VediramDeployment Overview
Plan a Deck rollout: per-user vs per-machine, release rings, and choosing a delivery channel
This section is for IT administrators deploying Deck across more than one machine. If you only need to install Deck on a single PC, see Installation.
The installer
Deck is distributed as a single Windows Installer package:
- Filename:
VediramDeckSetup-<version>-x64.msi(e.g.VediramDeckSetup-1.8.0-x64.msi) - Architecture: x64 (also runs on ARM64 via emulation)
- Bundled runtime: the .NET 8 runtime is included; no prerequisite install is required
- Stable UpgradeCode:
F8A3B2C1-4D5E-6F78-9A0B-1C2D3E4F5A6B- constant across versions, so management tools can detect and upgrade any installed build
Download versioned artifacts from the release CDN:
https://downloads.vediram.com/releases/deck/<ring>/v<version>/VediramDeckSetup-<version>-x64.msi
where <ring> is stable or preview.
Per-user vs per-machine
This is the first decision, and it determines which delivery channels work.
| Per-user (default) | Per-machine (ALLUSERS=1) | |
|---|---|---|
| Elevation | None required | Administrator required |
| Install path | %LOCALAPPDATA%\Programs\Vediram\Deck | C:\Program Files\Vediram\Deck |
| Who gets it | The installing user only | Every user on the device |
| Best delivered in | User context (Intune user assignment, per-user GPO, logon script) | Device/SYSTEM context (Intune device assignment, ConfigMgr, computer GPO) |
Why context matters: the MSI is authored perUser. If you push the default (per-user) package in the SYSTEM/device context - as Intune device assignments and ConfigMgr do by default - it installs into the SYSTEM account's profile and no real user ever sees it. For device-context delivery, always pass ALLUSERS=1 so it installs per-machine. Reserve the default per-user mode for user-context delivery.
Deck's day-to-day work (writing HKCU LoadBehavior values, per-user profiles and database) is identical in both modes - only the binaries' location and who can launch it differ.
Release rings
Releases are published to two rings:
- stable - production releases (e.g.
v1.8.0). - preview - early builds tagged
vX.Y.Z-preview.Nfor pilot testing.
Pin production deployments to a specific stable version URL rather than a "latest" alias so a new release never rolls out to your fleet before you have validated it. Use preview only for a small pilot group.
Choosing a delivery channel
| Channel | Recommended mode | See |
|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Intune | Win32 app, device context, ALLUSERS=1 | Enterprise Deployment |
| Configuration Manager (SCCM) | Application, ALLUSERS=1 | Enterprise Deployment |
| Group Policy Software Installation | Assigned to computer, ALLUSERS=1 | Enterprise Deployment |
| PDQ Deploy / scripts | msiexec with ALLUSERS=1 | Silent & Command-Line Install |
| Logon script (per-user) | Default per-user | Silent & Command-Line Install |
Deployment sequence
- Deploy the MSI to a pilot group (this section).
- Deploy the ADMX templates and configure policy - see Group Policy Setup. Policy can be applied before or after the client install; Deck reads it at startup.
- Validate on the pilot, then widen the ring.