DEPLOYMENT OF WIN32 APPS USING MICROSOFT INTUNE

This one is coming up straight from Microsoft Intune end where you will be able to see the magic if you are having the .exe files which you can't make it as a .msi package 📦 but yes you can deploy the same using .exe file and converting it into .intunewin file. Earlier in my previous articles I have showcased you how to deploy Applications directly with the help of .MSI 📦 package for windows 10 and also in addition I explained for deploying the Apps in 📱 Mobile as well using Company Portal or Silent Installation.

Here in this article once again I will be covering this time with Win32 Apps by wrapping the .exe files into .INTUNEWIN files and then deploying the same using Microsoft Intune. Here you will find two apps being deployed which is wrapped first - WinSCP & FileZilla

For most of times people usually spend time in wrapping up their applications using multiple tools or publishing it with different MDM solutions where they fought with their own computer like this and couldn't able to help themselves. To get relieved from all these things one must look upon the Tool which usually comes up with easy steps provided by Microsoft for wrapping up the Apps into .INTUNEWIN file.

To achieve the wrapping up applications from .exe file to .intunewin file and deploying it to Microsoft Intune we have to do some steps which are as follow:

STEP 1: Preparation of files where Intune App Utility converter tool will be stored with specific app source files (WinSCP or FileZilla)

STEP 2: Creation of INTUNEWIN file.

STEP 3: Publishing the same apps in the Intune Portal using win32 option.

STEP 4: Looking out for the Results from Client Machines.

Before proceeding with our testing environment let me draw your attention on to the Pre-requisites for Windows Client Machines:

• Windows 10 - It must be build 1607 or higher (Education, Pro & Enterprise)
• The Windows 10 Machines must be joined as a Hybrid or Azure AD domain joined.
• The application must not exceed 8GB in size (including source files)
• Windows 10 must be under MDM management with Microsoft Intune

PREPARATION OF FILES IN WINDOWS 10 DEVICE

So let me tell you one thing, before jumping into Microsoft Intune Portal to publish the App we need to first convert the .exe file by creating some files for source code. Here in my case I am going to test with WinSCP and FileZilla Software which is in .exe format.

Created three Folders in C:\ Drive within Windows 10 Device

I have created three folders naming:

• C:\WinSCP : This folder is keeping all the source files that helps in converting the WinSCP setup (WinSCP-5.15.3-Setup)
• C:\TestIntuneApps : This folder will be for the output of wrapped file or so called the .Intunewin file
• C:\IntuneWindowsDramaApps : This folder will keep the Tool Setup termed as content prep tool which we can download it as given from my link.

So here is the Microsoft Win32 Content Prep Tool available to download from this path. Go to this Github to download the same as given below screenshot:

Github to get the setup of Microsoft Intune Win32 Content Prep Tool

You can directly get this tool, search it using Google or you can get it from here and the above folders can be named as per your way as well. If you notice there are three more folders created for FileZilla App to get it wrapped with the same tool and kept in some other Folder naming MyIntuneApps.

Once you get the Microsoft Win32 Content Prep Tool from Github or directly from website then keep the setup file in the preparation folder like the one which I created within my Windows Client Machine named as "IntuneWindowsDramaApps"

CREATION OF INTUNEWIN FILE

For creating the intunewin file of WinSCP or FileZilla firstly keep all the source files as per the preparation of folders in your Windows Client Machines. Here I have created C:\WinSCP and C:\Filezilla to store the WinSCP Setup and FileZilla Setup respectively. After doing all these you can now open the CMD or PowerShell to run the commands for creating the intunewin file like given below:

PowerShell to open the source file for running IntuneWinAppUtil.exe File

Here I am running the Windows PowerShell to run the cmdlets for content prep tool to create the .intunewin file for WinSCP Setup file. Once you go to the source file it will ask some information such as:

Specify Source Folder: C:\WinSCP

Specify Setup File: WinSCP-5.15.3-Setup.exe

Specify Output Folder: C:\TestIntuneApps

Once you run these commands then you will get the .intunewin file based on the specified folder which you mention while mentioning during PowerShell Cmdlets like this given below:

WinSCP file got created in .intunewin file within TestIntuneApps Folder

PUBLISHING THE FILE USING WIN32 INTUNE PORTAL

Now let's get started with the Intune Portal where we need to publish this file using Win32 App option. Open up the Azure Portal and go to Intune Dashboard where you will find the Client Apps and to add the Apps which you want to publish you must navigate it by this way as given below:

Publishing the Apps using Add button from Client Apps in Azure Portal

If you can see I have already chosen the Add option there and created an application called WinSCP app where I can take you how to publish this app and navigate the same. For Demo purpose right now WinSCP taken and created the App. So I will guide you by showing from the Properties of this given app:

App Package file to choose the WinSCP .intunewin File created from Content Prep Tool

If you can notice "WinSCP-5.15.3-Setup.intunewin" file has been selected from the particular folder & it's going to be deployed. The next tab will be the App Information where you will provide the information of this app.

App Information providing all the details of the WinSCP in Intune Portal

Logo must required to publish the App added in Intune Portal via Clients App

After adding the logo and information provided to App lets move to the Program configuration where you need to provide the install & uninstall commands path as given below. For Demo purpose I have taken WinSCP install and uninstall commands.

Install Commands : WinSCP-5.15.3-Setup.exe /S

Uninstall Commands: C:\Program Files\Setup for WinSCP 5.15.3 (SFTP, FTP, WebDAV and SCP client)\uninstall.exe

NOTE: /S is only added here for the silent installation or uninstallation of the respective app

WinSCP Program specification for install and uninstall commands inputs provided

Now coming back to Requirements Tab, you can provide based on minimum OS and architecture of OS input as shown below:

Specification of the requirements that device must meet before app is installed using Intune Portal

Detection rule to be created which indicates the presence of app

Here I have chosen the Rule type as file because I am creating this as a manual configuration and I have to provide the Path of File, File or folder name etc as given below:

Creation of rule that indicates the presence of app from Intune Portal

Return Codes to indicate post-installation behavior from Intune Portal

Application of WinSCP deployment started from Intune Portal

Once you are done with all the settings from the App creation perspective and after publishing the same you need to now assign to a respective group from Assignments Tab. Here I have chosen the group as Win32AppGroup and it will be assigned based on the Available Enrollment Devices. You can even go for other options like Enrolled Devices, or Required or Unenrolled Devices.

Group Assignment for WinSCP app

TEST OUTCOMES FROM WINDOWS CLIENT MACHINES

It's time to test the outcome from the Enrolled Windows Device so you know very well about the steps how to make the device as Enrolled one by joining the device with Azure AD Domain Join using your licensed Azure AD User or a Hybrid AD User. I will directly take you to the results page as this is a simple step to make your device an enrolled one.

Company Portal Featuring three deployed Apps in Windows 10 Device

NOTE: If you have chosen for this option "Available for Enrolled Devices" then you must have a company portal App installed in your Windows 10 Devices

App Details for WinSCP App from Company Portal

Downloading the WinSCP App from Company Portal in Windows 10 Devices

Once It get downloaded and installed in the Windows client machine then it will display the app in start panel and you can utilise the Application.

WinSCP & FileZilla App available in Start Panel as Installed from Company Portal

WinSCP App running smoothly in Windows Devices Deployed from Microsoft Intune (.exe file to .intunewin file)

"That's the way we can work on .exe files and deploy easily from Microsoft Intune"