Looking for Alternatives to ServiceUI.exe for GUI Installers
Asked by
TechWizard99
Hey everyone! So, with the deprecation of MDT, I'm facing a bit of a challenge since ServiceUI.exe isn't officially supported anymore and is hard to get. I'm in need of a replacement that can escape session 0, grab an interactive elevated user token, and launch a GUI-based installer in the active user session. This is particularly important for legacy installers, like those from Oracle, which can't run unattended. I found PSADT to be a bit lacking since it can inject UI but doesn't handle session switching and elevation properly. Has anyone successfully implemented a viable alternative using PowerShell, C#, or something else? Thanks for your help!
Answers
We've actually handled a similar scenario using C#. Just be aware that it has the same security risks as ServiceUI.exe. Anyone else tried something like this or have better suggestions?
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Here's a PowerShell snippet that might help:
```powershell
$action = New-ScheduledTaskAction -Execute "C:PathToInstaller.exe"
$principal = New-ScheduledTaskPrincipal -GroupId "Administrators" -RunLevel Highest
Register-ScheduledTask -TaskName "InteractiveInstaller" -Action $action -Principal $principal
Start-ScheduledTask -TaskName "InteractiveInstaller"
```
Does this look like it could work for your needs? I'm still learning, so any feedback would be appreciated!
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This topic really piques my interest! I believe the latest PSADT version avoids the need for ServiceUI, so I'd love to know what alternatives others might suggest too.
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Actually, the newest version of PSADT does allow for elevation. I've tried using Start-ADTProcess without silent parameters, and it launched the executable interactively in System mode, allowing for a visual installation for the user.
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Questioner123: Quick question about that link you shared—does it run with system account privileges, or does it operate under the current user's privileges?