How do you install existing Windows Store apps to machines?

[rustychuck]

Hi

 

We have an enterprise at a university and I am currently building a Windows 8.1 image for use in our collaboration lab. On this build I would like to install some existing Windows Store apps but so far I cannot find how to do this. I have read many articles on Sideloading, which appears to be more for companies who write their own Windows 8 apps and want to distribute them, or DeepLinking which effectively creates a link to the Windows Store for each user to then have to download the app for each machine they log on to. Neither of these are what we would like. I would like to install the apps on each machine so that each user can log on and use the app - not have to download an app when they want to use it. Can this be done? I have found an article which explains to use Fiddler which captures the original location of the Windows Store app and then to SideLoad the app, but I can't see that this is either legal or within the licensing requirements or the apps/Windows Store.

 

Thanks

[anyweb]

windows Store apps (from the store) must be sideloaded.

 

if you are creating your own windows 8 apps then have you seen this post ?

 

http://www.windows-noob.com/forums/index.php?/topic/9430-how-can-i-create-windows-81-applications-and-then-deploy-them-with-system-center-2012-r2-configuration-manager/

[Config Mangler]

We were told by MS that Sideloading was to be deprecated under Win 8.1u1.

 

You now import the apps into SCCM from a Store connected machine with that app installed, or as above import your own APP-X

[rustychuck]

Thanks for your replies. From everything I've read importing the apps in SCCM from a Store connected machine with the app installed is called DeepLinking. This just puts a link on the Start Screen which points to the Windows Store and this isn't appropriate for an education establishment where lots of students will be logging on to a computer. Sideloading the apps is what I'd prefer to do but I need to obtain the appx files for all the apps I'd like to install - where do I find these? As I am finding, if I use Fiddler to interrogate the Windows Store App location then the dependencies aren't always downloaded with the appx file.

[Edenost]

I have the exact same issue. At the present time, there doesn't seem to be a way to do it except for side loading, which as you say, requires the appx and any linked files. The best thing is possibly contact the publisher for the files (long shot lol) or you'll just have to wait until MS realise they need to do something more like chrome does with gpo and chrome apps

[Config Mangler]

@Rusty

 

You use Applocker to whitelist store apps. Unlike the rest of this stuff it's fairly well documented and works!

 

Like you I looked at getting hold of App-x installers for Twitter, Kindle etc. but there were no obvious downloads so really I think you have to link to the store.

[rustychuck]

Thanks both for your responses. Unfortunately, each user who is taken to the App Store requires a Microsoft account and then they also need to input payment information even if the app is free. So I'm afraid this isn't an option for a multi-user environment, especially for students. I have read about an enterprise app store which may get around the problem but I've not read up on that yet. I will have a look at AppLocker though so thanks for the tip. I can't believe that Microsoft haven't provided a better method for providing modern apps to multi-users on many computers.