It turned out that there were some permission issue for when Jamf ran the preinstall script. It's not entirely clear what where the fault was, but according to the error code in PDApp.log and the Adobe support, the installer didn't have the sufficient permissions in the folder where the pkg was unpacked:
11/18/19 16:10:58:601 | [FATAL] | | ASU | DeploymentManager | DeploymentManager | | | 366388 | The Bootstrapper Process return code is (41).Stopping the installation process.
So, my solution was to put the .pkg in a .dmg image and upload with Jamf Admin, add the .dmg to the policy as a cached file and then run a script that mounts the .dmg and runs the package installer. I used the following script created by Nick Amundsen and edited by my colleague @marcusbjerknes to run with Jamf v9.8+:
#!/bin/sh
####################################################################################################
#
# Copyright (c) 2011, JAMF Software, LLC. All rights reserved.
#
# Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
# modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are met:
# * Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright
# notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
# * Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright
# notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in the
# documentation and/or other materials provided with the distribution.
# * Neither the name of the JAMF Software, LLC nor the
# names of its contributors may be used to endorse or promote products
# derived from this software without specific prior written permission.
#
# THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY JAMF SOFTWARE, LLC "AS IS" AND ANY
# EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED
# WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE
# DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL JAMF SOFTWARE, LLC BE LIABLE FOR ANY
# DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES
# (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES;
# LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND
# ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT
# (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS
# SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
#
#####################################################################################################
#
# SUPPORT FOR THIS PROGRAM
#
# This program is distributed "as is" by JAMF Software, LLC's Resource Kit team. For more
# information or support for the Resource Kit, please utilize the following resources:
#
# http://list.jamfsoftware.com/mailman/listinfo/resourcekit
#
# http://www.jamfsoftware.com/support/resource-kit
#
# Please reference our SLA for information regarding support of this application:
#
# http://www.jamfsoftware.com/support/resource-kit-sla
#
#####################################################################################################
#
# ABOUT THIS PROGRAM
#
# NAME
# installPKGfromDMG.sh -- Install a PKG wrapped inside a DMG
#
# SYNOPSIS
# sudo installPKGfromDMG.sh
#
# DESCRIPTION
# This script will mount a DMG and install a PKG file wrapped inside. The script assumes that
# the DMG has been previously cached to the machine to:
#
# /Library/Application Support/JAMF/Waiting Room/
#
# This is the default location that a package will be cached to when selecting the "Cache"
# option within a policy or Casper Remote.
#
# To use this script, please follow the following workflow:
#
# Step 1: Wrap a PKG inside a DMG
# 1. Open Disk Utility.
# 2. Navigate to File > New > Disk Image from Folder.
# 3. Select the PKG and click the Image button.
# 4. Name the package after the original PKG.
# 5. Choose a location for the package and then click Save.
#
# Step 2: Upload the DMG and installPKGfromDMG.sh script to Casper Admin:
# 1. Open Casper Admin and authenticate.
# 2. Drag the DMG you created in the previous procedure to the Package pane in Casper Admin.
# 3. Drag the installPKGfromDMG.sh script to the Package pane in Casper Admin.
# 4. Save your changes and quit the application.
#
# Step 3: Create a policy to install the DMG:
# 1. Log in to the JSS with a web browser.
# 2. Click the Management tab.
# 3. Click the Policies link.
# 4. Click the Create Policy button.
# 5. Select the Create policy manually option and click Continue.
# 6. Configure the options on the General and Scope panes as needed.
# 7. Click the Packages button, and then click the Add Package link.
# 8. Across from DMG, choose “Cache” from the Action pop-up menu and then click the
# "Add Packages" button.
# 9. Click the Scripts button, and then click the Add Script link.
# 10. Across from the installPKGfromDMG.sh script, choose “Run After” from the Action pop-up menu.
# 11. Enter the name of the original PKG in the Parameter 4 field.
# Note: You must enter the exact name of the PKG in the Parameter 4 field. If you need
# to verify the name of the PKG, you can mount the DMG that it is wrapped inside.
# 12. Click Save.
#
####################################################################################################
#
# HISTORY
#
# Version: 1.0b
#
# - Originally Created by Nick Amundsen on July 22, 2011
#
# - Edited by Marcus Bjerknes (marcus.bjerknes@kau.se) on March 16, 2016
#
# Changes: Line 201 - changed the path to jamf executable to correspond with Jamf version 9.8 or later.
#
#
#
####################################################################################################
#
# DEFINE VARIABLES & READ IN PARAMETERS
#
#####################################################################################################
#
# HARDCODED VALUES SET HERE
#
# Variables set by Casper - To manually override, remove the comment for the given variable
# targetDrive="" # Casper will pass this parameter as "Target Drive" if left commented out
# computerName="" # Casper will pass this parameter as "Computer Name" if left commented out
# userName="" # Casper will pass this parameter as "User Name" if left commented out. Usernames
# can only be passed if the script is triggered at login, logout, or by Self Service
# Variables used for logging
logFile="/private/var/log/installPKGfromDMG.log"
# Variables used by this script.
dmgName=""
# CHECK TO SEE IF A VALUE WERE PASSED IN FOR PARAMETERS AND ASSIGN THEM
if [ "$1" != "" ] && [ "$targetDrive" == "" ]; then
targetDrive="$1"
fi
if [ "$2" != "" ] && [ "$computerName" == "" ]; then
computerName="$2"
fi
if [ "$3" != "" ] && [ "$userName" == "" ]; then
userName="$3"
fi
if [ "$4" != "" ] && [ "$dmgName" == "" ]; then
dmgName="$4"
fi
####################################################################################################
#
# LOGGING FUNCTION
#
####################################################################################################
log () {
echo $1
echo $(date "+%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S: ") $1 >> $logFile
}
####################################################################################################
#
# VARIABLE VERIFICATION FUNCTION
#
####################################################################################################
verifyVariable () {
eval variableValue=$$1
if [ "$variableValue" != "" ]; then
echo "Variable "$1" value is set to: $variableValue"
else
echo "Variable "$1" is blank. Please assign a value to the variable."
exit 1
fi
}
####################################################################################################
#
# SCRIPT CONTENTS - DO NOT MODIFY BELOW THIS LINE
#
####################################################################################################
# Verify Variables
verifyVariable dmgName
# Mount the DMG
log "Mounting the DMG $dmgName..."
mountResult=`/usr/bin/hdiutil attach -noautoopen -noverify -nobrowse /Library/Application Support/JAMF/Waiting Room/$dmgName`
mountVolume=`echo "$mountResult" | grep Volumes | awk '{print $3}'`
mountDevice=`echo "$mountResult" | grep disk | head -1 | awk '{print $1}'`
if [ $? == 0 ]; then
log "DMG mounted successfully as volume $mountVolume on device $mountDevice."
else
log "There was an error mounting the DMG. Exit Code: $?"
fi
# Find the PKG in the DMG
packageName=`ls $mountVolume | grep "pkg"`
log "Found pkg: $packageName"
# Install the PKG wrapped inside the DMG
log "Installing Package $packageName from mount path $mountVolume..."
/usr/local/bin/jamf install -path $mountVolume -package $packageName
if [ $? == 0 ]; then
log "Package successfully installed."
else
log "There was an error installing the package. Exit Code: $?"
fi
# Unmount the DMG
echo "Unmounting disk $mountDevice..."
hdiutil detach "$mountDevice" -force
# Delete the DMG
/bin/rm /Library/Application Support/JAMF/Waiting Room/$dmgName
