Mac App Store apps install twice!

[Strannik]

Hi, I wonder if anyone experienced this issue - as soon as Mac is enrolled into Jamf, App Store apps (like GarageBand, iMovie, Pages, Numbers and Keynote) would install successfully, as expected. But after first recon some or all those apps would reinstall second time. The same version of app is downloaded and reinstalled again! Pulling extra 4+GBs of network traffic. It interferes with other installation policies and slows down deployment, especially on laptops with WiFi connection. Is it a bug or there is something I can do to fix the problem?
To me it looks like Jamf is unaware that apps have been installed and pushing them again.
Jamf 10.12, but I've seen the issue on 10.11 as well. Macs have 10.14.4 or 10.14.5.
Please advise...

[fsjjeff]

I'm having the exact same problem, posted about it yesterday at https://www.jamf.com/jamf-nation/discussions/31993/vpp-apps-installing-multiple-times-on-macos-10-14-4

So far no responses or solutions :(.

[Strannik]

Thanks for confirmation fsjjeff! You are right, after looking through install log I noticed apps reinstall not just twice, but multiple times, possibly triggered by other installation policies. I've opened a support case.

[fsjjeff]

I think it seems to stop if I do a recon after they install... Need to do more testing to verify this is the case, but if so it seems the VPP push mechanism and the occasional Jamf recon just aren't well suited to each other.

[fsjjeff]

Just wondering if you've learned anything from Apple? I'm still struggling with this :(.

[aaron_a]

We're also seeing this: any app from the app store that we purchase through VPP and configure for automated install gets installed at least two times. Anyone know anything new?

[pauljohnston]

Having the same issue

[tomhastings]

What does the inventory look like before the second copy installs?
Does Jamf report that the machine has the app?
Have you tried scoping the app to a smart group that looks for machines that do not have it installed?
Since Mac App Store apps don't include an update inventory payload after install, you may want to reduce the check in interval as part of the testing process.

In the past, I had a couple of iOS apps that did the duplicate install. Source of the problem was a corrupt database where the App had two different IDs.

[pauljohnston]

I had the check in frequency set to 5 mins - might be related to that, so I've changed it to less frequent. Thanks for the pointer!

Otherwise, Inventory is as follows before the second install: - Management -> Mac App Store Apps -> All apps listed correctly in scope - Management -> Management Commands -> InstalledApplicationList is pending (guessing this is probably related)
- History - Mac App Store Apps -> was blank under all three categories (Installed Apps, Pending Apps, Failed Apps)

[tomhastings]

Check Inventory > Applications before the app installs a second time. Is the app listed?

[pauljohnston]

Ok, changing the check in frequency from 5mins to 30 mins seems to have solved the problem. Thanks for pointing me in the right direction Tom!

[fsjjeff]

Hmmm, I'm still seeing this issue even after switching to 10.14.5 and JAMF 10.13. My check in frequency has always been 30 minutes, but I just bumped it to 60 to see if that helps. I'd be very curious to know if this is JAMF or Apple.

[Strannik]

We have Check-In set at 15 minutes, but I think Check-In interval shouldn't matter. During check-in computer checks for available policies to run, but AppStore apps are not installed by policy. They pushed by MDM commands.
Anyhow it seems to go like that - as soon as user logs in to enrolled computer AppStore apps start to download and install. At the same time DEP Notify runs a series of policies installing other packages. Many of those policies trigger AppStore apps reinstall over and over again because Jamf hasn't learned that apps have already been successfully installed. I think that information goes back as InstalledApplicationList, not by using recon, and it takes some time to get through(APNS?).
Issuing recon command on a computer may trigger apps reinstall as well if Jamf think some apps are missing.
The problem is not critical and many don't notice it because at the end of provisioning everything works fine. It just takes longer and pulls more data from network.
I've seen some cases when AppStore apps have been reinstalled 3 or even 4 times in a rоw.
Support case didn't help to resolve the issue.

[roeland_de_wind]

Same here. I have nothing to add to this. Just want to bump the tread.

[pvdking]

We have the same problem. Every enrolled system installs app store apps twice. Seems to only be our Office 365 apps though.

[jimnorrisiv]

Just wanted to add my voice to this. Any time a device is provisioned all VPP apps seem to be pushed twice. Will look into reducing check in time but it seems like there should be a better solution for this.

[spidursam]

Howdy,

I am seeing this behavior too. Is there any fix? My behavior is a bit different though in that one VPP app store push installs fine, and works. The additional install happens, but clicking on it simply redirects to the app store. (a behavior I've seen when the app isn't properly associated with my VPP instance)

I do have two VPP entries for each of these apps, but one is for self service, the other is for automated deployment/push. They have both worked in the past on other machines.

I was hoping to us mac app store installs for a few core items, but it's starting to just seem like it isn't worth it. This is one of many seemingly random uncontrollable issues I am seeing. (another one was it creating stubs for the apps, but not actually installing them)