Deploying Poorly Packaged Applications with PowerShell and SCCM

In real-world environments, not all enterprise software comes with a proper installer. Recently, I had to deploy a legacy DLP agent that had: multiple versions across endpoints different ProductCodes the same display name limited documentation and no reliable upgrade path Trying to handle this using standard logic in Microsoft SCCM (multiple detection rules, MSI-based upgrades, etc.) quickly became messy. The Approach Instead of relying on SCCM alone, I moved the logic into a PowerShell-based installer. The idea is simple: Detect if the application is installed Check the installed version (via ProductCode) Remove anything that doesn’t match the target version Install the correct version with required parameters In SCCM, the detection method stays clean — it only checks for the new version. Why This Works Better No need for multiple detection rules No leftover versions after upgrades Full control over install/uninstall logic Works even with poorly packaged or legacy software Key Idea In