Question : Best Way To Install Office 2003 Install Point into SBS 2003 Client Applications

I'm looking for some advice on making an administrative installation point for Office 2003 on SBS 2003.

SBS comes with client licenses to Outlook, and...Outlook 2k3 and Office SP1 is already setup under Client Applications.

How would you recommend creating an administrative installation point for Office 2003?

Should I delete/do I need to keep the office 2k3 sp1 folder?
-Office 2k3 SP2 is out.
-Was SP1 slipstreamed into the Outlook fold, and so the SP1 files are no longer need?

Should I delete the Outlook 2k3 folder as Outlook is included in every addition of Office 2k3?

or

Should I install each Office program into a seperate folder, (therefore keeping the Outlook 2k3 folder)?

The advantages of having seperate folders are that I can pick and choose what applications in office get installed on each client.

But, it becomes a pain in the butt to keep them updated as I have to apply updates to multiple folders instead of just one.

What do you guys think?

Answer : Best Way To Install Office 2003 Install Point into SBS 2003 Client Applications

You don't need separate folders to pick and choose what applications get installed on each client.  You SHOULD keep the Outlook 2k3 there, because if you remove it then you'd have to disable it from the Assigned Applications, which would then cause the autoconfiguration to not work.  Having it be redundant is not really a problem unless you install Office on a Workstation AFTER it's been joined to the SBS (Because SBS will install Outlook in C:\Program Files\Microsoft Outlook instead of C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\ which will cause it to be installed twice).

So, if you are installing Office before attaching to SBS, just leave Outlook as is.  If you are installing Office after attaching, install it without Outlook.

As for the Administrative Installation Point?  Take a look at this post on the WSUS Wiki which can help you determine which method is best for your situation.  In most all cases, you want to be able to patch with WSUS:  http://wsus.editme.com/OfficeAdministrativeInstalls

More info on SBS with WSUS:  http://sbsurl.com/wsus

Jeff
TechSoEasy