SCCM SPOTIFY Installed Computers

[Murat Demirkiran]

Hi All,

I have a question for software metering or asset intelligence to determine which computer has Spotify installed. As I have checked it seems under "C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\SpotifyAB.SpotifyMusic_1.89.313.0_x86__zpdnekdrzrea0" and no one has read permission about that folder. What should be the way to inspect spotify.exe?

Thanks in advance. 

[GarthMJ]

Have you looked at the built-in reports for this info? 

[Murat Demirkiran]

Hi Garth,

Yes i have checked. It does not show any information reports about spotify also  i have added software metering. 

Windows can not read exe files under c:\program Files\WindowsApp. I think therefore can not collect any information about that. 

Also I had checked Jeff solution below link. It does not show any information

https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/e2f18af9-7217-46f6-af74-aeddb467b3b7/reporting-on-installations-of-spotify?forum=configmanagergeneral

I would be appreciated for any suggestions. 

 

Thanks

Edited October 2, 2018 by Murat Demirkiran
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[GarthMJ]

Did you create a SWM rule for spotify? When did you create this rule? Is the Software listed in Installed Programs in resource explorer? Is the SW installed under the user content? if it is installed under the user context then you will need a 3rd party tool to collected this information with SCCM. 

[itguru1982]

Spotify and Google Earth and I'm sure many others are a real pain in the backside as they "hide" in users appdata - also means the users can install without admin rights which is a nightmare for IT guys.

The way I get around it is to use the Software Inventory Client Settings, then add spotify.exe (or any other prog.exe) to the inventory collection. Then once the inventories come flying into the SCCM database, query that data then create SSRS, Power BI or collections based on it.

This is the query I use for the Spotify installations:

SELECT DISTINCT
     COMP.UserName0 AS [User],
     COMP.Manufacturer0 AS [Make],
     COMP.Model0 AS [Model],
     COMP.Name0 AS [Computer],
     SYS.SystemType0 AS [Architecture],
     SWI.ModifiedDate AS [Install Date],
     SWF.FileName AS [Filename],
     SWF.FileDescription AS [Product],
     SWF.FileVersion AS [Version]
FROM v_GS_SYSTEM SYS
     INNER JOIN SoftwareInventory SWI
          on SYS.ResourceID = SWI.ClientId
     INNER JOIN SoftwareFile SWF
          on SWF.ProductId = SWI.ProductId
     INNER JOIN v_GS_COMPUTER_SYSTEM COMP
	  on SYS.ResourceID = COMP.ResourceID
     WHERE SWF.FileName = 'spotify.exe'

I put these into Power BI and then add scheduled reports to my business managers that want such information - all automated and delivered by email and I look like a decent employee for a few minutes!

I've written a full guide on all of this here if you want to take a look.

[GarthMJ]

I see that you posted this everywhere. 

To be honest with you, I would not recommend using SW inventory to do this. Particularly without defining a path for the exe. 

Here are several blog on the topic. 

https://www.enhansoft.com/sccm-software-inventory/

https://www.enhansoft.com/how-do-you-determine-the-length-of-a-software-inventory-scan-cycle/

https://www.enhansoft.com/slow-software-inventory-cycle-in-sccm-2012/

 

Just be aware that even if you are scanning just two files. Like I show in this blog. https://www.enhansoft.com/how-do-you-determine-the-length-of-a-software-inventory-scan-cycle/ it can take about an hour or longer to complete.

Heck in this blog it took over 4 hours https://www.enhansoft.com/slow-software-inventory-cycle-in-sccm-2012/ SW inventory now is a low priority process and can take days to complete as just about everythign preempt it. While SW inv is running it will BLOCK both Hardware Inventory and Heartbeat discovery from running. 

Honestly if you goal is to uninstall this SW, then I would use a CI to do this as it will happen a lot faster than SW inventory. You can even use the remediation part of a CI to uninstall the SW. You can even use Appblocker to prevent the software for installing/running in the first place too.