Hi Mike...
We've faced the same problem and the same despotism. The problem is that Wildfire 5 (Creo Elements Pro/5) can be copied to the user's workstation and then run without a problem. But those two other applications (ProductView Express and PTC Thumbnail Viewer) must be actually "installed" (they make entries to the registry).
Our IT people understand that they'll have to make a service call to each user to install these applications. We have an agreement where they'll provide "5 minutes" of elevated privileges to our users to install these applications after which time the privileges are removed.
There are some automated IT tools that can perform installations remotely. These may also help. Some companies have simply chosen to remove the two problematic applications by removing the .msi files from the Creo directories. Without those files, you won't be prompted to install the applications each day.
Other than using a slick IT tool that allows remote installations using elevated privileges OR allowing the user to have temporary elevated privileges so he can install those apps himself, you're likely going to be stuck. If you imaged all your new workstations with the apps pre-installed, that would obviously work, too. But you're probably not trying to wipe each users workstation just to install an update to Creo.
Maybe someone else has a better answer... if so, I'd sure like to hear it because we've been stuck with this dilemma for quite awhile.
Thanks!
-Brian
Brian K. Martin
Sr. Mechanical/Application Engineer
SGT, Inc. under contract to
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
301.286.0059 (NASA Office)
443.421.2532 (Cell)
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