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Installing Software on Windows MultiPoint Server

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Hey guys!

One of the questions that we are frequently asked on the TechNet Forums is about installing programs on MultiPoint. As always, there are hardware considerations, but with WMS, some extra things need to be considered prior to installing software. Here are some tips to help with making sure programs run smoothly on your MultiPoint system:

Will any program work on MultiPoint?

Unfortunately, not every program out there runs on MultiPoint Server. There are two major things to consider when trying to install software on your MultiPoint machine.

1. Will this program work with RDP? Each MultiPoint session is actually a Remote Desktop session. Because of this, software that does not work with traditional RDP sessions will not function properly, and do not install correctly on MultiPoint machines. For information about Remote Desktop compatability, you can check the official RDP compatability site at https://www.microsoft.com/rds/compatibility/Default.aspx

2. Can this program install on a 64-bit operating system? While 64 bit systems are becoming more and more popular, there are still programs that can only install on a 32-bit operating system. Since Windows MultiPoint Server is based on Windows Server 2008 R2, it is necessary for an application to be able to install on 64-bit. Some products, such as Microsoft Office, have two different versions for 32 and 64 bit environments. If this is the case with the program that you are trying to install, make sure that you select the correct one when purchasing or downloading. It is occasionally possible to install a 32-bit program on a 64 bit OS, so this is not necessarily a deal breaker when trying to install a program.

Okay, I have a program that works with RDP and 64 bit. What else should I know about?

Licensing! Just as MultiPoint has certain licensing procedures, a lot of programs must be properly licensed to run. With MultiPoint, this can sometimes require a volume license, or a particular "Volume" version of a product. Going back to our example of Microsoft Office: A volume copy is necessary to work on MultiPoint because it is licensed per user rather than per computer. For personal computers, this is normally one and the same, but with MultiPoint, there can be up to 20 users per computer, and that's where the volume license comes in. Your MultiPoint license or CALs do not replace other software licenses.

Alright, my application is all set - any final words of advice?

Please, please, please - install in maintenance mode! We've had people tell us before that their programs didn't run properly on their computer when it was just a matter of installing the program during a normal session. That's not to say that programs won't install if the computer is running normally - some will. But to be safe, it's better to run in maintenance mode before installing a new program or application.

If you have any questions about applications on MultiPoint, head to the TechNet forums!

-Livi

Information taken from Software Requirements on TechNet