For IT administrators, the "silent install" of Promethean ActivInspire is less about a single magic switch and more about a strategic two-step journey: Extraction and Deployment. 1. The Extraction: Creating the MSI
Before you can run a silent command, you must extract the raw .msi files from the main executable. This is known as a Network Installation.
Launch Network Mode: Download the ActivInspire executable. Open a command prompt or the "Run" dialog and drag the file into it. Add a /a switch at the end of the path (e.g., ActivInspire_setup.exe /a).
Choose Components: The installer will prompt you for a "Network Install" location.
Output: This process generates individual MSI files for the main application, core resources, and help files (e.g., ActivInspire.msi, ActivInspireMainRes.msi). 2. The Silent Deployment: Commands
Once you have the .msi files, you can deploy them silently using standard Windows Installer switches via tools like Microsoft Intune or SCCM.
Main Application:msiexec.exe /i "ActivInspire.msi" /qn /norestart Board Drivers:msiexec.exe /i "bc016a.msi" /qn /norestart
Core Resources:msiexec.exe /i "ActivInspireMainRes.msi" /qn /norestart Key Deployment Tips ActivInspire Network Install Instructions for Windows
ActivInspire Silent Installation Report To perform a silent installation of ActivInspire, you must first extract the MSI files using the Network Install
option from the official installer. Standard EXE installers cannot be used directly for silent enterprise deployment. Promethean Support 1. Preparation: Extracting MSI Files Directly running the downloaded
file will not allow for a silent installation. You must create a server image first: Run the ActivInspire installer and select Network Install when prompted for the setup type. activinspire silent install
Choose the components to extract (e.g., ActivInspire, Core Resources, Help files). Specify a destination folder for each component. Each component must be in its own separate folder (e.g., C:\Deployment\ActivInspire C:\Deployment\Resources Once extracted, you will have the ActivInspire.msi file ready for command-line deployment. Promethean Support 2. Deployment Commands
Once you have the MSI files, use the following commands for a silent installation via Command Prompt or deployment tools like SCCM/MDT: EduGeek.net Main Application: msiexec.exe /i "ActivInspire.msi" /qn /norestart Core Resources: msiexec.exe /i "ActivInspireMainRes.msi" /qn /norestart Drivers (if required): msiexec.exe /i "bc016a.msi" /qn /norestart EduGeek.net Command Switches Breakdown: deploy activinspire via mdt | Promethean Direct Support
For a seamless ActivInspire silent install, the standard approach is to extract the individual MSI files first and then deploy them using common command-line switches like /qn. This is particularly useful for IT administrators managing Promethean Support software across a school network. 1. Extract the MSI Files
The official Promethean installer is often an executable (.exe) that wraps several components. You must extract these to get the raw MSI files needed for a truly silent deployment.
Run with the /a Switch: Open a command prompt, drag the installer into the window, and append /a to the end of the path.
Choose Network Install: When the installer launches in this mode, select Network Install.
Specify a Folder: Choose a destination folder. The installer will unpack three distinct MSI files: ActivInspire.msi (The main application) ActivInspireMainRes.msi (Base resources) ActivInspireHelp.msi (Help files) 2. Standard Silent Install Commands
Once you have the MSI files, you can use the Windows Installer service (msiexec.exe) to install them silently. Community members on EduGeek recommend the following scripts:
Main Application:msiexec.exe /i "ActivInspire.msi" /qn /norestart
Resource Pack:msiexec.exe /i "ActivInspireMainRes.msi" /qn /norestart 3. Advanced Configuration (Transforms & Licensing) For IT administrators, the "silent install" of Promethean
For a professional deployment, you may want to pre-configure licensing or company details.
Orca & MST Files: You can use a tool like Orca to create a transform (.mst) file. You can set properties like COMPANYNAME or ALLUSERS.
Professional Edition License: Licensing is often handled by an admin.ini file or a separate license file generated during the initial extraction process. 4. Deployment via Modern Tools
Microsoft Intune: To deploy via Intune, you must wrap each extracted MSI into an .intunewin file using the IntuneWinAppUtil tool. Create a separate Win32 app for each component (Application, Resources, and Help).
SCCM/MDT: Use the batch scripts mentioned above as the "Install Program" command in your task sequences.
Are you planning to deploy this via Intune or a local batch script so I can provide more specific syntax? AI responses may include mistakes. Learn more Promethean Activ Studio unattended install - EduGeek
Promethean has historically facilitated silent deployment by providing an MSI (Microsoft Installer) package within the standard executable installer. The MSI is the core component for silent deployment on Windows operating systems. To perform a silent install of ActivInspire, an administrator first extracts the MSI from the downloaded EXE file using a command like:
ActivInspire.exe /extract
Once extracted, the primary installation command, executed with elevated privileges, takes a standard form:
msiexec /i "ActivInspire.msi" /qn /norestart The Technical Anatomy of an ActivInspire Silent Install
In this command:
/i instructs msiexec to install the specified MSI./qn is the critical switch for "Quiet mode, no UI."/norestart suppresses any automatic reboot that might otherwise disrupt the user’s workflow.However, a basic silent install is often insufficient for a production environment. Administrators typically need to supply a license key and set default preferences. This is achieved through public properties passed on the command line or via an MST (Microsoft Transform) file. A more robust command might resemble:
msiexec /i "ActivInspire.msi" /qn ACTIV_LCK_KEY="XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX" INSTALLDIR="C:\Promethean"
This command silently installs the software, applies a valid license key, and changes the installation directory from the default. Advanced deployments may also use a transform file (/t file.mst) to configure default toolbars, resource locations, or disable automatic update prompts—essential for locked-down exam environments.
Open Command Prompt as Administrator and run:
msiexec /i "ActivInspire-2.x.xxxxx.msi" /qn /norestart
If you need to pre-configure licensing or preferences:
.ini or transform .mst) with your license key.msiexec /i "ActivInspire.msi" TRANSFORMS="license.mst" /qn
Check Promethean’s deployment guide for exact property names (e.g., LICENSE_KEY=XXXXX).
Find the ProductCode first (using wmic product get name, identifyingnumber or registry), then:
msiexec /x PRODUCT-CODE-GUID /qn /norestart
Or if the MSI is available:
msiexec /x "ActivInspire.msi" /qn /norestart