Office 2016 Volume Installer findings

[blackholemac]

See my reply to my own post below...I was interested in seeing the difference between the volume license build and the Office 365 build of MS Office 2016. Was referred to Rich's post. Had read it it and was insightful, but wanted to understand Microsoft's logic in creating this weird installer. I think I get it now and posted my findings below. Basically, I figured out how the com.microsoft.office.licensingV2.plist file is generated during installation in the GUI.

[tcandela]

I think it might be from my Office 2011 installation. I installed office 2011 but I'm guessing it left mau2.0

going to test again.

[donmontalvo]

@talkingmoose wrote:

Run the standalone VL Serializer (also coming in January) just for those installations where you copied a com.microsoft.office.LicenseV2.plist file from machine to machine. This will fix their license files (make them unique to each machine) before Microsoft fixes its bug that allowed you to copy it in the first place.

My apologies if I'm beating a dead horse. But is there any harm in including the VM Serializer on a policy hitting a computer that may not have a captured com.microsoft.office.LicenseV2.plist file?

I'll be in purgatory, and thus will take my answer offline.

TIA,
Don

[calumhunter]

the VL serialiser package on its own will not create the com.microsoft.office.licence plist

You must install the office suite installer package, or standalone application package first.
This sets up the licence helper files

Then you can use the VL serialiser package to create the V2 plist

If you haven't already, read through this blog
https://clburlison.com/demystify-office2016/

[donmontalvo]

@calumhunter got it, that was the missing piece of the puzzle (along with your below post from a few days ago). I haven't had time to keep up with Slack. So whether the V2 plist exists or not, no harm in running the VL serializer package. This makes policy creation/management much mo' simple. Danke very mucho!

the process is the same. currently the 15.17 serialiser does not remove/overwrite an existing v2.plist but then it doesn't have to yet because the apps still function correctly with a copied v2.plist MS will fix the serialiser to remove/overwrite the v2.plist before the apps fail to work with a copied v2.plist don't concern yourself too much with this. It will be fixed when it needs to be. The process will remain the same as mentioned above. If you wish to be super proactive, run a preflight script to remove the v2.plist before the vl serialiser package installs.

[rblaas]

Hi All,

Can anyone tell me why I should Install the VL_Serializer? I am running office 2016 now for a month with no problem (even got a few updates from the auto updater. )

Thanks

[powellbc]

If you are using the volume installer from this calendar year there is no need to use it. It was intended to fix the earlier installer which did not license the product correctly.

[rblaas]

@powellbc Many thanks for the reply :)