More Adobe CS6 Mucky-Muck

[damienbarrett]

So I'm building our new 10.8.3 image with Adobe CS 6 and have discovered that the only surefire way to get Adobe CS6 to install is to have it run as a separate install that runs as part of the Casper post-flight or post-imaging installation process. Trying to have CS 6 install as part of the normal imaging workflow fails miserably.

Normally, I'd just do this and be done: Each machine would be imaged and then reboot, then CS 6 would install, and be done with it. But I'm discovering that the CS 6 takes far too long to install. For instance: I'm imaging from a local drive while booted from an SSD drive via Thunderbolt. My BaseOS + iLife11 + everything else images in about 5 minutes. Upon restart, the post-imaging script fires off and the CS 6 installer starts. The CS 6 installer alone takes almost 25 minutes to compete. This is totally unacceptable and has taken my imaging time per machine from about 6-7 minutes to 30+ minutes.

So the $25,000 question: How do I ameliorate this issue? Surely there must be a way to install CS 6 as part of the imaging process and not as part of a post-imaging script. I've been installing CS 5 the former way for years, and in fact during testing, if I swap my CS6.pkg for my CS5.pkg, the entire imaging process is about 7 minutes.

Is the problem that I built the CS6.pkg with AAMEE 3.1? Is is related instead to the fact that it's a post-imaging script that installs it?

Will compiling this imaging workflow help the problem (I don't think so since how can a post-imaging script that installs CS6 be part of a compiled image?)

[donmontalvo · Accepted solution]

It's possible (and supported by Adobe) to install CS6 in Trial Mode (using AAMEE packages of course), then drop the image on multiple Macs and serialize (serialization package or APTEE). IOW, you can create an alternate Baseimage that includes CS6.(*)

<Rant>

Since Adobe embraced an "It's mo' cheapa' to share one code set across platforms" strategy, they are able to hire less-than-capable installer developers (less $$$ out of Adobe's coffers) who churn out cr@ppy installers (you know, the kind that won't run without a user being logged on), while some lucky Adobe executive walks home with a nice bonus, and bozos like us (continue to) subsidize their development. :(

Wait...did you know "Adobe Creative Cloud is the future"? :):):)

(tongue in cheek)

</Rant>

(*)Well, that kind of destroys any Thin Imaging workflow...but amazing things can be done with duct tape...

(tongue in cheek)

Don

[GabeShack]

Creative Cloud, its all about Creative Cloud.
Have you heard about Creative Cloud?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F2anU4t67wI
Creative Cloud is the future of Adobe, lol.

[SeanA]

Damien,
If you have not already seen it, take a look at https://jamfnation.jamfsoftware.com/discussion.html?id=6907

Personally, my success rate with Adobe CS6 installers improved once it was wrapped in a disk image (dmg). Check out https://jamfnation.jamfsoftware.com/viewProductFile.html?id=3&fid=547

[bentoms]

Damien,

That sound's about right for the timing I'm afraid.

[damienbarrett]

Ugh, what a pain in the arse. Looks like I'm going to have to roll CS 6 into my BaseOS image to get the results I want (fast imaging time, under 10 minutes via Thunderbolt). Thanks Adobe!

Thanks Don, for the answer.

[spalmer]

Actually, as of AAMEE 3.1 you no longer need to install in trial mode when putting it on an image. AAMEE 3.1 removes the machine-to-license dependency while remaining serialized post imaging. See the following article or more info:

http://blogs.adobe.com/oobe/2012/09/aamee-3-1or-why-puffer-fish-is-a-delicacy.html

[donmontalvo]

@spalmer I stand corrected, good catch!

[jrtilson]

Does this mean that no serialization/file policy is required if you install the package created by AAMEE 3.1 as part of the base image, as described http://www.jamfsoftware.com/sites/default/files/Administering-Adobe-Creative-Suite-6-with-the-Casper...? If deployed via a policy do we still need the serialization file/policy?