How to Install VLC Using Command Line

Download the VLC installer from the official website: Download VLC

Silent Installation

To perform a silent installation of VLC, use the following command line argument:

"%~dp0vlc-2.1.3-win32.exe" /S

This command installs VLC without any user interaction, making it ideal for automated deployments.

Disabling Auto-Updates

By default, VLC checks for updates on first launch. This setting is configured in the vlcrc file located at:

C:\Users\%username%\AppData\Roaming\vlc\vlcrc

You can replace this file with your pre-configured vlcrc file to disable auto-updates. Here is an example script to copy the customized vlcrc file:

xcopy "%~dp0vlc\*.*" "C:\Users\%username%\AppData\Roaming\vlc\" /F /E /Y
xcopy "%~dp0vlc\*.*" "C:\Users\Default\AppData\Roaming\vlc\" /F /E /Y

Ensure you have your customized vlcrc file saved in a folder named vlc alongside your installation script.

Steps for Silent Installation

1. Download the VLC installer from the official website.
2. Place the installer and your customized vlcrc file in a directory.
3. Open Command Prompt with administrative privileges.
4. Navigate to the directory containing the installer and script.
5. Run the installation command to initiate the silent installation.

Example Script for Deployment

Here is an example script to automate the deployment of VLC and copy the vlcrc file:

@echo off
set VLC_INSTALLER="vlc-2.1.3-win32.exe"
set VLC_CONFIG_DIR="%~dp0vlc"

:: Install VLC silently
if exist %VLC_INSTALLER% (
    echo Installing VLC Media Player...
    %VLC_INSTALLER% /S
    echo Installation complete.
) else (
    echo VLC installer not found.
    exit /b 1
)

:: Copy vlcrc configuration file
xcopy "%VLC_CONFIG_DIR%\*.*" "C:\Users\%username%\AppData\Roaming\vlc\" /F /E /Y
xcopy "%VLC_CONFIG_DIR%\*.*" "C:\Users\Default\AppData\Roaming\vlc\" /F /E /Y

echo Configuration files copied.
pause

Save this script as a .bat file and run it with administrative privileges to deploy VLC silently and configure the update settings.