpenOffice.org without the system integration (file associations and menu shortcuts).
• You need to install OpenOffice.org on portable media (such as a USB disk). Roll our own Portable OpenOffice.org!
• You need to install multiple versions of OpenOffice.org in parallel. For example, you can install and simultaneously run versions 2 and 3.
• The standard installation method fails.
• You need to perform a network installation on a server.

If none of these apply to you, you may instead wish to use the standard installation.

Background

OpenOffice.org version 2 and later use a two-phased installation:

1. The Nullsoft Installer .exe unpacks several files to a temporary folder on the desktop. Then, it automatically starts the next step.
2. The Microsoft Windows Installer performs the actual installation.

A benefit of this system is that the Nullsoft Installer allows a much smaller download while the Windows Installer is Windows' native and preferred installation system (especially nice for installing through Group Policy and Active Directory).

OpenOffice.org installs simply without significant registry changes or placing files outside of its Program Files directory: this makes the OpenOffice.org application easy to relocate to different folders—even on different computers.

Procedure: Method 1

To perform the alternative installation using only one computer, follow these steps to perform what is called a "Network Installation." Don't worry about the "Network" name if you do not use a network. The end result will be a "portable" installation with any system registration (file associations, shortcuts, etc.). Here's how:

1. Download OpenOffice.org. Depending on the version, language, and JRE option, the file will have a name like OOo_3.0.1_Win32Intel_install_en-US.exe.
2. Run the downloaded file.
3. Click Next
   
   and then Unpack.
   
4. Click Cancel
   
   then Yes
   
   then Finish.
   
5. On your desktop, open the newly-created folder which has a name like OpenOffice.org 3.0 (en-US) Installation Files (which varies depending on the OpenOffice.org version).
6. While viewing the folder, click Tools > Folder Options.
7. Click the View tab.
8. Uncheck Hide extensions for known file types. (If it was already unchecked, leave it unchecked.)
   
9. If you are prompted to apply settings to all folders, click No
   
10. Click OK to close Folder Options.
11. Click the File > New > Text Document.
12. Name the new file install.bat. Windows may warns you: "If you change a file name extension, the file may become unusable. Are you sure you want to change it?" Click Yes to accept the warning.
    
13. Right click on install.bat and choose Edit.
14. Type the following in the file:msiexec.exe /A openofficeorg30.msi
    
    NOTE: The filename openofficeorg30.msi may change slightly depending on your OpenOffice.org version. Use the name of whichever filename you actually have. In case Windows is hiding filename extensions, look for the one file with type Windows Installer Package.
15. Save the file and close Notepad.
16. Run the batch file (by double clicking on it).
17. Follow the instructions in the installation program. If necessary, adjust the installation path. Whichever installation path you choose, add something like OOo to the end of it. For example, instead of just C:\, use c:\OOo to keep all the files organized.
    
    

Now OpenOffice.org is installed. There are no file associations or menu shortcuts, so you must start the application directly. If you installed it in (for example) C:\OOo, then run C:\OOo\Program\SOffice.exe. Then, there are two ways to open existing documents.

• Click File > Open, or
• Drag the file and drop it on the blank OpenOffice.org window.

Procedure: Method 2

If you have local admin privileges on computer X but not computer Y, you can use this procedure.

1. Install OpenOffice.org normally on computer X.
2. Copy the OpenOffice.org installation folder (typically something like C:\Program Files\OpenOffice.org 3.0) from computer X to computer Y.

Procedure: Uninstall

To uninstall methods 1 or 2, simply delete the folder with the application.

Procedure: Method 3

Download and use Portable OpenOffice.org.

Network Installation

Did you actually want to do a network installation (also called an administrative installation)?

1. Follow Method 1 (above) to install OpenOffice.org centrally on a server.
2. On each desktop, run the openofficeorg30.msi created in the installation target directory. This step installs the program files locally, registers file associations, creates shortcuts, etc.

Procedure: Silent Installation

A silent installation installs OpenOffice.org without user interaction, so it can run unattended from a batch file.

1. Start with the same procedure as method 1 until the point of creating the batch file.
2. Instead, make the following the contents of the batch file: msiexec.exe /qb /norestart /i openofficeorg30.msi
3. Run the batch file

Applies to

• OpenOffice.org 3
  For OpenOffice.org 2 see, "Secrets of alternative installation on Windows")
• Microsoft Windows XP (and probably Vista but not tested)