How to prevent Intune deployment of Windows LOB apps from rebooting computers during business hours

[Andrew Colombino]

I have several .msi apps I'm deploying through Intune as Windows LOB apps. When these apps have updates, I upload the new .msi files to the 'app package files' area of app properties.

The problem is, Intune seems to install these updates whenever it can, causing applications or PCs to force restart.

Is there a way to prevent the automatic restarts, or better yet, to schedule when the updates happen, so we can make sure they happen outside business hours?

Alternatively, I would like to update these .msi files in Intune via PowerShell, but I have been unable to find a way to manage these apps in PowerShell.

[#2]

Hi Andrew,

How do you know Intune is updating the app and forcing the reboot? I think when you install MSI using Intune it stays on the same version only if you upload newer MSI file.

I feel this could be coming from different policy like Windows Update Ring or something. Could give us an example of MSI app that got updated?

Thanks!
Moe

[#3]

@Moe_Kinani I am installing the Zoom client and the Zoom Outlook plugin. Both in .msi form. The .msi files I upload have a higher version number than the previous ones, so I assume that's telling Intune it needs to update them.

The last time I uploaded a new .msi for the Outlook plugin, not 5 minutes later my users started complaining that their Outlook had just restarted itself. (My own did as well.)

And the last time I uploaded a new .msi for the Zoom client itself, my computer (which is assigned to the app), restarted without warning.

We have our Windows Update rings configured to reboot during the maintenance window and not during business hours. And Windows Update usually warns that it's about to reboot. In this case, there is no warning.

[#4]

@Andrew Colombino 

Sorry about the misunderstanding!

In this case, you don’t have way to schedule the update via Intune. Have you tried /norestart switch in Program tab? I think this can do it for you.

Moe

[#5]

@Moe_Kinani No need to apologize. Thanks for helping figure this out.

The docs say not to use msiexec command arguments, and to use a Win32 app instead for that. I might need to give that a try.

[#6 · Accepted solution]

You have two real options:
- Use a /norestart switch for the MSI file
- Use win32 app and configure the return codes

I prefer the latter as Win32 are the real way to go

[#7]

https://www.petervanderwoude.nl/post/working-with-the-restart-behavior-of-win32-apps/

[#8]

@Thijs Lecomte Thanks, it sounds like Win32 apps are the way to go.

[#9]

Sharing this for future requests, grace period before restart must occur

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/intune/fundamentals/whats-new