Deploying applications efficiently during the Autopilot process is crucial for streamlined device setup. This blog post explores best practices for using Pckgr applications with Autopilot and how Winget ties everything together.

SYSTEM Vs User Applications

When blocking applications via the Enrollment Status Page, we advise only adding applications that install with the SYSTEM account. In Intune, you can verify the install behavior for each application.

Most Pckgr applications are SYSTEM account compatible, and often there are SYSTEM alternative packages available like the Zoom Machine Install.

The Importance of Winget Pre-Install

The Winget Pre-Install step is vital in Autopilot. It ensures the installed version of Winget is compatible and can connect to the CDN, which is essential for older OS versions. When a current version of Winget is detected, the process smoothly transitions to application installation.

Addressing User Install Behavior Challenges

Installing the machine-wide version of Winget during Autopilot is straightforward but the AppData version, crucial for ‘User’ install behavior, presents challenges. We’ve introduced a prerequisite script to verify Winget’s presence in the AppData directory, thereby avoiding installation issues. This is applied to each application that requires User install behavior automatically.

Troubleshooting Tips

Encountering installation failures? Here are some strategies:

• Conduct targeted tests to identify the problematic application.
• Review the ‘Managed Apps’ section in Intune for failure reports, including the ‘Device without user’ category.
• Run Autopilot without restricting applications for real-time monitoring.
• Focus on essential applications only to minimize errors and speed up the build time.

Conclusion: Efficiently managing application installations during Autopilot requires a careful approach. By understanding the nuances between SYSTEM and user applications, leveraging the Winget Pre-Install process, and employing effective troubleshooting strategies, you can ensure a smoother setup experience