RE: Client Apps

Hi Mike,

Thanks for posting here.

It appears that you are dealing with multiple issues that will require
individual attention to ensure that we are not counter-productive in out
support efforts. A suggestion in this post would be to post these issues
separately so that contributors within this newsgroup who specialize in
certain feature will be able to provide the 'value add' to resolving these
issues.

It is important to us that we provide you with the best support possible
and by breaking down these issues separately we will be able to address
them appropriately and in a timely manner.

Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Here, I will focus on your first question.

Q1. Let's say I wanted 6 apps available. Of those 6 apps I only wanted 4
checked off by default and the other 2 I wanted available, but only
manually check them off when I have to install on selected PCs, as opposed
to having the 2 selected by default and selectively removing them. Just to
rule out any mistakes of installing the apps.
When I go into 'Set Up Apps' it only gives me the option of adding them,
which I assume means that they'll always be selected when I go through the
wizard of assigning apps or setting up PCs.

Answer: In Windows SBS domain environment, you can use Group Policy to
distribute computer programs automatically by using the following methods:
- Assigning Software: you can assign a program distribution to users or
computers. If you assign the program to a user, it is installed when the
user logs on to the computer. When the user first runs the program, the
installation is finalized. If you assign the program to a computer, it is
installed when the computer starts, and it is available to all users who
log on to the computer. When a user first runs the program, the
installation is finalized.
- Publishing Software: you can publish a program distribution to users.
When the user logs on to the computer, the published program is displayed
in the "Add or Remove Programs" dialog box, and it can be installed from
there.

To install the programs automatically, you may use group policy to assign
the programs to the computer. The steps are as follows:
1. On the domain controller server, create a share folder and make sure
that the users have access to the shared folder.
2. Copy the Microsoft Windows Installer package (.msi file) for the program
and the other installation files to the shared folder.
3. Open Active Directory Users and Computers, create an OU and move the
computers that will be installed with the programs to the new OU, right
click the OU, click Properties, click the Group Policy tab, click New to
create a new Group policy object, click the new Group policy Object and
click Edit to open it.
4. Under "Computer Configuration", expand "Software Settings", right-click
"Software installation", point to "New", and then click "Package".
6. In the "Open" dialog box, type the full Universal Naming Convention
(UNC) path of the shared installer package that you want. For example,
"\\<file server>\<share>\<file name>.msi" (without the quotation marks).
Important Do not use the Browse button to access the location. Make sure
that you use the UNC path to the shared installer package. You may type the
UNC path in Start->Run to make sure that the locatin is correct.
7. Click "Open".
8. Click "Assigned", and then click "OK". The package is listed in the
right pane of the "Group Policy" window.
9. Close the "Group Policy" snap-in, click "OK", and then quit the Active
Directory Users and Computers snap-in. Open a command prompt window, run
"gpupdate /target:computer /force" to refresh policy.
10. When the client computer starts, the managed software package is
automatically installed.

Please note that the programs that you want to deploy shoudle be able to be
installed with Microsoft Installer (MSI) when you use Group policy to
assign the programs for workstations. For non-MSI programs, since they use
their existing Setup programs, you may use Group policy to publish the
programs with .zap files. You may refer to the following article for the
detailed information:
231747:HOW TO: Publish non-MSI Programs with .zap Files

For technical information about third-party products using MSI technology,
you may refer to the following article:
http://www.installsite.org/
http://www.wisesolutions.com

For more information on deploying software, you may refer to the following
article:
816102:HOW TO: Use Group Policy to Remotely Install Software in Windows
Server 2003
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=816102

I hope the above information helps.

Have a nice day.

Best Regards,

Steven Zhu
MCSE
Microsoft Online Partner Support
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