Specify the order in which Windows Installer searches for installation files
Verified with Windows 11 25H2 — updated on July 30, 2026
Supported on: At least Windows 2000
Path in the GPO console
User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Windows Installer Description
This policy setting specifies the order in which Windows Installer searches for installation files. If you disable or do not configure this policy setting, by default, the Windows Installer searches the network first, then removable media (floppy drive, CD-ROM, or DVD), and finally, the Internet (URL). If you enable this policy setting, you can change the search order by specifying the letters representing each file source in the order that you want Windows Installer to search: -- "n" represents the network; -- "m" represents media; -- "u" represents URL, or the Internet. To exclude a file source, omit or delete the letter representing that source type.
Registry
HKCU
Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Installer MDM / Intune (CSP)
./User/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_MSI/SearchOrder Microsoft Learn documentation Mapping data: Microsoft Learn (CC BY 4.0)
Export Builder
BETAConfigure the state, scope and options, then generate .reg, PowerShell, Intune and SCCM outputs — or add the setting to a multi-setting collection.
These exports write the registry — this is not a managed GPO. ⓘ
.reg file
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
; Exported from gporais.com
; Policy: Specify the order in which Windows Installer searches for installation files
; State: Enabled
; Supported on: At least Windows 2000
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Installer]
"SearchOrder"=""More formats (PowerShell, Intune, SCCM)
PowerShell
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Specify the order in which Windows Installer searches for installation files
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows 2000
# Warning: In SYSTEM context (the Intune default), HKCU targets the SYSTEM profile. Run this script using the logged-on credentials.
$path = 'HKCU:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Installer'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'SearchOrder' -Value '' -Type StringIntune XML
OMA-URI: ./User/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_MSI/SearchOrder
Data type: String
Value:
<enabled/>
<data id="SearchOrder" value=""/>Intune Remediation
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Specify the order in which Windows Installer searches for installation files
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows 2000
# Warning: In SYSTEM context (the Intune default), HKCU targets the SYSTEM profile. Run this script using the logged-on credentials.
function Test-RegistryValue {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Path,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Name,
[object]$Expected,
[ValidateSet('String', 'DWord', 'MultiString')][string]$Kind = 'String',
[switch]$Absent
)
try {
$item = Get-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -ErrorAction Stop
} catch {
return $Absent.IsPresent
}
if ($Absent.IsPresent) { return $false }
$actual = $item.$Name
if ($Kind -eq 'DWord') { return ([int64]$actual) -eq ([int64]$Expected) }
if ($Kind -eq 'MultiString') {
$actualValues = @($actual)
$expectedValues = @($Expected)
if ($actualValues.Count -ne $expectedValues.Count) { return $false }
for ($i = 0; $i -lt $expectedValues.Count; $i++) {
if ([string]$actualValues[$i] -ne [string]$expectedValues[$i]) { return $false }
}
return $true
}
return [string]$actual -eq [string]$Expected
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKCU:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Installer' -Name 'SearchOrder' -Expected '' -Kind String)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Specify the order in which Windows Installer searches for installation files
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows 2000
# Warning: In SYSTEM context (the Intune default), HKCU targets the SYSTEM profile. Run this script using the logged-on credentials.
$path = 'HKCU:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Installer'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'SearchOrder' -Value '' -Type StringSCCM scripts
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Specify the order in which Windows Installer searches for installation files
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows 2000
# SCCM Configuration Item guidance:
# Create a Configuration Item of type "Setting: Script".
# Discovery script: use the Detection script below.
# Remediation script: use the Remediation script below.
# Compliance rule: the Discovery script output equals 'Compliant'.
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Specify the order in which Windows Installer searches for installation files
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows 2000
# Warning: In SYSTEM context (the Intune default), HKCU targets the SYSTEM profile. Run this script using the logged-on credentials.
function Test-RegistryValue {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Path,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Name,
[object]$Expected,
[ValidateSet('String', 'DWord', 'MultiString')][string]$Kind = 'String',
[switch]$Absent
)
try {
$item = Get-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -ErrorAction Stop
} catch {
return $Absent.IsPresent
}
if ($Absent.IsPresent) { return $false }
$actual = $item.$Name
if ($Kind -eq 'DWord') { return ([int64]$actual) -eq ([int64]$Expected) }
if ($Kind -eq 'MultiString') {
$actualValues = @($actual)
$expectedValues = @($Expected)
if ($actualValues.Count -ne $expectedValues.Count) { return $false }
for ($i = 0; $i -lt $expectedValues.Count; $i++) {
if ([string]$actualValues[$i] -ne [string]$expectedValues[$i]) { return $false }
}
return $true
}
return [string]$actual -eq [string]$Expected
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKCU:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Installer' -Name 'SearchOrder' -Expected '' -Kind String)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Specify the order in which Windows Installer searches for installation files
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows 2000
# Warning: In SYSTEM context (the Intune default), HKCU targets the SYSTEM profile. Run this script using the logged-on credentials.
$path = 'HKCU:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Installer'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'SearchOrder' -Value '' -Type StringBuilding a multi-setting collection? Add this setting and generate combined .reg / PowerShell / GPO scripts.