Packet Tracer is a cross-platform visual simulation tool designed by Cisco Systems that allows users to create network topologies and imitate modern computer networks. This article will serve as an informative guide and give you a clear understanding of how to perform a silent installation of Cisco Packet Tracer from the command line using the EXE installer.
How to Install Cisco Packet Tracer Silently
Cisco Packet Tracer 32-bit Silent Install (EXE)
- Enroll to download Cisco Packet Tracer Installer
- Download the CiscoPacketTracer_XXX_Windows_32bit_setup.exe file to a folder created at (C:\Downloads)
- Open an Elevated Command Prompt by Right-Clicking on Command Prompt and select Run as Administrator
- Navigate to the C:\Downloads folder
- Enter the following command:
CiscoPacketTracer_XXX_Windows_32bit_setup.exe /VERYSILENT /NORESTART
- Press Enter
After a few moments you should see the Cisco Packet Tracer Desktop Shortcut appear. You will also find entries in the Start Menu, Installation Directory, and Programs and Features in the Control Panel.
| Software Title: | Cisco Packet Tracer 32-bit |
| Vendor: | Cisco Systems, Inc. |
| Architecture: | x86 |
| Installer Type: | EXE |
| Silent Install Switch: | |
| Silent Uninstall Switch (32-bit System) | "%ProgramFiles%\Cisco Packet Tracer x.x.x\unins000.exe" /VERYSILENT /NORESTART |
| Silent Uninstall Switch (64-bit System) | "%ProgramFiles(x86)%\Cisco Packet Tracer x.x.x\unins000.exe" /VERYSILENT /NORESTART |
| Download Link: | https://www.netacad.com/courses/packet-tracer |
| PowerShell Script: | https://silentinstallhq.com/cisco-packet-tracer-install-and-uninstall-powershell/ |
| Detection Script: | https://silentinstallhq.com/create-a-custom-detection-script-for-cisco-packet-tracer-powershell/ |
Cisco Packet Tracer 64-bit Silent Install (EXE)
- Enroll to download Cisco Packet Tracer Installer
- Download the CiscoPacketTracer_XXX_Windows_64bit_setup.exe file to a folder created at (C:\Downloads)
- Open an Elevated Command Prompt by Right-Clicking on Command Prompt and select Run as Administrator
- Navigate to the C:\Downloads folder
- Enter the following command:
CiscoPacketTracer_XXX_Windows_64bit_setup.exe /VERYSILENT /NORESTART
- Press Enter
After a few moments you should see the Cisco Packet Tracer Desktop Shortcut appear. You will also find entries in the Start Menu, Installation Directory, and Programs and Features in the Control Panel.
| Software Title: | Cisco Packet Tracer 64-bit |
| Vendor: | Cisco Systems, Inc. |
| Architecture: | x64 |
| Installer Type: | EXE |
| Silent Install Switch: | |
| Silent Uninstall Switch: | "%ProgramFiles%\Cisco Packet Tracer x.x.x\unins000.exe" /VERYSILENT /NORESTART |
| Download Link: | https://www.netacad.com/courses/packet-tracer |
| PowerShell Script: | https://silentinstallhq.com/cisco-packet-tracer-install-and-uninstall-powershell/ |
| Detection Script: | https://silentinstallhq.com/create-a-custom-detection-script-for-cisco-packet-tracer-powershell/ |
The information above provides a quick overview of the software title, vendor, silent install, and silent uninstall switches. The download links provided take you directly to the vendors website. Continue reading if you are interested in additional details and configurations.
Additional Configurations
Create a Cisco Packet Tracer Installation Log File
The Cisco Packet Tracer installer offers the option to generate a log file during installation to assist with troubleshooting should any problems arise. You can use the following commands to create a verbose log file with details about the installation.
Cisco Packet Tracer 32-bit (EXE) Silent Install with Logging
CiscoPacketTracer_XXX_Windows_32bit_setup.exe /VERYSILENT /NORESTART /LOG="%WINDIR%\Temp\PacketTracer-Install.log" |
Cisco Packet Tracer 64-bit (EXE) Silent Install with Logging
CiscoPacketTracer_XXX_Windows_64bit_setup.exe /VERYSILENT /NORESTART /LOG="%WINDIR%\Temp\PacketTracer-Install.log" |
Change the Cisco Packet Tracer Default Installation Directory
You can change the default installation directory by using the following command line parameters. In this example, I’m installing Cisco Packet Tracer to “C:\PacketTracer”
Cisco Packet Tracer 32-bit (EXE)
CiscoPacketTracer_XXX_Windows_32bit_setup.exe /DIR=C:\PacketTracer /VERYSILENT /NORESTART |
Cisco Packet Tracer 64-bit (EXE)
CiscoPacketTracer_XXX_Windows_64bit_setup.exe /DIR=C:\PacketTracer /VERYSILENT /NORESTART |
Exclude Desktop Shortcut During Cisco Packet Tracer Install
The Cisco Packet Tracer installer creates a desktop shortcut by default. If you don’t want the desktop shortcut, then you can run the following command line switches to exclude it.
Cisco Packet Tracer 32-bit (EXE)
CiscoPacketTracer_XXX_Windows_32bit_setup.exe /VERYSILENT /NORESTART /MERGETASKS=!desktopicon |
Cisco Packet Tracer 64-bit (EXE)
CiscoPacketTracer_XXX_Windows_64bit_setup.exe /VERYSILENT /NORESTART /MERGETASKS=!desktopicon |
How to Uninstall Cisco Packet Tracer Silently
Check out the following posts for a scripted solution:
| Cisco Packet Tracer Install and Uninstall (PowerShell) |
| Cisco Packet Tracer Silent Uninstall (PowerShell) |
- Open an Elevated Command Prompt by Right-Clicking on Command Prompt and select Run as Administrator
- Enter one of the following commands:
Cisco Packet Tracer 32-bit (EXE) Silent Uninstall on 32-bit System
"%ProgramFiles%\Cisco Packet Tracer x.x.x\unins000.exe" /VERYSILENT /NORESTART |
Cisco Packet Tracer 32-bit (EXE) Silent Uninstall on 64-bit System
"%ProgramFiles(x86)%\Cisco Packet Tracer x.x.x\unins000.exe" /VERYSILENT /NORESTART |
Cisco Packet Tracer 64-bit (EXE) Silent Uninstall on 64-bit System
"%ProgramFiles%\Cisco Packet Tracer x.x.x\unins000.exe" /VERYSILENT /NORESTART |
Always make sure to test everything in a development environment prior to implementing anything into production. The information in this article is provided “As Is” without warranty of any kind.