Foxit PDF Reader EXE shadow install fails on Windows, but MSI deploys successfullySolved

Hi @thomas_m,

For Foxit PDF Reader EXE deployments on Windows, there are two common areas to check: the silent install switches and the success criteria.

The standard Foxit PDF Reader EXE installer is typically Inno Setup-based. In that case, /quiet /norestart may not work because /quiet is usually associated with MSI installers or other installer frameworks.

Try configuring the EXE install parameters as:

/VERYSILENT /NORESTART

If the installer requires forced execution, you can also test:

/VERYSILENT /NORESTART /force

Make sure there is a space between each parameter.

For success criteria, do not point Hexnode to the installation folder. Hexnode needs to verify the presence of an actual file or registry entry. For Foxit, the file path should point to the application executable, for example:

C:\Program Files\Foxit Software\Foxit PDF Reader\FoxitPDFReader.exe

If the executable name differs in your Foxit version, confirm the exact .exe name on a machine where the app is already installed and use that path.

Best Regards,
Isabel Lora
Hexnode UEM

That helped clarify the path issue. I had the success criteria set to the Foxit folder instead of the actual executable.

One more thing: if the app is installed at system level through Hexnode, will users be asked for an admin password when they open Foxit later?

If the app is installed successfully at the system level, users should be able to open it like any other installed desktop application. They should not be asked to install it again or enter an admin password just to launch it.

The exception would be applications that require system-level changes every time they run, such as certain VPN tools, network utilities, or system modification tools. A standard productivity app such as Foxit PDF Reader normally opens without requiring administrator credentials after installation.

Best Regards,
Isabel Lora
Hexnode UEM

I updated the success criteria to the executable path and tried the EXE again with /VERYSILENT /NORESTART, then also tested /VERYSILENT /NORESTART /force. The deployment still failed for me.

Is there a better option for deploying Foxit through Hexnode?

If the EXE wrapper continues to fail even with the correct silent parameters and success criteria, the better approach is to use the MSI version of Foxit PDF Reader if it is available.

MSI packages are more standardized for Windows app deployment. When an MSI is uploaded to Hexnode:

• Hexnode can automatically handle the standard silent installation behavior.
• Hexnode can use the MSI Product ID for installation detection.
• You usually do not need to manually define a file path as the success criteria.

EXE installers depend heavily on the vendor’s installer framework, and the supported silent switches can vary between versions or bundles. For organization-wide deployment, the MSI package is generally more reliable.

Best Regards,
Isabel Lora
Hexnode UEM