Re: Newbie and SMS2003

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ALLUSERS=2 isn't all that bad. . .
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/msi/setup/allusers.asp
unfortunately, I can't find much more documentation on it. According to
that article, as long as you're using "Administrator Access Priviledges",
ALLUSERS=2 and ALLUSERS=1 are the same, so you would want to make sure that
in your program properties, you're configured to use admin rights.

That command line looks OK.
"Acrobat Reader 5.msi" -- is that a repackaged .msi? Could the problem be
in that? What happens if you run this command line manually on a system
(while logged in with admin rights)? I would ad the "/l
%temp%\AcroRead5.log" to the end of the command line, so that you can "see"
more of what is going on. . .




"Arkane" <Arkane@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:D8FB86B5-62DD-4197-BBDD-6C5D89A664A9@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Here's an example of what it says an unattended install (per-system) would
> run :
>
> msiexec.exe /q ALLUSERS=2 /m MSIRW8KH /i "Acrobat Reader 5.msi"
>
> Now I've checked this against the websites you gave.
> The only reason I can see why it isn't installing properly is because of
> the
> ALLUSERS=2 switch, perhaps that should be ALLUSERS=1.
>
> The package doesn't seem to 'install', more advertise itself, like
> Install-On-Demand would. I'm going to try it with a revised commandline
> and
> see if I can make it work the way I'd like.
>
> The links you posted were very helpful, particularly the explanation of
> ALLUSERS, we use that on our Office XP/2003 transform as ALLUSERS=2 and I
> can't help wondering if now it should be 1.
>
> (We want as little 'configuration' done on the user desktop as possible)
>
> Cheers
>
> "Greg Ramsey" wrote:
>
>> Not sure what you mean by SMS using the wrong msiexec command-line.
>> Please
>> post an example. As far as rights during installation, you can specify
>> whether to use user rights or admin rights (environment tab in program
>> properties).
>>
>> As far as setting defaults for MSIEXEC command-lines, you mean for when
>> you
>> import msi as package definition? As far as I know, you can't modify
>> these
>> defaults.
>>
>> as far as "the best" command-line, "it depends" -- lots of options with
>> MSI's . . but for an example, here's how I would install Office 2003 (I
>> don't know the exact .msi name off hand, so I'll make one up).
>> (of course, for office, I created the transform "OffFull.mst" using the
>> Office Resource Kit Custom Installation Wizard.
>>
>> msiexec /i OFF2K3Pro.MSI TRANSFORMS=OffFull.mst REBOOT=ReallySuppress
>> ALLUSERS=1 /l %temp%\Off2K3Pro.log /qb-!
>>
>> msi command-line options:
>> http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/msi/setup/command_line_options.asp
>> http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;227091
>>
>>
>> Windows Installer: How To:
>> http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/windowsserver2003/library/ServerHelp/428edba9-442b-4e96-800c-2d8b6cac1354.mspx
>>
>> How to Use Property Reference Command-Line Parameters with Msiexec.exe
>> http://support.microsoft.com/Default.aspx?kbid=230781
>>
>> this is an sms 2.0 article -- but it mentions the ALLUSERS property
>> briefly
>> http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/sms/sms2/depovg/deplymsi.mspx
>>
>> Windows Installer: Benefits and Implementation for System Administrators
>> http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/windows2000serv/maintain/featusability/winmsi.mspx
>>
>>
>> "Arkane" <Arkane@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
>> news:9B04C204-9FF2-4650-B7A5-BBA07DF71E70@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> > Hey Greg,
>> >
>> > I've managed to package my own MSIs as this works nicely in with
>> > another
>> > initiative I'm trying to push through as well.
>> >
>> > What I've found with SMS (SMS 2003 SP1 + Win2K3 SP1, 3 AD Forests), is
>> > that
>> > when you create a package and deploy the software (advertise). It seems
>> > to
>> > use the wrong MSIEXEC command-line.
>> >
>> > It seems to advertise the package for installation, rather than install
>> > the
>> > package using elevated privs. As a result, when users click on a
>> > package,
>> > it
>> > tries to install and fails due to lack of admin rights.
>> >
>> > Please tell me I can set defaults for the MSIEXEC command-line stuff,
>> > or
>> > will I have to do this manually?
>> >
>> > What, in your opinion is the best MSIEXEC command-line to use for a
>> > package
>> > that has to be installed PER-SYSTEM (not per-user) and must have no or
>> > a
>> > minimal interface and be accessible to all users without further
>> > configuration?
>> >
>> > (The MSIs I create have been fixed/patched to suit our site, for
>> > example,
>> > tweaking File ACLs/Registry ACLs during the build process to allow
>> > students
>> > to run applications without error).
>> >
>> > I'm familiar with the benefits SMS can bring (or some of them) and am
>> > working my way through the challenge of at least getting one of our
>> > objectives for approving SMS met. (It's a trial server at the moment,
>> > we
>> > need
>> > hardware/software inventory and silent application management via an
>> > agent).
>> >
>> > "Greg Ramsey" wrote:
>> >
>> >> No -- doesn't need to be .msi -- can be .exe, .cmd, .bat, etc.
>> >>
>> >> MSI packagers for non-MSI -- IMHO that's a preference thing -- I
>> >> prefer
>> >> to
>> >> repackage as little as possible. Any time you repackge, you run the
>> >> risk
>> >> of
>> >> omitting something that's needed, or adding something extraneous. . .
>> >> .
>> >> I
>> >> always repackage as a last resort. If you have a very solid standard
>> >> build
>> >> process, repackaging can be a lot more successful than if you have
>> >> multi-OS,
>> >> multi-build processes.
>> >>
>> >> The .sms (and .pdf) package files are nice, but you won't find them
>> >> for
>> >> most
>> >> things you want to install. One nice feature of SMS 2003 is that if
>> >> you're
>> >> deploying a .msi you can do a Right-Click on Package | New | Package
>> >> From
>> >> Definition , and browse to the .msi, and it will create unattended and
>> >> attended installations. However, I usually tweak the command lines
>> >> for
>> >> .msi
>> >> installations too.
>> >>
>> >> The Scenarios and Procedures guide (from MS) is also good. And the
>> >> SMS
>> >> Administrator's Companion by Steve Kaczmarek (check amazon.com or
>> >> a1books.com) is a nice reference. It has a little bit of all the MS
>> >> documentation in it, and a bit more too.
>> >>
>> >> SMS is a powerful (and complex) product, but the rewards can be great!
>> >>
>> >> Greg
>> >>
>> >> "Arkane" <Arkane@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
>> >> news:E15A125C-BB05-4FB7-8FB7-337B1637CCD0@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> >> > Steve,
>> >> >
>> >> > Thanks for those links, following reading your reply I happened to
>> >> > stumble
>> >> > across TechNet's VirtualLabs. Have done 2 of their SMS labs and I
>> >> > feel
>> >> > much
>> >> > more confident about how to install a working SMS server now -
>> >> > that's
>> >> > not
>> >> > to
>> >> > say your links weren't helpful but sometimes having to following
>> >> > basic
>> >> > instruction and do something yourself helps more than reading
>> >> > mountains
>> >> > of
>> >> > technical manuals and whitepapers - it's how I learnt about AD to
>> >> > successfully implement that. I got a test-server, did a few 'example
>> >> > do-this'
>> >> > sort of guides and just played with it really.
>> >> > I used the technical stuff when I wasn't familiar with something or
>> >> > wasn't
>> >> > sure how to do something complex.
>> >> >
>> >> > That all said - I'm curious about software deployment with SMS -
>> >> > does
>> >> > the
>> >> > piece of software you want to install HAVE to be an MSI? Is it
>> >> > better
>> >> > if
>> >> > it
>> >> > is an MSI?
>> >> > Would you recommend me looking at MSI packagers for any non-MSI
>> >> > software?
>> >> >
>> >> > I ask because various posts refer to installing software using MSIs
>> >> > which
>> >> > is
>> >> > a good way of doing it but we have lots of software that is not MSI
>> >> > format -
>> >> > how would I install them (as an example - winzip 7)?.
>> >> >
>> >> > Also (thanks to the VirtualLab), I've found out something above SMS
>> >> > package
>> >> > files, these files appear to define how a package is built and how
>> >> > it
>> >> > should
>> >> > be installed, what would I do if software I bought didn't have this?
>> >> > Could
>> >> > I
>> >> > easily build my own or am I getting confused somewhere?
>> >> >
>> >> > Thanking you in advance.
>> >> >
>> >> > "Steve Thompson" wrote:
>> >> >
>> >> >> "Arkane" <Arkane@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
>> >> >> news:0AF246AF-FCA6-468B-8258-C68D6E3F571E@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> >> >> > Quick question - I'm going to be performing an implementation of
>> >> >> > SMS2003
>> >> >> on
>> >> >> > our school network. All clients are Windows 2000/XP, all servers
>> >> >> > are
>> >> >> Windows
>> >> >> > 2000 and DCs are Windows 2003. We don't plan/nor intend to
>> >> >> > support
>> >> >> > any
>> >> >> > 'legacy' systems such as Windows 9x/NT.
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Sounds good so far!
>> >> >>
>> >> >> > Does anyone know of any good places to start in terms of
>> >> >> > documentation,
>> >> >> > hints/tips etc.. with the install of SMS? I'm familiar with how
>> >> >> > AD
>> >> >> > works
>> >> >> if
>> >> >> > that's any help (which I doubt). I'd rather go through
>> >> >> > documentation
>> >> >> > and
>> >> >> at
>> >> >> > least have some idea of what I'm getting myself into BEFORE I
>> >> >> > start,
>> >> >> rather
>> >> >> > than get it installed/setup and then realise I made a huge
>> >> >> > mistake
>> >> >> > at
>> >> >> > the
>> >> >> > start or something.
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Here are some links to get you going:
>> >> >> SMS 2003 home page
>> >> >> http://www.microsoft.com/smserver/default.asp
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Scenarios and Procedures for Systems Management Server 2003:
>> >> >> Planning
>> >> >> and
>> >> >> Deployment
>> >> >> http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=E0644BB4-2336-4254-8A18-9BC180713F7E&displaylang=en
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Systems Management Server 2003 Concepts, Planning, and Deployment
>> >> >> Guide
>> >> >> http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=784838B3-34E0-4122-B3E2-17C5B4EEF8F4&displaylang=en
>> >> >>
>> >> >> www.myitforum.com
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Steve
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>>
>>
>>


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