Custom install gone?

Is it possible to change the installation path with configuration.xml ?

I have a small SDD for Windows so I don't want to install Office on c:\program files

After much trial and error, I got it to work for me.

First I had to run the Office scrub vbs file (available from Fix It here: https://support.office.microsoft.com/en-us/article/Fix-Office-365-Office-2016-or-Office-2013-install-errors-54554bb8-aa94-43c7-a685-408dd9868c0b) to remove all traces of any Office installs on my computer (I'm running Win10x64 Pro & Ent).

Reboot

1. I opened the ISO from MSDN and extracted that to D:\Archive\Office2016\ which created subdirectories off of that of \Office\data

-- Note that if you don't have the iso yet, you can can ask setup to download the required files, just skip ahead to step 3 below---

2. rename D:\Archive\Office2016\setup.exe to whatever the heck you like.
3. I downloaded the Office 2016 Deployment Tool (http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=49117) and extracted the zip to D:\Archive\Office2016.  This will place setup.exe and configuration.xml into that directory (this is why we renamed setup.exe above).  I edited the XML file and put the following in it (deleting everything else that was in it):

<Configuration>

  <Add SourcePath="D:\Archive\Office2016" OfficeClientEdition="64" >

  <Product ID="proplusretail">

  <Language ID="en-us" />

  <ExcludeApp ID="Access" />

  <ExcludeApp ID="Publisher" />

  <ExcludeApp ID="Grove" />

  <ExcludeApp ID="Lync" />

  <ExcludeApp ID="skypeforbusiness" />

  </Product>

  </Add>

  <Logging Name="OfficeSetup.txt" Path="%temp%" />

</Configuration>

***NOTE that I wasn't sure about the naming convention for Skype for Business/Lync so I put them both in the config file - I still don't know which one is needed but the above config successfully did NOT install Skype for Business***

4. If you don't have the ISO then run the following:

D:\Archive\Office2016\setup.exe /download configuration.xml

that will create the sub directories and download the files necessary for your desired configuration

5. Now, whether this is from the ISO or the downloaded files, run:

D:\Archive\Office2016\setup.exe /configure configuration.xml

bingo, bango, bongo, you've got a customized install.

I found this

"

Optional.

The following is a list of the supported values for ID:

• Access
• Excel
• Groove
• InfoPath
• Lync
• OneNote
• Outlook
• PowerPoint
• Project
• Publisher
• SharePointDesigner
• Visio
• Word

The value “Groove” is used to exclude OneDrive for Business.

The value "Lync" also applies to Skype for Business."

Here: https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/jj219426

I'm going to see if the vla installer is any different on the vla.

From past experience ,some versions of office would behave differently depending upon the sku when it came to things like administrative installs.

I've got a couple of folks I've worked with in the past that are MVP's ,maybe they can kick this up stairs and see what's up.

Knowing MS,I can't say this would be completely out of character by complicating the install process beyond belief. 

So it's not known if this way to have a customized install would cause issues with installing Office updates or not?

I'm going to see if the vla installer is any different on the vla.

From past experience ,some versions of office would behave differently depending upon the sku when it came to things like administrative installs.

I've got a couple of folks I've worked with in the past that are MVP's ,maybe they can kick this up stairs and see what's up.

Knowing MS,I can't say this would be completely out of character by complicating the install process beyond belief.

"...do you HAVE to extract it to the  D:\Archive\Office2016\ path"

NO!  I just showed the full path I was using because other instructions out there (ie @ the askvg site) show a path with \office\ at the end and that will only work if you use the /download option.  Also, I should have noted that my configuration.xml file specifies the Office Professional Plus version (<Product ID="proplusretail">)  That will have to be changed depending upon the version you wish to install (eg: ="professionalretail" for the regular Pro version).

If you've got the source files already, you can open up .\data\c2rfireflydata.xml and inside there you'll find all of the possible product id names (I have no idea if they will all successfully install using this method).

Glad this helped you.

It worked! I only have the needed apps now. Thank you guys for your help!

One last question, will there be any problems regarding installing Office updates from Windows Update in the future since I've changed the path where the Office installation files are? I recall reading a post from someone that stated that this could be a potential issue, I can't find the link anymore though.