The CSE Desktop App for Windows is available as an MSI package, providing a standardized installation method compatible with enterprise MDM platforms such as Microsoft Intune. The MSI installer is the recommended deployment method for managed Windows environments and replaces the legacy EXE-based zero-touch script workflow.

The MSI installer is only supported for desktop app versions 4.3.0 and later. Earlier versions must continue to use the EXE-based installer. {:.alert.alert-info}

Warning: The MSI and EXE installers are mutually exclusive. You must uninstall any existing EXE-based installation before installing the MSI, and vice versa. {:.alert.alert-warning}

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Prerequisites

Before installing, ensure the following:

• The target machine has an administrator account (the installer requires UAC elevation).
• There is no prior SonicWall CSE installation present. If one exists, uninstall it first.
• The machine has no pending reboot. If needed, clear pending reboot state before proceeding:

reg delete "HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager" /v PendingFileRenameOperations /f

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What Gets Installed

After a successful installation, the following are created:

• Application files: C:\Program Files\SonicWall Cloud Secure Edge\
• Start Menu and Desktop shortcuts
• Three Windows services:
  • sonicwall-cse-admin
  • sonicwall-cse-wgs
  • sonicwall-cse-updater

User data and configuration are stored in C:\ProgramData\SonicWallCSE\ and are preserved across upgrades and uninstalls.

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Built-in MSI Flags

The following standard msiexec flags control installer behavior at the command line:

Flag	Purpose
/quiet	Fully silent — no UI. App does not auto-launch.
/passive	Progress bar only, no user interaction.
/norestart	Never reboot automatically; return code signals if reboot is needed.
/l*v <path>	Verbose log (includes property values; DEPLOYMENT_KEY is redacted).
MSIRESTARTMANAGERCONTROL=Disable	Skip the RestartManager close-app dialog.
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Auto-Updates

The sonicwall-cse-updater service handles automatic updates. It polls the SonicWall release server, verifies the downloaded installer's signature, and applies the update silently without launching the app. No action is required from end users or administrators.

To disable auto-updates, pass DISABLE_AUTO_UPDATE=true at install time.

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