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Thread ID: 132171 2013-05-09 09:26:00 Deployment of skype and bulk creation of accounts? DaveBritton (7395) Press F1
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1340384 2013-05-09 09:26:00 Hi All,

We have a number of users who used MSN/WL Messenger. It has now stopped working for all users due to the MSN to skype switch. I have tested it and for some reason some accounts don't work with skype, and most users don't have the skype client installed anyway.

Part 1:
I would like to deploy skype via group policy en masse, but I can't seem to find an MSI package anywhere. Does anyone know where I can find one?

Part 2:
As some of the accounts don't work (and they weren't organised anyway) I would like to just create a new account for each user to use. I can't seem to find any information on mass/bulk account creation. Does anyone know how I can go about this other than registering each user individually? I am aware there is a 5 account creation per day limit on live accounts.

We are mainly a windows 7 environment, there are a few vista and XP machines still in use, but we have windows 7 replacements waiting to swap out for the XP machines anyway. Our domain controllers are Windows Server 2008 R2.

Any other tips on deployment of skype or alternative (preferably free) clients I can deploy are also welcome.

Thanks,
Dave. 		DaveBritton (7395)
1340385 2013-05-09 11:04:00 After some more digging I may have answered my own question for part 2. Turns out there is a service called "skype manager" that allows you to manage and create business accounts. It allows you to import CSV files with the relevant fields to create accounts. DaveBritton (7395)
1340386 2013-05-09 11:59:00 Try this for deployment via group policy:
www.skype.com 		Chilling_Silence (9)
1340387 2013-05-09 14:42:00 Try this for deployment via group policy:
www.skype.com

I have already read through that document with no mention of where to obtain the MSI package.

When you go to download it from their website, it leads you to a page where there is no hint of a download link. 		DaveBritton (7395)
1340388 2013-05-09 22:11:00 IIRC you can extract it from the executable using something like WinRAR.

Alternatively, I seem to recall last time I did it I had to muck around and grab it from the %temp% folder during the actual installation, and copy it off somewhere else... Good luck! :D 		Chilling_Silence (9)
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