WinINSTALL 8.7 Desktop Management Suite and Desktop

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WinINSTALL 8.7Desktop Management Suite and Desktop

Availability Suite

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Disclaimer

The information contained in this publication is subject to change without notice. Attachmate Corporation makes no warranty of any kind with regard to this manual, including, but not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose. Attachmate Corporation shall not be liable for errors contained herein or for incidental or consequential damages in connection with the furnishing, performance, or use of this manual.

Copyright

© Copyright 1991-2006 by Attachmate Corporation. All Rights Reserved.Migration Engine © Copyright 1998-2006 by Tranxition Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Section 1: Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Chapter 1: Welcome to WinINSTALL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27Recommended WinINSTALL Workflow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28WinINSTALL Product Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29What's New in WinINSTALL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

PXE-Based Client Reset . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29Machine Ping from the Console . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30Ability to Suspend Scheduled Jobs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31WinINSTALL Software Distribution Suite (SDS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31MSI Packaging Improvements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31Wake on LAN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31Improved support for Workgroup Environments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32Improved Agent Deployment and Monitoring Capabilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32Configurable Share Selection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32Multiple Patch Download Capability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32License Management Improvements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33Improved CD Wizard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33Job Scheduling to User Accounts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33Global Jobs and Defaults . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33Client Reset Improvements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33New Release of the Personality Transfer Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34SQL Server 2005 Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

Chapter 2: Components and Architecture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35Components in the WinINSTALL Architecture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

WinINSTALL Console . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35WinINSTALL Share . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36WinINSTALL Database . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36WinINSTALL Servers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37WinINSTALL Workstations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38Reference Machine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Overview of the WinINSTALL Architecture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

September, 2006 Administrators Guide 3

Servers, Shares, and Workstations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39WinINSTALL Agent Infrastructure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Chapter 3: Navigating the WinINSTALL Console . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43Console Layout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Tree Pane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44List Pane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47Data Pane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50Shortcuts Bar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

Common Console Operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52How to Edit or View Machine Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52How to view or Modify software distribution packages or lists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52How to Create, edit or view conflict assessments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53How to view Microsoft Bulletins, download patches, and create patch packages . . . . . . 53How to create or view Personality Transfer actions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54How to Create, Edit or View Client Reset Templates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54How to Create, edit or view Replication jobs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54How to Create, edit or view scheduled tasks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54How to view the Console Log . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54How to Create, edit, or view reports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

Customizing the Console . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55Workgroup Networking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55How to Start the Console where the last session Ended . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56To show/hide the toolbar: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56How to show/hide the status bar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56How to Customize the Shortcuts Bar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

Setting Console Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58How to set Console Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59Administrative access rights: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59Access rights for agent configuration: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60Access rights to the CD Wizard: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60Access rights for client reset and PXE client reset: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60Access rights for conflict assessment: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61Access rights for inventory/asset management: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

4 WinINSTALL Desktop Management Suite and Desktop Availability Suite

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Access rights for packaging: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61Access rights for patch management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62Access rights for personality transfer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62Access rights for replication: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62Access rights for running tasks: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63Access rights for scheduling: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

Chapter 4: Managing Machines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65Adding and Removing Machines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

Adding Machines to the Console . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66Removing a Machine from the Database and Console . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

Share Configuration and Selection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71Share Assignment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71Share Ownership and Merge/Publish Responsibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71Share Selection Procedures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72Assigning Multiple Shares to a WinINSTALL Server . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73Configuring Share Selection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74Configuring Share Ownership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79Configuring Share Merge/Publish Responsibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80Changing the Shares Assigned to a Server . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81

Managing Machines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81Changing the Role of a Machine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81Changing a Workstation’s Assigned Server . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82Managing Machine Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83Managing Multiple Machines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85Managing individual machines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88Searches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103Manage Searches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104

Chapter 5: The WinINSTALL Agent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .107WinINSTALL Sub-Agents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107

Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107IPC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107Scheduler . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108


Wake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108Inventory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108Distribution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108Migration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108Merge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108Publisher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108Replication . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109Housekeeper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109Client Reset . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109

Agent Deployment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109How to Deploy the WinINSTALL Agent from the Console . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110How to Deploy the WinINSTALL Agent from a Command Line . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110How to Troubleshoot WinINSTALL Agent Deployment Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112How to Cache and Reuse Agent Credentials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113How to Deploy the WinINSTALL Agent Using Secure Manual Deployment . . . . . . . 113Starting or Stopping the WinINSTALL Agent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117Modifying WinINSTALL Agent Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119

Agent Communication . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119Configuration and Transaction Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119Information Flow From the Database To the Workstation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121Data Flow From the Workstation to the Database . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122

Managing the WinINSTALL Agents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123Removing the WinINSTALL Agent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133Viewing WinINSTALL Agent Status . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134Testing Machine Connectivity Using Ping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137Running a Task on a Managed Machine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143Scheduling a Task to Run on a Managed Machine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143Perform an Inventory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144Run a Conflict Assessment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144Publish Settings from the Database to Managed Machines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144Merge Data from Managed Machines to the Database . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146

Section 2: Lists and Packages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149


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Chapter 6: Lists and Packages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .151Lists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152

How to Perform Common List File Operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153List File Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155Inheritance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155

WinINSTALL PACKAGES (.NAI Files) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157WinINSTALL Package Data and Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157

Windows Installer Packages (.MSI Files) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158Windows Installer Package Data and Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158

How to Perform Common Package Operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159Build a Package . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159Add Packages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160Edit a Package . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161Search and Replace Strings in a Package . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162Split a WinINSTALL Package into Two Packages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162

Chapter 7: Building Packages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .167Using Discover to Build Packages Automatically . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167

Launching Discover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168Discover Reference Machine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168Archived Before Snapshots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169Basic Before Snapshots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171Discover Advanced Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171Using Discover to Build a WinINSTALL Package . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173Using Discover to Build a Windows Installer Package or Merge Module . . . . . . . . . . . 180Using Discover to Build a Windows Installer Transform . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186Associating the Transform with a Package . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195Embedding Transforms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197Applying a Transform . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198

Building Packages Manually . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198Build a WinINSTALL Package Manually . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199Build a Windows Installer Package Manually . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199Build a Windows installer Merge module Manually . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200Build a Windows Installer Transform Manually . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200


Building Windows Installer Patches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201The WinINSTALL Patch Wizard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201Deploying Windows Installer Patches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203

Chapter 8: Package Validation and Repair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .205Validating a Windows Installer Package . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206

How to validate a Windows Installer package . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206Repairing a Validated Windows Installer Package . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207

How To repair a validated package . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207

Chapter 9: Conflict Assessment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .209How to Generate a Conflict Assessment Baseline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210The Conflict Assessment Wizard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210

Welcome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211Baseline Selection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211Package Selection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211Confirmation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211Completion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211

How to Edit a Conflict Assessment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212How to Delete a Conflict Assessment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212How to Run a Conflict Assessment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212Viewing Conflict Assessment Results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213

How to view the results of a conflict assessment In the Console: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213How to view the results of a conflict assessment in a report: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213

Conflict Assessment Categories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213Main conflict categories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214File conflict subcategories and messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214Registry conflict subcategories and messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214Shortcut conflict subcategories and messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215INI File conflict subcategories and messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215

Chapter 10: Shared Properties and Compression . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .217Inheritance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217Shared Tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217

Properties Sub-tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217


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Compression Sub-Tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218MSI Package Compression . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219

MSI File Compression Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220Digital Signatures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221

Applying a Digital Signature to a Windows Installer Package . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221Signing an External Cabinet File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222

Chapter 11: Variables and Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .223Using Variables in NAI Packages vs. MSI Packages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223How Variables Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224Best Practices for Naming Conventions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225How Variable Settings are Inherited . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226

How Inherited Variable Settings are Overridden . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226SYSTEM VARIABLES and PROPERTIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227

System variables used in WinINSTALL Packages and Lists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227System Properties used in Windows Installer Packages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229Additional Windows Installer Package Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231Comparison of WinINSTALL System Variables and Windows Installer System Properties

232Viewing Available System variables and their Values . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233Using System variables in a List or Package . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233Automatically Adding system variables to a WinINSTALL package . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234Manually Adding system variables to a list or NAI package . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234Manually Adding system properties to an MSI package . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235Prompting the User for a Property Value . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236

USER VARIABLES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236Application Prompt Variables ($AppVar$) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237Constant Values ($ConstN$ or WI_CONSTn) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239Environment Variables ($EnVarN$ or WI_ENVARn) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241Global Prompts ($VarN$ or WI_VARn) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244INI File Variables (@INIn) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247Registry Variables (@REG) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248Text File Variables ($TvarN$) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249URL Variables (@URL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251


Chapter 12: Runtime Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .253Runtime Options that Can Be Set for Lists and Both Kinds of Packages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253

Installer Sub-tab (List) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254Installer Sub-tab (WinINSTALL Package) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256Installer Sub-tab (Windows Installer Package) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258

File Copy Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259File Comparison Criteria . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259Available File Copy Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260

Chapter 13: Package Conditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .263How to Set Package or List Conditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264Conditions Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265General Conditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265

Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265Allow access . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266

System Conditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268Software Conditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269

Application . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270Shortcut . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270

Language Conditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271Group Membership Conditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272

How to Set Group Membership Conditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273Diskspace Conditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274Windows Installer Launch Conditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275

Package Launch Conditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275Feature Conditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 276

Chapter 14: Package Distribution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .279Interactive Package Distribution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280

How a User runs The Interactive Installer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281How to launch the Interactive Installer using a command line. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281How to distribute an Interactive Installer shortcut to users . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 282

Automatic Package Distribution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283


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Scheduled Package Distribution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 286How to schedule a distribution using drag and drop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 287How to use other methods of scheduling package distribution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 287

CD Package Distribution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 288The WinINSTALL CD Wizard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 288How to create a CD for distributing packages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 289

E-Mail Package Distribution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 290How to enable a workstation to accept packages as e-mail attachments. . . . . . . . . . . . . 290

Advertising Packages for installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 291How to prepare a WinINSTALL package for “just-in-time” installation . . . . . . . . . . . . 292How to prepare a Windows Installer package for 'just-in-time” installation. . . . . . . . . . 292

Distributing Packages with a Script . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 292Installing Packages using a Command Line . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 293

Installer Command Line File Search Behavior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 293Allowing a user to install packages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 293

User Installation of WinINSTALL Packages (Client Launch) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 294User Installation of Windows Installer Packages (Elevated Privilege) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 296

Chapter 15: Scheduling Packages and Lists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .299The Schedule Node in the Tree Pane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 299Drag and Drop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300The Schedule Tab in the Data Pane. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300

Chapter 16: Patch Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .301Patch Management Workflow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 302Microsoft Bulletins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303

view a List of Microsoft Bulletins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303View details on a specific bulletin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 305 How to View the TechNet© Article for a Microsoft Bulletin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 308Advanced Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 308

Managing Microsoft Patches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 309How to download a Microsoft patch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 309How to Create a WinINSTALL Package to deliver a Microsoft Patch . . . . . . . . . . . . . 310How to download Multiple Microsoft patches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 311How to Delete a Downloaded Microsoft Patch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 312


How to Delete a Microsoft Patch Package . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 312How to delete Multiple Microsoft patches and Packages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 313

Section 3: Package Editing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 315

Chapter 17: General Package Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .317Summary Tab (WinINSTALL package) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 317

Uninstall Command Line for ARP Removal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 317Allow Automatic Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 317Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 317Comments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 318Copy Package Folder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 318

Summary Tab (Windows Installer package) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 318ARP Icon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 318Show Product in ARP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 318Show Change Button . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 318Show Remove Button . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 319Support Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 319MSI Schema . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 320Version . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 320Product Code . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 320Package Code . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 321Product Language . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 321Product ID . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 321Manufacturer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 321Manufacturer's URL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 321Comments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 321Update package code . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 321Copy Package Folder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 322

General Information for Installing a Windows Installer Feature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 322Summary Tab (Windows Installer Feature) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 323Conditions Tab (Windows Installer Feature) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 325Advanced Tab (Windows Installer Feature) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 325


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General Information for Installing a Windows Installer Component . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 327Summary Tab (Windows Installer Component) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 328Reserve Cost Tab (Windows Installer Component) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 329Advanced Tab (Windows Installer Component) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 330

Chapter 18: Additional MSI Package Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .333Directory Tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 334

To manage directories used in a Windows Installer package: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 334Install Modes Tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 334

To see or enter Install Mode information for a package: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 335Advanced Tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 335

Components Sub-tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 336Launch Condition Sub-tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 337Sequence Sub-tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 337

The Custom Action Wizard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 344Source Type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 345Source Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 345Target Panels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 345Final Details . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 347Completing the WinINSTALL Custom Action Wizard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 348

MSI Custom Action Example . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 349Defining the Custom Action: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 349Specifying the Custom Action Sequence: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 350

The MSI Table Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 352How to Change Values in the MSI Table Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 352How to Save or Discard Changes in the MSI Table Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 353

Chapter 19: Additional NAI Package Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .355Reset Options Tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 355External Processing Tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 356

File Name . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 358Type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 358Phase . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 358Process During . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 358


Event Scripts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 359Message timeout in seconds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 359Text Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 360Shell Commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 361Scripts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 362

Chapter 20: Installer Notification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .365Logging Levels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 365Shared Notification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 365

Logs Sub-tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 366Email Sub-tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 367SNMP Sub-tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 367Management Platform Sub-tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 369Database Sub-tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 370

Chapter 21: Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .371WinINSTALL Package File Operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 371

File Comparison Criteria . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 372File Copy Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 372Adding or Removing Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 373Remove Phase Tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 375

Windows Installer Package File Operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 375Add Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 376Remove Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 377Move Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 378Duplicate Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 378Create Folders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 379ODBC Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 380

Search and Replace Feature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 383

Chapter 22: Shortcuts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .385Shortcuts in WinINSTALL Packages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 385

Add Phase Tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 386Remove Phase Tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 386


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Add/Edit Shortcut Dialog . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 387Advertising WinINSTALL Packages (WIPL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 389

Adding or Changing Shortcuts with a Windows Installer (MSI) Package . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 390Add Tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 391Add/Edit Shortcut Dialog . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 391

Chapter 23: Registry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .393Registry Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 393Registry Changes in a WinINSTALL Package . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 394


Registry Changes in a Windows Installer Package . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 400Add Tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 400Remove Tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 402

Chapter 24: File Edits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .405INI File Edits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 405

Legacy INI File Special Cases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 406Text File Edits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 406Editing Files with a WinINSTALL Package . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 407

INI Files Tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 407ASCII Files Tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 410

Editing Files with a Windows Installer (MSI) Package . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 414INI Files Tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 414ASCII Files Tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 417Environment Tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 419

Chapter 25: System Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .421Adding or Changing Services with a WinINSTALL Package . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 421


Adding or Changing Services with a Windows Installer (MSI) Package . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 425Adding, Editing, or Deleting System Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 425Controlling System Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 428


Chapter 26: Advertising . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .431How Advertising Works . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 431Advertising Packages for Distribution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 432

How to Advertise a WinINSTALL package . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 432How to Advertise a Windows Installer package . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 433Managing Programmatic Entry Points in a Windows Installer (MSI) Package or Merge

Module . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 433

Chapter 27: Merge Modules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .441Merge Module Cache . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 441

Adding New Merge Module Folders to the Cache . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 442Updating the Cache . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 442

Editing Merge Modules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 442Summary Tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 443Advanced Tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 444Merge Module Tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 445Directory Tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 447

Section 4: Additional Operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 449

Chapter 28: License and Asset Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .451License Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 451Asset Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 453License and Asset Reports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 453

Chapter 29: Inventory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .455Configuring Inventory Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 455

Inventory Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 456How to View Inventory Settings and Inventory Sub-agent Status . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 460

Running Inventory Tasks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 460How to run an inventory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 460How to View Scheduled Inventory Tasks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 461

Viewing Inventory Results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 461How to view inventory information in a report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 462


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How to view inventory information in the Console . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 462Inventory Comparisons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 471

Troubleshooting Comparison . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 471Application Distribution Comparison . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 472

Purging Inventory Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 472

Chapter 30: Personality Transfer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .475Personality Transfer Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 476

Personality Transfer Workflow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 476Functionality and Platform Limitations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 477

Personality Transfer Templates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 477Creating and Editing Personality Transfer Templates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 477How to Create a Personality Transfer Template . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 480How to Modify a Personality Template . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 482

Backups and restores . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 482Creating a Backup Job . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 482How to Back up a PC Personality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 484Creating a Restore Job . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 484How to Restore a PC Personality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 486How to View and Modify Backups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 487How to View and Modify Restores . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 488

Migrations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 489Creating a Migration Job . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 489How to Migrate a Personality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 491How to View and Modify Personality Migrations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 492

Personality Transfer Policies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 493Creating a Personality Transfer Policy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 493How to Create a Personality Transfer Policy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 494

Policy Distribution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 494Creating a Policy Distribution Job . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 495Distributing Policies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 496How to View and Modify Policies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 497How to View and Modify Policy DistributionS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 498

Global Encryption Key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 499


User Mapping During Migration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 500

Chapter 31: PXE Client Reset . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .505WinINSTALL PXE Client Reset Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 505

What PXE Client Reset Can Do . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 505Methods of Remotely Resetting a Workstation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 506The PXE Reset Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 506

PXE Client Reset Operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 507Client Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 508Console Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 509Create Clients . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 511Client Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 512Reset a Client . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 512Replication . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 516

DHCP and PXE Client Reset . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 517Required DHCP Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 517DHCP Options on Unix DHCP Servers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 518

Adding Mass Storage Drivers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 519Adding a Single Driver: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 520Adding Multiple Drivers: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 521

PXE Client Reset Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 522A Client Reset fails with TFTP errors (e.g. TFTP timeouts, TFTP failed to read, etc.) . 522A Client Reset fails with an error message about missing network drivers: . . . . . . . . . 523A Client Reset fails with an error message saying it was unable to find a previous version of

Windows to upgrade: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 524Known Microsoft Issues Affecting PXE Client Reset . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 525

Problem: Unattended installation of Windows 2000 may fail. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 525Problem: Slipstreaming XP SP2 may result in a crash. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 526Problem: Unattended installation of Windows 2003 Servers may fail saying it cannot find a

previous copy of Windows to upgrade. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 526

Chapter 32: Client Reset . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .529The Client Reset Workflow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 530

The Client Reset Share . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 530


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The Client Reset Template . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 530Client Reset Replication . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 531Client Reset Boot Media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 531

The Client Reset Share . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 532The Client Reset Template . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 533Client Reset Template Wizard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 535

Client Reset Template Name . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 535Operating System and Language . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 536MS-DOS Boot Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 536MS-DOS Network Interface Card Drivers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 537MS-DOS Network Client Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 537Additional MS-DOS Commands and Drivers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 539Microsoft Windows Setup Panels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 540Image Install Panels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 543WinINSTALL Application Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 543MS-DOS NIC Drivers and Reset Partition Option . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 544Completion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 545

Additional Client Reset Shares (optional) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 545How to create a Client Reset Share . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 546How to configure a Client Reset Share . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 546How to replicate a Client Reset Template: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 546

Creating Client Reset Boot Media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 547Boot Floppy Creation Wizard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 547

Reset a Workstation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 550using a Hidden Reset Partition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 550using a Physical Boot Floppy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 552using a Boot Floppy Package . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 553

View or Modify an Existing Client Reset Template . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 554Operating System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 554Application Package . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 556Distribution Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 556Client Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 558Client Reset Shares . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 559

Advanced Client Reset Operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 560Details of WIRPAdd.exe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 560


Retaining the machine name after a reset . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 560Dynamic List Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 560User Data and Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 563

Chapter 33: Replication . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .565The Replication Job Creation Wizard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 566

Replication Job Name and Type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 566Replication Job Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 567Replication Data Sources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 567Targets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 569Schedule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 570Completion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 570

Replication Job Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 571General . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 571Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 571Sources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 572Targets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 572Schedule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 572

Replication Job History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 572Replicating Application Packages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 573

How to Create a Package Replication Job . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 573How to View or Modify a Package Replication Job . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 574How to View the History of a Package Replication Job . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 574

Replicating Client Reset Templates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 574How to configure a Client Reset Share . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 574How to Create a Client Reset Template Replication Job . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 574How to View or Modify a Client Reset Template Replication Job . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 575How to View the History of a Client Reset Template Replication Job . . . . . . . . . . . . . 575

Replicating Patch Packages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 575How to Create a Patch Replication Job . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 575How to View or Modify a Patch Replication Job . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 575How to View the History of a Patch Replication Job . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 576

Replicating Personality Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 576How to Create a Personality Replication Job . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 576


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How to View or Modify a Personality Replication Job . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 576How to View the History of a Personality Replication Job . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 576

Replicating PXE Server Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 577How to Create a PXE Server Files Replication Job . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 577How to View or Modify a PXE Server Files Replication Job . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 577How to View the History of a PXE Server Files Replication Job . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 577

Chapter 34: Scheduling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .579The Schedule Task Dialog . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 580

Task Tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 580Schedule Tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 584Targets Tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 586

Using the Schedule Tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 588How to Schedule a New Task . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 588How to Modify an Existing Scheduled Task . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 588How to Suspend a Scheduled Task . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 589How to Resume a Suspended Scheduled Task . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 589How to Cancel an Existing Scheduled Task . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 589How to Delete a Canceled Scheduled Task . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 590

Scheduling Tasks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 590How to Schedule Tasks from the Schedule Node . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 590How to Schedule Tasks from the Machine List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 591How to Schedule Tasks from within Task-specific Tree Nodes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 591

Scheduling Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 595Publishing Schedule Jobs and Configuration Changes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 595Schedule Jobs and Configuration File Processing Intervals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 596Target Machines, Groups and Users . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 596Scheduling Publish and Merge Tasks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 596Start and End Times . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 597

Chapter 35: Reports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .599How to Add a Report to the Console . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 600How to Modify Report Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 600How to Delete a Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 601


How to Run a Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 601How to Print a Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 602How to Launch Crystal Designer from the Console . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 602

Chapter 36: WinINSTALL Scripting Extensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .603Installer Scripting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 603

Installer Object Properties and Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 603Installer Script Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 608Installer Event Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 609

Console Scripting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 618The Machines object . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 618The Machine object . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 619Console Scripting Examples . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 620

Chapter 37: Miscellaneous . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .635WinINSTALL Logging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 635

Console logging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 635WinINSTALL Agent logging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 639Installer logging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 640

WinINSTALL Utility Programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 641Network Detection (NoNetNoGo.exe) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 641Creating a Baseline for Conflict Assessment (WIBaselineGen.exe) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 641Client Launch (WIClient.exe) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 641Script to Add a Database User (dbAddUser.cmd) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 642Procedure to Set the Dynamic List Publishing Interval . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 642Special Utility for Microsoft Patches (PatchCatalog.exe) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 644Personality Transfer Command Line Utility (WIMigCmd.exe) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 648

Sample Packages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 649Interactive Installer Icon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 650Run Automatic Installer at Startup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 650Enable E-Mail Distribution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 650Event Viewer Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 651SNMP Get Notification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 651SNMP Get and Set Notification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 652


. . .

. .

Backup User Data and Initiate Reset . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 652Open XP Firewall Ports for WinINSTALL Operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 653Restore User Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 654

Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .655



. . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Section 1

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . INTRODUCTIONCHAPTER 1: WELCOME TO WININSTALL

CHAPTER 2: COMPONENTS AND ARCHITECTURE

CHAPTER 3: NAVIGATING THE WININSTALL CONSOLE

CHAPTER 4: MANAGING MACHINES

CHAPTER 5: THE WININSTALL AGENT



. . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .WELCOME TO WININSTALL 1

inINSTALL is designed to help you meet all of your network desktop management needs - quickly, easily, and efficiently. To help you most quickly get started using WinINSTALL’s wide range of capabilities, the documentation

is divided into two separate guides: an Installation Guide and an Administrators Guide (this manual).

The Installation Guide presents installation requirements for each WinINSTALL component, plus instructions on how to install and configure each component, including basic instructions on agent deployment.

This Administrators Guide first introduces you to the new features in this exciting new release, presents the product architecture and workflow, helps you to familiarize yourself with the WinINSTALL Console, and then provides detailed instructions for using each of WinINSTALL’s powerful features, including advanced operations.

The WinINSTALL workflow follows a logical, real-world sequence. First, you install the WinINSTALL Console and Share and set up your WinINSTALL database. Next, you configure your WinINSTALL environment. This environment includes deploying agents to the workstations and servers you will manage. Then, you are ready to use WInINSTALL’s powerful array of integrated features to manage all of the machines in your enterprise and maintain uninterrupted desktop availability.

• You can inventory the managed machines in your enterprise to generate detailed asset information that will help you in making your software distribution and other desktop management decisions.

• You can organize managed machines into user-defined groups to simplify and customize tasks such as scheduling and software distribution.

• You can track and manage the licenses for the various software packages you use.

• You can build and organize packages - WinINSTALL packages, Windows Installer packages, and merge modules, patches, and transforms.

• You can validate and repair individual Windows Installer packages and perform conflict assessments on groups of packages that will be installed together to pinpoint potential problems before they occur.

• You can easily and simply download and distribute Microsoft patches to the appropriate machines in your enterprise.

• You can distribute WinINSTALL packages and Windows Installer packages to the machines in your enterprise by your choice of methods.

W


WE L C O M E T O W I N I N S TA L LRecommended WinINSTALL Workflow1

• You can create backups which can later be used to restore machines, you can create policies for distribution, and you can perform personality transfer migrations.

• To prepare for the automatic rebuilding of workstations with WinINSTALL, you can create templates to restore operating systems and applications.

• You can replicate patches, packages, templates and personality transfer files from one server to others across your enterprise to optimize the performance of WinINSTALL in your environment.

The WinINSTALL Console is your point of control for all of WinINSTALL’s capabilities. This flexible tool has been designed to make it easy to use and easy to understand the array of powerful features it puts at your fingertips. New users and users new to this version should take a few minutes to familiarize themselves with the design and use of the Console. The chapter entitled Navigating the WinINSTALL Console provides a basic explanation of the operation of the WinINSTALL Console.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . R E C O M M E N D E D W I N I N S T A L L W O R K F L O WOnce you have installed the product, configured your environment, and explored how to use the Console, you are ready to manage your computing environment. Using the recommended workflow, you will receive the maximum benefit from this powerful product. For example, by running conflict assessments before performing inventories with file-scan enabled, you add valuable application-file relationship information to the inventory data.

• Perform inventories of hardware and software assets

• Build packages.

• Organize packages.

• Edit packages.

• Validate and repair packages.

• Pinpoint and resolve potential conflicts before you install packages.

• Create templates for resetting workstations.

• Replicate packages, patches, templates and personality transfer files for network load-balancing.

• Distribute software.

Each step in the workflow is described in detail in later chapters of this manual.


. . .

. .WE L C O M E T O W I N I N S TA L LWinINSTALL Product Family

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . W I N I N S T A L L P R O D U C T F A M I L Y The WinINSTALL® family of products was created for you - the network administrators who must install, manage, and maintain software installation in enterprise networks.

The WinINSTALL family of products includes the following:

• WinINSTALL Limited Edition (LE) MSI Packager

• WinINSTALL MSI Packager Professional Edition

• WinINSTALL Software Distribution Suite (SDS)

• WinINSTALL Desktop Management Suite (DMS)

• WinINSTALL Desktop Availability Suite (DAS)

Attachmate’s WinINSTALL product line has been an industry leader in software distribution and management for over a decade. Our innovative technology, ease-of-use, and responsiveness to the needs of our customers have made us the front-runner in the desktop availability solutions market and the number one choice of network administrators in organizations of every size.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . W H A T ' S N E W I N W I N I N S T A L LThe WinINSTALL 8.7 family of products includes many new and improved features designed to make your job as a network administrator easier. The major new features and enhancements are listed below.

PXE-BASED CLIENT RESETThe WinINSTALL Desktop Availability Suite (DAS) now includes an exciting new client reset facility based on PXE (Preboot eXecution Environment). This facility is extremely easy to configure and use, and it does not use DOS or any other operating system other than the one being installed on the target machine.

PXE reset server files, including operating system files, drivers, and post-install utilities, are available to be replicated from one PXE server to another using WinINSTALL’s built-in replication feature.

The PXE-based Client Reset feature of the WinINSTALL Desktop Availability Suite installs Windows operating systems directly from network servers, without loading MS-DOS or running MS-DOS applications. In addition, administrators can use the built-in integration of WinINSTALL software distribution and personality transfer to optionally include in the reset process installation of any number of application packages and/or Microsoft patches, and the restoration of user data and settings as well.


WE L C O M E T O W I N I N S TA L LWhat's New in WinINSTALL1

WinINSTALL PXE Client Reset installs Windows operating systems using the original setup programs supplied by Microsoft, driven by a configuration file so as to streamline the process and make it operate entirely unattended. Using the vendor setup program to install the operating system enables use of a single set of operating system files for many configurations, while avoiding having to create and maintain separate images for each desired configuration. In addition, the PXE reset process has been optimized to the point where install times are very fast.

The seamless integration of PXE Client Reset with WinINSTALL’s powerful personality transfer and software distribution capabilities provides unmatched power and simplicity to desktop management. The full integration of these features makes it a simple matter to right-click on a machine, or group of machines, in the WinINSTALL Console, and with a single command, back up the user data and settings, reboot the PC, format the hard disk, install a new copy of Windows 2000, XP, or 2003, followed by a series of patches and application packages, and conclude with a restoration of the user data and settings. WinINSTALL PXE Client Reset provides an easy, efficient, and convenient method of rebuilding any PC or group of PCs on your network—remotely, while the PCs are unattended.

WinINSTALL PXE Client Reset allows you to reset a client in any of three ways:

1 You can select the desired client and invoke an immediate reset.

2 You can configure a reset to occur on a machine’s next reboot.

3 You can schedule PXE Client Resets to occur at a set time in the future, or even on a regular, recurring basis!

When you invoke an immediate reset or schedule a reset (methods 1 and 3, above), WinINSTALL's PXE Client Reset feature will automatically employ Wake-on-LAN to execute the reset, if needed.

MACHINE PING FROM THE CONSOLEWith WinINSTALL Software Distribution Suite, Desktop Management Suite, and Desktop Availability Suite, the WinINSTALL console now provides a built-in ping capability which allows you to test connectivity between the console and any machine or selected group of machines. The WinINSTALL ping feature can test single or multiple machines at once and is completely configurable to assure effective operation in your environment.

To use the WinINSTALL ping feature, you simply select the desired machine(s) in the machine list, and then select Ping... from the Machines menu or the right click context menu.

The WinINSTALL ping feature can test single or multiple machines at once and is completely configurable to assure effective operation in your environment.


. . .

. .WE L C O M E T O W I N I N S TA L LWhat's New in WinINSTALL

ABIL ITY TO SUSPEND SCHEDULED JOBSYou can now temporarily halt execution of any scheduled task. Suspending a scheduled task does not cancel the task, nor does it delete it from the WinINSTALL database. Instead, it simply suspends, temporarily, the execution of the task. Execution can then be resumed at any time, without having to re-create the scheduled task.

WININSTALL SOFTWARE DISTRIBUTION SUITE (SDS)WinINSTALL is now available in a version providing software packaging and distribution capabilities only, for those environments where inventory, replication, operating system deployment, and other advanced capabilities are not needed.

The new WinINSTALL SDS product is a perfect fit for those environments which require the power and simplicity of WinINSTALL packaging and distribution but are not ready for the advanced feature set of the full WinINSTALL Desktop Management Suite or WinINSTALL Desktop Availability Suite products.

WinINSTALL SDS is designed for those organizations in need of complete, flexible software packaging and distribution but not requiring inventory, license and asset management, operating system deployment, package replication, or personality transfer capabilities.

MSI PACKAGING IMPROVEMENTSWinINSTALL's MSI packaging capabilities have been enhanced in numerous ways, including the addition of the following features:

• WinINSTALL now provides the ability to store within the MSI file itself a history of modifications made to it in the WinINSTALL console.

• WinINSTALL now provides the ability to easily prompt a user for the value of a Windows Installer property. Simply enter a name for the dialog to be presented, the prompt to present to the user, and the property in which to place the text entered by the user.

• WinINSTALL now allows the creation of transforms by simply comparing two MSI files. The difference between the two is automatically converted into a transform. When this transform is applied to an installation of the first MSI file, it matches an installation of the second.

WAKE ON LANWinINSTALL Software Distribution Suite, WinINSTALL Desktop Management Suite, and WinINSTALL Desktop Availability Suite now provide the ability to wake machines from a sleep state through Wake-On-LAN functionality. You can issue a Wake-On-LAN command immediately or schedule it for a specified time in the future.



If you are using either the WinINSTALL Desktop Management Suite or the WinINSTALL Desktop Availability Suite, you have the additional option of adding the Wake function to any scheduled job.

IMPROVED SUPPORT FOR WORKGROUP ENVIRONMENTSWinINSTALL Software Distribution Suite, WinINSTALL Desktop Management Suite, and WinINSTALL Desktop Availability Suite all offer improved workgroup networking support, including the addition of a new Console setting to enable seamless browsing of non-Active Directory, non-Domain environments.

IMPROVED AGENT DEPLOYMENT AND MONITORING CAPABIL ITIESThis release of the WinINSTALL suite products introduces automatic network deployment of the WinINSTALL Agent, plus a number of additional enhancements to the agent deployment and monitoring capabilities:

• Account credentials can now be securely re-used for multiple deployment operations without having to re-enter them for each operation.

• The Agent Activity window displays the progress of deployment and other machine operations in real time, and roll-over tool tips provide extra status information.

• The Machine/General tab now shows the detailed status of the WinINSTALL master agent and the current activity of each WinINSTALL sub-agent.

• The Machine/General tab now provides the ability to configure the behavior of the agent status refresh feature.

CONFIGURABLE SHARE SELECTIONWinINSTALL now provides the ability for each workstation to determine on boot up which WinINSTALL share, among a pre-defined group, is the optimal share to use.

The advanced operations provided in DMS and DAS are particularly helpful for laptop users who visit multiple locations within the organization. In this situation, this feature enables such users to automatically attach to the nearest WinINSTALL share at whatever location they find themselves, rather than always pointing back to a “home” share.

Of course, administrators can configure the order in which shares are considered and the criteria by which the nearest share is determined.

MULTIPLE PATCH DOWNLOAD CAPABILITYThe WinINSTALL suite products now permits easier management of Microsoft patches, including the ability to download and automatically create packages for multiple patches at once, and (via a special WinINSTALL utility), access to patches in all Microsoft-supported languages.


. . .

. .WE L C O M E T O W I N I N S TA L LWhat's New in WinINSTALL

LICENSE MANAGEMENT IMPROVEMENTSThe WinINSTALL DMS and DAS License Management capability has been expanded and improved in a number of ways. For example, you can now see at a glance how many licenses you have, how many are in use, and how many remain available.

IMPROVED CD WIZARDThe WinINSTALL CD Wizard (available in WinINSTALL Software Distribution Suite, Desktop Management Suite, and Desktop Availability Suite) enables an administrator to very quickly and easily stage applications and lists of applications for burning onto a CD or DVD. It's also very simple to include one or both WinINSTALL Installers and to create an AutoRun file to execute on insertion of the media.

In this release, the CD Wizard has been streamlined and simplified for quicker, easier, and more trouble-free creation of application package CDs and DVDs.

JOB SCHEDULING TO USER ACCOUNTSWhen scheduling jobs to specific users and/or user groups, the WinINSTALL suite products now check each target machine to determine whether or not any specified target user has an existing account profile on the machine. If so, the job is executed.

This behavior is a change from previous versions, where the only account evaluated was the account under which the WinINSTALL Agent was operating.

GLOBAL JOBS AND DEFAULTSWinINSTALL now provides an easy method to schedule a job to execute on all workstations, including workstations which have not yet joined the network.

In addition, this release makes it easy to change settings on all workstations and to change the default settings for all machines in your network.

CLIENT RESET IMPROVEMENTSThe Client Reset feature available in the WinINSTALL Desktop Availability Suite now includes enhanced capabilities extending beyond installing or restoring operating systems on workstations.

• Machine names are now automatically preserved across reset operations.

• Dynamic List Files, automatically created after an inventory, enable the automatic restoration of the entire set of pre-reset installed applications.

• Advanced operations include application mapping (substitution of new post-reset applications for specified pre-reset applications). This feature enables automatic application upgrades as part of the reset process.



• Personality backup and restore can easily be included into an automated reset process, enabling a full client reset in a single operation: backup, followed by a reboot, hard drive reformat, OS install and application set install, and concluding with user data and settings restoration.

• Virtual floppy packages enable drag and drop or scheduled resetting of single workstations or groups of workstations.

NEW RELEASE OF THE PERSONALITY TRANSFER ENGINEWinINSTALL Desktop Availability Suite now includes the Tranxition Personality Transfer Pro™ 4.60 engine, with improved performance and full extraction and injection capabilities for a large number of common applications and Windows settings.

SQL SERVER 2005 SUPPORTWinINSTALL now supports Microsoft SQL Server 2005, including all available editions.

WinINSTALL database support now includes the following database management systems:

• Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Desktop Engine (MSDE 2000)

• Microsoft SQL Server 2000

• Microsoft SQL Server 2005

• Oracle 9i and later


. . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .COMPONENTS AND ARCHITECTURE 2

inINSTALL is composed of the following separate components that work together within the WinINSTALL architecture to provide powerful, yet flexible desktop management capabilities.

• Console

• Share

• Database

• Managed machines:

• Servers

• Workstations

• Reference machine

An agent infrastructure manages the tasks that are performed as well as the flow of information between the database and the managed machines in the WinINSTALL environment.

C O M P O N E N T S I N T H E W I N I N S T A L L

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A R C H I T E C T U R EEach of the WinINSTALL components is described below. Following these individual descriptions is an explanation of how the components work together within the WinINSTALL architecture and a more complete description of the agent infrastructure.

Comprehensive detail on the agent, sub-agents, and their interactions with one another is contained in the chapter entitled The WinINSTALL Agent.

WININSTALL CONSOLEThe WinINSTALL Console is the graphical user interface (GUI) used to administer the entire WinINSTALL environment. The Console lets you view information in the WinINSTALL database to which the Console is connected. The Console can be installed on any machine. It does not have to be installed on a machine that is running the WinINSTALL service or on a machine where a WinINSTALL share is installed, but it does have to have access to these machines. The Console machine must have access to the WinINSTALL database and have any required database client software installed. There can be one or multiple Consoles. Each Console can be configured to allow multiple administrators the

W


C O M P O N E N T S A N D A R C H I T E C T U R EComponents in the WinINSTALL Architecture2

ability to access and control specific WinINSTALL desktop management capabilities and to deny access to other capabilities.

WININSTALL SHAREThe WinINSTALL share serves multiple purposes. First of all, it holds the files used by the Console, such as configuration files, executables, help files, report files, software packages, personality transfer files, and client reset templates.

It is also used to store data that is moved by WinINSTALL agents between managed machines and the database. Workstation agents gather data from their local machines and move that data to special folders on their WinINSTALL share. Server agents then merge that data into the database. Conversely, server agents publish data from the database to their WinINSTALL shares. Each workstation agent then retrieves its respective data from the share and processes it appropriately.

The WinINSTALL share is the repository for software distribution packages and Microsoft patches. It is here where the Console creates and edits these packages. In addition, the WinINSTALL Installers use the share as the installation source point for all WinINSTALL and Windows Installer packages, as well as for Microsoft patches.

The WinINSTALL share is also used to store operating system files and other information used for client reset, as well as repositories of data extracted in all Personality Transfer operations.

WinINSTALL Replication effectively copies selected share data from one source WinINSTALL share to one or more other, target, shares.

WININSTALL DATABASEThe WinINSTALL database contains information entered through the WinINSTALL Console for asset management, package management, WinINSTALL agents, logging, inventory, conflict assessment, software distribution, scheduling, client reset, personality transfer, and replication. WinINSTALL server agents merge data from managed machines in the WinINSTALL environment into the database and publish data from the database for dissemination back to the managed machines. The data in the database can be viewed and manipulated from the Console, the graphical user interface for WinINSTALL.

The WinINSTALL database provides a powerful foundation for managing all of your network machines and is the center of integration for all packaging, distribution, asset management, state management and reporting. Having one centralized database lets you view enterprise-wide information in reports and makes it easy to configure organizational settings and publish these adjustments to the entire enterprise.


. . .

. .C O M P O N E N T S A N D A R C H I T E C T U R EComponents in the WinINSTALL Architecture

D A T A B A S E S C H E M AA complete listing of all tables in the WinINSTALL database is included with the product as a separate file, DBSchema.htm, located in the WinINSTALL share in the \Bin\Help folder and on console machines in the \Program Files\OnDemand\WinINSTALL\Help folder. You can use this information with third-party database mining tools and to create custom reports, if you have a copy of Crystal Designer.

The DBSchema.htm file documents all tables in the WinINSTALL database, presenting information on each database table, including table name, column name, data type, column size, and precision (where applicable) for both SQL Server and Oracle, plus whether the field is required or not.

For character data types, the length shown is the length in characters. For other data types, the specified length is the number of bytes occupied by the value within the table. Some types, such as text and image, occupy space in a special place in the database, because they are often too large for a normal row. These types have 16 bytes of overhead in the row. Similar Oracle types, (LONG and LONG RAW), do not have a length specified, for the same reason.

The tables are grouped within the list according to the WinINSTALL components which make primary use of them. Note that, despite their grouping in the list, many of these tables are used by multiple WinINSTALL features and components, and often for purposes which are not obvious.

D A T A B A S E M E R G I N G A N D P U B L I S H I N GDetails on how WinINSTALL merges and publishes data, and how you can control these operations, appears in The WinINSTALL Agent chapter of this guide, in the sections entitled Publish Settings from the Database to Managed Machines and Merge Data from Managed Machines to the Database.

WININSTALL SERVERS WinINSTALL servers are managed machines that have the WinINSTALL server agent deployed to them. In practical terms, a WinINSTALL server can be thought of as simply the location for the merge and publishing functionality of the WinINSTALL agent that moves data back and forth between a WinINSTALL database and a WinINSTALL share. (Like WinINSTALL workstations, WinINSTALL servers also house the agent functionality that moves data between the local machine and the share.)

Each WinINSTALL server is assigned one or more specific WinINSTALL shares. The shares assigned to a server comprise the shares available to all workstations assigned to that server. Assigning multiple shares to a server provides fallback behavior in the event of an outage, and it also enables the server’s workstations to select which share to connect to from among the shares assigned to that server, according to a configurable algorithm.


C O M P O N E N T S A N D A R C H I T E C T U R EComponents in the WinINSTALL Architecture2

In addition, each share is also owned by one WinINSTALL server. It is the owning server which, by default, merges and publishes information between the share and the WinINSTALL database. Furthermore, machines deployed via Secure Manual Deployment (SMD) files are automatically assigned to the server which owns the share specified in the SMD file.

The WinINSTALL agent on the server temporarily stores data on each share it owns as it merges data to and publishes data from the WinINSTALL database.

Every managed machine in a WinINSTALL environment must be assigned to a specific WinINSTALL server, including servers themselves (which are always assigned to themselves as server). Consequently, each WinINSTALL server always acts as the server for at least one machine – the server itself – but it may also have additional WinINSTALL workstations assigned to it.

Replication can take place only between WinINSTALL servers, and it usually involves moving data from the first owned share of the source server to all owned shares of the target server.

WININSTALL WORKSTATIONSWinINSTALL workstations are managed machines that have the WinINSTALL workstation agent deployed to them. Every workstation in a WinINSTALL environment must be assigned to a specific WinINSTALL server. When multiple shares are assigned to a WinINSTALL server, the workstations assigned to that server use a configurable algorithm to select which of the shares to use. This decision process is automatically invoked at each boot up, at configurable intervals thereafter, and in response to loss or restoration of connectivity or loss of share access.

The WinINSTALL workstation agent moves data between the local machine and a share assigned to the workstation’s assigned server. (Workstation agents control the movement of data between local machines and the shares assigned to their WinINSTALL servers, while server agents move that data between servers’ owned shares and the database, in the merge operation discussed in the WinINSTALL Database section, above.)

The workstation agent also controls desktop management functions on the workstation, including scheduling, and software distribution. All WinINSTALL servers run the workstation agent as part of the server agent. The workstation agent components on a server perform the workstation agent tasks on that machine - moving data between the share on the server and the local (server) machine, running inventory, scheduling, etc.

REFERENCE MACHINEA reference machine is a special machine used solely for the purpose of building packages and creating transforms. No WinINSTALL components are installed on a reference machine.


. . .

. .C O M P O N E N T S A N D A R C H I T E C T U R EOverview of the WinINSTALL Architecture

Technically, a reference machine should be a clean machine, with only an operating system and any necessary service packs installed. Because a reference machine does not need to be large and expensive, some administrators have two or more. In this way, they can create a package on one machine while returning a previously-used machine to its clean state. This practice reduces downtime - and the temptation to cut corners by using a dirty machine.

Today, a number of commercial products are available to simplify the process of returning a reference machine to its clean state. For instance, virtual machine software allows you to save a virtual machine in a clean state. After you build a package on a virtual machine, you can discard all changes and return the machine to its original clean state during reboot. Virtual machines can save a great deal of time because you need to install each operating system used in your network only once. You can create separate virtual machines for each operating system and then reuse them over and over again. This is particularly useful because each package you build must be created on a machine with the same operating system as the network client on which it will be installed.

O V E R V I E W O F T H E W I N I N S T A L L

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A R C H I T E C T U R E Machines in a WinINSTALL environment have one or more of several roles. For example, some machines act as servers, some are workstations, some host Consoles, some house databases, and some serve as collection/distribution sites, or shares. These roles are inter-related in a specific fashion within the WinINSTALL architecture.

The Console is your window into the world of WinINSTALL. It must be pointed to a WinINSTALL share and connected to a WinINSTALL database.

The share used by the Console holds the executables, configuration files, reports, help files, packages, client reset templates, personality transfer files, and other information that the Console needs to function properly.

The database to which the Console points is populated based on selections made and actions taken in the Console, and the information that displays in the Console and in reports reflects the data in that database.

SERVERS, SHARES, AND WORKSTATIONS

S H A R E A N D W O R K S T A T I O N A S S I G N M E N TWinINSTALL shares and WinINSTALL workstations are both assigned to WinINSTALL servers. By assigning a share to a WinINSTALL server, you are making that share available to all workstations which are assigned to that server. In other words, the collection of shares


C O M P O N E N T S A N D A R C H I T E C T U R EOverview of the WinINSTALL Architecture 2

assigned to a particular server are the only shares available to the workstations assigned to that server.

If a server has multiple shares assigned, its workstations use a configurable algorithm to select which share to connect to. This algorithm is executed whenever the workstation agent starts up, and at configurable intervals thereafter, or if connectivity to the selected share is lost.

Details on share assignment are provided in the section of this guide entitled Assigning Multiple Shares to a WinINSTALL Server.

S H A R E O W N E R S H I PEach share has one server designated as its owner. The owning server is, by default, the server whose agents merge and publish information between that share and the WinINSTALL database. In addition, machines deployed via Secure Manual Deployment (SMD) files are automatically assigned to the server which owns the share specified in the SMD file.

See the Configuring Share Ownership section of this guide for details on share ownership.

M E R G E / P U B L I S H R E S P O N S I B I L I T YBy default, each share’s owning server is responsible for publishing configuration settings and jobs from the WinINSTALL database to that share and for merging machine data from the share into the WinINSTALL database. In some instances, however, it may be desirable (for geographical reasons, for example) to assign these database merging and publishing responsibilities to other servers instead of, or in addition to, the owning server.

For detailed information on assigning merge/publish responsibility, see the section of this guide entitled Configuring Share Merge/Publish Responsibility.

TIP: Assigning multiple shares to a server can provide access to local shares for mobile users away from their home server. This type of configuration can also add load balancing and backup, or fallback, capability to your WinINSTALL environment.

If

TIP: If you are deploying WinINSTALL agents by means of a Secure Manual Deployment (SMD) file, be sure to specify in the SMD file a share that is owned by the server to which you want the deployed machines assigned.


. . .

. .C O M P O N E N T S A N D A R C H I T E C T U R EOverview of the WinINSTALL Architecture

S H A R E S E L E C T I O NWhen a server is assigned multiple shares, WinINSTALL workstations use a configurable algorithm to determine which share to connect to. The default behavior, sequential scan, is for the machine to simply attempt to connect to the first share on the list. If a workstation is unable to connect to that share, it will try the next share in the list, and so on until it either succeeds or runs out of shares to try.

But more sophisticated procedures for share selection are available. These provide a means to allow a workstation to always choose the closest share, depending on your choice of methods and your network configuration. Details on the various options and how to configure them are provided in the Configuring Share Selection section of this guide.

R O L L U P S H A R E SYou can also specify up to three “roll up shares” for each server. This feature gives you the ability to have data on the server’s owned shares not only merged to the database, but also moved to one or more additional shares. When you specify a roll up share for a WinINSTALL server, the agent on the server merges the data on all of its owned shares to the database and then copies that data to the specified roll up share. The agent on the server which owns the roll up share then merges this same data to a different database.

Because of the key role that the single, centralized database plays in WinINSTALL desktop management, roll up shares and their associated databases cannot be used for network management. They provide only a tool for viewing and accessing consolidated enterprise information. For example, a large geographically diverse enterprise might have separate WinINSTALL environments in each of its main geographic centers. Discrete desktop management activities take place in each separate WinINSTALL environment and the information is stored in the various separate databases. However, corporate management wants to be able to see information for the entire enterprise. In this case, each geographic center has the data being merged into its database also rolled up to an enterprise share. The data from the enterprise share is then merged into an enterprise-level database, which management uses for reporting and data mining--but not for management of the remote machines.

WININSTALL AGENT INFRASTRUCTUREAn agent infrastructure forms an integral part of the WinINSTALL architecture. The WinINSTALL agent manages such tasks as inventory, software distribution, scheduling, personality transfer, and replication, and is also responsible for synchronizing information between the WinINSTALL database and the managed machines in the WinINSTALL environment. You can quickly and easily deploy the WinINSTALL agent to managed machines from the WinINSTALL Console, or you can manually deploy the WinINSTALL agent on the machines themselves. The specific agent functionality installed on a particular


C O M P O N E N T S A N D A R C H I T E C T U R EOverview of the WinINSTALL Architecture 2

machine depends on the role of that machine in the WinINSTALL environment: workstation or server.

The WinINSTALL agent is deployed only to managed machines with the WinINSTALL role of server or workstation. It is not required on machines that house a WinINSTALL Console, database, or share unless that machine also acts as a WinINSTALL server or workstation.

The role of the machine determines what agent functionality will be installed – and thus what tasks can be performed by that machine. For example, when you deploy the WinINSTALL agent to a workstation, the portions of the agent that perform inventory, software distribution, and scheduling are installed. When you deploy the WinINSTALL agent to a designated server, the entire set of agent functionality is installed, allowing that server to merge information from a WinINSTALL share to the database, publish information from the database to a share, and perform replication, in addition to performing workstation tasks such as inventory, software distribution, and scheduling.

The agent deployed to a server is responsible for merging information from the share into the WinINSTALL database, as well as for publishing data from the database to the share. The agent deployed to either a server or a workstation is responsible for moving WinINSTALL information from the local machine to the WinINSTALL share , as well as for moving appropriate information from the share back down to the local machine.


. . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .NAVIGATING THE WININSTALL CONSOLE 3

he WinINSTALL Console is the graphical user interface (GUI) tool used to administer the entire WinINSTALL environment. The data displayed in the console is the data in the database selected in the Default Settings Wizard or on the

Console Options dialog. If you change from one database to another, you change the data that you see in the Console. Once you understand the console layout, you can customize it and add security to it. The minimum video resolution for the WinINSTALL Console is 1024 x 768.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C O N S O L E L A Y O U TThe Console is divided into three panes - tree pane, list pane, and data pane - with a shortcut bar on the far left and a context-sensitive menu bar and toolbar at the top.

Tree PaneThe tree pane is the top left pane of the Console. The nodes in the tree pane allow you to access the major functional areas of the product. Clicking a tree node can reveal sub-nodes that represent nested functionality within that area. The node selected in the tree pane determines the appearance of the data pane and, for some nodes, the appearance of the list pane as well.

List PaneThe list pane is the bottom left pane of the Console. Context-sensitive information displays in this pane when certain sub-nodes are selected in the tree pane. The entry selected in the list pane then determines the appearance of the data pane.

Data PaneThe data pane is the right pane of the Console. Detailed context-sensitive information displays in a tabbed format in this pane. The entry selected in either the tree pane or the combined entries selected in the tree pane and the list pane determine the appearance of the data pane. The data pane is where you view and edit information.

TIP: The Console title bar shows the current WinINSTALL share.

T


N A V I G A T I N G T H E W I N I N S TA L L C O N S O L EConsole Layout3

Shortcuts BarThe shortcuts bar displays on the far left side of the Console. With a simple menu click, you can hide this bar or make it visible again. You can easily customize this bar to reflect the needs of your environment.

Menu bar and ToolbarAt the top of the Console is a context-sensitive menu bar and toolbar. The menu categories, menu items, and toolbar icons change depending on the selection made in the tree pane of the console.

TREE PANEThe tree pane is the top left pane in the console. The node that is selected in the tree pane determines the categories that display in the list pane (below the tree pane) and the context sensitive information that displays in the data pane (on the right of the tree pane). Navigating the tree pane is similar to navigating Microsoft's Windows™ Explorer. To expand a node, click the plus sign beside the node. To collapse an expanded node, click the minus sign beside the node.

The top-level nodes in the tree pane represent major functional areas of the product. Clicking the sub-nodes below reveal nested functionality within that area. For example, under the Software Distribution node, lists can be expanded to reveal packages and nested child lists, packages can be expanded to reveal the features they contain, and features can be expanded to reveal their components or sub-features. The nodes in the tree pane are outlined below.

S T A R T P A G EThis node provides a graphical overview of the features in the WinINSTALL family of products and access to a Getting Started Guide that helps the administrator learn to use the product quickly, with direct links to product functionality.

M A C H I N E SThis node allows you to view and configure a machine or list of machines and manage inventory, software distribution, schedules, and merging and publishing data to and from the database. The Searches branch allows you to create specialized dynamic groups that meet criteria that you specify.

• All Machines

• Searches

• <individual searches created by the user>


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. .N A V I G A T I N G T H E W I N I N S TA L L C O N S O L EConsole Layout

Please see the Managing Machines chapter for details on managing machines in the WinINSTALL console. The Inventory chapter also presents additional information available under the Machines node.

S O F T W A R E D I S T R I B U T I O NThis node allows you to create and modify software distribution packages and merge modules (.MSM files).

• Software Distribution Lists

• WinApps

WinApps.lst is an application list which includes several sample lists and packages provided with WinINSTALL for use with various software distribution methods.

Please see the Lists and Packages chapter for additional information on software distribution lists and packages.

• Patches

Patches.lst is an application list containing several sample lists (no packages) intended to illustrate one method of organizing Microsoft patches for distribution to PCs in your environment. Please see Patch Management, below, plus the Patch Management chapter for additional information.

• Merge Module Folders

The Merge Module Folders node can be configured to hold the Merge Module Cache (WinINSTALL provides a number of Microsoft-supplied merge modules), which is automatically consulted for matching features and components when building a new package. Please see the Merge Modules chapter for additional information.

C O N F L I C T A S S E S S M E N TThis node allows you to check for conflicts between packages and specific operating system environments or between groups of packages. See the Conflict Assessment chapter for additional information on this feature.

P A T C H M A N A G E M E N TThis node allows you to view Microsoft Bulletins, download patches from the Microsoft web site, automatically create patch packages from downloaded patches, and go directly to the Microsoft site to view TechNet articles.

• All Bulletins



Please see the Patch Management chapter for additional information on this feature.

P E R S O N A L I T Y T R A N S F E RThis node allows you to extract, restore, and distribute PC personalities, including both data and settings.

• Templates

<individual personality transfer templates created by the user>

• Backups

<individual personality backups created by the user>

• Restores

<individual restores of personality backups created by the user>

• Migrations

<individual personality migrations created by the user>

• Policies

<individual personality transfer policies created by the user>

• Policy Distribution

<individual distributions of personality transfer policies created by the user>

Please see the Personality Transfer chapter for additional information.

P X E C L I E N T R E S E TIn the WinINSTALL Desktop Availability Suite only, this node enables the configuration of PXE servers, PXE reset templates, and PXE client machines.

• Servers

<PXE reset servers configured by the user, including operating system files, drivers, and post-install utilities>

• Templates

<PXE reset templates created by the user, including settings governing the installation of operating systems on client machines>

• Clients

<PXE client machines selected by the user and assigned to specific PXE reset servers and templates>


. . .


Please see the PXE Client Reset chapter for additional information.

C L I E N T R E S E TThis node allows you to create and modify templates of operating systems that can be used to reset a client workstation.

<individual Client Reset Templates created by the user>

Please see the Client Reset chapter for additional information.

R E P L I C A T I O N This node allows you to create, modify, schedule, and run jobs that replicate packages from one server to another and templates from one share to another.

<individual replication jobs created by the user>

Please see the Replication chapter for additional information.

S C H E D U L EThis node allows you to schedule agent tasks (software distribution, inventory, publishing data from the database, and merging data to the database) to be performed, for a specified group of machines or users. Scheduled jobs can be executed one time only or they can be configured to recur on a regular basis. See the Scheduling chapter for additional information.

C O N S O L E L O GThis node allows you to view user activity that the Console has logged to the WinINSTALL database and the Windows Event Log. (The Console must have been configured to write information to one or both of these logs, using the Console Options dialog. Please see the WinINSTALL Logging section of the Miscellaneous chapter for details on the WinINSTALL console log.)

R E P O R T SThis node provides access to the full array of prepackaged reports and to Crystal Designer, if you have a licensed copy of the Crystal reports software installed on the Console machine. For more information, see the Reports chapter.

LIST PANEThe list pane is the bottom left pane of the Console. Categories of information display in this pane when certain sub-nodes are selected in the tree pane. Each category in the list pane



causes context-sensitive detailed information to display on the right side of the screen, in the data pane.

M A C H I N E SAll Machines

When All Machines is highlighted under the Machines node in the tree pane, the categories below display in the list pane.

• All Machines

• <individual managed machines>

• Searches

• <individual searches created by user>

When a specific search is highlighted under the Searches node, the individual searches and the managed machines that fit the criteria of each search display as categories in the list pane.

Selecting a search or All Machines in the list pane will present the appropriate list of machines in the data pane.

Selecting a single machine in the list pane will display detailed information on that machine in the data pane.

S O F T W A R E D I S T R I B U T I O NWhen a Windows Installer package, feature, or component is highlighted under the Software Distribution node in the tree pane, the categories below display in the list pane.

• General

• Files

• Shortcuts

• Registry

• Services

• Edits

• Advertising

• Patches and Transforms


. . .


You can also expand a Windows Installer package to the feature or component level. Selecting a feature or component displays a different list of categories from a package level selection.

When a WinINSTALL package is highlighted under the Software Distribution node in the tree pane, the categories below display in the list pane.

• General

• Files

• Shortcuts

• Registry

• Services

• Edits

For either type of package, selecting any category in the list view produces a display of the relevant information for that category in the data pane.

P A T C H M A N A G E M E N THighlight All Bulletins in the tree pane and a list of all available bulletins will appear in the list pane. If you expand All bulletins and select a sub-node representing a category of bulletins, the list of bulletins within that category will appear in the list pane.

If you double-click a specific bulletin in the data pane or highlight a bulletin in the list pane, the detailed information for that bulletin displays in the data pane.

C L I E N T R E S E TWhen a specific Client Reset Template is highlighted under the Client Reset node in the tree pane, the categories below display in the list pane.

• Operating System

• Application Package

• Distribution Files

• Client Operation

• Client Reset Shares

Selecting any of these categories will cause the relevant information to appear in the data pane.



R E P L I C A T I O NWhen a specific replication job is highlighted under the Replication node in the tree pane, the categories below display in the list pane.

• Properties

• History

Selecting either category will display the appropriate information for that replication job in the data pane.

DATA PANEThe data pane is the right pane of the Console. Detailed context-sensitive information displays in a tabbed format, with the appearance and content determined by the node that is selected in the tree pane and, in many cases, the category that is selected in the list pane as well. In the data pane, you can view and modify detailed information about the selected node or sub-node.

E D I T I N G B U T T O N SA common feature of the data pane user interface is a set of buttons, each marked with a different icon. Typically, the user interface will present a list of entities (such as files to be copied as part of a package) with these buttons arranged along the top.

Each button is always used in the same fashion, regardless of the nature of the entities in the list. Hovering the mouse over an enabled button will produce a tool tip that suggests the function of that button. The function of each button is explained below.

Clicking this button will create a new entity. When the entity is complete, it will be added to the list, where it can be acted upon by means of the buttons marked with Edit, Delete, Up Arrow and Down Arrow icons.

Clicking a button marked with the Edit Icon will present the properties of the selected entity for editing. When the editing process is complete, the entity will be returned to the list.

• Buttons with these icons enable you to add, modify, delete and move items in a list.

• Add New Icon

• Edit or Properties Icon


. . .


Clicking a button marked with the Delete Icon will remove the selected entity from the list.

Clicking a button with this icon will move the selected entity up one row in the list.

Clicking a button with this icon will move the selected entity down one row in the list.

Clicking a button with this icon will present a screen with additional parameters and settings.

SHORTCUTS BARThe shortcuts bar displays on the far left side of the console. The shortcuts bar is convenient for accessing items or screens that you use most frequently or for items that appear at the bottom of long lists or hierarchies. You can customize this bar to reflect the needs of your environment. You can choose to hide this bar or keep it visible.

• Delete Icon

• Up Arrow Icon

• Down Arrow Icon

• Ellipsis Icon

TIP: Just drag and drop items from any major area of the Console to the shortcuts bar. For example, you can bookmark specific tabbed screens, field names, and group box names


N A V I G A T I N G T H E W I N I N S TA L L C O N S O L ECommon Console Operations3

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C O M M O N C O N S O L E O P E R A T I O N S

HOW TO EDIT OR VIEW MACHINE INFORMATION

F O R A L L M A C H I N E S

F O R A S I N G L E M A C H I N E

F O R A S E A R C H

HOW TO VIEW OR MODIFY SOFTWARE DISTRIBUTION PACKAGES OR L ISTS

1 Highlight the Machines node in the tree pane.

2 Highlight the All Machines node in the tree pane.

3 Highlight All Machines in the list pane.

4 View or modify information about all of the machines.

1 Highlight a specific machine in the list pane.

2 View or modify information about the machine.

1 Highlight the Searches node in the tree pane.

2 Highlight a specific search in the list pane.

3 View or modify information about the search.

4 Highlight a specific machine in the list pane.

5 View or modify information about the machine.

1 Highlight the Software Distribution node in the tree pane.

2 Highlight the Software Distribution Lists node in the tree pane.

3 Highlight a specific software distribution list in the tree pane.

4 View or modify a software distribution list.

5 Highlight a specific package in the tree pane.

6 View or modify a Windows Installer (MSI) package, feature, or component.

7 View or modify a WinINSTALL (NAI) package.


. . .

. .N A V I G A T I N G T H E W I N I N S TA L L C O N S O L ECommon Console Operations

HOW TO CREATE, EDIT OR VIEW CONFLICT ASSESSMENTS

HOW TO VIEW MICROSOFT BULLETINS, DOWNLOAD PATCHES, AND CREATE PATCH PACKAGES

1 Highlight the Conflict Assessment node in the tree pane.

2 Create, view or modify conflict assessments.

1 Highlight the Patch Management node in the tree pane.

2 Highlight the All Bulletins node in the tree pane.

3 Double-click a bulletin in the data pane.

4 Select a patch from the bulletin in the data pane and either download the patch or create a package to install the patch.


N A V I G A T I N G T H E W I N I N S TA L L C O N S O L ECommon Console Operations3

HOW TO CREATE OR VIEW PERSONALITY TRANSFER ACTIONS

HOW TO CREATE, EDIT OR VIEW CLIENT RESET TEMPLATES

HOW TO CREATE, EDIT OR VIEW REPLICATION JOBS

HOW TO CREATE, EDIT OR VIEW SCHEDULED TASKS

HOW TO VIEW THE CONSOLE LOG

1 Highlight the Personality Transfer node in the tree pane.

2 Highlight a personality transfer action category in the tree pane.

3 View the current jobs in the selected personality transfer action category.

1 Highlight the Client Reset node in the tree pane.

2 View or modify a Client Reset Template.

1 Highlight the Replication node in the tree pane.

2 View or modify a package replication job.

3 View or modify a template replication job.

1 Highlight the Schedule node in the tree pane.

2 View or modify scheduled tasks.

1 Highlight the Console Log node in the tree pane.

2 View logged data on either the Database or Windows Event Log tab.

TIP: In both the Database and Windows Event Logs, you can use the Edit menu or the right-click context menu in the log to copy all or selected entries to the clipboard for pasting into other applications, or to export all or selected entries to a tab-delimited text file for processing by another application. The Export and Export All options will prompt you for an output path and filename.


. . .

. .N A V I G A T I N G T H E W I N I N S TA L L C O N S O L ECustomizing the Console

HOW TO CREATE, EDIT, OR VIEW REPORTS

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C U S T O M I Z I N G T H E C O N S O L EYou can customize your WinINSTALL Console in several ways to enable you to work according to your own preferences.

WORKGROUP NETWORKINGWinINSTALL fully supports workgroup networking, including mixed environments where workgroup networking co-exists with NT Domain, Active Directory, and/or Novell Netware networks.

If your environment includes both workgroup and non-workgroup networking, you should be able to browse the entire environment without any special settings. A special Console setting is available for networks using only workgroup networking.

To enable browsing workgroup networks from the WinINSTALL Console when your network contains only workgroups, select View->Console Options from the menu bar, and check the checkbox labeled Operate the Console in workgroup mode.

1 Expand the Reports node in the tree pane.

2 Highlight a report category in the tree pane.

3 Run, create or modify a report.

TIP: To use Windows XP machines in workgroup mode, it is recommended to change the local security policy to permit network connections to use the actual network user account, rather than the default method of using the Guest account (which is often disabled).

To enable connections to use the actual user account, Select Administrative Tools \ Local Security Policy \ Local Policies \ Security Options \ Network Access: Sharing and security for local accounts. Change this option to Classic.

In addition, it is recommended to create a special user account for this purpose. If this special account is added to the Administrators group on all machines, it can then be used to manage those Windows XP machines in workgroup mode.


N A V I G A T I N G T H E W I N I N S TA L L C O N S O L ECustomizing the Console3

HOW TO START THE CONSOLE WHERE THE LAST SESSION ENDED

TO SHOW/HIDE THE TOOLBAR:

HOW TO SHOW/HIDE THE STATUS BAR

HOW TO CUSTOMIZE THE SHORTCUTS BAR

S H O W / H I D E T H E S H O R T C U T S B A R

WARNING: If your network includes both workgroups and another form of Microsoft networks (Domain networking or Active Directory), it is best to leave the Console operating in non-workgroup mode. Selecting workgroup mode in such an environment will result in the Console network browser displaying only a partial list of machines.

1 Click View on the menu bar.

2 Choose Startup at Last Location. (It will now be checked, causing future executions of the console to start where the last session ended.)


2 Choose Bars.

3 Click Tool Bar. If Tool Bar is checked, the toolbar will be visible; otherwise, it will be hidden.


2 Choose Bars.

3 Click Status Bar. If Status Bar is checked, the status bar will be visible; otherwise, it will be hidden.



. . .

. .N A V I G A T I N G T H E W I N I N S TA L L C O N S O L ECustomizing the Console

A D D A N E W S H O R T C U T B A R

R E M O V E A N E X I S T I N G S H O R T C U T B A R

M O V E A N E X I S T I N G S H O R T C U T B A R

2 Choose Bars.

3 Click Shortcuts Bar. If Shortcuts Bar is checked, the shortcuts bar will be visible; otherwise, ti will be hidden.

1 Right-click in the Shortcuts Bar area.

2 Select Add Bars.

3 The Add Shortcut Bars dialog displays.

4 Enter the name of the new shortcuts bar and click Add.

5 The name of the new shortcut bar now displays at the top of the Shortcuts Bar area.


2 Select Remove Bars.

3 The Remove Shortcut Bars dialog displays.

4 From the drop-down list, select the shortcut bar that you want to remove and click Remove.

5 The name of the deleted shortcut bar no longer displays at the top or bottom of the Shortcuts Bar area.


2 Select Move Bars.

3 The Move Shortcut Bars dialog displays.

4 From the drop-down list, select the shortcut bar that you want to move and click Move.

5 The name of the shortcut bar moves to the bottom of the list at the top of the Shortcuts Bar area and the shortcut bar opens.


N A V I G A T I N G T H E W I N I N S TA L L C O N S O L ESetting Console Security3

E D I T T H E N A M E O F A S H O R T C U T B A R

R E N A M E A S H O R T C U T O N A S H O R T C U T B A R

D E L E T E A S H O R T C U T F R O M A S H O R T C U T B A R

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . S E T T I N G C O N S O L E S E C U R I T YYou can set the access rights of specific users and groups for each area of functionality available from the WinINSTALL Console. These security settings cover only the activity of the Console user and do not apply to other parts of WinINSTALL, such as Discover.


2 Select Edit Bar Names.

3 The Edit Shortcut Bar Names dialog displays.

4 From the drop-down list, select the shortcut bar that you want to rename and click Rename.

5 The shortcut bar now displays with its new name on the Shortcuts Bar area.

1 Right-click a shortcut icon or name on a shortcut bar.

2 Select Edit Shortcut Name.

3 Edit the shortcut name.

4 Press Enter.

5 The shortcut now displays with the modified name.

1 Right-click a shortcut icon or name on a shortcut bar.

2 Select Delete Shortcut.

3 The shortcut icon disappears from the shortcut bar.


. . .

. .N A V I G A T I N G T H E W I N I N S TA L L C O N S O L ESetting Console Security

HOW TO SET CONSOLE SECURITY

For each Console feature, the logged-on user of the console must have the proper access right(s) assigned in order to perform the specific activities of that feature. Access rights may be assigned to users or groups. The logged-on user of the console will not only have the access rights granted specifically to him or her, but will also inherit any access rights given to groups of which (s)he is a member.

Menus, toolbars, and console tree nodes are not directly affected by the access rights of the user. In other words, menu commands are not enabled or disabled based on security. Instead, when a user attempts to perform an action for which (s)he does not have the proper rights, an error message appears indicating that fact.

ADMINISTRATIVE ACCESS RIGHTS:Full Administrative access rights include the ability to perform the following tasks:

• Set Console Options (database, share, logging, etc.).

• Set Security Permissions.

• Edit/Delete Machines.

• Add/Edit/Delete top-level (directly under the Software Distribution Lists node in the tree view) Lists.

• Add/Edit/Delete Reports.

• Access all Console functions (overrides any other access rights assigned or not assigned for Console features – i.e., the other rights described below).

Denying Administrative access rights will produce the following behavior in the Console:

• Console Options dialog will not appear.

• Console Security dialog will not appear.

• Cannot edit/delete machines.

1 Select Security from the View menu.

2 The Console Security dialog will appear, listing high-level Console features on the left and providing a Configure button on the right. Select a feature on the left and click the Configure button.

3 A standard Windows security dialog for will be displayed, allowing you to set privileges for the selected feature.



• Cannot add/edit/delete top-level lists.

• Cannot add/edit/delete reports.

ACCESS RIGHTS FOR AGENT CONFIGURATION:Allowing full access rights for Agent Configuration enables the ability to perform the following tasks:

• Assign Server.

• Deploy (Run Task dialog).

• Remove Agent.

• Repair Agent.

• Start Agent.

• Stop Agent.

• Settings (WinINSTALL Agent Settings dialog).

Denying access rights for agent configuration will disable access to the agent configuration and deployment dialogs.

ACCESS RIGHTS TO THE CD WIZARD:Allowing access rights to the CD Wizard will enable the user to launch the CD Wizard.

Denying access rights to the CD Wizard will prevent the user from being able to launch the CD Wizard.

ACCESS RIGHTS FOR CLIENT RESET AND PXE CLIENT RESET: Allowing full access rights to Client Reset will enable the user to perform the following actions:

• Create/Edit/Delete Client Reset Templates

• Create Boot Floppy

Allowing access rights to view Client Reset templates will enable the user to perform the following actions:

WARNING: Before denying Administrative access rights, be sure you have specifically granted them to yourself. Otherwise, you may inadvertently prevent yourself from performing administrative actions, including making further Console security changes.


. . .


• View Client Reset Template properties

• Create Boot Floppy

Denying all access rights to Client Reset will produce an “Access Denied” message when the user selects the Client Reset tree node in the Console.

In the WinINSTALL Desktop Availability Suite only, this setting also controls access to the PXE Client Reset feature as well.

ACCESS RIGHTS FOR CONFLICT ASSESSMENT:Allowing full access rights for Conflict Assessment will permit the following actions:

• Launch Conflict Assessment Wizard.

• Add/edit/delete Conflict Assessments.

Allowing access rights to view Conflict Assessments will permit the user to view Conflict Assessments only. Access to the Conflict Assessment Wizard and to adding/editing or deleting Conflict Assessments will be denied.

Denying all Conflict Assessment access rights will produce the following behavior:

• The Conflict Assessment Wizard will not appear.

• The user will be unable to view, add, edit, or delete Conflict Assessments.

ACCESS RIGHTS FOR INVENTORY/ASSET MANAGEMENT: Allowing full access rights to Inventory and Asset Management enables the following capabilities:

• Create/Edit/Delete Asset information for Asset Management and Inventory/Printers.

• View existing data in Asset Management and the data captured by inventory.

• Purge some log data from the log tables.

Allowing view only access rights to Asset Management and Inventory allows the user only to view existing data in Asset Management and the data captured by inventory.

Denying all access rights to Asset Management and Inventory will produce an “Access Denied” message when the user selects the Asset Info button or the Inventory tab.

ACCESS RIGHTS FOR PACKAGING: Full access rights for Packaging enable the user to add/edit/delete lists, packages, and merge modules.

View only access rights to Packaging allows the user to view packages and merge modules, but not to modify them in any way.



Denying access rights for Packaging will produce an “Access Denied” message when the user selects the Software Distribution tree node.

ACCESS RIGHTS FOR PATCH MANAGEMENTFull Patch Management access rights include the ability to perform the following actions:

• View list of bulletins, information and patches.

• Download patches.

• Create patch packages.

• Delete patches and patch packages.

View only access rights for Patch Management allow the user to view the list of bulletins, information and patches. The user has no patch download or patch package or deletion capabilities.

Denying all access rights to Patch Management will produce an “Access Denied” message when the user clicks the Patch Management tree node.

ACCESS RIGHTS FOR PERSONALITY TRANSFERFull Personality Transfer access rights include the ability to perform the following actions:

• Create templates

• Run backup, restore, migration, create policy and policy distribution tasks

• Schedule backups, migrations and policy distributions

View only access rights for Personality Transfer will allow the user to view the contents of the Personality Transfer tree node and its subnodes, including viewing the list of templates and list of results for backup, restore, migration, create policy and policy distribution tasks; and viewing the list of scheduled personality jobs.

Denying all access rights to Personality Transfer will produce an “Access Denied” message when the user clicks the Personality Transfer tree node. As a result, the user will be unable to perform any of the following tasks:

• Create or edit new scheduled backups, migrations or policy distributions.

• Create or edit templates or run personality transfer tasks.

• View Personality Transfer tree node contents.

• View scheduled personality transfer jobs.

ACCESS RIGHTS FOR REPLICATION:Full Replication access rights include the ability to perform the following actions:


. . .


• View replication job properties and job status history.

• Create/Edit/Delete replication jobs.

• Run/Abort replication jobs.

View only access rights for Replication will allow the user to view replication job properties and job status history. No other actions will be permitted.

Denying all access rights to Replication will produce an “Access Denied” message when the user clicks the Replication tree node. The user will be unable to view, add, edit, or delete replication jobs.

ACCESS RIGHTS FOR RUNNING TASKS:Full access rights for running tasks will permit the user to perform any of the following actions:

• Run Software Distribution

• Run Inventory

• Run Merge

• Run Publish

• Run Replication

Access to Workstation Tasks will permit the user to run Software Distribution and Inventory tasks only.

Access to Server Tasks will permit the user to run Merge, Publish, and Replication tasks.

Denying all access rights to running tasks will prevent the user from running any tasks and even from displaying the Run Task dialog.

ACCESS RIGHTS FOR SCHEDULING:Allowing full access rights for Scheduling will enable the user to add, edit, or delete Scheduled Tasks, including full access to the Schedule Task dialog.

Allowing access rights to schedule Workstation Tasks will enable the user to add, edit, or delete scheduled Workstation Tasks.

Allowing access rights to schedule Server Tasks will enable the user to add, edit, or delete scheduled Server Tasks.

Denying all access rights for scheduling will prevent the user from adding, editing, or deleting any scheduled tasks. If the user clicks the Schedule tree node, an “Access Denied” message will appear, and the Schedule Task dialog will not display.




. . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .MANAGING MACHINES 4

inINSTALL makes it easy to populate your WinINSTALL environment with the information needed to manage workstations and servers and all the associated WinINSTALL tasks. The Add Machines Wizard automatically imports

information about machines that you add to the Console from your network. In addition, WinINSTALL lets you perform a variety of manual operations as well. You can manually add managed machines to the Console; you can manually deploy agents to servers and workstations; and you can control the details of operation of these agents and their roles within the flow of WinINSTALL data between the database and managed machines (and vice-versa).

This chapter covers managed machines and their properties, including a discussion of “searches,” which are user-defined groups of machines that can be used for purposes such as scheduling or software distribution.

The WinINSTALL Agent, License and Asset Management, Inventory and Conflict Assessment are each discussed in separate chapters.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A D D I N G A N D R E M O V I N G M A C H I N E SThe Add Machines Wizard steps you through the process of adding managed machines to the Console, either from the network or manually. This wizard is the recommended method for adding machines, but machines can also be added manually from a menu option.

Regardless of the method you use to add machines, you can deploy the WinINSTALL agent to target machines at the time they are added, or you can deploy the agent later, in a separate operation. A full discussion of WinINSTALL agents, including deployment, configuration, and management, appears in the chapter entitled The WinINSTALL Agent.

Once you have added machines, you can create “searches” that allow you to group machines for a variety of purposes. Searches allow creation of groups of machines that meet certain user-specified criteria. You can perform all of the machine-related actions on the machines within searches. WinINSTALL provides a wide range of criteria for use in grouping machines into searches. Because searches allow you to group your machines into manageable groups, searches are the recommended means for managing machines in your WinINSTALL environment.

The Machines node in the tree pane allows you to perform almost any desired operation on any single machine or group of machines in your network. For example, you configure asset management from the Machines node in the tree pane. You can add and remove machines,

W


M A N A G I N G M A C H I N E SAdding and Removing Machines4

assign machine roles, set properties and configure settings, deploy and remove the WinINSTALL Agent, start and stop the WinINSTALL Agent, create searches, and schedule or immediately perform tasks.

ADDING MACHINES TO THE CONSOLEThe Add Machines Wizard is the simplest method of adding machines to the console. With the wizard, you can add single or multiple machines, either by browsing the network or by entering the machine information manually. Automatically importing machines from the network is the easiest way to add machines to the console, but at times when you may want to enter a machine’s information manually. For example, if you have added a machine to the network, but that addition has not yet been propagated throughout the network directory, you can add the machine manually rather than waiting for it to appear in the list.

A D D A S E R V E R W I T H T H E A D D M A C H I N E S W I Z A R D1 Expand the Machines node in the tree pane and highlight the All Machines sub-node

beneath it.

2 Do one of the following:

• Click the Add button in the data pane.

• Choose Add Machines Wizard from the Machines menu on the menu bar at the top of the screen.

• Click the Plus icon on the toolbar at the top of the screen.

The Add Machines Wizard is invoked.

3 On the Welcome to the Add Machines Wizard panel, specify that the machine(s) you are adding will have the role of server, by choosing the Add one or more servers radio button.

4 On the same panel, select the radio button indicating the desired method of adding the machine (Browse the network or Add manually).

• If you choose to add the server from the network, the Add Server from Network panel will appear next. Click the Add button to browse the network for the machine to be added.

The Add Machines from Network dialog appears, providing a network browser on the left side of the screen. Select the desired server in the network browser and click the Add button to add them to the list of Added Machines on the right.

NOTE: Until you have added at least one managed machine with the role of server, the only option available is to add one or more servers.


. . .

. .M A N A G I N G M A C H I N E SAdding and Removing Machines

If you need to remove machines from the list, select them and click the Remove button.

When the list of machines to be added is complete, click the OK button to return to the Add Server from Network panel. The added machines will now be listed on the panel.

If need be, you can click the checkbox marked Add machines even if duplicate names exist in the WinINSTALL database, but this is not recommended unless you have a specific reason to do so. Duplicate machine entries in the database can be problematic.

• If you choose to add the server manually, the Add Machine Manually panel appears next, providing fields to input the following information:

Enter the Name of the machine you are adding. This must be the exact network name for the computer.

Optionally enter the Machine Group to which the machine belongs. This must be the exact name of the network domain or group.

Optionally enter the Department to which the machine belongs.

Advanced users can also control the following settings:

• If need be, you can click the checkbox marked Add machine even if duplicate name exists in the WinINSTALL database, but this is not recommended unless you have a specific reason to do so. Duplicate machine entries in the database can be problematic.

• If you are adding a machine which has already had the WinINSTALL Agent installed, check the checkbox marked WinINSTALL Agent is already deployed.

• If you are using static IP addresses and have a reason to specify the machine’s IP address, you can check the Resolve machine using this IP address checkbox. Note that if you are using DHCP, you should not select this option.

5 On the Specify Server Settings panel, you specify the shares available to workstations assigned to this server. You may enter multiple shares, to provide failover capability. Workstations will attempt to connect to the specified shares in the order in which they are listed. You can adjust the order by selecting a share and using the up and down arrow buttons to position the share in the list.

6 In addition, you have the option of editing the following additional settings

WARNING: Although the Add Machines Wizard permits the addition of multiple servers at one time, it is recommended that you not do so. Adding multiple servers at once assigns them all the same primary share. It is strongly recommended that each server be assigned its own primary share.



• Default share proximity settings for workstations assigned to this server (click the Defaults button).

• Share proximity settings and database processing settings for each listed share (select the desired share in the list and click the Edit icon).

For details on the workings of WinINSTALL share proximity determination, please see Configuring Share Selection, later in this chapter.

7 On the Completing the Add Machines Wizard panel, a checkbox provides the option to deploy the WinINSTALL Agent. If you select this option, when you click the Finish button, the Deploy WinINSTALL Agent dialog will appear, enabling you to provide the credentials under which the agent will run on the target machine.

As soon as you click the Finish button, the server is added to the WinINSTALL Console machine list.

A D D A W O R K S T A T I O N W I T H T H E A D D M A C H I N E S W I Z A R D1 Expand the Machines node in the tree pane and highlight the All Machines sub-node

beneath it.


• Click the Add button in the data pane.

• Choose Add Machines Wizard from the Machines menu on the menu bar at the top of the screen.

• Click the Plus icon on the toolbar at the top of the screen.

The Add Machines Wizard is invoked.

3 On the Welcome to the Add Machines Wizard panel, specify that the machine(s) you are adding will have the role of workstation, by choosing the Add one or more workstations radio button.

4 On the same panel, select the radio button indicating the desired method of adding the machine (Browse the network or Add manually).

Regardless of which method you choose, the Select Server panel appears when you click the Next button, providing a list of deployed servers. Select the server to which you want to assign the workstation(s) being added, and click Next.

NOTE: Until you have added at least one managed machine with the role of server, the only option available is to add one or more servers.


. . .

. .M A N A G I N G M A C H I N E SAdding and Removing Machines

• If you chose to add the workstation from the network, the Add Workstations from Network panel will appear at this point. Click the Add button to browse the network for the machines to be added.

The Add Machines from Network dialog appears, providing a network browser on the left side of the screen. Select the desired workstations in the network browser and click the Add button to add them to the list of Added Machines on the right.

If you need to remove machines from the list, select them and click the Remove button.

When the list of machines to be added is complete, click the OK button to return to the Add Workstations from Network panel. The added machines will now be listed on the panel.

If need be, you can click the checkbox marked Add machines even if duplicate names exist in the WinINSTALL database, but this is not recommended unless you have a specific reason to do so. Duplicate machine entries in the database can be problematic.

• If you chose to add the workstation manually, the Add Machine Manually panel will appear next, providing fields to input the following information:

Enter the Name of the machine you are adding. This must be the exact network name for the computer.

Optionally enter the Machine Group to which the machine belongs. This must be the exact name of the network domain or group.

Optionally enter the Department to which the machine belongs.

Advanced users can also control the following settings:




5 On the Completing the Add Machines Wizard panel, a checkbox provides the option to deploy the WinINSTALL Agent. If you select this option, when you click the Finish button, the Deploy WinINSTALL Agent dialog will appear, enabling you to provide the credentials under which the agent will run on the target machine.

As soon as you click the Finish button, the server is added to the WinINSTALL Console machine list.



A D D A M A C H I N E M A N U A L L Y F R O M T H E M E N U1 Expand the Machines node in the tree pane and highlight the All Machines sub-node

beneath it.

2 Select Add Manually from the Machines menu on the menu bar at the top of the screen.

3 On the Add Machine dialog, enter the following information:

• Enter the Name of the machine you are adding. This must be the exact network name for the computer.

• Optionally enter the Machine Group to which the machine belongs. This must be the exact name of the network domain or group.

• Optionally enter the Department to which the machine belongs.

• Choose the WinINSTALL role for the machine from the drop-down: Workstation or Server.

4 If you selected Workstation as the role for this machine, select the server to which the workstation will be assigned from the Assigned Server drop-down.

If you selected Server as the role for this machine, the Server settings at the bottom of the dialog are enabled. Use the Add, Edit, and Delete icons above the share list to specify the shares available to workstations assigned to this server. In addition, you have the option of editing the following additional settings:

• Default share proximity settings for workstations assigned to this server (click the Defaults button).

• Share proximity settings and database processing settings for each listed share (select the desired share in the list and click the Edit icon).

For details on the workings of WinINSTALL share proximity determination, please see the Share Proximity Settings section.

5 Accept Manual as the Source. This setting is for display only.

6 Advanced users can also control the following settings:




7 Click OK. The machine now displays on the Machines tab in the data pane


. . .

. .M A N A G I N G M A C H I N E SShare Configuration and Selection

REMOVING A MACHINE FROM THE DATABASE AND CONSOLEIf you need to remove a machine from the WinINSTALL database, you should first remove the WinINSTALL agent (if the machine is still active on your network). If the WinINSTALL agent is active on a machine, it will be added back into the database when its next transaction file is merged by the server agent.

Once you have removed the agent (or removed the machine from the network), it is a very simple operation to remove a machine from the database and Console:

1 Expand the Machines node in the tree pane and highlight the All Machines sub-node beneath it.


3 In the data pane, select the machine that you want to remove and do one of the following:

• Choose Delete from the Machines menu on the menu bar.

• Click the Delete button in the data pane.

• Right-click the machine in the data pane and choose Delete from the pop-up menu.

4 You are asked whether you are sure that you want to delete the machine and warned that if you re-add the machine, you will need to redeploy the WinINSTALL Agent to it. If you click OK, the machine no longer displays in the list pane and on the data pane.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . S H A R E C O N F I G U R A T I O N A N D S E L E C T I O N

SHARE ASSIGNMENTWinINSTALL workstations are assigned to servers. One or more WinINSTALL shares are assigned to each WinINSTALL server. The shares assigned to a server are available to those workstations which are assigned to that server.

SHARE OWNERSHIP AND MERGE/PUBLISH RESPONSIBIL ITYEach WinINSTALL share has a WinINSTALL server designated as its owner. That server may or may not be the physical host for the share. That is, a share may be located on one

WARNING: If the machine is still active, you must first remove the agent from the machine before deleting it from the Console. Failure to do so will result in the WinINSTALL Agent adding the machine back into the database and Console.


M A N A G I N G M A C H I N E SShare Configuration and Selection4

machine but owned by another machine. This configuration flexibility enables even non-Windows machines to host WinINSTALL shares.

By default, the share owner is responsible for merge and publish responsibility for that share. However, network topology and other considerations may make it more desirable to configure merge and publish responsibility for a share to a WinINSTALL server other than the share owner. WinINSTALL fully supports such configurations.

Nevertheless, share ownership is important, particularly for Secure Manual Deployment. When WinINSTALL agents are deployed to a machine through SMD, the machine is assigned to the server designated as owner of the machine’s initial WinINSTALL share.

Share ownership is also critical to WinINSTALL replication. Replication moves data from the source server’s first owned share to (in most cases) all the target server’s owned shares. For details on replication, including sources and targets, see the Replication chapter of the WinINSTALL Administrators Guide. For details on configuring share ownership, and for ordering owned shares, see the Machines and Agents chapter of the WinINSTALL Administrators Guide.

SHARE SELECTION PROCEDURESBy default, each WinINSTALL machine attempts to connect to the first share in its sitelist file. If that connection fails, the machine will move on to the next share in the list, and so on, until a connection succeeds or the machine runs out of shares to try. This procedure, known as sequential scan, provides good backup/failover capability. But sequential scan is not necessarily the optimal procedure for mobile users.

The WinINSTALL Desktop Management Suite and Desktop Availability Suite products provide additional share selection options that enable each machine to dynamically determine the nearest share to connect to. This determination can be accomplished by means of examining subnet addresses, or by traffic analysis--or both.

These configuration options are configured on a per-share basis. That is, one share in a machine’s site list may be configured to use one selection procedure, while others may be configured to use different procedures.

In such a situation, the machine will always process shares configured to use subnet address selections first.

If no share with a suitable subnet address is found, the machine will next process those shares configured for selection by traffic analysis.

If traffic analysis does not yield a share with an acceptable response time, then the machine will finally revert to the sequential scan method.


. . .


As with the other areas of share configuration, details on the share selection process and how to configure it to meet your needs are presented in the Managing Machines and Agents chapter of the WinINSTALL Administrators Guide.

ASSIGNING MULTIPLE SHARES TO A WININSTALL SERVERWinINSTALL shares and WinINSTALL workstations are both assigned to WinINSTALL servers. By assigning a share to a WinINSTALL server, you are making that share available to all workstations which are assigned to that server. In other words, the collection of shares assigned to a particular server comprise the only shares available to the workstations assigned to that server.

If a server has multiple shares assigned, its workstations select which share to connect to based on a configurable algorithm. This algorithm is executed whenever the workstation agent starts up, and at configurable intervals thereafter, or if connectivity to the selected share is lost.

You may assign a single share to multiple servers, making that share available to workstations assigned to any of the servers. The Publisher agent responsible for publishing to any share is aware of all servers which have that share assigned, and it publishes each of those servers’ configuration and job files to that share. This behavior assures that each workstation will receive its jobs and configuration changes, regardless of which of the assigned shares it is attached to at any given time.

H O W T O A S S I G N M U L T I P L E S H A R E S W H E N A D D I N G A S E R V E R

You can assign multiple shares during the process of adding a WinINSTALL server. To add a server, you must assign at least one share on the Specified Server Settings panel of the Add Machines Wizard. But you can specify as many shares as desired at this time. See Add a Server with the Add Machines Wizard for details.

NOTE: These additional share selection options are available only in the WinINSTALL Desktop Management Suite and Desktop Availability Suite. They are disabled in the WinINSTALL Software Distribution Suite.

TIP: Assigning multiple shares to a server can provide access to local shares for mobile users away from their home server. This type of configuration can also add load balancing and backup, or fallback, capability to your WinINSTALL environment.



H O W T O C H A N G E A N E X I S T I N G S E R V E R ’ S A S S I G N E D S H A R E S

You can change the shares assigned to a server at any time, including assigning additional shares. To do so, follow these steps:

1 Display the machine properties for the server by selecting the desired server in the machine list and display the Machine Properties dialog by taking any of the following actions:

• Click the Properties button on the right side of the machine list in the data pane.

• Right-click the desired server and select Properties from the context menu.

• Select Properties from the Machines menu.

2 The Server Settings appear at the bottom of the dialog, including a list of the currently assigned shares. You can change assigned shares in any of the following ways:

• To assign an additional share, click the Add icon.

• To remove a share from the list of assigned shares, select the desired share and click the Delete icon.

• To change a share’s position in the list of assigned shares, select the desired share and click the up or down arrow icon until the shares are in the desired order.

CONFIGURING SHARE SELECTIONBy default, WinINSTALL workstations attempt to connect to the first share on the list of shares assigned to their server. If a workstation is unable to connect to the first share, it will try the next share in the list, and so on until it either succeeds or runs out of shares to try. This process is called the Sequential Scan method.

Instead of using the sequential scan method, you can configure a more sophisticated method for a WinINSTALL workstation to select which WinINSTALL share to connect to. This configuration is accomplished through the Server Settings section of the assigned server’s Machine Properties page.

Typically, these settings are configured as defaults for a given server and then inherited by all shares assigned to that server. However, in some cases, it may be useful to configure these settings for some shares individually--if, for instance, your network is configured in such a way that your primary method for choosing a share will not succeed in all cases. In

TIP: When you assign multiple shares to a server, you can specify the order in which the shares are contacted by workstations. Just select a share in the list of assigned shares on the server’s Machine Properties dialog and click the up or down arrow to change the share’s position in the list.


. . .


this situation, you will want to have some shares configured to use a different method, to assure that all workstations can connect to a share, regardless of their location in the network.

Both processes of configuring share proximity settings (configuring server defaults to be inherited by assigned shares, and individual share configuration) are described below.

S H A R E P R O X I M I T Y S E T T I N G SWinINSTALL share proximity settings are most often configured as defaults for a given server and then inherited by all shares assigned to that server (see Configuring Share Proximity Default Settings). However, in some cases, it may be useful to configure these settings for some shares individually--if, for instance, your network is configured in such a way that your primary method for choosing a share will not succeed in all cases. In this situation, you will want to have some shares configured to use a different method, to assure that all workstations can connect to a share, regardless of their location in the network. (see Configuring Individual Share Proximity Settings).

Both processes of configuring share proximity settings involve selecting among four methods of determining which share a workstation will attach to. Each of these four methods is described below in detail, followed by an explanation of the steps involved in the selection process at the workstation.

S E Q U E N T I A L S C A N ( D E F A U L T )The default behavior is for the machine to simply attempt to connect to the first share on the list. If it is unable to connect to that share, it will try the next share in the list, and so on until it either succeeds or runs out of shares to try. The sequential scan procedure is not proximity-based at all. It is simply a means of providing alternatives, in a predictable order, to assure that a machine is able to connect to an appropriate WinINSTALL share if its primary share is unavailable.

S U B N E T D E T E C T I O NA machine using Subnet Detection uses its own subnet mask in conjunction with its IP address to determine which of its assigned shares are on its local subnet, based on the IP address(es) associated with the shares. This algorithm has the lowest overhead, as it uses information that generally doesn't require network activity beyond simple DNS queries once per cache interval (24 hours by default).

By checking the Override the workstation subnet mask for share proximity determination checkbox, you can override the subnet mask used in order to configure the comparison to use a wider or narrower subnet mask and thereby expand or reduce the range of share IP addresses considered.



By default, each machine will refresh its cache of share address information every 24 hours. You can change this interval as desired to better meet your needs.

T R A F F I C A N A L Y S I SSelecting the Traffic Analysis method configures a machine to use one of two types of pings to determine which share is optimal. You can configure the complete details of how this mechanism operates, including whether to use ICMP or IPC pings, packet size, number of pings to send, timeout, acceptable response times, and whether or not to consider shares that are not on the same subnet.

IPC pings use a TCP connection to the WinINSTALL agent on the machine associated with the share to determine proximity in a manner similar to ICMP ping, but using WinINSTALL's registered TCP port (by default), which doesn't require ICMP to be opened on the server machine or across firewalls. The server hosting the share to which the workstation attempts to connect may not be the server to which the workstation is assigned. For instance, the workstation might be assigned to server Frodo, which has shares \\frodo\wininstall and \\bilbo\wininstall. IPC ping will attempt to contact Bilbo (the server that owns \\bilbo\wininstall), as it is the server nearest to the share. IPC ping does require that a WinINSTALL agent be installed on Bilbo, though it could be either a WinINSTALL server agent or a WinINSTALL workstation agent.

WARNING: If no listed WinINSTALL shares use a matching subnet mask, the machine will not connect to any share, unless you configure at least some shares to use a different share selection method.

WARNING: The default response time limit for traffic analysis is 1000ms, which represents a very slow response time. This default is unlikely to be the optimal setting for your network. Please specify a response time limit appropriate for your environment.

NOTE: Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) Ping is the standard IP ping utility, used to verify the availability of a remote hose. Inter-Process Communication (IPC) Ping is a similar verification mechanism that uses WinINSTALL’s built-in method of direct host-to-host communication. IPC Ping is useful in environments where ICMP is blocked.


. . .


B O T H S U B N E T D E T E C T I O N A N D T R A F F I C A N A L Y S I SSelecting both methods results in a traffic analysis being performed, but only if the workstation cannot find and connect to a share on the local subnet. This algorithm is useful for a combination of desktop and mobile workstations, as it will efficiently handle local workstations (via Subnet Detection), and allows the flexibility of mobile workstations to contact a share that may not be local, with control over whether the share will be used when network conditions are not optimal.

S H A R E P R O X I M I T Y O P E R A T I O NWhen it first attaches to a WinINSTALL share, each workstation receives its list of assigned shares in a special configuration file. This file contains separate proximity settings for each assigned share. Once the list of shares and their proximity settings are received, each workstation processes the list whenever the agent starts up, to determine which share to connect to.

The share selection proceeds in this order: subnet detection possibilities are considered first (since this method requires the least network traffic); traffic analysis is considered second (but only if subnet detection fails to produce a connection); and finally, sequential scan is attempted as a last resort.

Details of each step in this procedure appear below:

1 If any of the assigned shares are configured for the subnet detection method (including those configured for both subnet detection and traffic analysis), then the workstation determines whether any of the machines hosting theses shares are on the local subnet. The workstation will connect to the first share it finds on the local subnet.

2 If no assigned shares are configured for subnet detection, or if none of the machines hosting the shares configured for subnet detection are found to be on the local subnet, then the workstation processes the list of shares configured for traffic analysis (including those shares configured for both subnet detection and traffic analysis). The workstation will process the list of traffic analysis shares in order, connecting to the first one whose host machine responds within the configured acceptable limits.

3 If no assigned shares are configured for traffic analysis, or no shares configured for traffic analysis provide acceptable response times, then the workstation processes the list of shares configured for sequential scan (i.e., those shares which are not configured for subnet detection, for traffic analysis, or for both subnet detection and traffic analysis). The workstation will attempt to connect to the first share in the list of sequential scan shares. If it is unable to connect to that share, it will attempt the next one, and so on, until it either connects to a share or runs out of possible shares.



C O N F I G U R I N G S H A R E P R O X I M I T Y D E F A U L T S E T T I N G SShare Proximity Settings are most often configured as a default for all shares assigned to a given server. The following steps are involved in this configuration:

1 In the Machines list, select the server whose workstation share selection algorithm you want to change, and view the server’s properties by doing any of the following:

• Click the Properties button to the right of the Machines list.


• Right-click and select Properties from the context menu.

2 On the server’s Machine Properties dialog, in the Server Settings area is a Defaults button, with the label Specify default proximity settings for shares assigned to this server.

3 Click the Defaults button to bring up the Default Share Proximity Settings dialog.

4 The drop-down labeled Method used to determine share proximity provides the following options:

• None

• Subnet detection

• Traffic Analysis

• Subnet detection and traffic analysis

The default setting is None, meaning that workstations will use the sequential scan method of determining which share to attach to: they will start with the first share in the list and attempt to connect, moving on to the next until a connection succeeds.

5 To change to another method, select the desired option from the drop-down (see Share Proximity Settings in this chapter for a detailed explanation of these methods and their accompanying settings).

C O N F I G U R I N G I N D I V I D U A L S H A R E P R O X I M I T Y S E T T I N G SUnder certain circumstances, it may be desirable to configure Share Proximity Settings individually, for a particular share. The following steps are involved in this configuration:

1 In the Machines list, select the server whose workstation share selection algorithm you want to change, and view the server’s properties by doing any of the following:




2 On the server’s Machine Properties dialog, in the Server Settings area is a list of assigned shares. Select the desired share and click the Modify icon to display the Edit Share dialog.


. . .


3 In the Share Proximity area of the dialog is a checkbox labeled Inherit default proximity settings from this server. To change the share proximity settings, uncheck this box and click the Settings button to bring up the Share Proximity Settings dialog.

4 The drop-down labeled Method used to determine share proximity provides the following options:

• None

• Subnet detection

• Traffic Analysis

• Subnet detection and traffic analysis

The default setting is None, meaning that workstations will use the sequential scan method of determining which share to attach to: they will start with the first share in the list and attempt to connect, moving on to the next until a connection succeeds.

5 To change to another method, select the desired option from the drop-down (see Share Proximity Settings in this chapter for a detailed explanation of these methods and their accompanying settings).

CONFIGURING SHARE OWNERSHIPEach share has one server designated as its owner. Share ownership is important for multiple reasons.

First, the owning server is, by default, the server whose agents merge and publish information between that share and the WinINSTALL database.

In addition, machines deployed via Secure Manual Deployment (SMD) files are automatically assigned to the server which owns the share specified in the SMD file.

Finally, share ownership is also critical to WinINSTALL replication. Replication moves data from the source server’s first owned share to (in most cases) all the target server’s owned shares. Exceptions to this rule are Client Reset Templates, which are always replicated to a selected share, and package replication, which can work as other replication jobs do, or can be configured to replicate to an absolute path (either local to the target server or a UNC path).

If

TIP: If you are deploying WinINSTALL agents by means of a Secure Manual Deployment (SMD) file, be sure to specify in the SMD file a share that is owned by the server to which you want the deployed machines assigned.



You can configure which server owns a particular share by following these steps:

1 In the Machines list, select a server which has the desired share assigned to it, and view the server’s properties by doing any of the following:




2 On the server’s Machine Properties dialog, select the desired share in the list of assigned shares and click the Modify icon to bring up the Edit Share dialog.

3 In the Database Settings area of the dialog is a drop-down labeled Server that owns this share. Select the desired server in the drop-down and click the OK button to save the selection.

CONFIGURING SHARE MERGE/PUBLISH RESPONSIBIL ITYBy default, each share’s owning server is responsible for publishing configuration settings and jobs from the WinINSTALL database to that share and for merging machine data from the share into the WinINSTALL database. In some instances, however, it may be desirable (for geographical reasons, for example) to assign these database merging and publishing responsibilities to other servers instead of, or in addition to, the owning server.

In all cases, the agent publishing to a particular share will publish to that share jobs and configuration files for all servers who have that share assigned. This behavior assures that each workstation will receive its jobs and configuration changes, regardless of which of the assigned shares it is attached to at any given time.

To configure a server other than a share’s owning server to perform database merge and/or publish operations, follow these steps:

NOTE: A server’s first owned share can be determined by looking at the server’s Properties dialog. (Select the desired server in the Machines list and bring up the Properties dialog by clicking the Properties button, selecting Properties from the Machines menu, or right-clicking and selecting Properties from the context menu.)

The first share in the list with the selected machine specified as the owner is that server’s first owned share. You can reorder this list as desired using the up and down arrow buttons.


. . .

. .M A N A G I N G M A C H I N E SManaging Machines

1 In the Machines list, select the server which you want to perform the share’s merge and/or publish operations, and view the server’s properties by doing any of the following:




2 On the server’s Machine Properties dialog, select the desired share in the list of assigned shares and click the Modify icon to bring up the Edit Share dialog.

3 In the Database Settings area of the dialog is a checkbox labeled Automatically determine server database processing mode from share ownership. If this checkbox is checked, the owning server will perform the merges and publishes for this share.

Unchecking the Automatically determine server database processing mode from share ownership checkbox will enable the merge and publish checkboxes.

• To configure the selected server for merge responsibility for this share, check the Enable merging of transaction files from this share by this server checkbox.

• To configure the selected server for publish responsibility to this share, check the Enable publishing of configuration files to this share by this server checkbox.

CHANGING THE SHARES ASSIGNED TO A SERVER Every machine that has a role of Server must be pointed to a specific WinINSTALL share. The WinINSTALL Agent on the server uses this share to hold data as that data moves between the workstations assigned to that server and the central WinINSTALL database.

When you add a Server machine to the Console, either with the Add Machines Wizard or from a menu option, you must specify the share to which that server will point. You can change the share to which the server is pointing later, if desired, by following the steps outlined above in the section entitled How to Change an Existing Server’s Assigned Shares.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . M A N A G I N G M A C H I N E S

CHANGING THE ROLE OF A MACHINEEvery machine in the Console must have a role - either server or workstation. Servers are each pointed to a specific WinINSTALL share, and workstations are assigned to a specific WinINSTALL server. All of the WinINSTALL Agent infrastructure is deployed to a server, but only a subset is deployed to a workstation.


M A N A G I N G M A C H I N E SManaging Machines4

When you add a machine to the Console, either with the Add Machines Wizard or from a menu option, you specify the role that the machine will play in the WinINSTALL environment. You can change the role of the machine later if desired.

To change the role of a managed machine, do the following:



3 In the data pane, select the machine to which you want to assign a role and do one of the following:

• Click the Properties icon on the toolbar.

• Choose Properties from the Machines menu on the menu bar.

• Click the Properties button in the data pane.

• Right-click the machine in the data pane and choose Properties from the pop-up menu.

4 As the Machine Role on the Machine Properties dialog, select either Server or Workstation and click OK.

If you specify a role of Server for a machine that was previously configured as a Workstation, you will also need to specify the share that the server will use to hold data as that data passes between the database and the workstations assigned to the server.

If you specify a role of Workstation for a machine that was previously configured as a Server, you will also need to specify the server to which the workstation will now be assigned.

CHANGING A WORKSTATION’S ASSIGNED SERVEREvery machine with a role of Workstation must be assigned to a specific WinINSTALL server. The WinINSTALL Agent deployed to the server manages the tasks performed on the workstation and is responsible for maintaining the flow of data between the workstation and the central WinINSTALL database.

When you add a Workstation machine to the Console, either with the Add Machines Wizard or from a menu option, you must specify the server to which that workstation will be assigned. You can change the server assignment later, if desired, by following these steps:



3 In the data pane, select the workstation or group of workstations to which you want to assign a server and do one of the following:


. . .


• Choose Assign Server from the Machines menu on the menu bar.

• Right-click the machine or group of machines in the data pane and choose Assign Server from the pop-up menu.

4 Select the server to use on the Assign Server dialog and click OK.

MANAGING MACHINE PROPERTIESProperties for a machine include the name of the machine, the machine group to which it belongs, the department to which it is assigned (optional), the way in which it was added to the Console (for display purposes only), its role, and depending on its role, either its assigned server (for workstations) or the share to which it points (for servers). You can also view and set advanced settings that indicate whether the WinINSTALL Agent has been deployed to the machine, whether the machine should be resolved using an IP address, and what to do if a duplicate machine name exists in the WinINSTALL database.

H O W T O V I E W O R M O D I F Y T H E P R O P E R T I E S F O R A M A C H I N E



3 In the data pane, select the desired machine and do one of the following:

• Click the Properties icon on the toolbar.

• Choose Properties from the Machines menu on the menu bar.

• Click the Properties button in the data pane.

• Right-click the machine in the data pane and choose Properties from the pop-up menu.

4 The Machine Properties dialog presents three categories of information:

Machine Settings:

TIP: Only machines designated as Workstations are assigned a server. Machines designated as Servers automatically act as their own server.

Name • The name of the machine that identifies it to the network

Machine Group

• The name of the machine group - domain or workgroup - to which the machine belongs.



See

e an to

Advanced Optional Settings:

Server Settings (read-only for machines with the role of Workstation):

5 View or change the information on the Machine Properties dialog and click OK.

Department • The (optional) department to which the machine belongs.

Role • The WinINSTALL role assigned to the machine - Server or Workstation.

Source • The mechanism that was used to add the machine to the Console - Microsoft Networks, Active Directory, or Manual. This is an informational field only.

Assigned Server

• If the machine has the role of Workstation, this field contains the name of the server to which the machine is assigned.

Update machine even if duplicate name exists in the WinINSTALL database

• If necessary, you can check this checkbox to enable these updates even if the database contains more than one machine with the specified machine name. Note that this is not recommended unless you have a specific reason to do so. Duplicate machine entries in the database can be problematic.

WinINSTALL Agent is already deployed

• The state of this checkbox indicates whether or not the WinINSTALL Agent has been deployed to this machine. Under certain circumstances, you may need to change this setting, but do not do so unless you have a specific reason to do so.

Resolve machine using the following IP address

• If you are using static IP addresses and have a reason to resolve the machine by IP address rather than machine name, you can check this checkbox and specify the machine’s IP address. Note that if you are using DHCP, you should not select this option.

Specify default proximity settings for shares assigned to this server.

• Click the Defaults button to change the default proximity settings.Configuring Share Proximity Default Settings for details on this process, and for its implications.

WinINSTALL Shares for workstations assigned to this server

• List of assigned shares for the specified server. See How to ChangExisting Server’s Assigned Shares for details on making changes this list.

TIP: You can also view the properties for a machine by selecting it in the list pane. The properties display (read-only) on the General tab on the data pane.


. . .


MANAGING MULTIPLE MACHINESWhen the All Machines node is highlighted in the tree pane and All Machines is selected in the list pane, three tabs display in the data pane:

Machine Tab

Licenses Tab

Assets Tab

For information on the Licenses and Assets tabs, see the License and Asset Management chapter of this guide.

The Machines tab enables you to add, modify and delete a wide range of information.

M A C H I N E S T A BOn the Machines tab, you can view, add, modify and delete machines that are managed by WinINSTALL via the Console. The following information is available for each machine:


WinINSTALL Agent

• The status of the WinINSTALL Agent on the machine:

• Deployed (status unknown)

• Not Deployed (status unknown)

• Agent Running

• Agent Running: <problem> where problem is one of the following:

•ID mismatch – The WinINSTALL Agent is deployed and running, but the machine ID held by the WinINSTALL Agent does not match the ID in the WinINSTALL database.

•Duplicate machine – The WinINSTALL Agent is deployed and running, but the machine ID held by the WinINSTALL Agent does not match the ID in the WinINSTALL database. The machine entry in the database is a duplicate of another machine in the WinINSTALL database.

•Status connection failed -connection to agent succeeded but no response was received. In other words, the WinINSTALL Agent is deployed and running, but the Console failed to connect to the agent to obtain further status.

• Machine unavailable <reason> where reason is one of the following:



•Console timeout – Console timeout expired. The machine cannot be contacted by the Console. The timeout specified on the Machines Options dialog expired before a network connection could be established. Either the timeout is too short or the machine is not available.

•Network timeout – Network timeout expired. The machine cannot be contacted by the Console. The attempt to establish a network connection timed out. Possible causes: The machine may be shutdown or disconnected from the network, or a firewall may block access.

•Host lookup failed – Host lookup failed. The machine cannot be contacted by the Console. The machine name could not be found in the host database and the Console does not have an IP address.

•Connection failed – Connection failed. The machine cannot be contacted by the Console. An unknown error occurred while attempting to establish a network connection to the machine.

•Network unreachable – Network unreachable. The machine cannot be contacted by the Console. The network is unreachable from the Console machine.

•Database error – Database error. The machine cannot be contacted by the Console. A machine with the specified ID could not be found in the WinINSTALL database.

• Agent unavailable: <reason> where reason is one of the following:

•Not installed – The WinINSTALL Agent service is not installed. The WinINSTALL Agent was not found in the machine's service database, but the machine is marked in the WinINSTALL database as deployed.

•Stopped – The WinINSTALL Agent service is stopped. The service is installed, but it is not running.

•Stopping – The WinINSTALL Agent service is not available. The service is installed, but it is in the process of stopping and is not responding.

•Starting – The WinINSTALL Agent service is not available. The service is installed, but it is in the process of starting and is not responding.

•Continuing – The WinINSTALL Agent service is not available. The service is installed, but it is in the process of continuing from the paused state and is not responding.


. . .


At the bottom of the tab is a count of the total number of machines that have been added to the Console and the number of machines to which the WinINSTALL Agent has been deployed.

You can perform the following actions on the Machine tab:

• To add a machine to the Console, click the Add button. The Add Machines Wizard walks you through the process of adding one or more machines to the list of managed machines in the console.

• To view or modify the properties for a machine, highlight the machine in the list and click the Properties button. (See How to view or modify the properties for a machine for details on the information which appears on the Machine Properties dialog.) Make the desired modifications on the Machine Properties dialog and click OK.

•Pausing – The WinINSTALL Agent service is not available. The service is installed, but it is in the process of pausing and is not responding.

•Paused – The WinINSTALL Agent service is not available. The service is installed, but it is paused and is not responding.

•Not responding – The WinINSTALL Agent service is not responding. The service is installed and running, but it is not responding.

•Service control access denied – Access denied error when trying to query agent service state – Service control access denied. The status of the WinINSTALL Agent cannot be determined. Access is denied to the service control database on the machine.

•Service control error – Generic error when trying to query agent service state – Service control error. The status of the WinINSTALL Agent cannot be determined. There was an error obtainng service information on the selected machine.


Server • The WinINSTALL server to which the machine is assigned.

Machine Group

• The name of the domain or workgroup to which the machine belongs.

NOTE: To add a machine to the console without using the wizard, you must select Add Manually from the Machines menu at the top of the screen. Enter the required information on the Add Machine dialog and click OK.



• To remove a machine from the Console, highlight the machine in the list and click the Delete button. You are asked whether you are sure that you want to delete the machine and warned that if you re-add the machine, you will need to redeploy the WinINSTALL Agent to it. Click OK and the machine no longer displays in the list pane or the data pane.

• To view the most up-to-date list and status of the all machines currently managed by WinINSTALL, click the Refresh button. The machine list is reloaded and each machine is queried for the most recent status of the WinINSTALL Agent. To view the most up-to-date status of a particular machine, highlight the machine and choose Update Agent Status from the Machines menu or right-click the machine and choose Update Agent Status from the pop-up context menu.

MANAGING INDIVIDUAL MACHINESTo manage asset and inventory information for individual machines, follow these steps:

1 In the tree pane, expand the Machines node and highlight the All Machines sub-node beneath it.

2 Highlight a specific machine in the list pane or double-click it in the data pane, and four tabs display in the data pane:

• General Tab

• Inventory Tab

• Schedule Tab

• Log Tab

On each of these tabs, you can view information. In certain cases, you can also modify some of the information as well.

WARNING: You must first remove the agent from the machine before deleting it. Failure to do so will result in the WinINSTALL Agent adding the machine back into the database and Console.

TIP: You can select one machine by highlighting it; multiple machines using the Ctrl, Alt, and Shift keys; or all machines using the Select All button.


. . .


G E N E R A L T A BYou can perform the following actions on the General tab:

• To view or edit information on the Machine Properties dialog, click the Properties button.

• To remove the selected machine from the Console, click the Delete button. You will be asked to confirm that you want to delete the machine and warned that if you re-add the machine, you will need to redeploy the WinINSTALL Agent to the machine.

• To add asset information, such as location and owner, for the selected machine, click the Asset Info button. (This action creates a record in the Assets table of the WinINSTALL database for the selected machine.) You enter this information on the Add or Modify Asset dialog.

The General tab presents for viewing only the following information about the selected machine (you cannot modify this information here):

W I N I N S T A L L A G E N T S T A T U S A N D V E R S I O N

Deployed (status unknown)

Not Deployed (status unknown)

Agent Running

Agent Running: <problem>

where problem is one of the following:

• ID mismatch – The WinINSTALL Agent is deployed and running, but the machine ID held by the WinINSTALL Agent does not match the ID in the WinINSTALL database.

• Duplicate machine – The WinINSTALL Agent is deployed and running, but the machine ID held by the WinINSTALL Agent does not match the ID in the WinINSTALL database. The machine entry in the database is a duplicate of another machine in the WinINSTALL database.

• Status connection failed -connection to agent succeeded but no response was received. In other words, the WinINSTALL Agent is deployed and running, but the Console failed to connect to the agent to obtain further status.

Machine unavailable: <reason>

where reason is one of the following:



• Console timeout – Console timeout expired. The machine cannot be contacted by the Console. The timeout specified on the Machines Options dialog expired before a network connection could be established. Either the timeout is too short or the machine is not available.

• Network timeout – Network timeout expired. The machine cannot be contacted by the Console. The attempt to establish a network connection timed out. Possible causes: The machine may be shutdown or disconnected from the network, or a firewall may block access.

• Host lookup failed – Host lookup failed. The machine cannot be contacted by the Console. The machine name could not be found in the host database and the Console does not have an IP address.

• Connection failed – Connection failed. The machine cannot be contacted by the Console. An unknown error occurred while attempting to establish a network connection to the machine.

• Network unreachable – Network unreachable. The machine cannot be contacted by the Console. The network is unreachable from the Console machine.

• Database error – Database error. The machine cannot be contacted by the Console. A machine with the specified ID could not be found in the WinINSTALL database.

Agent unavailable: <reason>

where reason is one of the following:

• Not installed – The WinINSTALL Agent service is not installed. The WinINSTALL Agent was not found in the machine's service database, but the machine is marked in the WinINSTALL database as deployed.

• Stopped – The WinINSTALL Agent service is stopped. The service is installed, but it is not running.

• Stopping – The WinINSTALL Agent service is not available. The service is installed, but it is in the process of stopping and is not responding.

• Starting – The WinINSTALL Agent service is not available. The service is installed, but it is in the process of starting and is not responding.


. . .


• Continuing – The WinINSTALL Agent service is not available. The service is installed, but it is in the process of continuing from the paused state and is not responding.

• Pausing – The WinINSTALL Agent service is not available. The service is installed, but it is in the process of pausing and is not responding.

• Paused – The WinINSTALL Agent service is not available. The service is installed, but it is paused and is not responding.

• Not responding – The WinINSTALL Agent service is not responding. The service is installed and running, but it is not responding.

• Service control access denied – Access denied error when trying to query agent service state – Service control access denied. The status of the WinINSTALL Agent cannot be determined. Access is denied to the service control database on the machine.

• Service control error – Generic error when trying to query agent service state – Service control error. The status of the WinINSTALL Agent cannot be determined. There was an error obtainng service information on the selected machine.



M A C H I N E P R O P E R T I E S

W I N I N S T A L L A G E N T S E T T I N G S


Machine Group

• The name of the machine group - domain or workgroup - to which the machine belongs.

Machine ID • The GUID (Globally Unique Identifier) that identifies the machine.

Source • The mechanism that was used to add the machine to the Console - Microsoft Networks, Active Directory, or Manual.


IP Address • The IP address of the machine if it will be resolved using an IP address rather than the machine name. In most environments, the machine name, rather than the IP address (which can change from time to time), is used to resolve the identity of each machine.

Assigned To • If the machine has the role of Workstation, this field contains the name of the server to which the machine is assigned.

Inventory: Mode

• Can be either Full or Incremental

• For Full mode, the entire system is scanned each time an inventory is performed (according to the criteria you have set), and all of the inventory information is written to the database. This is very time consuming.

• For Incremental mode (recommended), the entire system is scanned each time an inventory is performed (according to the criteria you have set), but only changed inventory information is written to the database. This is a more efficient method.

• This setting can be changed on the Inventory tab of the Agent Settings dialog. You will need to publish to the machine and then restart the agent in order for it to accept the change.


. . .


Inventory: Scan Files

• Whether to include all files in the inventory scan.

• If Yes (default), the files on the system will be included in the inventory scan, but any specified file scan filters and, if selected, Standard Exclusions, will be applied to reduce the number of files scanned and the amount of inventory data stored in the database. Note that removing all file scan filters can be particularly useful for diagnostic purposes, but it can consume a large amount of disk space in the database.

• If No, files will not be included in the inventory scan. Only hardware, software, and the registry will be scanned. This is the most efficient method, and the one which uses the least database storage.


Inventory: Change Log

• Whether or not to log changes between inventories.

• If Yes, changes detected between inventories will be logged to the database and visible in the Console.

• If No, changes detected between inventories will be logged to the database but will not be not visible in the Console.


Advanced: Config File Processing Interval

• Period of time (in seconds) that the workstation agent waits before checking its share for new configuration instructions or scheduled jobs. The default value is 120 seconds.

• This setting can be changed on the Advanced tab of the Agent Settings dialog.

• You will need to publish to the machine and then restart the agent in order for it to accept the change.



Advanced: Transaction File Processing

• Period of time (in seconds) that the workstation Master Agent waits before checking for new transaction files (output from workstation sub-agents) to be moved to its share for subsequent merging into the database by the server agent. The default value is 120 seconds.



Advanced: Schedule Processing Interval

• Period of time (in seconds) that the workstation schedule agent waits before checking its queue to see whether there are any jobs scheduled to run. This interval is currently not user-configurable.

Advanced: IPC Port

• Port number used by the agent for IP communications. Default is WinINSTALL's registered port number (3674).

• You can change the IPC port number on the Advanced tab of the Agent Settings dialog, if necessary.

• If you change the port number, you will need to publish to the target machine and then restart its agent in order for it to accept the change.

Advanced: NetWare Type

• In a Novell network, whether the NetWare type is NDS or Bindery.



Advanced: NetWare Tree

• In a Novell NDS network, the name of the NDS tree to which the machine belongs.

• This name can be changed on the Advanced tab of the Agent Settings dialog.



. . .


Advanced: NetWare Logon

• In a Novell network, the credentials the WinINSTALL agent will use to log on to the Novell network.

• These credentials can be changed on the Advanced tab of the Agent Settings dialog, if necessary.


Advanced: Distribution - Run at Start Up

• If Yes, the installer will run automatically each time the WinINSTALL Agent service starts on this machine. The installer will process the list specified in Start Up List, below.

• If No, the installer will run only when you run or schedule a distribution task.

• This setting can be changed on the Distribution tab of the Agent Settings dialog.


Advanced: Distribution - Sub-list Scan

• If Yes, the time-stamps for the root list and any sub-lists are checked against the installer’s Last Run time-stamp in the registry. The installer will run if either the root list or any sub-lists have been modified since the last time the installer ran. If No, only the time-stamp for the root list is checked against the installer’s Last Run time-stamp in the registry. If the root list has not been changed - even if sub-lists have been changed - the installer will not run.

• This setting can be changed on the Distribution tab of the Agent Settings dialog.


Advanced: Distribution - Start Up List

• UNC path to the list file to be processed by the installer if Run at Start Up is set to Yes.

• The list file specification can be changed on the Distribution tab of the Agent Settings dialog.




Advanced: Logging Level

• WinINSTALL agents support three logging levels - Standard, Verbose, and Diagnostic.

• Standard is the default and should only be changed on specific machines for specific purposes--and for limited time spans. The Diagnostic level in particular can very quickly create large volume of log entries which consume a great amount of space in the database.



Advanced: Log to Windows Event Log

• If Yes, the agents will log events to the Windows Event Log. If No, the agents will not log events to the Windows Event Log.

• This setting can be changed on the Advanced tab of the Agent Settings Dialog.


Advanced: Log to Local Log File

• If Yes, the agents will log events to a local log file (named WInn.tmp, where nn is a numeric value between 00 and 99, in the Windows directory). If No, the agents will not log events to a local log file.



Advanced: Log to Database

• If Yes, the agents will log events to the WinINSTALL database. If No, the agents will not log events to the WinINSTALL database.




. . .


Advanced: Show Tray Icon

• When you deploy the agent from the Console, it operates in service-mode, but when you deploy it manually on a machine, you can set it to operate in user-mode, though user-mode is normally used only on Windows 9X machines where system services are unavailable. This setting is applicable only to those instances where the agent is operating in user-mode.

• If Yes, the WinINSTALL agent icon will display in the system tray when the agent is run in user mode. If No, the WinINSTALL agent icon will not display in the system tray when the agent is run in user mode.



Advanced: Allow Close

• Applies only to agents operating in user-mode with the agent icon is set to display. If Yes, the Close menu option will appear on the WinINSTALL agent icon menu. If No, the Close menu option will not appear on the WinINSTALL agent icon menu.



Advanced: Disable SEH

• Agent’s use of Structured Exception Handling (SEH). Do not disable SEH unless requested to do so by Attachmate Support personnel.

• If Yes, SEH is disabled. If No, SEH is enabled. This is the default.

Server: DB Connection String

• Connection string for server to connect to the WinINSTALL database.

• This setting can be changed on the Server tab of the Agent Settings dialog.



• Click the Change Now button to cause the agent to immediately accept the change.

Server: Merge - Roll Up Shares 1-3

• A server can copy transaction files to up to three other shares before merging them into the database. The copied files would then be merged into a different database by the servers managing each of these separate, roll up, shares. Provides a consolidated view of data from de-centralized WinINSTALL databases.

Roll

WARNING: Roll up databases consolidate data from de-centralized databases for viewing purposes only. It is not possible to manage machines from a console viewing data in a roll up database.

Server: Merge - Pass Through

• Should almost always be left at default value: no. If yes, the server agent will copy the data to the specified roll up share(s) but will not merge it into the database, as an ordinary server would do.

• To configure the server to act only as a roll-up agent and not as an ordinary server which merges its data directly into the database, check the Merge pass through checkbox on the Server tab of the agent settings dialog. This setting is normally left unchecked (no). Changing it to yes is a very unusual step and should be done only when certain that this configuration will be effective in your environment. Under most circumstances, this setting should remain at the default setting of unchecked (no).

Server: Merge Processing Interval

• Period of time (in seconds) the server agent waits before checking for new transaction files to merge into the database. The default value is 120 seconds.


Server: Publish Processing Interval

• Period of time (in seconds) the server agent waits before checking the database for new information to publish. The default value is 120 seconds.



. . .


W I N I N S T A L L A G E N T S T A T U S The bottom window on the Machine/General tab displays the current status and activity of each WinINSTALL sub-agent in three columns:

To refresh the agent status information, click F5 or select View/Refresh from the menu bar.

I N V E N T O R Y T A BThe Inventory tab displays extensive hardware and software information about the selected machine on ten sub-tabs:

• Summary Sub-tab

Server: Replication - Multicast Start and End Ranges

• WinINSTALL replication range of IP addresses for use with Multicast transmissions. These fields contain the start and end of that range of addresses.

• These settings can be changed on the Server tab of the Agent Settings dialog.

Server: Replication - Use MADCAP Server

• MADCAP (Multicast-Address Dynamic Client Allocation Protocol) servers provide multicast addresses for multicast communication sessions.

• The setting can be changed on the Server tab of the Agent Settings dialog.

Server: Replication - Log Retention

• Limit of replication logs kept. Once the specified number of replication logs is reached, the oldest logs are deleted as new logs are added.

Server: Replication - Active Queue Size

• Maximum number of replication jobs that can run simultaneously. As jobs complete, pending jobs are moved from the pending queue into the active queue.

Server: Replication - Active Pending Size

• Maximum number of replication jobs that can be pending. Any attempt to add a replication job that would exceed this limit generates an error.

Agent • The name of each installed sub-agent.

Status • Current sub-agent status (Installed, Not Running, Running).

Current Activity

• Description of the sub-agent’s current real time activity.



• Devices Sub-tab

• Printers Sub-tab

• Services Sub-tab

• Files Sub-tab

• Applications/Components Sub-tab

• MSI Features Sub-tab

• Windows Updates/HotFixes Sub-tab

• Change Log Sub-tab

• Log Variables Sub-tab

Refer to the Inventory chapter of this guide for detailed information about each of these sub-tabs.

S C H E D U L E T A BThe Schedule tab enables viewing and editing of tasks scheduled for the selected machine. Full details on the process of scheduling tasks is presented in the Scheduling chapter of this guide.

All tasks currently scheduled for the selected machine are presented in a list with the following columns of information:

Name • The descriptive label for the scheduled task.

Task • The type of task scheduled to be performed: for example, Distribution, Publish, Merge, etc.

Target • The machine on which the scheduled task will be performed.

Frequency • The recurrence pattern for the scheduled task: Daily, Weekly, Monthly, Yearly.

Start • The time at which the scheduling criteria will begin to be applied to the task.

End • The time after which the scheduling criteria will no longer be applied to the task.

WARNING: If you specify starting and ending times for your job, make sure that the start and end times for your job are acceptable. The job will be executed only between these two times.


. . .


You can perform the following actions on the Schedule tab:

• Click the Add button to schedule a new task for the selected machine on the Schedule Task dialog.

• Click the Properties button to view or edit an existing scheduled task on the Schedule Task dialog.

• Click the Delete button to remove an existing scheduled job from the Console. You will be asked to confirm that you want to delete the scheduled task.

L O G T A B

D A T A B A S E L O G S U B - T A BThe Database Log sub-tab displays entries that have been logged to the WinINSTALL database for the selected machine.

The following information displays for each entry:

TIP: To set the starting and ending times so that the job can be executed at any time, set the start time at 12:00 AM and the end time at 11:59 PM. With these settings, the only time when the task cannot be executed will be the one minute between 11:59 PM and midnight.

TIP: Be sure to publish the schedules after setting up jobs.

Type • Entries can be any of three types: Error, Warning, or Informational.

Date • The date on which the agent activity was logged to the WinINSTALL database.

Time • The time at which the agent activity was logged to the WinINSTALL database.

Category • The event category .

Description • A brief explanation of the agent activity that was logged to the WinINSTALL database.



To delete all existing log entries for the selected machine, click the Purge button.

W I N D O W S E V E N T L O G S U B - T A BThe Windows Event Log sub-tab presents Windows Event Log entries for the selected machine, provided that you have the appropriate network permissions. (If you do not have the proper permission, you receive a message box alerting you to this fact).

The Console provides two ways to view the Windows Event Log sub-tab:


Click the Refresh button to refresh this view on demand.

Event Code • Each agent action has a numeric event code. Refer to the WinINSTALL Logging section of the Miscellaneous chapter of this guide for the meaning of each numeric code.

User • The username of the account under which the agent was logged in when the activity was logged to the WinINSTALL database.

Type • Entries can be any of three types: Error, Warning, or Informational.

Date • The date on which the agent activity was logged to the Windows Event Log.

Time • The time at which the agent activity was logged to the Windows Event Log.

Category • For Windows Event Logging, only Application entries with the source of WinINSTALL for the selected machine will display.

Description • A brief explanation of the agent activity that was logged to the Windows Event Log.

Event Code • Each agent action has a corresponding numeric event code. Refer to the WinINSTALL Logging section of the Miscellaneous chapter of this guide for the meaning of each numeric code.

User • The username of the account under which the agent was logged in when the activity was logged to the Windows Event Log.

TIP: You configure the WinINSTALL agent to log activity to the Windows Event Log on the Advanced tab of the Agent Settings dialog.


. . .


SEARCHESSearches allow you to group machines for particular purposes, such as for software distribution or scheduling. For each search, you set one or more conditions that are used to select the machines that belong to that group. You can change the criteria for a search group at any time, but such changes will affect which machines comprise the search group.

H O W T O C R E A T E A N E W S E A R C H G R O U P 1 Expand the Machines node in the tree pane and highlight the Searches sub-node.


• Click the Add icon on the toolbar at the top of the screen.

• Select Add Search ... from the Searches menu on the menu bar at the top of the screen.

• Right-click the Searches node in the tree pane and select Add Search.

• On the Searches tab in the data pane, click the Add button.

3 On the Search Definition dialog, enter a name for the search group you are creating and click the Add button.

4 On the Search Conditions dialog:

• From the drop-down, select the property that will be evaluated in the condition, such as Machine Group, MSI Product Name, etc.:

• Select the comparison operator (Equals or Does Not Equal).

• Enter the value against which the property will be evaluated.

5 Add as many conditions as desired. When you have added all the desired conditions, click OK, and the new search group will display on the Searches tab.

H O W T O M O D I F Y A N E X I S T I N G S E A R C H G R O U P :1 Expand the Machines node in the tree pane and highlight the Searches sub-node.

2 On the Searches tab in the data pane, select the search group that you want to modify.


• Click the Edit icon on the toolbar at the top of the screen.

• Select Edit Search ... from the Searches menu on the menu bar at the top of the screen.

4 On the Search Definition dialog, modify the name of the search in the Name textbox and modify the conditions for the search by clicking the Properties button. On the Search Conditions dialog, add, modify, or delete the conditions that will be evaluated and then click OK.



5 The search group still displays on the Searches tab, but its member machines may be different, now that the definition of the search has changed.

H O W T O D E L E T E A N E X I S T I N G S E A R C H G R O U P :6 Expand the Machines node in the tree pane and highlight the Searches sub-node.

7 On the Searches tab in the data pane, select the search group that you want to delete.


• Click the Delete icon on the toolbar at the top of the screen.

• Select Delete Search ... from the Searches menu on the menu bar at the top of the screen.

9 On the Searches tab in the data pane, click the Delete button.

H O W T O V I E W C U R R E N T L Y - D E F I N E D S E A R C H G R O U P SWhen the Searches node is selected in the tree pane, the Searches tab displays in the data pane, listing all currently defined searches. The list displays the name of each search group on the tab, and you can perform the following actions:

• To create a new search, click the Add button. Enter the search name and filtering conditions on the Search Definition dialog and click OK.

• To view or modify the properties for a search, highlight the search in the list and click the Properties button. Modify the desired information on the Search Definition dialog and click OK.

• To remove a search, highlight the search in the list and click the Delete button. You will be asked to confirm that you want to delete the search. Click OK and the search will no longer display in the list pane or the data pane.

MANAGE SEARCHES

M A N A G E A L L S E A R C H G R O U P S :To see a list of all currently-defined search groups, do the following:

1 In the tree pane, expand the Machines node and highlight the Searches sub-node.

2 The Searches tab displays in the data pane, with a list of the names of all currently-defined search groups.

On the Searches tab, you can add and delete search groups, and you can view and modify the conditions that define each search group.


. . .


• To add a new search group from this tab, click the Add button. Enter the required information on the Search Definition and Search Condition dialogs. When you have finished, the new search group displays in the list on the tab.

• To delete an existing search group from the tab, highlight it and click the Delete button. The search group no longer displays in the list on the tab.

• To view or modify the conditions that define a search group, highlight it and click the Properties button. You can view the current conditions on the Search Definition dialog and edit them on the Search Condition dialog.

M A N A G E M A C H I N E S I N A S E A R C H G R O U P :To manage all the machines in a search group, expand the Machines node in the tree pane, expand the Searches sub-node, and highlight a specific search group.

Three tabs display in the data pane: Machines, Licenses, and Assets.

The information displayed and the actions available are the same for machines in search groups as they are for all managed machines. The only difference is that the display includes only those machines that meet the selected search group criteria.

• On the Machines tab, you can add and remove machines from the list of machines managed by WinINSTALL via the Console. You can also view and modify configuration and agent deployment information for each managed machine.

• On the Licenses tab, you can view, add, modify, and delete software assets that are managed by WinINSTALL via the Console.

• On the Assets tab, you can view, add, modify, and delete user-defined assets that are managed by WinINSTALL via the Console.

M A N A G E I N D I V I D U A L M A C H I N E S W I T H I N A S E A R C H G R O U P :To view and work with information that relates to an individual machine in a search group, expand the Machines node in the tree pane, expand the Searches sub-node, and highlight a specific search group.

In the list pane, highlight a specific machine in that search group.

Four tabs displays in the data pane: General, Inventory, Schedule, and Log.

The information displayed and the actions available are the same for machines in search groups as they are for all managed machines. The only difference is that the display includes only those machines that meet the selected search group criteria.



• On the General tab, you can view and modify the WinINSTALL Agent status and settings for a selected machine in a search group, the machine properties, and the status of task on that machine.

• The Inventory tab lets you view all of the information gathered when an inventory is run on a machine. This information is displayed on ten sub-tabs. Refer to the Inventory chapter of this Guide for detailed information about each of these sub-tabs.

• On the Schedule tab, you can view and modify information about tasks scheduled for a selected machine in a search group, and delete scheduled tasks.

• The Log tab presents entries that have been logged to the WinINSTALL database and the Windows Event Log, on two sub-tabs – Database Log and Windows Event Log. You can purge entries in the WinINSTALL database and refresh the Windows Event Log entries.


. . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .THE WININSTALL AGENT 5

inINSTALL uses a Master Agent, also known as the WinINSTALL agent, plus a number of sub-agents to manage WinINSTALL operational tasks such as inventory, software distribution, scheduling, migration, and replication. The

WinINSTALL Master Agent and sub-agents also synchronize information between the WinINSTALL database and the WinINSTALL workstations and servers. This agent infrastructure is deployed to machines in the network directly from the WinINSTALL Console, though deployment can also be accomplished manually from the workstation or through scripts executed on a server or workstation. Which infrastructure components, or sub-agents, are installed depends on the role of the machine to be deployed: whether the target machine will operate as a WinINSTALL server or workstation.

Workstation deployments include the master agent plus a collection of sub-agents used for different purposes, including software distribution, scheduling, and additional functions. Server deployments include everything deployed to workstations, plus additional sub-agents for server-specific tasks, such as merging information to the database, publishing configuration and job information to workstations, and (in WinINSTALL Desktop Management Suite and Desktop Availability Suite) replicating WinINSTALL data from server to server.

The WinINSTALL agent is typically deployed from the console, at the same time the machine is added to the WinINSTALL database (see the Managing Machines chapter of this guide for additional information about adding and managing machines).

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . W I N I N S T A L L S U B - A G E N T SThe WinINSTALL Agent can perform a number of different tasks by means of the installed set of sub-agents. The WinINSTALL Agent, also known as the Master Agent, starts and controls each of the following sub-agents, as needed:

CONFIGURATIONThe Configuration sub-agent moves XML files between the workstation and the share, and it also manages share selection.

IPCThe IPC sub-agent manages all interprocess communication between the machine on which it is running and the console. For certain purposes, the IPC sub-agent may also communicate between workstations and servers.

W


T H E W I N I N S TA L L A G E N TWinINSTALL Sub-Agents5

SCHEDULERThe Scheduler sub-agent processes all scheduled jobs for the local machine, notifying the appropriate sub-agent at the appointed time.

WAKEOn the server, the Wake sub-agent transmits Wake-On-LAN packets to target end nodes, as requested by the console, by the Scheduler sub-agent, or by a workstation. On WinINSTALL Desktop Management Suite (DMS) and Desktop Availability Suite (DAS) workstations, this sub-agent also submits requests to the server for future Wake-On-LAN calls.

INVENTORYOn WinINSTALL DMS and DAS machines, the Inventory sub-agent performs hardware and software inventory jobs, whether scheduled or launched through the Console in real time.

DISTRIBUTIONThe Distribution sub-agent launches the WinINSTALL Automatic Installer to perform all software distribution jobs.

MIGRATIONThe Migration sub-agent performs extractions and/or injections for all backup, migration, and policy jobs on workstations. This sub-agent is available only with the WinINSTALL Desktop Availability Suite (DAS).

MERGEThe Merge sub-agent, which runs only on servers, reads XML data uploaded to the share by workstations (and servers) and merges the information in these files into the WinINSTALL database.

PUBLISHERThe Publisher sub-agent runs only on servers and performs several tasks. It reads configuration and job information from the database and writes out XML files containing that information for agents on workstations and servers to process. In the WinINSTALL Desktop Management and Desktop Availability Suites (DMS and DAS), this sub-agent is also responsible for maintaining the MAC address files, which enable machines to retain their machine names and IDs across Client Reset processes, as well as the Dynamic List Files, which enable machines to automatically reinstall their applications after a Client Reset.


. . .

. .T H E W I N I N S TA L L A G E N TAgent Deployment

REPLICATIONThe WinINSTALL DMS and DAS Replication sub-agent moves packages, lists and patches, Client Reset templates, and Personality Transfer repositories from one server to another. This sub-agent is responsible for both the sending and receiving of replication data and can operate in unicast or multicast, as appropriate.

HOUSEKEEPERThe Housekeeper sub-agent cleans up old XML files and, when running on servers, is also responsible for database cleanup operations.

CLIENT RESETThe Client Reset sub-agent executes on WinINSTALL Desktop Availability Suite PXE reset servers, handling communication between the server where it is running and PXE client machines which are in the process of booting up or performing PXE resets.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A G E N T D E P L O Y M E N TThe WinINSTALL Agent must be deployed to a server and to the workstations assigned to it before tasks such as inventory, software distribution, and replication can be run or scheduled, and so that data can flow between the workstations and the database. The WinINSTALL Agent can be deployed directly from the Console, manually, or through a script or package, using Secure Manual Deployment (SMD).

For systems running NT 4 and above, the Agent is most easily deployed from within the WinINSTALL Console.

For Windows 9x systems, the Agent must be installed manually or through a script or a package. You can also use scripting along with some of the special features of SMD to automatically deploy the WinINSTALL agent to your entire network or to selected subsets of your network.

The WinINSTALL Agent is normally deployed as a service, but it can also be deployed as a process by using a Secure Manual Deployment (SMD) file. (You must use an SMD file to deploy the agent on a Windows 9x machine).

SMD files provide a means of securely caching and reusing the credentials under which the WinINSTALL agent will operate on deployed machines.


T H E W I N I N S TA L L A G E N TAgent Deployment5

HOW TO DEPLOY THE WININSTALL AGENT FROM THE CONSOLETo deploy the WinINSTALL agent automatically from the console, the logged-in account must have administrative rights to the machine where the agent infrastructure is being deployed. (The credentials specified in the deployment UI are for the operation of the agents on the target machine, not for deploying the agent.)

When you add machines to the Console using the Add Machines Wizard, an option on the final panel lets you specify that the WinINSTALL Agent should be deployed automatically when the machines are added. (See the Managing Machines chapter of this guide for details on how to deploy the WinINSTALL Agent when adding machines). If you choose not to do this, or if you add a machine from a menu option, you can deploy the agent later, as follows:




• Click the Deploy icon on the toolbar.

• Choose Deploy from the Machines menu on the menu bar.

• Right-click the machine in the data pane and choose Deploy from the pop-up menu.

4 On the Deploy WinINSTALL Agent dialog, supply the credentials required to deploy the Agent on the selected machine and click OK.

HOW TO DEPLOY THE WININSTALL AGENT FROM A COMMAND LINETo deploy the WinINSTALL Agent from a command line, you use the WIDeploy.exe executable located in the bin directory of the WinINSTALL share. You must use a command line when you deploy the WinINSTALL Agent to a Windows 9x machine.

WARNING: When you deploy the WinINSTALL agent to a machine designated as a server, the server may reboot. A reboot might occur, for example, if the version of MDAC or of the Windows Installer that is currently installed needs to be updated. (WinINSTALL automatically upgrades the machine to MDAC 2.7 if it is not present and to the Windows Installer version 2.0.)


. . .


You can use the following switches to customize the command-line deployment:

-c <string> • Supplies the database connection string instead of reading it from the WINSTALL.CFG file.

-d <mode> • Sets the database mode:

• 0 = Don't try to retrieve machine IDs (GUIDs) from the database.

• 1 <default> = Try to retrieve machine IDs (GUIDs) from the database. If unsuccessful, generate a machine ID (GUID).

• 2 = Only deploy to machines that have a machine ID (GUID) in the database.

-e • Stops deployment when errors occur (when deploying to multiple machines)

-f • Forces an automatic reboot, if required

-i • Ignores the Agent deployed flag in the database when selecting machines

-k <context> • Specifies an Active Directory search context (see Query Active Directory (“+”), below).

-l • Generates an installer log file in the Windows folder

-m MyMachine • -m MyMachine Deploys the Agent to a single machine named MyMachine.

-m @MyList.xml • -m @MyList.xml Deploys the Agent to a set of machines, as specified in the XML file MyList.xml located in the current directory. A full path can be used to point to an XML file located elsewhere. The XML file must be in a specific format. See Deploy to a List of Machines (“@”), below.

-m * • -m * Deploys the Agent to all machines currently defined in the database to which the Agent has not already been deployed.

• -m “*MACHINEGROUP='MyGroup' “ Deploys the Agent to all machines that are in the MyGroup machine group to which the Agent has not already been deployed.

Anything after “* and before “ is part of a SQL WHERE clause. Technically, the double-quotes are not necessary unless the WHERE clause contains a space (for example, if you use AND or OR). See Query the WinINSTALL Database (“*”), below.



HOW TO TROUBLESHOOT WININSTALL AGENT DEPLOYMENT PROBLEMSWhen you deploy a WinINSTALL Agent from the Console, the Agent Activity dialog appears, providing status and diagnostic information on the deployment operation. Holding the cursor over an entry will provide additional information in a tool tip, if such information is available.

You can use the Edit menu or the right-click context menu on this dialog to copy all or selected entries to the clipboard for pasting into other applications, or to export all or selected entries to a tab-delimited text file for processing by another application. The Export and Export All options will prompt you for an output path and filename.

If you experience deployment problems which you cannot diagnose with the information available on the Agent Activity dialog, retry the deployment operation, but on the Deploy WinINSTALL Agent dialog, check the checkbox labeled Generate diagnostic information on the remote machine(s) during deployment. This selection will instruct the Windows Installer

• -m +[ad-search-filter][::column] Uses Active Directory to search for machines to which to deploy. See Query Active Directory (“+”), below for full details.

-n <count> • Limit the Active Directory search to <count> machines.

-o <property> = replacement value

• Overrides the specified property of the SMD file with the specified replacement value. Primarily used to specify the deployment share at deployment, overriding the deployment share specified in the SMD file when it was created in the console. This feature allows a single SMD file to be used enterprise-wide, but note that it can be used only under certain circumstances. See Overriding SMD Properties on the Command Line, below, for full details.

-p <password> • Supplies the password - if needed - for the database connection string

-q • Shows no progress messages (Quiet Mode)

-r • Suppresses automatic reboot if required

-s • Shows the contents of the SMD (Secure Manual Deployment) file

-t <threads> • Specifies the number of simultaneous remote deployments to perform.

-u • Monitor the progress of each remote deployment.

-w <seconds> • Waits the specified number of seconds between deploying the agent to machines (simple form of bandwidth throttling)

-x • Simulates deployment instead of actually deploying the Agent, to verify the machine selection.

-? • Shows help


. . .


to generate a log file of its activities during the deployment in the Windows directory on the remote machine.

If you experience problems deploying via Secure Manual Deployment, you can generate this same diagnostic information by including the -l switch on the WIDeploy.exe command line (see How to Deploy the WinINSTALL Agent from a Command Line, above).

HOW TO CACHE AND REUSE AGENT CREDENTIALSWhile Secure Manual Deployment (SMD) files can be used to deploy WinINSTALL agents from the command line, and to deploy WinINSTALL agents on machines whose operating systems do not support system services (i.e., Win9x), they are also able to securely cache agent credentials for reuse with later deployments from the Console.

On the Deploy WinINSTALL Agent dialog, click the Create New SMD File button to display the Secure Manual Deployment dialog. On this dialog, in addition to the credentials for the WinINSTALL Agent to use, you specify the path and file name of the SMD file to be saved (default SMD file extension is .SMD), the machine role (workstation or server), the deployment share, and whether or not to run in user mode (Win9x only). When you click OK, this information is all saved to the specified SMD file.

At any later time, you can retrieve and reuse these credentials by clicking the Read Existing SMD File button on the Deploy WinINSTALL Agent dialog. Browse to the desired saved SMD file and click OK to load the username and password into the Service Credentials fields on the Deploy WinINSTALL Agent dialog.

HOW TO DEPLOY THE WININSTALL AGENT USING SECURE MANUAL DEPLOYMENT

Deploying the WinINSTALL Agent manually using a Secure Manual Deployment (SMD) file involves two steps. First, you create the SMD file from the Console machine. Then, you deploy the agent on the machine using the SMD file you created and the WIDeploy.exe utility, located in the \bin directory of the WinINSTALL share.

WARNING: When you create a Secure Manual Deployment file, you specify the share to use for the initial connection. All machines which use a particular SMD file will connect to the specified share and will be assigned to the server which owns that share.



H O W T O C R E A T E A N S M D F I L E F R O M T H E C O N S O L E M A C H I N E



3 Choose Secure Manual Deployment from the Machines menu on the menu bar at the top of the screen.

4 On the Secure Manual Deployment dialog, enter the required information and click OK.

H O W T O D E P L O Y T H E W I N I N S T A L L S E R V I C E F R O M T H E T A R G E T M A C H I N E , U S I N G T H E S M D F I L E

1 On the local machine, open a command prompt. (For example, on a Windows 9x machine, choose Start -> Programs -> Accessories -> Command Prompt.)

2 At a command prompt, type:

\\<server>\WinINSTALL\bin\WIDeploy.exe \\<server>\WinINSTALL\ Packages\<SMD file name>.smd

In addition to installing the WinINSTALL Agent, this will automatically run instmsi.exe to install MSI 2.0 if it is not already installed, or upgrade the existing MSIEXEC to v2.0.

3 Once the WinINSTALL service starts running on the machine, it begins producing log files. After running for two minutes, the workstation agent on the machine copies these log files to the share. (This share is the WIINITIALSITEPATH you entered when you installed the agent.) After a maximum of two minutes, the server agent assigned to that share tries to merge these log files into the database. When the agent is unable to find the GUID on these log files in the database, it creates a machine entry in the database - entering the name of the machine and its GUID, leaving the name of the machine group blank, assigning the default role of workstation to the machine, and indicating that the agent is deployed. You can add the machine group later and change the role, if desired, on the Machine Properties dialog.

TIP: To assign machines to different servers using Secure Manual Deployment, create separate SMD files to connect to different shares.


. . .


A U T O M A T I N G W I N I N S T A L L A G E N T D E P L O Y M E N TWIDeploy.exe can deploy to multiple specified machines, it can query the WinINSTALL database and deploy to all listed machines which do not have the WinINSTALL Agent deployed (or to a subset of such machines), and it can sweep the network, using Active Directory, for machines to be added and deployed automatically.

In a dynamic IT environment, regular scheduling of this type of automated deployment (for example, through system scheduling of a batch file or the desired command line) can help to significantly reduce administrator workload and assure that all new machines appear in the database promptly and automatically.

Three variations on the WIDeploy.exe -m switch facilitate this type of automated deployment operation:

Q U E R Y T H E W I N I N S T A L L D A T A B A S E ( “ * ” )“*” indicates a SQL query of the WinINSTALL database. By default, this switch returns all machines in the database which are marked as not having the WinINSTALL agent deployed. SQL syntax can further limit the list of returned machines to a specific subset.

D E P L O Y T O A L I S T O F M A C H I N E S ( “ @ ” )“@” indicates an XML file, which contains a list of machines to deploy to, in the following format:

<?xml version=”1.0” encoding=”utf-8”?>

<MachineList>

<Machine>MACHINE1</Machine>

<Machine>MACHINE2</Machine>

. . .

<Machine>MACHINEn</Machine>

</MachineList>

Q U E R Y A C T I V E D I R E C T O R Y ( “ + ” )“+” indicates an Active Directory query. Further details on AD deployment follow below.

TIP: Command line execution of WIDeploy.exe can be piped to a log file (i.e., wideploy.exe -m * >> WIAgentDeploy.log) which can be examined later to assure that all deployments executed as expected.



The AD query option uses AD query syntax to search the directory.

In all of these cases, what is found is automatically filtered by whether the machines are already in the database and deployed. Machines already listed as deployed will not be included in the deployment.

In its simplest form, “-m +” would search AD for all computers, check the database to make sure they're not already deployed, and do the deployment as is done for SQL- and XML-selected machines automatically.

But the Active Directory option provides additional capabilities: “-m +” uses Active Directory to search for machines to which to deploy. The general syntax is:-m +[ad-search-filter][::column]

By default, the entire AD tree is searched for computers, and any that aren't already in the database are candidates for deployment. The “ad-search-filter” is an AD/LDAP filter in RFC2254 form that can be used to qualify the machines selected. The “column” can specify a column to be used for the hostname, and defaults to “dNSHostName.” Typically, the column would only be specified in cases where you don't want deployment to use the fully qualified DNS name for the machine, in which case “cn” would be specified.

If no filter is specified, “(&(objectCategory=computer))” is used to select any machines in the forest. If a filter is specified, it will be added to the default so that in no case will anything other than machines be selected. For instance, “-m +cn=a*” would select any machines that began with the letter “a” (resulting in a filter of “(&(objectCategory=computer)(cn=a*))”). The context of the search is determined by the login account, so that if the user is logged in to a sub-domain, only machines in and below that domain are visible. On the other hand, if the login user is in the top level domain, the entire forest is visible (with potential performance implications).

The –k switch can be used to change the search context from the default. For instance, “-k cn=Computers,dc=unitedwidgets,dc=com” would search the Computers folder only, and not the entire AD forest.

As each machine is returned from AD, it is checked against the database to see if has already been added, and if not, becomes a candidate for deployment. In this way, the AD tree can be periodically swept for machines that aren't already in the database, for instance. By default, both the long (“dNSHostName”) and short (“cn”) are checked to make sure the machine(s) aren't already in the database. If the machine has no long name, or if “cn” was specified as the hostname column, only the short name would be searched. Both the NAME and SHORTNAME columns are searched in any case.

The –n switch can be used to limit the number of machines to be added, or to return a larger number of machines than AD supports by default – 1000 or 1500, depending on the OS.


. . .


O V E R R I D I N G S M D P R O P E R T I E S O N T H E C O M M A N D L I N E WIDeploy provides an option to allow the contents of the SMD file to be overridden under certain circumstances. Because the deployment share is specified in the SMD file when created in the console, the primary use of this feature is to allow the deployment share to be specified at deployment, thereby enabling a single SMD file to be used enterprise-wide.

The following is an example of the use of the –o option:

WIDeploy -o WIINITIALSITEPATH=\\server\share\ -m * @PackageDir\Wks.smd

(Note the terminal backslash in \\server\share\ - failure to supply it will cause deployment failures.)

Because of potential security issues, there are some restrictions on the use of the –o option:

• It can only be used for remote deployments (in conjunction with the –m option).

• It can only be used in conjunction with the WinINSTALL database, so can't be used when "–d 0" is specified, for instance, or if there is no database connectivity.

• It cannot be used to add properties to deployment – only to override existing properties. The WIDeploy –s option will show the list of properties in an SMD file.

• Only one deployment property can be overridden using –o.

STARTING OR STOPPING THE WININSTALL AGENTThe WinINSTALL agent must be deployed to a machine and be running in order for WinINSTALL tasks to be performed on that machine. Tasks include activities such as inventory, software distribution, replication, and communication between the machine and the WinINSTALL database (merge and publish tasks).

You might want to start or stop the WinINSTALL agent for a number of reasons. For example, if an agent is configured to process a list at startup, stopping and starting the agent will launch this process. Another example would be to cause certain settings to take effect. Some settings, such as the startup list, do not take effect until the agent service is re-started. While inventory and distribution settings do not require an agent restart, settings such as the Config and Transaction file intervals may require a restart before they take effect. (These settings are made on the Advanced tab of the WinINSTALL Agent Settings dialog).

TIP: It is strongly recommended to use the –x switch to simulate deployment until the search filter and context have been refined to select the machines to which to be deployed.



Like other services, the WinINSTALL Agent can be stopped and started from the Services dialog of the Control Panel. However, WinINSTALL also gives you a convenient way to stop and start the WinINSTALL Agent from the Console, as outlined below. In addition, you can also start or stop the Agent with a script (either JavaScript or VBScript).

H O W T O S T A R T T H E W I N I N S T A L L A G E N T F R O M T H E C O N S O L E




• Click the Start icon on the toolbar.

• Choose Start Agent from the Machines menu on the menu bar.

• Right-click the machine in the data pane and choose Start Agent from the pop-up menu.

H O W T O S T O P T H E W I N I N S T A L L A G E N T F R O M T H E C O N S O L E




• Choose Stop Agent from the Machines menu on the menu bar.

• Right-click the machine in the data pane and choose Stop Agent from the pop-up menu.

WARNING: Because the WinINSTALL Agent does not run as a system service on Windows 9x machines, it cannot be started or stopped from the Console on these machines.

NOTE: It is not necessary to stop and start the service when you make changes to the WinINSTALL Agent settings. These changes will be picked up automatically the next time that data is published from the WinINSTALL database.


. . .

. .T H E W I N I N S TA L L A G E N TAgent Communication

MODIFYING WININSTALL AGENT SETTINGSThe WinINSTALL Agent settings for all managed machines include inventory settings, distribution settings, and logging and network settings. Machines with a role of Server also have settings related to replication and the flow of information to and from the database (merge and publish). These settings are easily managed from the Console.

Whether you are changing default settings for agents not yet deployed, or you are changing settings for a selected machine or group of machines, the Agent Settings dialog provides several tabs, each containing a set of configuration options to enable you to specify the exact behavior you need.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A G E N T C O M M U N I C A T I O NAgents communicate via TCPIP.

Agent communication with the database is bidirectional, to and from the WinINSTALL Share.

Information is stored in XML format and moved via the WinINSTALL Agent to and from the WinINSTALL Share.

The WinINSTALL Master Agent runs as a service on Windows NT 4, Windows 2000, Windows XP, and Windows 2003.

The WinINSTALL Master Agent runs as a process on Windows 9x systems.

CONFIGURATION AND TRANSACTION FILESCommunication from the database to the agents is by means of XML files written by the server’s Publisher sub-agent into the share’s \CFGFiles folder. These files include the site list (the list of shares available for connection and their selection configuration information), agent-specific configuration files, and scheduled jobs.

Each machine’s Master Agent retrieves its configuration files and stores them in the local CFGFiles folder (C:\Program Files\OnDemand\CFGFiles\).

Communication from the agents to the database is by means of XML files uploaded by each machine’s Master Agent from its local TxFiles folder (C:\Program Files\OnDemand\TxFiles\) to the share’s \TxFiles folder, where the server’s Merge Agent reads them and enters their data into the WinINSTALL database. These files include job completion notifications, inventory result files, and event log entries,


T H E W I N I N S TA L L A G E N TAgent Communication5

C F G F I L E SDuring normal operation, the CFGFiles folder contains a collection of xml files such as these:

0B33DAF4-3970-4B51-B015-005D99D9FF55.Type=CFGDST.State=Written.Seq=0.Flags=0.xml

0B33DAF4-3970-4B51-B015-005D99D9FF55.Type=CFGMA.State=Written.Seq=0.Flags=0.xml

608B7DFE-15D2-4CD3-9860-52326EC56C80.Type=CFGHK.State=Written.Seq=0.Flags=0.xml

608B7DFE-15D2-4CD3-9860-52326EC56C80.Type=CFGMRG.State=Written.Seq=0.Flags=0.xml

608B7DFE-15D2-4CD3-9860-52326EC56C80.Type=CFGPUB.State=Written.Seq=0.Flags=0.xml

608B7DFE-15D2-4CD3-9860-52326EC56C80.Type=SlSites.State=Written.Seq=0.Flags=0.xml

24DEDFFD-048B-425F-B845-79F7DCE50849.Type=Sched(8C30BC5C-DBC9-4A95-8BED-A95AF2FAE083).State=Written.Seq=0.Flags=0.xml

T X F I L E STypical files in the TxFiles folder are ones like these:

24DEDFFD-048B-425F-B845-79F7DCE50849.Type=EvLog.State=Writing.Seq=1.Flags=2.xml

24DEDFFD-048B-425F-B845-79F7DCE50849.Type=SlSw.State=Uploaded.Seq=1.Flags=1.xml

24DEDFFD-048B-425F-B845-79F7DCE50849.Type=SlSw.State=Uploaded.Seq=2.Flags=4.xml

24DEDFFD-048B-425F-B845-79F7DCE50849.Type=SlSys.State=Uploaded.Seq=1.Flags=1.xml

24DEDFFD-048B-425F-B845-79F7DCE50849.Type=SlSw.State=Merged.Seq=2.Flags=4.xml

24DEDFFD-048B-425F-B845-79F7DCE50849.Type=SlSys.State=Merged.Seq=3.Flags=4.xml


. . .

. .T H E W I N I N S TA L L A G E N TAgent Communication

X M L F I L E N A M E SThe filenames of the CFGFiles and TXFiles are constructed of five elements, each of which is used to convey important information to the various agents involved:

INFORMATION FLOW FROM THE DATABASE TO THE WORKSTATION1 When changes are made to settings from within the WinINSTALL Console, they are

written directly to the WinINSTALL database.

2 The Publisher sub-agent reads the changes from the database and writes them as XML files into the CfgFiles directory of the WinINSTALL Share. Depending on the configuration, the publisher performs this action in one or more of the following ways: immediately, as soon as the information is written to the database; at the specified Publisher Processing Interval; or on demand,

3 The XML files are named with the GUID of the appropriately affected machines to insure that settings and jobs are retrieved by the intended machines.

1. GUID • Machine or machine group ID, indicating the machine or group of machines to which the file is applicable.

2. Type= • Possibilities vary, depending on whether it’s a CfgFile or a TxFile.

• Cfg file types:

• CFGagent (configuration information for sub-agent agent)

• Sched(GUID) (scheduled job, including job GUID)

• SlSites (site list).

• Tx file types:

• slsw (software inventory)

• slsys (hardware inventory)

• EvLog (event log)

• JobComp (job completion).

3. State= • Current file status: writing, written, uploaded, merging, merged, or error (diagnostic info.).

4. Seq= • Sequence number. Each time a new file is generated, and a file of the same type already exists, the sequence number is incremented. Most often seen with EvLog files.

5. Flags= • Currently unused.


T H E W I N I N S TA L L A G E N TAgent Communication5

4 At the specified Config File Processing Interval, the WinINSTALL Master Agents on the server and workstations examine the CfgFiles directory of the WinINSTALL Share, locate any XML files that contain settings or jobs for their local machines, and copy these files to their own local CfgFiles directories.

5 The Scheduler agent reads scheduled job XML files and notifies appropriate sub-agents at the appointed times that they have jobs scheduled.

6 At each workstation or server, when sub-agents are executed, they read the configuration files to be sure they use the most current settings.

DATA FLOW FROM THE WORKSTATION TO THE DATABASE1 At the specified Transaction File Processing Interval, the WinINSTALL Master Agents

on both servers and workstations read their local TxFiles directories and copy any new XML files found there to the TxFiles directory of the WinINSTALL Share. These files contain information such as logs of sub-agent activity, inventory data, etc.

2 At the specified Merge Processing Interval or on demand, the WinINSTALL Master Agent on the server launches the Merge sub-agent, which examines the TxFiles directory on the WinINSTALL Share, looking for new XML files. The Merge sub-agent reads these files and merges the information they contain into the WinINSTALL database.

NOTE: The Publisher Processing Interval is set on the Server tab of the WinINSTALL Agent Settings dialog.

NOTE: The Config File Processing Interval is set on the Advanced tab of the WinINSTALL Agent Settings dialog.

NOTE: The Transaction File Processing Interval is set on the Advanced tab of the WinINSTALL Agent Settings dialog.


. . .

. .T H E W I N I N S TA L L A G E N TManaging the WinINSTALL Agents

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . M A N A G I N G T H E W I N I N S T A L L A G E N T S

I N V E N T O R Y S E T T I N G SThe Inventory tab is divided into three sections. Settings available in each section are explained below.

I N V E N T O R Y M O D E

I N V E N T O R Y L O G G I N G

NOTE: The Merge Processing Interval is set on the Server tab of the WinINSTALL Agent Settings dialog.

Inventory mode radio button

• If Full mode is selected, the entire system is scanned each time an inventory is performed (according to the criteria you have set), and all of the inventory information is written to the database. This is very time consuming.

• If Incremental mode is selected (recommended), the entire system is scanned each time an inventory is performed (according to the criteria you have set), but only changed inventory information is written to the database. This is a more efficient method.

Show inventory changes in the Console change log

• If checked, changes detected between inventories will be logged to the database and visible in the Console.

• If unchecked, changes detected between inventories will be logged to the database but will not be not visible in the Console.

Log Variables button

• To specify .ini file or registry variables to include in the scan, click the Log Variables button and add the desired variable. Each inventory will then include the value found at the specified location in the specified .ini file or registry key.


T H E W I N I N S TA L L A G E N TManaging the WinINSTALL Agents5

I N V E N T O R Y S C A N

Include files in inventory scan

• If checked (default), the files on the system will be included in the inventory scan.

• If unchecked, files will not be included in the inventory scan. Only hardware, software, and the registry will be scanned. This is the most efficient method, and the one which uses the least database storage.

Use standard file exclusions

• If you have elected to include files, you have the additional option of using WinINSTALL’s standard file exclusions (recommended). If this checkbox is checked, the file scan will not include files in the Recycle Bin or the Temp directory, and will also exclude temporary internet files.

File scan filters • If you elect to include files in the inventory scan, you can specify file scan filters to reduce the number of files scanned and the amount of inventory data stored in the database.

• Filters can be either Exclusion or Inclusion filters, with exclusions always applied first. In other words, inclusions are applied only to those files and folders which are not explicitly excluded.

• Filter specifications can be of three types:

• Folders, specified by a trailing backslash (e.g., C:\Program Files\, c:\docs\).

• File types, specified by an extension only (no period required: COM, EXE).

• Files, specified by a filename (e.g., readme.txt) or a path and filename (e.g., c:\docs\readme.txt).

• By default, WinINSTALL includes only COM and EXE file types.

NOTE: Removing all file scan filters can be particularly useful for diagnostic purposes, but it consumes a large amount of disk space in the database. If you make use of this helpful diagnostic capability, be sure to replace the filters when the diagnostic operation is complete, and then purge the machine’s inventory data to reclaim the space in the database.


. . .


D I S T R I B U T I O N S E T T I N G SThe Distribution tab is divided into three sections. Settings available in each section are explained below.

S T A R T U P L I S T

C L I E N T L A U N C HNormally, a user must have administrative privileges in order to install software on a workstation. The WinINSTALL Client Launch facility enables you to permit specific users to launch installs of WinINSTALL packages on specific machines using the privileges of the WinINSTALL Agent, instead of those of their own user accounts.

When you enable the WinINSTALL Client Launch feature for a machine, the specified users are then able to invoke the special WinINSTALL utility, WIClient.exe, on that machine. This utility instructs the WinINSTALL Agent to pass to the WinINSTALL Installer whatever command line is specified for WIClient.exe.

To allow specified users to use this feature, you must first check the Allow specified users and groups to launch the installer checkbox, then click the Permissions button to select the desired users and grant them permissions, and finally click OK in order for them to be enabled.

Install startup list, if modified, when the WinINSTALL Agent starts

• If checked, the WinINSTALL Automatic Installer will run each time the WinINSTALL Agent starts. The Installer will process the list specified in the Start Up List field, but only if the start up list time-stamp has been modified since the last time the Installer ran.

Install startup list if any sub-lists have been modified

• If checked, each time the WinINSTALL Agent starts, the Automatic Installer will compare the time-stamps on all sub-lists contained in the specified start up list with the installer’s Last Run time-stamp in the registry. The installer will run if any of the sub-lists have been modified since the last time the installer ran.

Start up list • This field contains the UNC path to the list file to be processed by the installer if either or both of the above checkboxes are selected.

NOTE: If neither of these checkboxes is checked, the installer will run only when you run or schedule a distribution task.



Once you have enabled Client Launch, the users must then be provided the ability to launch WIClient.exe with an appropriate command line. You can most easily do so by entering the desired WIClient.exe command line into a WinINSTALL package as an external process, and allowing the user to install that WinINSTALL package. (See the External Processing Tab section of the Additional NAI Package Options chapter of this guide for information on how to enter a command line as an external process).

WIClient.exe passes its entire command line to the WinINSTALL Installer through the WinINSTALL Agent. The only thing that is not passed is an optional -w, which tells WIClient to wait for the installation to complete. For example, using the following command would pass everything after -w to the installer:

WIClient –w test.lst

The -w will cause WIClient.exe to wait for the WinINSTALL Agent to complete installation of the specified package or list (in this case, test.lst). Thus, if this command line were included as an external process in a WinINSTALL package which the user installs, the user-installed package would not complete until the Agent had completed installation of test.lst.

P R I V I L E G E E L E V A T I O NWhile a typical MSI package is technically installed by a service running under the LocalSystem account, which is a privileged account, the package is actually installed using the security context (account) of the user under which the package was requested. This prevents ordinary users from being able to install packages that may update system components, and it prevents the opening of gaps in system security.

Microsoft provides two exceptions to this security arrangement. Using Group Policy, administrators can advertise applications for per-machine installation. Per-machine installations are executed in a privileged state. Such packages, while they can be installed on demand by users, can be considered troublesome, because they require intervention on the part of the administrator to advertise or assign such packages to users.

In addition, Microsoft has also provided a means by which selected users can install any application in a privileged state. Again using Group Policy, administrators can set certain registry values that the Windows installer uses to decide whether to install applications as privileged. But this method can be considered a potential security liability, since the administrator no longer has control over which applications can and cannot be installed this way.

As an alternative to these methods and without the need for Group Policy, WinINSTALL provides the ability to enable users to install MSI packages using elevated security privileges -- but only for those MSI packages installed through WinINSTALL. Thus, all packages distributed to the selected users on the selected machines will be installed using elevated privileges (so individual packages do not require any special attention), but only


. . .


those packages distributed through WinINSTALL can make use of this feature (so users cannot use this privilege elevation feature to install any package they choose).

If the Allow specified users and groups to install with elevated privileges checkbox is checked, then selected users can install applications on the selected machine(s) with elevated privileges.

After selecting the checkbox, you must also click the Permissions button to select the users to whom you are granting permission, and then click OK in order for the feature to be enabled.

A D V A N C E D S E T T I N G SThe Advanced tab is divided into five sections. Settings available in each section are explained below.

G E N E R A L

S U P P L Y N E T W A R E I N F O R M A T I O NIf the Supply NetWare information checkbox is checked, you can enter the information needed for the WinINSTALL Agent to log into NetWare. The various fields are explained below.

Config file processing interval

• Period of time (in seconds) that the agent waits before checking its share for new configuration settings. The period should be frequent enough to keep the database and workstation data synchronized sufficiently for your environment, but not so frequent that the overhead associated with this synchronization impacts network performance.

Transaction file processing interval

• Period of time (in seconds) that the workstation Master Agent waits before checking for new transaction files (output from workstation sub-agents) to be moved to its share for subsequent merging into the database by the server agent. The default value is 120 seconds.

IPC Port • Port number used by the agent for IPC communications. Default is WinINSTALL's registered port number (3674).

Disable Structured Exception Handling (SEH)

• Agent’s use of Structured Exception Handling (SEH). Do not disable SEH unless requested to do so by Attachmate Support personnel.



A G E N T L O G G I N G

NetWare Type Radio Buttons

• Select the radio button corresponding to your NetWare network type: NDS or Bindery.

Server • The name of the designated NetWare logon server.

NetWare Tree • The name of the NDS tree to which the machine belongs.

NetWare Username and Password

• The credentials the WinINSTALL agent will use to log on to the Novell network.

Logging level

• WinINSTALL agents support three logging levels - Standard, Verbose, and Diagnostic, available in the Logging level drop-down.

• Standard is the default and should only be changed on specific machines for specific purposes--and for limited time spans. The Diagnostic level in particular can very quickly create large volume of log entries which consume a great amount of space in the database.

Log to Windows Event Log

• If this checkbox is selected, the agents will log events to the Windows Event Log.

Log to local log file

• If this checkbox is selected, the agents will log events to a local log file (named WInn.tmp, where nn is a numeric value between 00 and 99, in the Windows directory).

Log to database

• this checkbox is selected, the agents will log events to the WinINSTALL database.

NOTE: When Log to local log file is enabled, each time the WinINSTALL Agent service is stopped and started again, a new .tmp file is generated with an incremented number in the file name. You cannot copy or read the file while the WinINSTALL Agent is running on the local machine.

NOTE: The local log file is Unicode and cannot be read on a machine with a Windows 9x operating system. However, you can copy it to another machine and read it.


. . .


U S E R - M O D E A G E N TThe WinINSTALL Agent normally runs in user mode only on those machines which do not support system services (i.e., Win9x). The settings in the section of the Advanced tab apply to WinINSTALL Agent operation in this situation.

A G E N T S O F T W A R E U P G R A D EThis feature enables WinINSTALL workstation and server agents to upgrade themselves automatically when they find that the WinINSTALL share has been upgraded. If enabled, the WinINSTALL Agent checks the share to verify whether it is running the most recent version of the WinINSTALL Agent software, and it will perform an automatic upgrade if it finds a later version on the share.

S E R V E R S E T T I N G SThe Server tab is divided into the following sections. Settings available in each section are explained below.

D A T A B A S E

Show Agent icon in system tray

• If this checkbox is selected, the WinINSTALL agent icon will display in the system tray when the agent is run in user mode.

Allow close from system tray

• If this checkbox is selected, the Close menu option will appear on the WinINSTALL agent icon menu.

Check for upgrade at start up

• If this checkbox is selected, the WinINSTALL Agent will check the share for newer Agent software each time it starts up.

Upgrade periodically

• If this checkbox is selected, the WinINSTALL Agent will check the share for newer Agent software at the interval specified in the Check for upgrade every n days field.

Choose database button

• Click this button to connect the server to a different database. When you change the database for a server, you change the source of published settings and jobs for machines assigned to that server, and the destination of merged information from those machines.

Connection string

• Connection string for server to connect to the WinINSTALL database.



M E R G E / P U B L I S H

Password • Password, if required for connection to the database.

Change Now button

• Click this button to cause the server agent to immediately accept the database (or database connection string/password) change.

Purge database log entries older than nn days

• If this checkbox is selected, the WinINSTALL Housekeeping sub-agent will periodically purge the log of entries older than the specified number of days.

Merge - Roll Up Shares 1-3

• A server can copy transaction files to up to three other shares before merging them into the database. The copied files would then be merged into different databases by the servers managing each of these separate, roll up, shares. This capability can provide a consolidated view of data from de-centralized WinINSTALL databases.

Roll

WARNING: Roll up databases consolidate data from de-centralized databases for viewing purposes only. It is not possible to manage machines from a console viewing data in a roll up database.

Do not merge data (copy files to rollup shares only)

• This checkbox should almost always be left unchecked. If this checkbox is checked, the server agent will copy the data to the specified roll up share(s) but will not merge it into the database, as an ordinary server would do.

• Selecting this checkbox is a very unusual step and should be done only when certain that this configuration will be effective in your environment. Under most circumstances, this setting should remain at the default setting of unchecked.


. . .


W A K E O N L A NThis drop-down specifies the method the server will use to send Wake on LAN packets to its assigned workstations when Wake on LAN jobs are requested.

Select the desired packet delivery method from the drop-down: broadcast, directed, or both.

Clear transaction files from share after data is merged

• If this checkbox is checked, the WinINSTALL Agent removes the temporary transaction files from the WinINSTALL share after the information has been merged to the WinINSTALL database. This prevents these files from taking up too much space on the share.

• For diagnostic purposes, it is helpful to leave this option unchecked, because it preserves access to the latest copies of the transaction files on the share. But to conserve disk space, this option can be checked.

NOTE: Checking the Clear transaction files checkbox will not cause previously created transaction files to be deleted. You must do this by manually deleting them from the TxFiles folder on the share.

Use merge processing intervalof nn seconds

• If this checkbox is selected, this is the period of time (in seconds) the server agent waits before checking for new transaction files to merge into the database. The default value is 120 seconds.

• If this checkbox is unselected, the server agent will not merge data periodically, but only on command.

Use publish processing interval of nn seconds

• If this checkbox is selected, this is the period of time (in seconds) the server agent waits before checking the database for new information to publish. The default value is 120 seconds.

• If this checkbox is unselected, the server agent will not publish data periodically, but only on command or (if configured on the Console Options dialog) when changes are made in the console.



R E P L I C A T I O N

H O W T O M O D I F Y D E F A U L T W I N I N S T A L L A G E N T S E T T I N G S F O R A L L M A C H I N E S N O T Y E T D E P L O Y E D



3 Choose Change Default Settings from the Machines menu on the menu bar.

4 View or change the information on the four tabs of the WinINSTALL Agent Settings dialog and click OK.

The changes will be implemented by any machines deployed from now on. In addition, these settings will be used at the next WinINSTALL Agent startup by those machines which were deployed using SMD files, provided their settings have not been changed since deployment.

Multicast range start and end

• Range of IP addresses for use in WinINSTALL Replication multicast transmissions. These fields contain the start and end of that range of addresses.

Use MADCAP server

• MADCAP (Multicast-Address Dynamic Client Allocation Protocol) servers provide multicast addresses for multicast communication sessions.

Replication port selection radio buttons

• Select the option to Use any available port for replication to instruct WinINSTALL to dynamically select the ports to use for replication.

• Select the option to Use predefined replication port range to restrict WinINSTALL to using the specified range of ports for replication.

Log retention • Limit of Replication logs kept. Once the specified number of Replication logs is reached, the oldest logs are deleted as new logs are added.

Active queue size

• Maximum number of Replication jobs that can run simultaneously. As jobs complete, pending jobs are moved from the pending queue into the active queue.

Pending queue size

• Maximum number of Replication jobs that can be pending. Any attempt to add a Replication job that would exceed this limit generates an error.


. . .


H O W T O M O D I F Y W I N I N S T A L L S E T T I N G S F O R S E L E C T E D M A C H I N E S




• Click the Settings icon on the toolbar.

• Choose Settings from the Machines menu on the menu bar.

• Right-click the machine in the data pane and choose Settings from the pop-up menu.

4 View or change the information on the three or four tabs of the WinINSTALL Agent Settings dialog (Servers have four tabs, Workstations only three) and click OK.

REMOVING THE WININSTALL AGENT When the WinINSTALL agent is removed from a machine, the settings for that machine are no longer be published from the database to the local machine. Although the console will still display the previous settings for the agent, the default configuration settings will be used locally if the agent is redeployed. To apply displayed settings after redeploying the agent, you must reapply the displayed settings through the console.

You must remove the agent from the machine before deleting that machine from the Console. If you do not do so, the WinINSTALL Agent will automatically add the machine back into the database and Console when the next transaction file is processed. Removing the agent is a simple process from the Console:




• Choose Remove Agent from the Machines menu on the menu bar.

NOTE: Changing default settings does not affect machines which have already been deployed from the WinINSTALL Console, nor does it affect machines which have been deployed using the Secure Manual Deployment method (SMD file) and have since had their configuration settings changed from the Console. To modify settings for these machines, use the method for selected machines, below.



• Right-click the machine in the data pane and choose Remove Agent from the pop-up menu.

VIEWING WININSTALL AGENT STATUSPossible WinINSTALL Agent states include Running, Stopped or Not Deployed. You can see the current status of the WinINSTALL Agent on a machine in several places:


2 Do either of the following:

• Highlight All Machines in the list pane and view the status of the agent on each machine that displays under the WinINSTALL Agent column on the Machines tab on the data pane.

• Highlight a specific machine in the list pane and view the status of the agent on that machine at the top of the General tab on the data pane.

H O W T O C O N F I G U R E T H E B E H A V I O R O F T H E A G E N T S T A T U S U P D A T E F E A T U R E

If you have a large number of managed machines, or a number of ureachable machines, the console can take quite a while to update the machine status when you click on the Machines/All Machines node or perform another action that will cause the machine list to refresh (such as deploying an agent).

The Machines Options dialog enables you to configure machine status refresh behavior to suit your environment and preferences.

To reach the Machines Options dialog, select either the All Machines node or an existing search in the console, and then select Options from the Machines menu.

TIP: You can refresh the status of the WinINSTALL Agent on a single machine, on a selection of machines, or on all managed machines at once.

TIP: You can use the Machines menu or the right-click context menu in the Machines list to copy all or selected entries to the clipboard for pasting into other applications, or to export all or selected entries to a tab-delimited text file for processing by another application. The Export and Export All options will prompt you for an output path and filename.


. . .


U P D A T E M A C H I N E S T A T U SThe Machines Options dialog provides check boxes to enable or disable refreshing of the machine list status under three different circumstances (by default, all are checked):

• Machine list page is automatically refreshed.

When this check box is checked, the machine list will refresh whenever the list is reloaded (for example, when you click on the All Machines node).

• Manual refresh command is invoked (e.g., Refresh or F5).

When this check box is checked, the machine list status will be refreshed when you select View/Refresh or press F5.

• Status-related machine command is invoked (e.g., Deploy Agent).

When this check box is checked, the machine list status will be refreshed whenever any command (such as deploy agent) is executed which would affect machine list status.

These selections are independent of one another. That is, you can select any combination,

or none, of the choices.

T I M E O U T I N C O M P L E T E S T A T U S R E Q U E S T SIn addition, you can elect to have the status update time out after a specified number of seconds (3 to 60) per request.

Depending on the number of selected machines and the number of simultaneous machine status connections (see below), a single status update may involve multiple requests, each of which will restart the timeout interval.

TIP: If you uncheck the first option (Machine list page is automatically refreshed), the Console will not be sure that the currently listed status for any machine is correct. As a result, you will be able to attempt to run tasks on machines which may not be available. In this situation, you may want to assure the availability of target machines by manually refreshing the list, or a selected subset of the list, before running the task.

WARNING: If you uncheck all three check boxes, you will have entirely disabled the checking of machine status, and the machine list will not display accurate machine status.



By default, this option is unselected. If you choose to enable it, the default timeout value will be 30 seconds, but, of course, you can change this to any value between 3 and 60 seconds.

To enable the timeout feature, simply check the check box beside Timeout incomplete machine status connections after nn sec. and enter in the numeric field the desired number of seconds.

To disable the timeout feature, uncheck this check box.

S I M U L T A N E O U S M A C H I N E S T A T U S C O N N E C T I O N SFinally, you can specify the number of machine status connections to update simultaneously

(1 to 61).

Enter the desired number into the numeric field labeled Number of simultaneous machine

status connections. The default setting is 61 connections.

The Restore Defaults button will reset all these parameters to their original default values.

Click OK to save your changes, Cancel to discard them and return to the previous settings.

H O W T O R E F R E S H T H E A G E N T S T A T U S O F A S I N G L E M A C H I N E



• Select a specific machine in the list pane and choose Update Agent Status from the Machines menu.

• Select All Machines in the list pane and do one of the following:

•Right-click a machine on the Machines tab in the data pane and choose Update Agent Status from the pop-up context menu.

•Select a machine on the Machines tab in the data pane and choose Update Agent Status from the Machines menu.

TIP: Generally, the higher the number of simultaneous updates the better the performance.


. . .


H O W T O R E F R E S H T H E S T A T U S O F M U L T I P L E M A C H I N E S1 Expand the Machines node in the tree pane and highlight the All Machines sub-node

beneath it or select any search.

2 Click the Refresh button on the Machines tab in the data pane or select Refresh from the Machines menu on the menu bar.

TESTING MACHINE CONNECTIVITY USING PINGThe WinINSTALL console provides a built-in ping capability which allows you to test connectivity between the console and any machine or selected group of machines. The WinINSTALL ping feature can test single or multiple machines at once and is completely configurable to assure effective operation in your environment.

P I N G M A C H I N E STo use the WinINSTALL ping feature, select the desired machine(s) in the machine list, and then select Ping... from the Machines menu or the right click context menu.

The Ping Machines dialog will appear, offering the following information and actions:

P I N G S E T T I N G SAt the top of the dialog, the currently configured ping settings appear in a read-only display. For details on changing these settings, see Changing Ping Settings, below.

Ping method

You have a choice of two ping methods:

Ping packet size

You can specify the packet size (0-65,500 bytes) for the ping test. The default value is 32 bytes.

Number of echo requests

You can specify the number of echo requests (packets) to be sent in the ping test. The default value is 4 requests.

ICMP ping • Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) Ping is the standard IP ping utility, used to verify the availability of a remote host.

Agent (IPC) ping

• Inter-Process Communication (IPC) Ping is a similar verification mechanism that uses WinINSTALL’s built-in method of direct host-to-host communication. IPC Ping is useful in environments where ICMP is blocked.



Click the Settings button to change these settings and to view and/or change additional settings as well (see Changing Ping Settings, below).

P I N G B U T T O N A N D P R O G R E S S B A RIn the middle of the dialog is the Ping button. Click this button to execute the ping test on the selected machines using the settings displayed above.

During the execution of the ping test, the progress bar to the right of the Ping button will display the progress of the test process. When complete, the results will be displayed in the Ping Results list at the bottom of the dialog.

P I N G R E S U L T SWhen you click the Ping button to execute the test, the Ping Results list will display status and summary results. You can view detailed results for any target machine by either double-clicking the desired entry in the list or right-clicking the entry and selecting Details from the context menu.

The following columns appear in the list for each selected machine:

Machine • machine name of each selected machine.

Sent • number of ping packets (a.k.a. echo requests) sent in the test.

Received • number of ping packets successfully returned in the test.

Dropped • number of lost ping packets (sent but not returned).

Success • percentage of ping packets successfully returned in the test. Anything below 80% is usually considered a problem.

Min. (ms) • shortest round trip time (in milliseconds) of all the ping packets sent in the test.

Max. (ms) • longest round trip time (in milliseconds) of all the ping packets sent in the test.

Avg. (ms) • average round trip time (in milliseconds) of all the ping packets sent in the test.

Status • status of the ping test for the selected machine. Status may be any of the following:

• Pending (the test has not started)

• Running (the test is in progress)

• Complete (the test completed, and all packets were successfully returned)


. . .


Click the Close button to dismiss the dialog and return to the Machine list.

C H A N G I N G P I N G S E T T I N G SClicking the Settings button on the Ping Machines dialog will display the Ping Machines Settings dialog, where you can configure the following parameters used in the machine ping operation.

P I N G S E T T I N G SPing Method

You can elect to ping machines by either of two methods:

Ping packet size

Enter the desired size of each ping packet (0-65,500 bytes). The default value is 32 bytes.

Number of echo requests

Enter the desired number of packets to send to each selected machine. The default is four packets.

Inter-ping delay

Specify the number of milliseconds to pause between the transmission of ping packets. The default value is 250 milliseconds.

Maximum number of target machines to process simultaneously during a ping operation

In order to avoid overloading the network and/or console machine processor, the ping operation for multiple machines is limited to the number of simultaneous target machines specified here. The default value is 10 machines at once. Additional selected machines above the specified limit will be processed in turn.

• Complete-some packets dropped (the test completed, and some-but not all-packets were successfully returned)

• Cancelled (the test was cancelled by the user)

ICMP Ping • Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) Ping is the standard IP ping utility, used to verify the availability of a remote host.

Agent (IPC) Ping

• IPC pings use a TCP connection to the WinINSTALL agent on the target machine in a manner similar to ICMP ping, but using WinINSTALL's registered TCP port (by default), which doesn't require ICMP to be opened on the target machine or across firewalls.



I C M P P I N G O P T I O N SIf ICMP Ping is the selected method, the following additional options are enabled on this dialog.

Timeout • Set to 250 milliseconds by default. This is the time after which, if no reply has been received, a ping echo request will be deemed lost. Valid timeout values are 1 to 10,000 milliseconds.

Time to live (TTL)

• By default set to 128. Valid values are 1 to 255. This value is decremented at each forwarding node (router) on the path to the target machine.As a result, the TTL number in the test results will be indicative of the number of routers in the path taken from the console machine to the target machine. If the message is forwarded by two routers on the way to the target machine, the TTL value will have been decremented by two. If the number of routers exceeds the TTL value, the ping will expire and no response will be received.

Type of service

• Type of service, also known as quality of service, specifies the handling priority the packet is to receive. Some routers may not be configured to process all types of service. The default value is 0. Valid values are 0 to 255.

Set Don't Fragment flag in packet

• If the Don't Fragment flag is set, then packets are not permitted to be fragmented when they must pass through a router having a maximum transmission unit (MTU) smaller than the packet size. In such a case, the ping will return an error message from the node that would have had to fragment the packet. This flag can be useful for determining the smallest MTU in the path to a destination.

Record route of echo requests

• If this checkbox is checked, the ping operation will record the IP addresses of the specified number (see below) of hops, or forwarding nodes in the path taken by the packet through the network to its destination.

Number of hops to record route

• This setting determines the maximum number of forwarding IP addresses to record on each packet's route through the network. The default value is 9, and valid values are 1-9.

Record timestamp of echo request hops

• If this checkbox is checked, the ping operation will record the IP address and timestamp at each of the hops, or forwarding nodes, in the path taken by the packet through the network to its destination, up to the specified number of hops (see below).

Number of hops to record timestamp

• This setting determines the maximum number of forwarding IP addresses and timestamps to record on each packet's route through the network. The default value is 4, and valid values are 1-4.


. . .


Click the Restore Defaults button to restore all ping settings to the program default values.

Click OK to save the specified settings and return to the Ping Machines dialog.

Click Cancel to discard the changes to the settings and return to the Ping Machines dialog.

V I E W I N G P I N G R E S U L T D E T A I L SMachine ping details are presented on this read-only dialog offering details of ping operations to the selected machine.

The machine name and IP address appear at the top, with the ping operation status below.

R E P L I E S L I S TThe Replies list contains an entry for each packet sent to the selected machine, displaying information in the following columns:

Status • Succeeded or Failed, depending on whether or not a response was successfully received.

RTT (ms) • Round trip time in milliseconds.

Size (bytes) • Packet size in bytes.

TTL • Time to Live, by default, set to 128. At each forwarding node (e.g., router) on the path to the target machine, this value is decremented. As a result, you can tell how many hops are in the path from the console machine to the target machine by the TTL number in the test results. If the packets are forwarded by two routers, the TTL value will have been decremented by two. If the number of forwarding nodes exceeds the TTL value, the ping will expire and no response will be received.

Route • ICMP Ping configuration settings permit recording the route (optionally including a timestamp at each hop) which each packet travels on its way through the network to the target machine. These values can help to determine network routing and/or congestion problems.If the ping settings specify to record the route, then the Route field contains the IP address of the first node which forwarded the packet as it made its way to the target machine.If the ping settings specify to record the timestamps of echo requests, then the IP address will be followed by the timestamp.This field is empty for Agent (ICP) pings.



P A C K E T S T A T I S T I C SOn the bottom left of the dialog, the Packet Statistics display, summarizing the entire test, including the following items:

R O U N D T R I P T I M E SBeside the Packet Statistics display is the Round Trip Times (ms) summary, which presents the following information:

R O U T EICMP Ping configuration settings permit recording the route (optionally including a timestamp at each hop) which each packet travels on its way through the network to the target machine. These values can help to determine network routing and/or congestion problems.

At the bottom right of the dialog is the Route field. If the ping settings specify to record the route, then the Route field contains a list of the IP addresses of the nodes which forwarded the packet as it made its way to the target machine.

If the ping settings specify to record the timestamps of echo requests, then each IP address will be followed by the timestamp.

Click the Close button to dismiss the dialog and return to the Ping Machines dialog.

Sent • number of packets sent in the test.

Received • number of responses received in the test.

Dropped • number of packets for which no response was received.

Success rate • percentage of packets for which responses were received. Anything below 80% is usually considered a problem.

Minimum • time in milliseconds of the fastest response received.

Maximum • time in milliseconds of the slowest response received.

Average • average time in milliseconds of all received responses.

Weighted average

• average time in milliseconds of all responses, including a weighting for dropped packets.

NOTE: The Route field is empty for Agent (ICP) pings.


. . .


RUNNING A TASK ON A MANAGED MACHINE You can run a task on a machine in real-time from the Console. Tasks that can be run on workstations include wake up (Wake on LAN), inventory and software distribution, backup, restore, migration, and policy distribution. Tasks you can run on servers include all workstation tasks, plus replication, and merging and publishing data to and from the database.

H O W T O R U N A T A S K O N A M A C H I N E1 Expand the Machines node in the tree pane.

2 Highlight the All Machines sub-node under Machines in the tree pane.


4 In the data pane, select the machine on which you want to run a task and do one of the following:

• Click the Task icon on the toolbar.

• Choose Task from the Machines menu on the menu bar.

• Right-click the machine in the data pane and choose Task from the pop-up menu.

5 On the Run Task dialog, select the task to be performed, enter any other required information, and click OK to initiate the task immediately.

SCHEDULING A TASK TO RUN ON A MANAGED MACHINEYou can schedule a task to run on a machine in a variety of scheduling configurations. Full details on the process of scheduling tasks is presented in the Scheduling chapter of this guide.

Tasks that can be scheduled on workstations include wake up (Wake on LAN), inventory and software distribution, backup, restore, migration, and policy distribution. Tasks you can schedule on servers include all workstation tasks, plus replication, and merging and publishing data to and from the database.

H O W T O S C H E D U L E A T A S K T O R U N O N A M A C H I N E A T A L A T E R T I M E

1 Expand the Machines node in the tree pane.

NOTE: You can also click Publish or Merge on the Machines menu on the menu bar or from the right-click menu in the data pane. In this case, the Run Task dialog displays with the particular task - Publish or Merge - already selected.






• Click the Schedule icon on the toolbar.

• Choose Schedule from the Machines menu on the menu bar.

• Right-click the machine in the data pane and choose Schedule from the pop-up menu.

5 On the Schedule Task dialog, select the task to be performed, enter any other required information, and click OK to schedule the task.

PERFORM AN INVENTORYYou can inventory hardware, software, and files on machines you have added to the Console. You can perform inventories on one machine, multiple machines, or all machines. You can view the results of inventories in the console and on certain reports. Refer to the Inventory chapter of this Guide for a detailed explanation of how to perform an inventory.

RUN A CONFLICT ASSESSMENTWhen you run a conflict assessment before you run an inventory, WinINSTALL can integrate file information collected during conflict assessment with file information it gathers when an inventory is performed. Refer to the Conflict Assessment chapter of this guide for a detailed explanation of how to run conflict assessments.

PUBLISH SETTINGS FROM THE DATABASE TO MANAGED MACHINESConfiguration and job data moves from the database to workstations in two steps. First, the server agent extracts the data from the database and stores it on the network share. Then the workstation agent retrieves it from the share and moves it to the local workstation for processing by the appropriate WinINSTALL sub-agents.

When a configuration change (or a scheduled task) is created, it is written to the database. But this information is not available to the managed machines until it is published, meaning that the Publisher agent has read the data out of the database and written the appropriate file to the WinINSTALL share.

NOTE: To schedule a task, you can also click the Schedule button on the Run Task dialog.


. . .


WinINSTALL provides a number of options for publishing. You can publish scheduled tasks and configuration changes from the WinINSTALL database to workstations immediately on saving them; you can publish on demand; or you can wait for publishing to occur at the specified Publisher agent interval.

By default, new scheduled tasks and changes to WinINSTALL Agent settings are automatically published from the database immediately when saved. By unchecking the Immediately publish scheduled tasks and Agent settings changes checkbox in the Console Options dialog (View menu/Console Options), you can disable this automatic, immediate publishing. In any case, you can always publish settings from the WinINSTALL database to managed machines on demand. And the Publisher agent will check for data to publish at a specified interval--which you can also modify or disable entirely, if desired.

The interval of time that elapses in moving the data from the database to the share is the Publish Processing Interval, a server agent setting.

The interval of time that elapses in the second step - moving data from the share to the workstation - is the Config File Interval, a workstation agent setting.

H O W T O C H A N G E T H E I N T E R V A L S F O R P U B L I S H I N G D A T A1 Expand the Machines node in the tree pane.







5 On the Advanced tab of the WinINSTALL Agent Settings dialog, change the Config File Processing Interval and click OK.

The Config File Processing Interval is the interval at which the workstation agent checks the share for new configuration and job information.

6 If the machine is a server, you can select the Server tab of the WinINSTALL Agent Settings dialog, and change the Publish Processing Interval, then click OK.

The Publish Processing Interval is the interval at which the server agent checks the database for new configuration and job information to publish to the share.

7 The WinINSTALL Agents on the specified server and/or workstation will now automatically publish data - including inventory settings - from the WinINSTALL database to workstation, via the WinINSTALL share, at the new intervals you have specified.



H O W T O P U B L I S H D A T A I M M E D I A T E L Y1 Expand the Machines node in the tree pane.



4 In the data pane, select the desired machine, right-click the machine in the data pane, and choose Publish from the pop-up menu.

5 On the Run Task dialog, Publish is already selected. Click OK and the WinINSTALL server for the selected machine will immediately publish data - including inventory settings - from the WinINSTALL database to the share, where the target workstation agents will retrieve it.

MERGE DATA FROM MANAGED MACHINES TO THE DATABASEYou can merge data from workstations into the WinINSTALL database on demand, or you can wait for them to be merged automatically.

Data moves from the workstation to the database in two steps. First, the WinINSTALL agent on the workstation moves the data to the network share. Next, the server agent merges that data into the database.

The interval of time that elapses in the first step - moving data from the workstation to the share - is the Transaction File Processing Interval, a workstation agent setting.

The interval of time that elapses in the second step - merging data from the share into the database - is the Merge Processing Interval, a server agent setting.

The WinINSTALL workstation and server agents work together to automatically merge data - including inventory and log data - from workstations to the database via the share, using the values specified for the Transaction File Processing Interval and the Merge Processing Interval. You can accept the default values for these intervals (120 seconds), or you can change either or both of them to intervals more suitable to your own environment.

H O W T O C H A N G E T H E P R O C E S S I N G I N T E R V A L S F O R M E R G I N G D A T A

1 Expand the Machines node in the tree pane.







. . .



5 On the Advanced tab of the WinINSTALL Agent Settings dialog, change the Transaction File Processing Interval and click OK.

The Transaction File Processing Interval is the interval at which the workstation agent copies to the share any new information from locally processed tasks, including inventory results and log data.

6 If the machine is a server, you can select the Server tab of the WinINSTALL Agent Settings dialog and change the Merge Processing Interval and click OK.

The Merge Processing Interval is the interval at which the server agent checks the share for new transaction files from the workstation. Any new information is immediately merged into the database.

7 The WinINSTALL Agents on the specified server and/or workstation will now automatically merge data - including inventory and log data - from the workstation to the WinINSTALL database, via the share, at the new intervals you have specified.

H O W T O M E R G E D A T A I M M E D I A T E L Y1 Expand the Machines node in the tree pane.



4 In the data pane, select the desired machine, right-click the machine in the data pane, and choose Merge from the pop-up menu.

5 On the Run Task dialog, Merge is already selected. Click OK and the WinINSTALL server for the selected machine will merge data - including inventory and log data - from the selected workstation to the WinINSTALL database immediately.




. . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Section 2

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . LISTS AND PACKAGESCHAPTER 6: LISTS AND PACKAGES

CHAPTER 7: BUILDING PACKAGES

CHAPTER 8: PACKAGE VALIDATION AND REPAIR

CHAPTER 9: CONFLICT ASSESSMENT

CHAPTER 10: SHARED PROPERTIES AND COMPRESSION

CHAPTER 11: VARIABLES AND PROPERTIES

CHAPTER 12: RUNTIME OPTIONS

CHAPTER 13: PACKAGE CONDITIONS

CHAPTER 14: PACKAGE DISTRIBUTION

CHAPTER 15: SCHEDULING PACKAGES AND LISTS

CHAPTER 16: PATCH MANAGEMENT



. . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .LISTS AND PACKAGES 6

rom the WinINSTALL Console, you can create and edit packages and organize them in containers called lists. (Lists are special WinINSTALL files with a .lst extension.) You can create packages manually or let the Discover Wizard do the work for you.

When you build a package manually in the console, it is automatically added to the console when you save it. When you use the Discover Wizard to build a package, you have two choices:

• If you tell Discover to add the package to a list that already appears in the console, the package is automatically added to the console.

• If you don't specify a list or if you tell Discover to add it to a list that does not appear in the console, you must later add the package to the console manually.

From the WinINSTALL Console, you can also create and edit Windows Installer merge modules, transforms, and patches. You create merge modules and transforms with the Discover Wizard. You create patches with the Patch Wizard.

In addition, you can add to the console existing packages (created outside of WinINSTALL), such as third-party Windows Installer packages, merge modules, transforms, or patches. All packages that are added to the console can be edited in the console, regardless of how they were originally created.

Packages and merge modules display in the tree pane in the console under the Software Distribution node.

• Packages display under the Software Distribution node, beneath the Software Distribution Lists node, within any lists or sub-lists you have added.

• Merge modules display under the Software Distribution node, beneath the Merge Module Folders node, within any merge module folders you have added (none are present by default).

• Transforms and patches display on the Patches and Transforms tab in the data pane when the package with which they are associated is selected in the tree pane.

NOTE: A special Patches folder under Software Distribution Lists is used only for Microsoft patches used to update Microsoft products. This Patch Management feature is discussed separately in the Patch Management chapter.

F


L I S T S A N D P A C K A G E SLists6

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . L I S T SYou organize packages in lists, which are special WinINSTALL files with a .lst extension. Lists can contain both packages and other lists, nested in a hierarchical tree structure. The top-level nodes are Software Distribution Lists and Patches, located under the Software Distribution node in the tree pane. All lists are nested within these parent nodes, including the special WinApps list file, which is provided by default. (WinApps is the default list file used by the WinINSTALL installers.) The sample WinApps provided with the product contains three sub-lists - Distribution Methods, Notification Methods, and Client Reset Samples - which contain sample packages provided for specific use with certain product features.

You can create a new list and add it beneath Software Distribution Lists or Patches, or you can place an existing list beneath either of these top-level nodes. You can also add a new or existing list to any nested child list. As you add new or existing lists, they display in the tree view of the console. When you add an existing list, you automatically add its contents as well (any packages or lists contained within that list). When you expand an existing list that you have added, the packages and lists that it contains display beneath the list in the console.

WinINSTALL contains a facility that automatically alphabetizes the contents of a list file and another facility that allows you to reorder the contents of a list file in whatever sequence you wish. These facilities serve both an organizational and a functional purpose. Since adding a new package automatically places it at the end of a list, the ability to alphabetize or reorder the packages in a list provides a way for you to put new packages in a place where you can more easily find them. From a functional point of view, when a list is processed by the installer, the packages in the list are processed in the order in which they appear in the list. If one package must be installed before another, you can force this to happen by reordering the sequence of the packages.

Each type of package in the Console is identified by a specific icon:

WinINSTALL package

Windows Installer package

NOTE: The sample packages provided with WinINSTALL are all provided disabled for installation and uninstallation. To make one of these packages available for installation, you will need to edit it in the Console and enable it for installation. See the Package Conditions chapter for details on how to enable a package for installation.


. . .

. .L I S T S A N D P A C K A G E SLists

HOW TO PERFORM COMMON LIST F ILE OPERATIONS

C R E A T E A N E W L I S T A N D A D D I T T O T H E C O N S O L E1 Expand the Software Distribution node in the tree pane and highlight any list or sub-list

beneath it.


3 Right-click the list and select New from the pop-up menu.

4 Choose New from the File menu on the menu bar.

5 Enter the required information on the Create Application List dialog and click OK.

A D D A N E X I S T I N G L I S T T O T H E C O N S O L E1 Expand the Software Distribution node in the tree pane and highlight any list or sub-list

beneath it. The list you are adding will appear within the selected list.

2 To add the list, do one of the following:

• Click the list icon on the toolbar:

• Click the Actions menu on the menu bar and then choose Add Existing --> Application List.

• Right-click the desired list and choose Add Existing --> Application List from the pop-up menu.

3 On the Open dialog, navigate to the list file you want to add and click OK.

R E M O V E A L I S T F R O M T H E C O N S O L E1 In the tree pane, expand the Software Distribution node.

2 Highlight the list or sub-list that you want to remove and do one of the following:

• Right-click the list and choose Delete from the pop-up menu.

• Choose Delete from the File menu on the menu bar.

3 You will then be asked to confirm the removal of the highlighted list. Click OK and the list file will no longer be displayed in the Console.



A D D A N E X I S T I N G P A C K A G E T O T H E C O N S O L E1 In the tree pane, expand the Software Distribution node.

2 Highlight the list or sub-list to which you want to add a package and do one of the following:

• Click the icon on the toolbar to add the desired package type:

(for Windows Installer package) or (for WinINSTALL package)

• Right-click the list and choose Add Existing --> WinINSTALL Package or Windows Installer Package from the pop-up menu.

• From the Actions menu on the menu bar, choose Add Existing --> WinINSTALL Package or Windows Installer Package.

3 On the Open dialog, navigate to the package that you want to add and click OK.

R E M O V E A P A C K A G E F R O M T H E C O N S O L E1 In the tree pane, expand the Software Distribution node and a nested list or lists, if

necessary.

2 Highlight the package that you want to remove and do one of the following:

3 Right-click the package and choose Delete from the pop-up menu.

4 Choose Delete from the File menu on the menu bar.

5 You will be asked to confirm the removal of the highlighted package. Click Yes and the package will no longer be displayed in the list.

6 You will be prompted again, this time asking whether to delete the actual package file.

• If you click Yes, the file is permanently deleted and cannot be added back to the Console.

• If you click No, the package is no longer displayed in the list, but it still exists and can be added to any list as desired.

A L P H A B E T I Z E T H E C O N T E N T S O F A L I S T1 In the tree pane, expand the Software Distribution node.

2 Highlight the list or sub-list whose contents you want to alphabetize and do one of the following:

• Right-click the list and choose Alphabetize List from the pop-up menu.

• Choose Alphabetize List from the Actions menu.

The packages within the list will now appear in alphabetical order.


. . .

. .L I S T S A N D P A C K A G E SLists

R E O R D E R T H E C O N T E N T S O F A L I S T1 In the tree pane, expand the Software Distribution node.

2 Highlight the list or sub-list whose contents you want to reorder and do one of the following:

• Right-click the list and choose Reorder List from the pop-up menu.

• Choose Reorder List from the Actions menu.

3 On the Reorder List dialog, use the Up and Down arrow keys to manipulate the order of the packages in the list and click OK.

The packages within the list will now appear in the order you specified.

LIST F ILE SETTINGSA list file is a container that holds sets of packages and, optionally, other 'child' list files with their own sets of packages and sub-lists. List file settings can filter the workstations which will process them, and they can also provide certain package settings that apply to all packages within the list.

List files are commonly used to deploy packages to a defined group of workstations. For example, you may want to send a different set of applications to certain workstations, based on the type of work, the type of display, or the remaining free space on the hard disk drive.

The numerous settings that can be applied to list files are categorized onto tabs and sub-tabs which appear in the data pane when a list file is selected in the tree pane. Each of these is discussed in detail in later chapters, along with its applicability to packages as well as lists:

Shared Properties and Compression

Variables and Properties

Runtime Options

Installer Notification

Package Conditions

Scheduling Packages and Lists

INHERITANCEList files are management tools. They not only allow you to group packages that should be installed together, they also allow you to set properties that are inherited by all of the packages in the list. When these properties are set at the list level, they are used for each



package and list within the list file--unless they are expressly overridden at the package or lower list level.

WinINSTALL uses the process of inheritance to set certain properties of list files and the objects contained by list files. These objects include WinINSTALL (NAI) files, Windows Installer (MSI) files, and other nested list files. A list file is a parent container, and the NAI and/or MSI files are child objects within that container. (Sub-lists within a parent list - although they are children of the parent list - themselves become parent lists of the packages within them.)

The child objects - packages and sub-lists - inherit the settings of their parent list. For example, if you enable logging to the Windows Event Log for a list file, all of the packages within that list file will also have logging to the Windows Event Log enabled. You can, however, override the settings of a parent list by making local settings at the package or sub-list level.

Inheritance applies only when the installer processes a list file, and the inherited settings begin only at the level of the list file being processed.

When the installer processes a package or a sub-list directly, it has no knowledge of any parent list and therefore cannot apply any settings from a parent list. In other words, a list or a package referenced directly (i.e., not through a list) does not inherit anything from a parent, because it has no parent.

Local settings (i.e., settings at the package level) override inherited settings (i.e., settings at the containing list level), which in turn override WinINSTALL default settings.

The effective settings on a parent become the inherited settings for a child - when that child is processed while the installer is processing the parent.

WinINSTALL uses the following icons on the tabs in the data pane to provide a quick visual indication of the types of settings that are currently in place:

Default: The default value will be used for this setting when the package is processed.

NOTE: When a list file is specified as an argument on the command line for an installer, the installer uses the specified list file as a guide for which packages to install and which settings to apply. But if a package only (no list) is specified, no such settings are inherited from the list file.


. . .

. .L I S T S A N D P A C K A G E SWinINSTALL PACKAGES (.NAI Files)

Inherited: The value for this setting is inherited from a list in which the package is located. (Since lists can be nested, the actual value of this setting will be determined by inheritance rules.)

Local: The value for this setting has been set locally for this specific package.

Reset to Default: Clicking this icon resets the data to the program default setting. The value is saved as a local value.

Changing a value with one of these icons beside it will change the icon to its appropriate value.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . W I N I N S T A L L P A C K A G E S ( . N A I F I L E S )Also called NAI packages, WinINSTALL packages have the file extension .nai. They are most commonly created by the Discover Wizard (Discover.exe), but they can also be created manually in the console. They can be edited from within the WinINSTALL Console and are processed directly by one of the WinINSTALL installers.

While Windows Installer packages are clearly the standard for distributing new Windows application programs, some administrators prefer to use WinINSTALL packages to create small utility installations and system tweaks because WinINSTALL packages are simpler than Windows Installer packages and easier to create and understand. In addition, WinINSTALL packages offer more flexibility than Windows Installer packages in some areas, for example how shortcuts are installed, the ability to encrypt account passwords for system services, and the location of files in relation to the package file itself.

WININSTALL PACKAGE DATA AND SETTINGSWhen you highlight a WinINSTALL package in the tree pane, a list of the following six categories appears in the list pane: General, Files, Shortcuts, Registry, Services, and Edits.

As you click each category, context-sensitive tabs and sub-tabs display in the data pane. On these tabs and sub-tabs, you can view or modify the detailed information that governs the actions performed when the package is installed. Detailed instructions for using the tabs for each category are presented in the chapters listed below.


General Package Options

Additional NAI Package Options


L I S T S A N D P A C K A G E SWindows Installer Packages (.MSI Files)6


Runtime Options


Package Conditions


Files

Shortcuts

Registry

System Services

File Edits

W I N D O W S I N S T A L L E R P A C K A G E S ( . M S I

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F I L E S )Also called MSI packages, Windows Installer packages are application packages with the file extension .msi. MSI packages can be built by the Discover Wizard, created manually from the WinINSTALL Console, or created outside of WinINSTALL and added to the console. Regardless of how they are created, they can all be edited from within the WinINSTALL Console.

An MSI package is made up of one or more features, which are in turn made up of one or more components. Because the structure of an MSI package is very different from the structure of an NAI package, some of the editing methods differ for the two types of packages.

MSI packages are processed by the Windows Installer. When such a package is run from within WinINSTALL, the WinINSTALL installer is invoked first. The WinINSTALL installer processes certain settings to determine whether or not the package is qualified for the target machine. If no specified prerequisites are missing, it then launches the Windows Installer to process the actual installation of the package.

WINDOWS INSTALLER PACKAGE DATA AND SETTINGSWhen you add or highlight a Windows Installer package, feature, or component in the tree pane, a list of applicable categories appears in the list pane. As you click each category, context-sensitive tabs and sub-tabs display in the data pane. On these tabs and sub-tabs, you can view, enter, modify or delete the detailed information that governs the actions performed when the package, feature, or component is installed.


. . .

. .L I S T S A N D P A C K A G E SHow to Perform Common Package Operations

In most cases, the appearance of the data tabs is the same, regardless of whether a component, feature or package is selected. However, the scope and amount of information available on the tab is different. If a component is selected, only information for that component is available. If a feature is selected, information for all components in that feature is available. If a package is selected, information for all features - and thus all components - in that package is available.

Detailed instructions for using the tabs for each category of Windows Installer Package data are presented in the chapters listed below.



Additional MSI Package Options


Runtime Options


Package Conditions


Files

Shortcuts

Registry

System Services

File Edits

Advertising

Merge Modules

H O W T O P E R F O R M C O M M O N P A C K A G E

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O P E R A T I O N S

BUILD A PACKAGEYou can build WinINSTALL packages and Windows Installer packages, merge modules, transforms, and patches. You can build them manually or let the Discover Wizard step you through the process. You build packages manually in the Console. You use the Discover


L I S T S A N D P A C K A G E SHow to Perform Common Package Operations6

Wizard (Discover.exe) on a clean reference machine to build packages, merge modules, and transforms. You use the Patch Wizard on any machine to build a transform.

Each type of package in the tree view is identified by a specific icon:

WinINSTALL package

Windows Installer package

See Building Packages for detailed instructions on how to build WinINSTALL and Windows Installer packages using the Discover Wizard, how to build Windows Installer Patches using the Patch Wizard, and how to build all types of packages manually in the Console.

ADD PACKAGESYou can add any existing WinINSTALL or Windows Installer package to a list in the console, regardless of whether it was created with WinINSTALL, supplied by a software vendor, or created with other third-party tools. You cannot add a package directly beneath Software Distribution Lists, the top-level node, but you can add a package to any list nested beneath the top-level node.

To add an existing package to the Console, follow these steps.

H O W T O A D D A N E W P A C K A G E T O T H E C O N S O L E1 In the tree pane, expand the Software Distribution node and the Software Distribution

Lists sub-node.

2 Highlight the list or sub-list to which you want to add a new package and do one of the following:

• Right-click the list and choose New->WinINSTALL Package or Windows Installer Package from the pop-up menu.

• From the File menu on the menu bar, choose New->WinINSTALL Package or Windows Installer Package.

3 On the Create Package dialog, do the following:

• For Filename, enter or browse to the name of the new package.

• For Description, enter a brief label for the package. This will display in the console.

• Click OK.

You can now view and edit this package in the data view.


. . .


H O W T O A D D A N E X I S T I N G P A C K A G E T O T H E C O N S O L E1 In the tree pane, expand the Software Distribution node and the Software Distribution

Lists sub-node.

2 Highlight the list or sub-list to which you want to add a package and do one of the following:

• Click the icon on the toolbar to add the desired package type:

(for Windows Installer package) or (for WinINSTALL package)

• Right-click the list and choose Add Existing->WinINSTALL Package or Windows Installer Package from the pop-up menu.

• From the Actions menu on the menu bar, choose Add Existing->WinINSTALL Package or Windows Installer Package.

3 On the Open dialog, browse to the package (.NAI or .MSI file) to be added and double-click it.

The dialog will close, and the selected package will display beneath the selected list file in the tree view of the console. You can now view and edit this package in the data view.

EDIT A PACKAGEFrom the console, you can edit both WinINSTALL packages and Windows Installer packages, whether they were created by WinINSTALL, an Independent Software Vendor (ISV), or any other third-party tool.

To edit a package in the Console, follow these steps:

1 In the tree pane, expand the Software Distribution node and the Software Distribution Lists sub-node and select the package that you want to edit.

2 In the list pane, select the category of package information that you want to edit:

• General

• Files

• Shortcuts

• Registry

• Services

• Edits

• Advertising (MSI packages only)

• Patches and Transforms (MSI packages only)

3 In the data pane, select a tab or sub-tab and add or modify information.



4 Continue selecting categories in the list pane and tabs in the data pane until you have entered all of the necessary information.

5 Save the changes in the package by either selecting Save from the File menu or clicking the Save (diskette) icon on the tool bar.

SEARCH AND REPLACE STRINGS IN A PACKAGEWinINSTALL provides a simple facility to search for a character string within a package and replace it with another character string. For example, perhaps the package specifies that the installers are to copy all files to a directory called OldDir, but the files now need to go into a directory called NewDir instead. The following steps explain how to perform this operation.

1 Select the desired package in the tree pane and select Replace from the Edit menu at the top of the console. The Search and Replace dialog will appear.

2 Under Sections to Search, check the checkboxes for sections of the package that you want to search. By default, all of the checkboxes are checked. (In the example given above, you would check only the File Destination checkbox).

3 In the Replace All Occurrences … textbox, type the string that you want WinINSTALL to find. (In the above example, you would enter OldDir).

4 In the With This textbox, type the new string that will be used to replace the string found above. (In the example given above, you would enter NewDir).

5 Click OK. WinINSTALL immediately searches the specified sections of the package and makes the appropriate replacements.

SPLIT A WININSTALL PACKAGE INTO TWO PACKAGESWinINSTALL provides the NAI File Split Wizard to enable you to divide a package into two separate packages. Being able to split one package into two separate packages is very useful because it enables you to separate activities that require different sets of user privileges. For example, you can put all of the activities that require administrative privileges in one package and those that don't in a separate package for the user. Or you can put the machine-specific items in one package, to distribute to the WinINSTALL Agent, and the user-specific items in another package, to be distributed to individual users through e-mail or the Interactive Installer.

NOTE: This technique does not replace character strings in a text file on the user’s workstation. It only replaces strings in the package that will be processed on the user’s workstation.


. . .


The WinINSTALL NAI File Split Wizard presents a step-by-step process to split one WinINSTALL package into two separate packages. Each category of settings and actions in the original package can be assigned to one of the packages, to both of the packages, to neither of the packages, or it can be split between the packages.

To invoke the NAI File Split Wizard, select a WinINSTALL package in the Console tree pane and then select Split from the Actions menu or click the Split Wizard icon on the toolbar. The NAI File Split Wizard gathers information on the following panels:

W E L C O M E T O T H E W I N I N S T A L L N A I F I L E S P L I T W I Z A R D This panel shows you the display name and file name of the original WinINSTALL package that you will be splitting and explains what the wizard will ask you to do - specify two output names and files and decide which parts of the original package will be included in each of the output files.

O U T P U T N A M E S A N D F I L E SOn the Output Names and Files panel, you enter display names and path and filenames for the two packages that will be created.

Since the display names are the names that will appear on the console, they should be descriptive.

You must also provide a full UNC path, including the .NAI file name, to the location where each package will be stored. (The program automatically provides the UNC path to the same directory as the package you selected to split. You can accept this path or enter a different one. In either case, you must add the filename of the .NAI file to the end of the path.)

O U T P U T E L E M E N T SOn the Output Elements panel, you specify whether the following settings from the original package will apply to one, both, or neither of the two packages being created:

• Compression Settings

• Database Settings

• Notification Settings

• Runtime Settings

• Variable Settings

• Installation Settings

Click the appropriate radio button for each type of setting.



Only settings included in the original package are enabled on this panel.

O U T P U T I N S T A L L - S I D E E L E M E N T SOn the Output Install-side Elements panel, you specify the target locations for data contained on the Add Phase tabs of the original package.

The term Add Phase refers to a feature of how the WinINSTALL installers process a WinINSTALL package. Many elements of WinINSTALL packages are divided into two phases, the Remove Phase and the Add Phase. The editing of WinINSTALL packages typically presents the Remove and Add Phase elements on separate tabs to make the distinction clearer.

Here’s how these package items are actually used in an installation process. In the Remove phase, the installer first removes any existing items specified for deletion (files, registry entries, shortcuts, etc.) from the target system. Then, in the Add phase, the installer adds those new items that comprise the package install.

On this panel of the NAI File Split Wizard, radio buttons (enabled only for those areas where the original package contains data) enable you to specify whether the changes in the following Add Phase categories will be included in one, both, neither, or split between the two output packages:

• File changes

• Changes to shortcuts

• Registry changes

• Changes to Services

• Changes to INI or ASCII files

Click the appropriate radio button for each type of change. Only categories containing data in the original package are enabled. For changes that will be split between packages, check the radio button under the Split column and click the Ellipsis icon to specify which item will be output to which package.

O U T P U T R E M O V E - S I D E E L E M E N T SOn the Output Remove-side Elements panel, you specify the target locations for data contained on the Remove Phase tabs of the original package. Please see above for the distinction between Add Phase and Remove Phase.

On this panel of the NAI File Split Wizard, radio buttons (enabled only for those areas where the original package contains data) enable you to specify whether the changes in the following Remove Phase categories will be included in one, both, neither, or split between the two output packages:


. . .


• File changes

• Changes to shortcuts

• Registry changes

• Changes to Services

• Changes to INI or ASCII files

Click the appropriate radio button for each type of change. Only categories containing data in the original package are enabled. For changes that will be split between packages, check the radio button under the Split column and click the Ellipsis icon to specify which item will be output to which package.

Click the Finish button to complete the split operation and create the two new package files.




. . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .BUILDING PACKAGES 7

inINSTALL provides the means of building software distribution packages in all supported formats. This capability enables building both WinINSTALL and Windows Installer packages, including all types of Windows Installer packages:

msi files, Merge Modules, Transforms, and Patches. Windows Installer packages, Merge Modules and Transforms can all be built automatically, through the Discover Wizard, or manually, through the WinINSTALL Console. Building Windows Installer Patches is done by means of the WinINSTALL Patch Wizard. WinINSTALL packages and Windows Installer packages, Merge Modules and Transforms can all be built automatically, through the Discover Wizard, or manually, through the WinINSTALL Console. Building Windows Installer Patches is done by means of the WinINSTALL Patch Wizard.

This chapter details the steps involved in creating each of these package types, both automatically and manually.

U S I N G D I S C O V E R T O B U I L D P A C K A G E S

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A U T O M A T I C A L L YThe Discover Wizard is a very flexible utility that uses snapshot technology to enable the automatic building of WinINSTALL packages, Windows Installer packages, merge modules, and transforms.

Building a package with Discover involves three basic steps:

1 Run Discover to perform the Before Snapshot, which captures the state of a machine before the application has been installed. If you elect to use an Archived Before Snapshot, this step need be performed only once; Archived Before Snapshots can be reused repeatedly to build whatever type of package is desired.

2 Install the application.

3 Run Discover again to perform the After Snapshot, which captures the state of the machine after the application has been installed. Discover then compares the Before and After snapshots and builds the package based on the differences.

The process of building a package using a Basic Before Snapshot differs from doing so using an Archived Before Snapshot, but only in the order of the screens. The same information is required in either case. The two variations on the process are covered separately, below.

W


B U I L D I N G P A C K A G E SUsing Discover to Build Packages Automatically7

LAUNCHING DISCOVERYou can either launch Discover from within the Console or from a clean machine (Discover Reference Machine) where no WinINSTALL components have been installed. In production, Discover is always run from a clean reference machine.

You can run Discover from the Console, but this capability exists solely to provide administrators with a convenient way to become familiar with the Discover Wizard. You would never actually build a production package on the console machine because, by definition, it is not clean if the WinINSTALL Console is installed.

F R O M A C L E A N R E F E R E N C E M A C H I N ETo run Discover from a reference machine, navigate to the \bin directory of the WinINSTALL share and execute Disco.exe.

F R O M W I T H I N T H E W I N I N S T A L L C O N S O L ETo run Discover from the WinINSTALL Console, select any node in the Software Distribution branch in the Console tree pane. Next, either click the Discover (magnifying glass) icon on the toolbar or select Run->Discover … from the File menu on the menu bar. On the Discover dialog, navigate to Disco.exe in the \bin directory of the WinINSTALL share and click OK.

DISCOVER REFERENCE MACHINEA reference machine is a special machine that is used solely for the purpose of building packages. No WinINSTALL components are installed on a reference machine.

Technically, a reference machine should be a clean machine, with only the operating system and any necessary service packs installed. Because a reference machine does not need to be large and expensive, some administrators have two or more. In this way, they can create a package on one machine while returning a previously-used machine to its clean state. This practice reduces downtime - and the temptation to cut corners by using a dirty machine.

WARNING: It is not recommended that you run Discover to build production packages from within the WinINSTALL Console. The ability to launch Discover from the Console exists solely to provide administrators with a convenient way to become familiar with the Discover Wizard. You would never actually build a production package on the console machine because, by definition, it is not clean if the WinINSTALL Console is installed.


. . .

. .B U I L D I N G P A C K A G E SUsing Discover to Build Packages Automatically

Alternatively, virtualization software products can simplify the process of returning a reference machine to its clean state. For instance, virtualization products allow you to create a virtual machine and save it in a clean state, build a package on it, and then discard all changes and return to the original clean state with a simple reboot. These virtual machines save a great deal of time because you can be certain of having a clean machine to use every time, but you need install the operating system only once for each operating system used in your network.

ARCHIVED BEFORE SNAPSHOTSTo make the process even easier, Discover provides a shortcut in the form of an Archived Before Snapshot. This feature allows you to save time by taking a single Before Snapshot of the target machine and reusing it repeatedly to build multiple application packages of whatever type is desired.

To create an Archived Before Snapshot, step through the following wizard panels:

W E L C O M E T O T H E W I N I N S T A L L D I S C O V E R W I Z A R D This welcome panel explains how the Discover process works.

Click Next to continue.

S E L E C T I N G S E S S I O NThe Selecting Session panel enables selection of the type of Discover process to perform:

• After snapshot

• Archived Before snapshot

• Before snapshot

If you require full control over the Discover process, you can check the Advanced Options checkbox on this panel. Doing so will cause an additional four panels to appear during the sequence of Wizard Panels: Advanced Options, File Exclusion Selection, Registry Exclusion Selection, and Text File Selection. These panels and the options they present, are discussed in detail in the Discover Advanced Options section, below.

Select Archived Before and click Next to continue.

TIP: Using an Archived Before Snapshot reduces the Discover process from three steps to two.

A single Archived Before Snapshot can be used to create multiple packages, including all supported package types.



S E L E C T I N G B E F O R EOn the Selecting Before panel, enter or browse to a path and filename for the Archived Before snapshot file you are about to create.

When you have specified the desired path and filename, click Next to continue.

S P E C I F Y I N G W O R K D R I V EOn the Specifying Work Drive panel, select the drive where Discover will store its temporary work files. These files will be stored in a directory off the root and will be removed when Discover is finished.


D R I V E S E L E C T I O NOn the Drive Selection panel, specify the drives to scan for changes when building the packages.

When you have specified the desired drive(s), click Next to continue.

A D V A N C E D O P T I O N S If you selected the Advanced Options checkbox on the Selecting Session panel at the start, the following advanced panels will appear at this point in the sequence:

• Advanced Options

• File Exclusion Selection

• Registry Exclusion Selection

• Text File Selection

TIP: Discover work files can total several megabytes.

NOTE: You can select as many drives as you like, but each drive requires time to scan. You should select only those drives where you expect that changes may occur.


. . .


These panels, and the options they present, are discussed in detail in the Discover Advanced Options section, below.

C O M P L E T I N G T H E D I S C O V E R W I Z A R DThis dialog informs you that Discover is ready to create the Before Snapshot.

Click Finish to create the snapshot.

When Discover has finished processing, you receive a message that the Archived Before snapshot is complete.

BASIC BEFORE SNAPSHOTSIf you do not choose to create an Archived Before Snapshot, you will create a Basic Before Snapshot for each package you create with Discover. The process for creating such a snapshot varies slightly, depending on the type of package you are creating. Therefore, the details of creating a Basic Before Snapshot are covered in the section on using Discover to create each specific package type, below.

DISCOVER ADVANCED OPTIONSWhether you are creating an Archived Before Snapshot or a Basic Before Snapshot, if you check the Advanced Options checkbox on the Selecting Session dialog of the Before Snapshot, the Discover Wizard will present four panels that would otherwise not appear:


• Exclusion File Selection

• Exclusion Registry Selection

• Selecting Text Files

The options presented on each of these panels is explained below.

A D V A N C E D O P T I O N SOn the Advanced Options panel, you can focus the Discover process by selecting specific system areas to be scanned, and excluding other areas, instead of the default behavior of including the entire system. The following system areas can be included or excluded by checking or unchecking their respective checkboxes:

• File System

• Registry

• Icons/Shortcuts

• .INI Files



• Text Files

• File Attributes

• Hardware-specific registry areas.

E X C L U S I O N F I L E A N D R E G I S T R Y S E L E C T I O NIn order to focus the Discover process on the relevant areas of an install, and to prevent unrelated, and potentially disruptive, system changes from being captured as part of the package, Discover uses file and registry exclusion lists. To make the Discover process as flexible as possible, these exclusion lists are editable.

The default exclusion lists are stored in the \bin directory of the WinINSTALL share, in the file Discover.xml.

The first time Discover is executed on a system, these exclusions are copied to the machine default lists, Files.xcp and Registry.xcp, in the local Windows directory. It is these files which are used to build the default exclusion list whenever Discover is run on the local system.

Each of the two Exclusion Selection panels presents the machine’s default list of exclusions (as loaded from the local files Files.xcp and Registry.xcp).

Discover provides the ability to modify these exclusions, either on a per-session or a permanent basis, depending on the state of the Machine’s exclusions checkbox.

If this checkbox is checked, any changes are saved to the machine’s default exclusion list and will reappear as part of the default list the next time Discover is run on the same machine.

If the checkbox is left unchecked, any changes to the exclusion list will not be saved and will be used for the current Discover operation only.

WARNING: Including hardware-specific registry areas is recommended only for very specific and unusual situations.

If you do include hardware-specific registry areas in a Discover process, you will need to edit the resulting package before distribution, to avoid making unintended changes to target machines.

Failure to remove unsuitable hardware-specific entries could render a target system unusable.


. . .


To add an exclusion, click the Add icon to enter or browse to (File Exclusions only) the desired exclusion to add. Press Enter to add the new exclusion.

To modify an exclusion, double-click the entry in the list and make the desired changes, then press Enter.

For directory and registry key entries, make sure the entry includes a trailing backslash.

To delete an entry, select the desired entry and click the Delete icon.

To reset the list to the machine’s default exclusion list, click the Reset Contents button.

T E X T F I L E S E L E C T I O NOn the Text File Selection panel, you can specify text files whose contents you want to have scanned for differences.

The panel presents a default list of text files that would commonly be scanned, but you can add new files to this list or delete existing ones.

To add a new text file, click the Ellipsis button to browse to the desired file or enter the desired path and filename in the edit box and click the Add to List button.

To remove a file from the list, select the desired file in the list and click the Remove from List button.

USING DISCOVER TO BUILD A WININSTALL PACKAGETo use Discover to build a WinINSTALL package, you can either use an Archived Before Snapshot or create a Basic Before Snapshot before installing the application.

B U I L D I N G A W I N I N S T A L L P A C K A G E W I T H A B A S I C B E F O R E S N A P S H O T

If you choose to run a Basic Discover Before Snapshot, the wizard gathers information from you on the following dialogs:

W E L C O M E T O T H E W I N I N S T A L L D I S C O V E R W I Z A R D This welcome dialog explains how the Discover process works.

NOTE: None of the changes you make in Discover affect the default exclusion list that is stored in the Discover.xml file on the WinINSTALL share. To make changes that will affect all machines which run Discover, you would have to manually edit Discover.xml in the \bin directory of the WinINSTALL share.




S E L E C T I N G S E S S I O NThis dialog enables selection of the type of Discover process to perform:

• After snapshot


• Before snapshot

If you require full control over the Discover process, you can check the Advanced Options checkbox on this panel. Doing so will cause an additional four panels to appear during the sequence of Wizard Panels: Advanced Options, File Exclusion Selection, Registry Exclusion Selection, and Text File Selection. These panels and the options they present, are discussed in detail in the Discover Advanced Options section, above.

Select Before snapshot and click Next to continue.

S E L E C T I N G P A C K A G I N G F O R M A TOn the Selecting Packaging Format panel, select whether Discover will build a WinINSTALL package or a Windows Installer package.

Accept the default - WinINSTALL - and click Next to continue.

S E L E C T I N G T A R G E TOn the Selecting Target panel, enter the descriptive name of the package, which will identify the package in the console, and the path and file name of the package to be created.

Click Next.

L I S T F I L E S E L E C T I O NOn the List File Selection panel, you can specify a list file to which Discover will add the package being created. Enter the path and file name or browse to the desired list file.

On this same panel, you can check the Scan for Variables checkbox to instruct Discover to scan the new application data files and .REG files for values that can be replaced by WinINSTALL variables.


TIP: It is recommended that you have Discover scan the package to insert WinINSTALL variables where appropriate. Variables make the package more flexible and able to be installed without problems under a wide variety of circumstances.


. . .


F O U N D F I L E SOn the Found Files panel, select the desired option for handling any found files (files installed locally to the reference machine as part of the package).

Radio buttons offer the following options:


S E L E C T I N G D I R E C T O R Y S E A R C HOn the Selecting Directory Search panel, you can specify that Discover should search the file server for existing copies of any new files found, to avoid having to store duplicate copies on the server.


S P E C I F Y I N G S O U R C E D I R E C T O R YThe Specifying Source Directory panel appears only if you selected the Create a new directory structure on the file server option on the Found Files panel, earlier.

Do nothing • Found files will not be copied. The package will list drive X: as the source drive, with the source path the same as the destination (found) path.

Create a new directory structure on the file server

• Each found file will be copied to a new directory structure on the server, matching the installed directory on the reference machine, but starting from a server location you specify on the later Specifying Source Directory panel.

Accept each directory specification individually

• Once the After Snapshot is complete, Discover will prompt you for a server location for each directory containing found files.

WARNING: Searching the file server for copies of found files can take a long time.

NOTE: The Selecting Directory Search panel will not appear if you selected the Do nothing option on the Found Files panel earlier.



On the Specifying Source Directory panel, enter or browse to the server location where Discover should copy any found files. Discover will create sub-directories as necessary to duplicate the directory structure of the found files. The default source directory is the package directory.














. . .


These panels, and the options they present, are discussed in detail in the Discover Advanced Options section, above.



When Discover has finished processing, you will receive a message that the Before Snapshot is complete. The message box will offer to run the application setup program. Click OK to be prompted for the setup program of the application that the package will install, or Cancel to run the setup program later.

W E L C O M E T O T H E W I N I N S T A L L D I S C O V E R W I Z A R DNext, install the application and make whatever changes you like to its settings.

After installing the application, run Discover again to perform the After snapshot and build the package.

At this point, the Welcome panel offers the choice of building the package (Perform the After Snapshot) or starting the process over (Abandon the Before Snapshot).

Select Perform the After Snapshot and click Next to build the package.

B U I L D I N G A W I N I N S T A L L P A C K A G E W I T H A N A R C H I V E D B E F O R E S N A P S H O T

If you choose to build a WinINSTALL package using an Archived Before Snapshot, when you perform the After Snapshot to build the package, the Discover Wizard gathers information from you on the following dialogs:




TIP: Any changes you make to the application’s settings, after installation but before running the After Snapshot, will automatically be captured as part of the installation package.



• After snapshot


• Before snapshot

Note that the Advanced Options checkbox on this panel has no effect if you are building a WinINSTALL package using an Archived Before Snapshot. If you built the Archived Before Snapshot with Advanced Options selected, you will have already completed the four Advanced Options panels, Advanced Options, File Exclusion Selection, Registry Exclusion Selection, and Text File Selection. These panels and the options they present, are discussed in detail in the Discover Advanced Options section, above.

Select After snapshot and click Next to continue.

S E L E C T I N G B E F O R EThe Selecting Before panel prompts you to enter or browse to the Archived Before Snapshot (*.disco file) to use in creating the package. Select the desired file and click Next to continue.


Accept the default - WinINSTALL - and click Next to continue.


Click Next.


On this same panel, you can check the Scan for Variables checkbox to instruct Discover to scan the new application data files and .REG files for values that can be replaced by WinINSTALL variables.

TIP: It is recommended that you have Discover scan the package to insert WinINSTALL variables where appropriate. Variables make the package more flexible and able to be installed without problems under a wide variety of circumstances.


. . .



F O U N D F I L E SOn the Found Files panel, select the desired option for handling any found files (files installed locally to the reference machine as part of the package).

Radio buttons offer the following options:


S E L E C T I N G D I R E C T O R Y S E A R C HOn the Selecting Directory Search panel, you can specify that Discover should search the file server for existing copies of any new files found, to avoid having to store duplicate copies on the server.


Do nothing • Found files will not be copied. The package will list drive X: as the source drive, with the source path the same as the destination (found) path.

Create a new directory structure on the file server

• Each found file will be copied to a new directory structure on the server, matching the installed directory on the reference machine, but starting from a server location you specify on the later Specifying Source Directory panel.

Accept each directory specification individually

• Once the After Snapshot is complete, Discover will prompt you for a server location for each directory containing found files.

WARNING: Searching the file server for copies of found files can take a long time.

NOTE: The Selecting Directory Search panel will not appear if you selected the Do nothing option on the Found Files panel earlier.



S P E C I F Y I N G S O U R C E D I R E C T O R YThe Specifying Source Directory panel appears only if you selected the Create a new directory structure on the file server option on the Found Files panel, earlier.

On the Specifying Source Directory panel, enter or browse to the server location where Discover should copy any found files. Discover will create sub-directories as necessary to duplicate the directory structure of the found files. The default source directory is the package directory.


C O M P L E T I N G T H E D I S C O V E R W I Z A R DThis dialog informs you that Discover is ready to create the After Snapshot.


When Discover has finished processing, you will receive a message that the package has been created.

USING DISCOVER TO BUILD A WINDOWS INSTALLER PACKAGE OR MERGE MODULE

To use Discover to build a Windows Installer package or Windows Installer Merge Module, you can either use an Archived Before Snapshot or create a Basic Before Snapshot before installing the application. The only difference between creating a package and a merge module is a radio button selection on the Selecting Target panel.

B U I L D I N G A W I N D O W S I N S T A L L E R P A C K A G E O R M E R G E M O D U L E W I T H A B A S I C B E F O R E S N A P S H O T





• After snapshot


• Before snapshot


. . .


If you require full control over the Discover process, you can check the Advanced Options checkbox on this panel. Doing so will cause an additional six panels to appear during the sequence of Wizard Panels. Two of these, Discovering Transforms Query and Advanced MSI, appear following the next panel and are discussed below. The other four, Advanced Options, File Exclusion Selection, Registry Exclusion Selection, and Text File Selection, appear later in the sequence and are discussed separately in the Discover Advanced Options section, above.



Select Windows Installer and click Next to continue.

D I S C O V E R I N G T R A N S F O R M S Q U E R Y [ A D V A N C E D O P T I O N ]This panel appears only if you checked the Advanced Options checkbox on the Selecting Session panel.

To create a Windows Installer package or Merge Module (not a Transform), be sure that the Create Transform checkbox is unchecked. The following items on this panel apply only to Transforms and will therefore remain disabled:

To create a Windows Installer Transform, please see Using Discover to Build a Windows Installer Transform, below.

Click the Next button to proceed.

MSI File field • Full path and file name of the MSI file to which the transform is to be applied.

Not Already Installed checkbox

• Indicates whether the specified MSI file has been installed. Checking this box will cause Discover to install it.

Command line parameters field

• Command line parameters for the Windows Installer to use when installing the specified MSI file.

Make generated per-user components follow per-user or per-machine installs checkbox

• If per-user components are found, this checkbox indicates whether to enter them into the package so that they follow the AllUsers property and are installed as per-user if the package is installed per-user but are installed per-machine if the package is installed per-machine.



A D V A N C E D M S I [ A D V A N C E D O P T I O N ]On the Advanced MSI panel, you can specify the following options:


Two radio buttons enable you to choose between creating a Windows Installer package or a Merge Module. This selection determines which type of package Discover will create in the end.

Select the desired language for the package being created from the drop-down on this panel.

Click Next.





Schema Version • Select desired MSI schema for the package.

Suppress advertising of COM registry entries

• If you will be distributing the package via Active Directory, it may be useful to suppress advertising COM registry entries.

Suppress auto-discovering merge modules

• If you have merge modules available in the Merge Module Cache, Discover will by default check the new package for the presence of any of these merge modules. You can disable that check by clicking this checkbox.



. . .












When Discover has finished processing, you will receive a message that the Before Snapshot is complete. The message box will offer to run the application setup program. Click OK to be prompted for the setup program of the application that the package will install, or Cancel to run the setup program later.

W E L C O M E T O T H E W I N I N S T A L L D I S C O V E R W I Z A R DNext, install the application and make whatever changes you like to its settings.


TIP: Any changes you make to the application’s settings, after installation but before running the After Snapshot, will automatically be captured as part of the installation package.



After installing the application, run Discover again to perform the After snapshot and build the package.


Select Perform the After Snapshot and click Next to build the package.

B U I L D I N G A W I N D O W S I N S T A L L E R P A C K A G E O R M E R G E M O D U L E W I T H A N A R C H I V E D B E F O R E S N A P S H O T

If you choose to build a Windows Installer package or Merge Module using an Archived Before Snapshot, when you perform the After Snapshot to build the package or Merge Module, the Discover Wizard gathers information from you on the following dialogs:




• After snapshot


• Before snapshot

If you require full control over the Discover process, you can check the Advanced Options checkbox on this panel. Doing so will cause two additional panels, Discovering Transforms Query and Advanced MSI, to appear following the next panel. Note that if you also checked the Advanced Options checkbox when creating the Archived Before Snapshot, you were presented with four additional advanced option panels during the process of creating the Before Snapshot: Advanced Options, File Exclusion Selection, Registry Exclusion Selection, and Text File Selection. These options are discussed separately in the Discover Advanced Options section, above.





. . .


D I S C O V E R I N G T R A N S F O R M S Q U E R Y [ A D V A N C E D O P T I O N ]This panel appears only if you checked the Advanced Options checkbox on the Selecting Sessions panel.

To create a Windows Installer package or Merge Module (not a Transform), be sure that the Create Transform checkbox is unchecked. The following items on this panel apply only to Transforms and will therefore remain disabled:

To create a Windows Installer Transform, please see Using Discover to Build a Windows Installer Transform, below.

Click the Next button to proceed.

A D V A N C E D M S I [ A D V A N C E D O P T I O N ]On the Advanced MSI panel, you can specify the following options:


Two radio buttons enable you to choose between creating a Windows Installer package or a Merge Module. This selection determines which type of package Discover will create in the end.

Select the desired language for the package being created from the drop-down on this panel.






Schema Version • Select desired MSI schema for the package.

Suppress advertising of COM registry entries

• If you will be distributing the package via Active Directory, it may be useful to suppress advertising COM registry entries.

Suppress auto-discovering merge modules

• If you have merge modules available in the Merge Module Cache, Discover will by default check the new package for the presence of any of these merge modules. You can disable that check by clicking this checkbox.



When you have made the desired selections, click Next to proceed.

L I S T F I L E S E L E C T I O NThe List File Selection panel does not appear if you have chosen to create a Merge Module. This panel appears only if you have elected to create a Windows Installer package.

Here you have the option of selecting a list file to which Discover will add the package being created. Enter the path and file name or browse to the desired list file.


C O M P L E T I N G T H E D I S C O V E R W I Z A R DThis dialog informs you that Discover is ready to create the package or Merge Module.

Click Finish to create the After snapshot and produce the package or Merge Module.

When Discover has finished processing, you will receive a message that the package or Merge Module has been created.

USING DISCOVER TO BUILD A WINDOWS INSTALLER TRANSFORMTo use Discover to build a Windows Installer Transform, you can either use an Archived Before Snapshot or create a Basic Before Snapshot before installing the application.

The steps Discover uses to build a Transform are similar to those for building a package or Merge Module, but the process is a little more complicated. To build a Transform, Discover first requires the original MSI file to be installed on the Discover reference machine. During the Discover process, you will be asked to indicate whether or not the MSI file has been installed; if it has not been installed, Discover will install it then.

With the original MSI file installed, Discover takes a Before Snapshot of the system. Once the Before Snapshot is complete, you make whatever changes to the installation you want to be included in the Transform and then run Discover again to create the After Snapshot.

Internally, Discover will make a copy of the original MSI file, create a Merge Module out of the changes, apply the Merge Module to the copy of the MSI file, and then compare the original MSI file to the copy with the Merge Module applied. The differences between these two MSI files will be used to create the Transform.

B U I L D I N G A W I N D O W S I N S T A L L E R T R A N S F O R M W I T H A B A S I C B E F O R E S N A P S H O T



. . .





• After snapshot


• Before snapshot

To create a Windows Installer Transform, you must check the Advanced Options checkbox on this panel. Doing so will cause an additional panels to appear during the sequence of Wizard Panels, including the Discovering Transforms Query, which appears following the next panel and which allows you to specify that the Discover output should be a Transform. Four additional advanced options panels, Advanced Options, File Exclusion Selection, Registry Exclusion Selection, and Text File Selection, appear later in the sequence and are discussed separately in the Discover Advanced Options section, above.




D I S C O V E R I N G T R A N S F O R M S Q U E R Y [ A D V A N C E D O P T I O N ]The Discovering Transforms Query panel will not appear unless you have checked the Advanced Options checkbox on the Selecting Session panel. The Discovering Transforms Query panel is where you instruct Discover to produce a Transform as the output file.

To create a Windows Installer Transform, select the Create Transform checkbox. Doing so will enable the following items on this panel:




If you check the Not Already Installed checkbox, Discover will install the MSI file as soon as you click the Next button.

I N S T A L L I N G M S I F I L EThis panel appears during the installation of the MSI file (if you have checked the Not Already Installed checkbox in the Discovering Transforms Query panel).

When the installation is complete, click the Next button.

If the installation requires a reboot, after the reboot, run Discover again and follow the same steps, but this time, since you have now installed the MSI file, do not check the Not Already Installed checkbox.

S E L E C T I N G T R A N S F O R M E R R O RThe Selecting Transform Error panel allows selection of error suppression flags to aid in applying the Transform.

Note that a Transform is built by comparing the installed state of two MSI files.The Transform is a database of changes to apply to the original MSI file to make its installation match the installation of the other.

When applying such changes, a predictable array of potential errors can result. When you apply a Transform through WinINSTALL, you are provided with the option to suppress certain of these errors. You can also build into the Transform itself the instruction to ignore selected errors and not report them.

The following error suppression checkboxes are available on the Selecting Transform Error panel:

• Ignore the addition of existing rows.

• Ignore the deletion of missing rows.

• Ignore the changing of missing rows.





NOTE: It is not recommended practice to suppress errors unless you know ahead of time that they will occur and are not concerned about the particular errors you have decided to suppress.


. . .


• Ignore the addition of existing tables.

• Ignore the deletion of missing tables.

• Ignore difference between code pages.

Make any desired selections and click Next to continue.

S E L E C T I N G T R A N S F O R M V A L I D A T I O NThe Selecting Transform Validation panel allows selection of validation flags to aid in applying the transform.

When a Transform is applied to a Windows Installer package, version comparisons can be executed, and if the versions do not match, the application of the Transfer fails. However, under some circumstances, you may want the versions of a Transform and MSI file to be considered valid even if they do not exactly match.

On the Selecting Transform Validation panel, you can specify exactly what matches (if any) will be required for the Transform to be applied successfully.

The following validation options are available:

The version radio buttons enable you to select which versions to compare:

• Major version only.

• Major and Minor versions.

• Major, Minor, and Update versions.

• Don’t check (default).

If anything other than Don’t Check is selected, the following radio buttons are also enabled, to specify the required relationship between the Transform version and the original package version:

• < original package.

• <= original package.

• = original package (default).

• >= original package.

• > original package.

The following additional validation checkboxes are also available:

• Default language must match.

• Product code must match.



• Upgrade code must match.

T A R G E T T R A N S F O R MOn the Target Transform panel, enter the path and file name of the Transform (.mst file) to be created.














. . .




When Discover has finished processing, you will receive a message that the Before Snapshot is complete.

W E L C O M E T O T H E W I N I N S T A L L D I S C O V E R W I Z A R DNext, make whatever changes you like to the installation. These changes will comprise the Transform.

After making the desired changes, run Discover again to perform the After snapshot and build the Transform.


Select Perform the After Snapshot and click Next to build the Transform.

B U I L D I N G A W I N D O W S I N S T A L L E R T R A N S F O R M W I T H A N A R C H I V E D B E F O R E S N A P S H O T

If you choose to build a Windows Installer Transform using an Archived Before Snapshot, when you perform the After Snapshot to build the Transform, the Discover Wizard gathers information from you on the following dialogs:



NOTE: The completion message box will offer to run the application setup program. Because you are creating a Transform, rather than a package, no setup program is needed. Just click the Cancel button to dismiss the dialog.

TIP: Any changes you make to the application’s settings, after installation but before running the After Snapshot, will automatically be captured as part of the Transform.




• After snapshot


• Before snapshot

To create a Windows Installer Transform, you must check the Advanced Options checkbox on this panel.

Selecting Advanced Options will cause the Discovering Transforms Query panel to appear following the next panel. Selecting Advanced Options is required to create a Transform, because it is on the Discovering Transforms Query panel that you instruct Discover to produce a Transform as the output file.

Note that if you also checked the Advanced Options checkbox when creating the Archived Before Snapshot, you were presented with four additional advanced option panels during the process of creating the Before Snapshot: Advanced Options, File Exclusion Selection, Registry Exclusion Selection, and Text File Selection. These options are discussed separately in the Discover Advanced Options section, above.




D I S C O V E R I N G T R A N S F O R M S Q U E R Y [ A D V A N C E D O P T I O N ]The Discovering Transforms Query panel will not appear unless you have checked the Advanced Options checkbox on the Selecting Session panel. This selection is required to create a Transform, because it is on the Discovering Transforms Query panel that you instruct Discover to produce a Transform as the output file.

To create a Windows Installer Transform, select the Create Transform checkbox. Doing so will enable the following items on this panel:



. . .


If you check the Not Already Installed checkbox, Discover will install the MSI file as soon as you click the Next button.

I N S T A L L I N G M S I F I L EThis panel appears during the installation of the MSI file (if you have checked the Not Already Installed checkbox in the Discovering Transforms Query panel).

When the installation is complete, click the Next button.

If the installation requires a reboot, after the reboot, run Discover again and follow the same steps, but this time, since you have now installed the MSI file, do not check the Not Already Installed checkbox.

S E L E C T I N G T R A N S F O R M E R R O RThe Selecting Transform Error panel allows selection of error suppression flags to aid in applying the Transform.

Note that a Transform is built by comparing the installed state of two MSI files.The Transform is a database of changes to apply to the original MSI file to make its installation match the installation of the other.

When applying such changes, a predictable array of potential errors can result. When you apply a Transform through WinINSTALL, you are provided with the option to suppress certain of these errors. You can also build into the Transform itself the instruction to ignore selected errors and not report them.

The following error suppression checkboxes are available on the Selecting Transform Error panel:

• Ignore the addition of existing rows.

• Ignore the deletion of missing rows.

• Ignore the changing of missing rows.





NOTE: It is not recommended practice to suppress errors unless you know ahead of time that they will occur and are not concerned about the particular errors you have decided to suppress.



• Ignore the addition of existing tables.

• Ignore the deletion of missing tables.

• Ignore difference between code pages.

Make any desired selections and click Next to continue.

S E L E C T I N G T R A N S F O R M V A L I D A T I O NThe Selecting Transform Validation panel allows selection of validation flags to aid in applying the transform.

When a Transform is applied to a Windows Installer package, version comparisons can be executed, and if the versions do not match, the application of the Transfer fails. However, under some circumstances, you may want the versions of a Transform and MSI file to be considered valid even if they do not exactly match.

On the Selecting Transform Validation panel, you can specify exactly what matches (if any) will be required for the Transform to be applied successfully.

The following validation options are available:

The version radio buttons enable you to select which versions to compare:

• Major version only.

• Major and Minor versions.

• Major, Minor, and Update versions.

• Don’t check (default).

If anything other than Don’t Check is selected, the following radio buttons are also enabled, to specify the required relationship between the Transform version and the original package version:

• < original package.

• <= original package.

• = original package (default).

• >= original package.

• > original package.

The following additional validation checkboxes are also available:

• Default language must match.

• Product code must match.


. . .


• Upgrade code must match.

T A R G E T T R A N S F O R MOn the Target Transform panel, enter the path and file name of the Transform (.mst file) to be created.

C O M P L E T I N G T H E D I S C O V E R W I Z A R DThis dialog informs you that Discover is ready to perform the After Snapshot.

Click Finish to perform the snapshot and create the Transform.

When Discover has finished processing, you will receive a message that the Transform has been created.

ASSOCIATING THE TRANSFORM WITH A PACKAGEWhen you highlight a Windows Installer package in the tree pane and select Patches and Transforms in the list pane, you can add and remove associations between transforms and the highlighted package on the Transforms tab in the data pane. Transforms cannot be used independently, but must be associated with a Windows Installer package. WinINSTALL maintains these associations in the list file to which the package belongs.

To manage the association between a transform and a package, follow these steps:

1 Navigate to the desired package under Software Distribution Lists in the tree pane.

2 Highlight Patches and Transforms in the list pane.

3 Click the Transforms tab in the data pane.

WARNING: Because WinINSTALL stores the Transform association in the list file, you must specify the list file when you call the WinINSTALL installer to install the .msi file in order to have the selected transforms installed with the package.



The following information displays on the Transforms tab:

On the Transforms tab, you can enter or build the TRANSFORMS property which will be passed to the Windows Installer when the selected .msi file is installed from the selected list file. This property is the list of transforms to be processed when the package is installed, equivalent to passing this list of transforms after TRANSFORMS= on the MSIExec.exe command line.

You can also check the Secure checkbox, which is equivalent to setting the TRANSFORMSSECURE property. This property prevents a maintenance installation from installing the transform from anywhere other than the local secured cache or an authorized source location.

TRANSFORMS Property

• This is the list of transforms that will be set as a property when the Windows Installer is launched--equivalent to adding the command line parameter TRANSFORMS=transform list to the MSIExec.exe command line. You can type this property in here, or build it interactively using the Transforms list below.

Secure • Check this checkbox to make the transform secure, a feature often used for traveling users. During installation or advertisement of the application, secure transforms are cached locally in a secure area where the user does not have write permissions. Doing so assures that a maintenance installation will use only the cached transform. Installation will occur only if the installer finds the transform. If it does not, the installer will attempt to restore the transform, but it can do so only if the transform resides in an authorized source list.

Transforms • As you add, remove, or reorder transforms in the Transforms list, your changes are reflected in the TRANSFORMS property above the list. It is this property which will be passed to the Windows Installer.

TIP: Transforms will be applied in the order in which they appear in the TRANSFORMS property. Use the up and down arrow icons to reorder the transform list as needed.

NOTE: For additional information on the TRANSFORMS and TRANSFORMSSECURE properties, see the Windows Installer help file, MSI.CHM, available from Microsoft.


. . .


If you want to enter the desired TRANSFORMS property directly, click the Ellipsis button beside the property text box. Doing this will bring up the Transform Property dialog, where you can type in the TRANSFORMS property.

You can also let WinINSTALL build the TRANSFORMS property for you, by entering each transform into the list, using the Add icon above the list.

Regardless of which method you use to build the TRANSFORMS property, you can edit the property in either of two ways:

• By clicking the Ellipsis button and making the desired changes on the Transform Property dialog.

• Or by editing the property in the list using the following actions, as desired:

• To add a new transform association, click the Add icon.

You will be asked if the desired transform is embedded in the MSI file. If so, the Select Embedded Transform dialog appears, allowing you to select the transform from a list of those embedded in the MSI file.

If the transform is not embedded, the Open dialog will appear, allowing you to navigate to and select the desired MST file.

• To remove an existing association, highlight the transform in the list and click the Delete icon.

• To change the order in which multiple transforms are applied, highlight the desired transform and click the up or down arrows to rearrange the list.

EMBEDDING TRANSFORMSAfter you have created a transform, you may want to embed it into a Windows Installer package. Doing so makes sure that the transform is always available when the package is processed. If the transform is very large, however, or if you have a number of transforms for a single package, you might prefer not to embed them. In such a case, you can provide them to your users as individual .mst files.

To embed a transform into a package, follow these steps:

1 Navigate to the package under Software Distribution Lists in the tree pane.

2 Right-click the package and select Transforms and then Embed from the context menu.

3 The Embed Transform dialog will display. Click Add Transform.

4 The Add Transform dialog will display, allowing you to select the transform to embed.

5 Select the desired transform file (.mst) and click OK.

6 On the Embed Transform dialog, click Embed.


B U I L D I N G P A C K A G E SBuilding Packages Manually7

APPLYING A TRANSFORMTransforms are applied during installation.

Using the WinINSTALL installers, you generally apply transforms by associating them with packages in list files (see Associating the Transform with a Package), or by embedding them (see Embedding Transforms).

To use the Windows Installer to install a package with a transform that is not embedded, you would enter a command such as the following:

MSIEXEC.EXE /I \\<server>\<share>\vendor.msi TRANSFORMS=custom.mst

In this example, custom.mst is the desired transform, representing the changes to be applied to vendor.msi.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B U I L D I N G P A C K A G E S M A N U A L L YBuilding packages manually in WinINSTALL is essentially a process of creating an empty package of the desired type and then using the editing capabilities of the WinINSTALL Console to add whatever contents are desired.

This section provides step by step instructions on using the WinINSTALL Console to manually create WinINSTALL packages, Windows Installer Packages, Merge Modules, and Transforms.

The details of manually editing packages in the WinINSTALL Console are covered in the following chapters:



Additional MSI Package Options

Additional NAI Package Options


Runtime Options


Package Conditions

Files

Shortcuts


. . .

. .B U I L D I N G P A C K A G E SBuilding Packages Manually

Registry

System Services

File Edits

Advertising

Editing Merge Modules is covered separately, in the Merge Modules chapter.

BUILD A WININSTALL PACKAGE MANUALLYTo build an NAI package manually:

1 In the tree pane of the Console, expand the Software Distribution node and the Software Distribution Lists sub-node.

2 Select the desired application list and do either of the following:

• Right-click the list and choose New -> WinINSTALL Package from the pop-up menu.

• Choose New -> WinINSTALL Package from the File menu.

3 On the Create Package dialog, enter a name and description for the package.

4 With the package highlighted in the tree pane, select a category in the list pane and enter information on the tabs in the data pane. The tabs change, depending on which category you select in the list pane. See the various chapters, listed above, for details on manually editing a WinINSTALL package.

5 When you have finished entering information, save your changes by clicking the Save (Diskette) icon on the toolbar or choosing File --> Save from the menu bar.

BUILD A WINDOWS INSTALLER PACKAGE MANUALLYTo build a package manually:

1 In the tree pane of the Console, expand the Software Distribution node and the Software Distribution Lists sub-node.

2 Select a list and do either of the following:

• Right-click the list and choose New -> Windows Installer Package from the pop-up menu.

• Choose New -> Windows Installer Package from the File menu.

3 On the Create Package dialog, enter a name and description for the package.

4 On the next dialog, accept or change the language and the MSI schema version.

5 With the package highlighted in the tree pane, select a category in the list pane and enter information on the tabs in the data pane. The tabs change, depending on which category you select in the list pane. See the various chapters, listed above, for details on manually editing a Windows Installer package.


B U I L D I N G P A C K A G E SBuilding Packages Manually7

6 When you have finished entering information, save your changes by clicking the Save (diskette) icon on the toolbar or choosing File --> Save from the menu bar.

BUILD A WINDOWS INSTALLER MERGE MODULE MANUALLY1 In the tree pane of the Console, expand the Software Distribution node and the Merge

Module Folders sub-node.

2 Select the desired Merge Module folder and do one of the following:

• Right-click the folder and choose Add Merge Module from the pop-up menu.

• Click the Add Merge Module icon on the tool bar.

• Choose Add Merge Module from the File menu.

3 On the Create Package dialog, enter a file name and description for the Merge Module.

4 On the next dialog, accept or edit the module name, language and MSI schema version. When you click OK, the Merge Module will be added to the selected folder in the Merge Module Cache.

5 To add content to the Merge Module, the first step is to expand the Merge Module in the tree pane, so that the generic All Components sub-node appears.

6 Right-click the All Components sub-node and select Add Component. A new component will appear beneath the All Components sub-node.

7 With the Merge Module highlighted in the tree pane, select a category in the list pane and enter information on the tabs in the data pane. The tabs change, depending on which category you select in the list pane. See the Merge Modules chapter for details on manually editing a Windows Installer Merge Module.

8 When you have finished entering information, save your changes by clicking the Save (diskette) icon on the toolbar or choosing File --> Save from the menu bar.

BUILD A WINDOWS INSTALLER TRANSFORM MANUALLYBuilding a Transform in the Console is as simple as making edits to an existing Windows Installer package (*.msi file) and saving those changes as a Transform. Before making these edits, though, you need to let the Console know that you intend to save the changes as a Transform, rather than as an updated version of the existing MSI file.

The steps to build a transform manually are as follows:

1 In the tree pane of the Console, expand the Software Distribution node and select the desired Windows Installer package.

2 Next, do one of the following:

• Right-click the package and choose Transforms -> Start/Finish from the pop-up menu.

• Choose Transforms -> Start/Finish from the Actions menu.


. . .

. .B U I L D I N G P A C K A G E SBuilding Windows Installer Patches

3 The Start Creating Transform? dialog appears, providing a summary of how creating a Transform works. click OK to begin making the desired changes.

4 Edit the selected Windows Installer package to reflect all the desired changes.

5 To save the changes to a Transform file, do any one of the following:

• Click the Save (diskette) icon on the tool bar.

• Select Save from the File menu.

• Right-click the package and choose Transforms -> Start/Finish from the pop-up menu.

• Choose Transforms -> Start/Finish from the Actions menu.

6 The Save Transform dialog appears. Enter the desired filename (*.mst) for the Transform to be created and click OK.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B U I L D I N G W I N D O W S I N S T A L L E R P A T C H E SA Windows Installer patch (.msp file) is a special Windows Installer package file which updates an existing installation to a later version (for example, moving from version 1 of an application to version 2 of the same application).

WinINSTALL can easily create a Windows Installer patch by comparing an updated application package (called the upgraded image) to the original package (called the target image) of the same application. WinINSTALL compares the two packages and produces a patch package (.msp file), which can be applied to machines which have previously installed the original package (target image). Once the patch package is installed, the application installed on the machines will match that which would have been installed by the updated package (upgraded image).

THE WININSTALL PATCH WIZARDTo enable creation of Windows Installer patches (.msp files), WinINSTALL provides the Patch Wizard, which makes creating a patch a very simple operation.

You simply invoke the wizard from the WinINSTALL Console, supply the information it requests and click the Next button on each page. When you click the Finish button on the final page, you have a software patch that is ready to use.

NOTE: Microsoft advises users to not add resources to existing components when creating a Transform. Instead, the recommended practice is to create new components (and possibly features as well) and add the new resources to those.


B U I L D I N G P A C K A G E SBuilding Windows Installer Patches7

To launch the WinINSTALL Patch Wizard, select the Software Distribution node or any item beneath it in the Console tree pane then select Patch Wizard from the File->Run menu.

The Welcome to the WinINSTALL Patch Wizard panel will appear, explaining the purpose and operation of the patch creation process. When you click the Next button, you will begin the process of creating the patch, involving the following panels:

D E F I N I N G T H E P A T C H P A C K A G EOn the Defining the Patch Package panel, you must provide the following information:


S E L E C T I N G A P P L I C A T I O N V E R S I O N SOn the Selecting Application Versions panel, you specify the two Windows Installer packages (.msi files) that constitute the old (target image) and new (upgraded image) versions of the application.

To add an upgraded image (new version), right-click the Patch Package icon and select Add Upgraded MSI. Browse to and select the desired upgraded (new version) .msi file on the Open dialog.

To add a target image (old version), right-click the upgraded package that you added above and select Add Target MSI. Browse to and select the appropriate target (old version) .msi file on the Open dialog.

To add additional target images, simply repeat step 2, above.

When you have added all desired upgraded and target images, click Next to continue.

.msp path and filename

• Full path and filename of the patch file to be created.

Log file path and filename

• Full path and filename for the (optional) text log file for the patch creation process.

GUID • Click the Ellipsis icon to generate a unique GUID for the patch.

TIP: A single Microsoft Patch Package (.msp file) can include upgrades from multiple old versions (target images).


. . .

. .B U I L D I N G P A C K A G E SBuilding Windows Installer Patches

C O M P L E T I N G T H E P A T C H W I Z A R DThe Completing the Patch Wizard panel informs you that the wizard has gathered all of the information it needs and is ready to build the patch package for you. At this point, WinINSTALL has already built a patch creation package (.pcp file) and will now use that file to create the actual patch package.

The Advanced button provides access to a set of optional properties that can prevent certain problems from interfering with the creation of the package. This button also enables access to a table view of the data in the .pcp file through the WinINSTALL MSI Table Editor.

Click Finish to build the patch.

A D V A N C E D O P T I O N SIf you click the Advanced button on the Completing the Patch Wizard panel, the Advanced Options panel appears, providing checkboxes to set the following four properties to override potential problems that could prevent the successful creation of the patch package:

• Allow product code to differ

• Allow product major version to differ

• Include whole file instead of creating a binary file patch

• Ignore missing files from target images

Click the View Tables button to view and modify the information in the .pcp file before creating the patch. The MSI Table Editor dialog provides a list of all of the tables in the .pcp database and allows you to view and modify the actions, descriptions, and templates in each.

Click Finish on the Completing the Patch Wizard panel to build the patch.

DEPLOYING WINDOWS INSTALLER PATCHESTo associate a Windows Installer patch (.msp file) with a Windows Installer package, highlight the package in the tree pane of the console, select Patches and Transforms in the list pane, and add the patch to the Patches tab in the data pane.

The next time that any user or machine installs the selected package, the patch will be applied as part of the install.


B U I L D I N G P A C K A G E SBuilding Windows Installer Patches7


. . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .PACKAGE VALIDATION AND REPAIR 8

inINSTALL can perform a contextual validation of a Windows Installer package or merge module from within the Console, and it can also automatically repair many detected problems, if desired. Internal consistency evaluators, or ICEs,

scan the selected package for database entries that - while individually valid - may be problematic when viewed as part of the whole database. (Remember that a Windows Installer package is a database.) ICEs are custom actions written in VBScript, JScript or as a DLL or EXE. Some ICEs perform syntactical checks on the database (for example, if one table in the database contains a pointer to a row in another table, does that row exist?). Other ICEs perform semantic checks that look at database relationships in a broader view.

ICEs are stored in a special .msi database called a .cub file. WinINSTALL includes four .cub files that can be used to validate an MSI file - darice.cub, logo.cub, xplogo.cub, and mergemod.cub. The file darice.cub contains all the standard, Microsoft-supplied ICEs used to validate Windows Installer packages. Logo.cub and xplogo.cub are subsets of darice.cub intended for specialized use. The file mergemod.cub contains the Microsoft-supplied ICEs used to validate Windows Installer merge modules. When you validate a package in WinINSTALL, you can use these standard .cub files, or you can create your own.

ICE validation merges the .cub file and your database into a third, temporary database. The Windows Installer is then run against that temporary database, displaying warnings, errors, debugging information, and API errors as it executes each ICE in the .cub file. When the installer finishes executing the ICEs, it closes the .msi file, .cub file, and temporary database without saving any changes. The original .msi file and .cub file remain unchanged by the validation process.

When you perform a validation, four types of messages may be returned.

Errors • Report database authoring that causes incorrect behavior. For example, duplicate component GUIDs cause the installer to incorrectly register components.

Warnings • Report database authoring that causes unexpected side-effects or incorrect behavior in certain cases. For example, entering the same property name in two conditions that differ only by the case of letters in the name. Because the installer is case-sensitive, the installer treats these as different properties.

W


P A C K A G E VA L I D A T I O N A N D R E P A I RValidating a Windows Installer Package 8

An ICE message commonly returns a range of information.

• Name of the ICE that has found an error

• Date the ICE was created

• Author of the ICE

• Date the ICE was last modified

• Description of the API error causing the ICE to fail

• Description of the error

• A warning to the user

• Name of the database table containing the error or warning

• Name of the table column containing the error or warning

• Primary keys of the table containing the error or warning

• A URL to an HTML file giving debugging suggestions

• A string that can contain other information

V A L I D A T I N G A W I N D O W S I N S T A L L E R

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P A C K A G E

HOW TO VALIDATE A WINDOWS INSTALLER PACKAGE1 In the tree pane, expand the Software Distribution node and the Software Distribution

Lists sub-node.

Failures • Report failure of an ICE custom action, often the result of such severe database authoring problems that the ICE cannot even run.

Informational • Messages provide information about an ICE, rather than indicating a database authoring problem. For example, they can provide information about the ICE itself, such as a brief description, or provide progress information as the ICE runs.

TIP: You only need to validate those Windows Installer packages that you create when you repackage a non-MSI application using Discover. Vendor-supplied MSI applications should not be validated as the vendor-supplied MSI should be guaranteed to work in the form distributed.


. . .

. .P A C K A G E VA L I D A T I O N A N D R E P A I RRepairing a Validated Windows Installer Package

2 Navigate to the desired Windows Installer package and do one of the following:

• Right-click the package and choose Validate Package from the pop-up menu.

• Choose Validate Package from the Actions menu on the menu bar at the top of the screen.

3 On the MSI Package Validator dialog, select the .cub file to use for validation, select specific ICEs you want included, and click GO.

R E P A I R I N G A V A L I D A T E D W I N D O W S

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I N S T A L L E R P A C K A G E Once you have validated a Windows Installer package or merge module, you can select specific ICEs for WinINSTALL to repair automatically. If the error can be repaired automatically, WinINSTALL will do so; if not, you will be notified that repair is not possible.

HOW TO REPAIR A VALIDATED PACKAGE1 After validating a Windows Installer package, while the MSI Package Validator dialog is

still open, select the ICE errors you want repaired.

2 On the MSI Package Validator dialog, click Repair.

NOTE: Performing a validation does not alter the package or the merge module being validated or the .cub file containing the ICEs. To make changes needed to correct problems, see the next section.


P A C K A G E VA L I D A T I O N A N D R E P A I RRepairing a Validated Windows Installer Package 8


. . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .CONFLICT ASSESSMENT 9

inINSTALL enables you to check for potential conflicts among individual packages, among individual packages and the contents of list files, or among packages and a specified “baseline” configuration. This capability, called

Conflict Assessment, lets you diagnose potential problems before you actually perform an installation.

To check for potential conflicts, you first define a conflict assessment that includes one or more packages and, optionally, a baseline. A baseline represents the initial state of a machine before any packages are installed, for example, a machine with only a particular operating system and service pack installed. Once the conflict assessment has been defined, the next step is to run it. If your conflict assessment includes only packages or packages and a list file, the contents of all the packages are compared to predict whether installation of the packages together will cause conflicts. If your conflict assessment also includes a baseline, the contents of all the packages are compared to each other and to the baseline, to determine whether the packages cause a conflict when installed on the baseline system.

If you plan to use a baseline in a conflict assessment, it is recommended that you first run a conflict assessment that includes only the baseline. This action will populate the database with all of the information from this baseline, a time-consuming process. Once this initial population has been completed, using that baseline data in other conflict assessments is much faster.

You create a baseline on an actual machine with the desired configuration by executing a utility located in the \bin folder of the WinINSTALL share. You perform conflict assessments from the Conflict Assessment node of the tree pane of the WinINSTALL Console, where you can perform the following actions:

• Create a Conflict Assessment.

• Edit a Conflict Assessment.

• Delete a Conflict Assessment.

• Run a Conflict Assessment.

• View the results of a Conflict Assessment.

The first step is to create a baseline on a local machine. Next, the Conflict Assessment Wizard enables you to create a conflict assessment and to edit it, if desired. Once the conflict assessment has been created, you run the conflict assessment from the console. Finally, you view the results of the conflict assessment in the Console or in special WinINSTALL reports, such as Assessed Packages and Conflict Assessment Results.

W


C O N F L I C T A S S E S S M E N THow to Generate a Conflict Assessment Baseline9

Conflict assessment data is stored in the WinINSTALL database in a set of tables with the prefix WICA_.

H O W T O G E N E R A T E A C O N F L I C T

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A S S E S S M E N T B A S E L I N EYou can include baselines as well as packages in conflict assessments. A baseline defines the initial state of a machine before any packages are installed, such as a machine with only a particular operating system and service pack installed. You generate a baseline on such a machine, rather than on the Console machine.

1 From the machine that you want to baseline, explore through the network to a WinINSTALL share.

2 Under the WinINSTALL share, expand the bin directory.

3 Navigate to WIBaselineGen.exe and double-click it.

4 On the WinINSTALL Conflict Assessment Baseline Generator dialog, specify whether to scan files, registry entries, or both. If you choose to scan files, indicate whether to include .INI file contents and shortcut definitions and specify the top-level folder where the file scan should begin.

5 A progress bar displays as the baseline is being generated and a message box tells you when generation is complete.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . T H E C O N F L I C T A S S E S S M E N T W I Z A R DYou can launch the Conflict Assessment Wizard to create a conflict assessment in three ways:

• Select the Conflict Assessment node in the tree pane and select New Assessment from the Conflict Assessments menu.

• Select the Conflict Assessment node in the tree pane and click the New icon on the toolbar.

• Select the Conflict Assessment node in the tree pane and click the New button on the data pane.

The WinINSTALL Conflict Assessment Wizard presents the process of creating a conflict assessment in five steps.


. . .

. .C O N F L I C T A S S E S S M E N TThe Conflict Assessment Wizard

WELCOMEThe first panel prompts for a descriptive name for the conflict assessment you are creating.

BASELINE SELECTIONThe Baseline Selection panel prompts you to enter or browse for an optional baseline file (*.bsf) to include in the conflict assessment.

See the section on How to Generate a Conflict Assessment Baseline, above for details on baselines.

PACKAGE SELECTIONThe Package Selection panel presents a view of the software distribution and patch packages on the current WinINSTALL share. As in the Console tree pane, you can expand the base list files to view the packages and lists beneath them.

Each list and package has a checkbox. Click to check the boxes next to the desired packages and/or lists to include in the conflict assessment.

CONFIRMATIONThe Conflict Assessment Confirmation panel presents a summary of the conflict assessment you are creating, including the name, the selected baseline file, and the selected packages and/or lists.

If any of the information is not as you intended, click the Back button to return to the earlier panels and make the needed corrections. If the information is correct, click the Next button to proceed.

COMPLETIONWhen you click Finish on the last dialog of the wizard, your conflict assessment is saved and displays in the Conflict Assessments tab on the data pane.

Because conflict assessments can take a long time to process, the Do not run this Conflict Assessment right now checkbox is checked by default, meaning the conflict assessment will not execute when you click the Finish button. But it will be saved for execution later from the Conflict Assessments tab on the data pane.

If you uncheck the Do not run this Conflict Assessment right now checkbox, the conflict assessment will execute immediately when you click the Finish button, and the results will be displayed in the Conflict Assessment window, which will pop up as soon as the conflict assessment is created.


C O N F L I C T A S S E S S M E N THow to Edit a Conflict Assessment9

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . H O W T O E D I T A C O N F L I C T A S S E S S M E N TYou can modify a conflict assessment in any of three ways:

• Select the Conflict Assessment node in the tree pane, highlight an existing conflict assessment in the data pane, and select Edit Assessment from the Conflict Assessments menu.

• Select the Conflict Assessment node in the tree pane, select an existing conflict assessment in the data pane, and click the Edit icon on the toolbar.

• Select the Conflict Assessment node in the tree pane, select an existing conflict assessment in the data pane, and click the Edit button on the data pane.

The Conflict Assessment Wizard opens. The existing conflict assessment information is used to pre-populate the wizard dialogs. Edit the information you want to change as you step through the pages of the wizard (described above). When you click Finish on the last dialog of the wizard, your modified conflict assessment is saved.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . H O W T O D E L E T E A C O N F L I C T A S S E S S M E N TYou can delete an existing conflict assessment in any of three ways:

• Select the Conflict Assessment node in the tree pane, highlight the desired conflict assessment, and select Delete Assessment from the Conflict Assessments menu.

• Select the Conflict Assessment node in the tree pane, highlight the desired conflict assessment, and click the Delete icon on the toolbar.

• Select the Conflict Assessment node in the tree pane, highlight the desired conflict assessment, and click the Delete button on the data pane.

You will receive a message asking you whether you are sure that you want to delete the specified conflict assessment. Click Yes to continue the deletion process; click No to cancel it.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . H O W T O R U N A C O N F L I C T A S S E S S M E N TYou can run a conflict assessment in any of three ways:

• Select the Conflict Assessment node in the tree pane, highlight the desired conflict assessment, and select Run Assessment from the Conflict Assessments menu.

• Select the Conflict Assessment node in the tree pane, highlight the desired conflict assessment, and click the Run icon on the toolbar.


. . .

. .C O N F L I C T A S S E S S M E N TViewing Conflict Assessment Results

• Select the Conflict Assessment node in the tree pane, highlight the desired conflict assessment, and click the Run button on the data pane.

WinINSTALL processes your conflict assessment. Once processing has finished, the results display in a dialog and can be reviewed later by simply clicking a button or menu choice.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . V I E W I N G C O N F L I C T A S S E S S M E N T R E S U L T SOnce you have run a conflict assessment, you can view the results either in the Console or in specific reports.

HOW TO VIEW THE RESULTS OF A CONFLICT ASSESSMENT IN THE CONSOLE:1 Select the Conflict Assessment node in the tree pane.

2 Highlight the desired conflict assessment in the data pane and do one of the following:

• Select View Results from the Conflict Assessments menu.

• Click the Results icon on the toolbar.

• Click the Results button on the data pane.

HOW TO VIEW THE RESULTS OF A CONFLICT ASSESSMENT IN A REPORT:1 Expand the Reports node in the tree pane.

2 Select the Conflict Assessment report category beneath it.

3 On the data pane, choose one of the listed reports. For some of the reports, you will be asked to supply a parameter to filter the data that is returned.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C O N F L I C T A S S E S S M E N T C A T E G O R I E SThe following sections list the categories of conflict, subcategories of conflict, and conflict messages presented by the Conflict Assessment feature.

TIP: Depending on the number and size of the packages involved and choices you made when defining the conflict assessment, running the assessment may take a long time. You may want to plan this process for a time when you do not need to use the Console for other tasks.


C O N F L I C T A S S E S S M E N TConflict Assessment Categories9

MAIN CONFLICT CATEGORIES

FILE CONFLICT SUBCATEGORIES AND MESSAGES

REGISTRY CONFLICT SUBCATEGORIES AND MESSAGES

2 • File conflict

3 • Registry conflict

4 • Shortcut conflict

5 • INI file conflict

1 • Both packages add a file and their attributes are different

2 • Both packages remove the same file

3 • First package adds file and second removes it

4 • Second package adds file and first removes it

5 • Both packages add a file and some attributes are unknown

6 • Both packages add a file and the attributes match

7 • The file names are the same but their path is not necessarily the same

8 • Both add the same directory

9 • Both remove the same directory

10 • First package adds directory and second removes it

11 • Second package adds and first package removes directory

1 • Both packages add the same registry key

2 • Both packages remove the same registry key

3 • First package adds a registry key and second removes it

4 • Second package adds a registry key and first removes it

5 • Packages set the same registry value to different values

6 • Both packages remove the same registry value

7 • First package adds and second package removes value

8 • Second package adds and first removes value

9 • Both packages set the same registry value to the same value


. . .

. .C O N F L I C T A S S E S S M E N TConflict Assessment Categories

SHORTCUT CONFLICT SUBCATEGORIES AND MESSAGES

INI F ILE CONFLICT SUBCATEGORIES AND MESSAGES

1 • Both packages write a shortcut in the same place, but the details of the shortcut differ

2 • Both packages remove the same shortcut

3 • First package adds a shortcut and second removes it

4 • Second package adds a shortcut and first removes it

5 • Both packages add a shortcut and both shortcuts have the same attributes

1 • Both packages add the same ini section

2 • Both packages remove the same ini section

3 • First package adds and second package removes the same ini section

4 • Second package adds and first package removes the same ini section

5 • Both packages add the same ini value, with different values

6 • Both packages remove the same ini value

7 • First package adds and second package removes the ini value

8 • Second package adds and first package removes the ini value

9 • Both package add the same ini value with the same value


C O N F L I C T A S S E S S M E N TConflict Assessment Categories9


. . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .SHARED PROPERTIES AND COMPRESSION 10

INSTALL provides the capability of combining all the components of a package into one or more compressed files. This approach can make it easy to move packages from one location to another and can make it simple to prevent

inadvertent changes to files which are part of the installation.

In addition, when you highlight a list or package in the tree pane and select General in the list pane, tabs display in the data pane. The tabs that display depend on whether you have selected a list, a WinINSTALL (NAI) package, or a Windows Installer (MSI) package in the tree pane.

This chapter discusses the General options tabs which display for both lists and packages. These options appear on three tabs: Shared, Conditions, and Schedule.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I N H E R I T A N C EWhen you change settings for a list, most of these settings are inherited by the packages and lists within that list (unless those packages or lists have settings which override the higher level list file settings).

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . S H A R E D T A BThe Shared tab itself contains five sub-tabs: Properties, Variables, Runtime, Notification, and Compression. All of these, except Compression, appear whether the selected item is a list or a package. Compression of MSI packages is not accessed from the Shared tab, but from a context menu (right-click on the package and select Compression).

PROPERTIES SUB-TAB On the Properties sub-tab, a summary of the shared properties for the selected list or package display in a hierarchical tree view beneath the package. Shared properties are instructions and qualities that can be shared by all packages in a list file--or they can be set

TIP: If packages are installed without reference to the lists which contain them (i.e., the package itself is installed, rather than the list), inheritance will not occur, and only the package-level settings will be applied.

W


S H A R E D P R O P E R T I E S A N D C O M P R E S S I O NShared Tab1 0

individually at the package level. The appearance of the Properties sub-tab is the same for lists, NAI packages and MSI packages.

The Properties sub-tab provides a read-only summary of the shared properties. You view, set, and modify these shared properties on the other sub-tabs of the Shared tab in the data pane:

Variables Sub-tab

Runtime Sub-tab

Notification Sub-tab

Compression Sub-tab (list and NAI package only)

Settings on the Compression sub-tab are discussed below, but the other sub-tabs listed above are discussed in separate chapters (Variables and Properties, Runtime Options, and Installer Notification).

COMPRESSION SUB-TAB WinINSTALL packages are binary. Therefore, they can contain compressed files. When packages are compressed, the application files themselves reside within the package. When packages are not compressed, the application files are external to the package in their own files on disk; in this case, the package contains only references to the application files, rather than the application files themselves.

On the Compression tab, you can specify whether a WinINSTALL package should be compressed, the type of compression to be used, and the specific parts of the package to be compressed. You can modify the following settings:

C O M P R E S S I O N F O R M A T• WinINSTALL - Proprietary

• ZIP - Compatible

• No Compression

TIP: We recommend that all components of a package be compressed so that the installers will access the files directly from the archive (compressed package).


. . .

. .S H A R E D P R O P E R T I E S A N D C O M P R E S S I O NMSI Package Compression

C O M P O N E N T S T O I N C L U D E I N T H E C O M P R E S S E D P A C K A G ECheckboxes enable you to select any or all of the following package components to be compressed into the package:

• Text messages to display during the install

• External programs to call as part of the install

• Script Files

• .REG Files

• Files to Copy

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . M S I P A C K A G E C O M P R E S S I O NTo compress a Windows Installer package, select it in the tree view and either right-click to display the context menu or click on the Actions menu. Select Compress . . . from the menu to display the MSI Compression dialog, where you can make the necessary choices to compress the package.

The source files for a Windows Installer package can be compressed into one or more cabinet files. These cabinet files can be included in the .msi file or they can be stored externally, as separate files. Compressed files are inserted into a standard Cabinet file of the type created by the Microsoft Makecab.exe cabinet file creation tool.

NOTE: For WinINSTALL packages (.NAI), you can set compression options at the list level or individually at the package level. For Windows Installer packages, compression can be set only at the package level.

TIP: It is possible that WinINSTALL may be unable to find some of the referenced files, especially in the external process fields. If so, you will receive a warning during the compression process. If you are certain that those files will be available to the end user at runtime, for example, if you know they are located on the user’s system, then you can safely ignore such a warning.


S H A R E D P R O P E R T I E S A N D C O M P R E S S I O NMSI Package Compression1 0

MSI F ILE COMPRESSION SETTINGSOn the MSI Compression dialog, you can specify several settings, each of which is explained below.

Once you have made your selections, click Compress to compress the expanded .msi file.

In the dialog’s Progress indicator, WinINSTALL displays progress messages while a package is being compressed, ending with the message “Finished.” At the end, the Results field on the dialog will display the results of the compression action, letting you know whether or not the package was successfully compressed.

Click Close to continue working in the Console.

• For new INI File Edits, if a file name is typed in but no path is specified, @WINDOWS will be appended to the beginning of the file name. The user can, however, specify another variable or directory and @WINDOWS will not be appended to the beginning.

• The Access Denial Message is tied only to the conditions that can be set on the General tab: Password, Environment Variables, and Registry Values. This feature has nothing to do with other condition settings, such as video resolution or disk space.

• If you add package restrictions to a .nai file or .msi file and then decline to save the changes, the UI may behave as though the group restriction has, in fact, been saved. This is a display anomaly only—the data has not been saved.

If you leave the Software Distribution area of the product, for example, and then return and select the same package, you may see the restriction you declined to save. Although it looks as though this change has been saved, in fact it has not been written to the package file. If you restart the console or select View/Refresh (F5) and then look at the same package, you will find that the restrictions are not present

• If the @WinstallDir variable was used to create packages in v7.5 and earlier versions of the product, these packages won't work correctly when copied to the packages directory of 8.xx Shares. The reason is that @WinstallDir resolves to the folder where the

Location of Cab Files

• Select whether the compressed file will be internal to the .msi file or a separate file.

Number of Cab Files

• Select whether to store the compressed source files in one cabinet file or in multiple cabinet files.

Maximum Cabinet Size (Bytes)

• If you store the files in multiple cabinet files, you can specify the maximum size, in bytes, of each cabinet file.

Reserved Space for Digital Signing (Bytes)

• If you store the cabinet files externally, you can specify an amount of space, in bytes, to reserve for digitally signing the package.


. . .

. .S H A R E D P R O P E R T I E S A N D C O M P R E S S I O NDigital Signatures

WinINSTALL installer executable resides. In earlier versions, this directory was typically the \Winstall folder on the WinINSTALL server. In version 8.xx, the WinINSTALL installer executables reside in \WinINSTALL\Bin. In previous versions of the product, users often stored packages in the \Winstall folder. Now we recommend storing them in the \WinINSTALL\Packages directory. In most cases (as described above), simply replacing @WinstallDir with @PackageDir will solve the problem with these legacy packages. Some editing and/or package configuration may be needed.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D I G I T A L S I G N A T U R E SWindows Installer Packages with external .cab files may have digital signatures applied as a security feature. When the .msi file is installed, it will verify the integrity of the .cab files before installation, to assure that the .cab files have not been tampered with or corrupted in any way.

To take advantage of this WinINSTALL feature, you must have a digital certificate, you must have a Windows Installer package with one or more external cabinet (.cab) files, and you must use special utilities to sign the external .cab file(s). Once you have signed the .cab file(s), you can then use WinINSTALL to acquire, or register, the .cab file signatures into the .msi file, so that installing the .msi file will depend on a successful verification of the integrity of the .cab file(s).

APPLYING A DIGITAL SIGNATURE TO A WINDOWS INSTALLER PACKAGEApplying a digital signature to a .msi file requires three separate steps.

1 First, create an external .cab file, making sure to reserve an appropriate amount of space for the digital signature (see the MSI Package Compression section, above).

2 Next, use your digital certificate and special utilities to sign the .cab file (see Signing an External Cabinet File, below).

3 Finally, apply the .cab file’s signature to the .msi file using the following procedure:

• Select the package in the WinINSTALL Console.

• Right-click and select Signing Tables from the context menu.

• The Digital Signing Tables dialog will appear. Select the desired .cab file in the list. It should have a red X icon beside it, indicating that its signature has not been applied to the .msi file. Click the Sign button to acquire the signature from the .cab file and apply it to the .msi file. Click OK to dismiss the Digital Signing Tables dialog.

• Save the package.

The .msi file will now check the .cab file before installation to verify that it has not been tampered with or otherwise corrupted.


S H A R E D P R O P E R T I E S A N D C O M P R E S S I O NDigital Signatures1 0

SIGNING AN EXTERNAL CABINET F ILESigning a .cab file requires a certificate and special utilities to embed the necessary information into the signed package. The certification authority will have additional information on this procedure, as does Microsoft.

To begin, you will need a .spc file and a .pvk file. These files are obtained from a certification authority, such as Verisign. The .spc file contains your public key and other information, resides on your hard drive, and can be distributed to others.

The .pvk file contains a private key that corresponds to the public key in the .spc file. This file contains very sensitive information that should be closely guarded.

The following link contains helpful information concerning digital signing, including an example using the signing of a font file to illustrate the process:

http://www.microsoft.com/typography/developers/dsig/dsig.htm

The Microsoft Developer Network provides several useful utilities for digital signing. Information on these utilities can be found at the locations listed below.

signcode.exe:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/cptools/html/cpgrffilesigningtoolsigncodeexe.asp

makecert.exe:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/cptools/html/cpgrfcertificatecreationtoolmakecertexe.asp

cert2spc.exe:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/cptools/html/cpgrfsoftwarepublishercertificatetesttoolcert2spcexe.asp


http://www.microsoft.com/typography/developers/dsig/dsig.htm





http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/cptools/html/cpgrfsoftwarepublishercertificatetesttoolcert2spcexe.asp

. . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .VARIABLES AND PROPERTIES 11

nyone who has ever filled out paperwork has used variables. When the form says Name and you enter tjones and I enter bsmith, we have assigned two different values to the same variable, Name. The major advantage of using variables in

packages is that they allow you to customize packages for your particular environment or make them generic enough to run on almost any platform.

WinINSTALL supports the use of two broad categories of variables: system variables and user variables.

From the console, you can examine system variables and define, examine or modify user variables. You can insert both kinds of variables in many different places in a package or list. Some types of user variables can be set only at the package-level, some can be set only at the list-level, and some can be set at either level. You view and/or define variables through the Shared tab in the data pane of the console because variables can be set at the list level and shared by the packages in the list.

U S I N G V A R I A B L E S I N N A I P A C K A G E S V S .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . M S I P A C K A G E SWinINSTALL currently supports thirty-five system variables and eight types of user variables for use in NAI packages and/or lists. System variables are pre-defined, while you must define user variables first before using them. When you use either type of variable in an NAI package or list, the WinINSTALL installer natively knows how to resolve the variable at runtime.

Variables in MSI packages are handled differently because the actual installation of the package is handled by the Windows Installer, rather than the WinINSTALL Installer. The Windows Installer natively supports a wide range of system variables – expressed as properties - which can be selected from an available list and inserted into a package. These system variables are not authored into the database (that is, they do not appear in the Property table for the MSI package if you view it) because they are runtime properties.

TIP: The Windows Installer uses properties where WinINSTALL uses variables.

A


VA R I A B L E S A N D P R O P E R T I E SHow Variables Work11

Runtime properties are set only in memory (that is, they are set in the runtime version of the Property table) and are not persisted in the database.

WinINSTALL automatically adds three other system variables, which it predefines and adds to the Property table of the MSI package. In addition, WinINSTALL lets you define multiple instances of three types of user variables, which it also adds to the Property table for the package. The Windows Installer natively knows how to handle any variables that are defined as properties. The properties added by WinINSTALL are listed below.

System variables:

User variables:

System variables supported by WinINSTALL do not necessarily have direct equivalents among those supported by the Windows Installer, but most system variables are supported by both. User variables are different: only three of the eight types of user variables available for use in NAI packages can also be used in MSI packages.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . H O W V A R I A B L E S W O R KWhen you create a package with the Discover Wizard, the package that is created will contain certain references specific to the machine on which the package was created – even if you use a clean, quiet machine. Assume, for example, that you log on to a machine named ReferencePC with the username Administrator and build a package on that machine. Suppose that the Windows files on that machine reside in the directory C:\WINNT. The package you create will have references to a user called Administrator, to a machine called ReferencePC, and to a directory called C:\WINNT.

If you attempt to install this package on a machine with different values for the machine name, username, or Windows directory, you could have problems. To remedy this potential problem, you simply replace the PC-specific references in the package with variables. For example:

WI_INSTALLER_FOLDER

• Full path to the folder that holds the WinINSTALL executables

WI_Username • Microsoft network user name of the currently logged-in user

WI_Wksname • NETBIOS machine name of the workstation that the package will be run on

WI_CONST • constant value

WI_ENVAR • Environment variable

WI_VAR • Global prompt variable


. . .

. .VA R I A B L E S A N D P R O P E R T I E SBest Practices for Naming Conventions

You can replace all occurrences of Administrator with the variable $UserName$ ([WI_Username] for MSI packages).

You can replace all occurrences of ReferencePC with the variable $WksName$ ([WI_Wksname] for MSI packages).

You can replace all occurrences of C:\WIN with the variable @Windows ([WindowsFolder] for MSI packages).

Now, when the package is installed on a workstation, the installer interprets the variables at runtime and replaces them with the appropriate values for the local machine. The installer determines the value that should be assigned to a variable in one of several ways, depending on what kind of variable it is interpreting.

Some variables prompt the user for information and then use the answer as the value of the variable.

Some variables read text files to locate their values.

Some variables read INI files to locate their values.

Some variables read text strings in the registry to locate their values.

Some variables get their values from the machine’s environment settings.

Some variables get their values directly from the administrator through the console.

Many variables use API calls.

B E S T P R A C T I C E S F O R N A M I N G

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C O N V E N T I O N STo avoid potential problems when the installer looks for variables that should be replaced when it processes a package, you should use common-sense naming conventions.

• Avoid using certain names for servers and users. For example, you should not name your server WinINSTALL, WINSTALL, or any name that is used for WinINSTALL folders or system folders.

TIP: If you are creating an NAI package, you have the option of having the Discover Wizard automatically insert variables when it creates the package.


VA R I A B L E S A N D P R O P E R T I E SHow Variable Settings are Inherited11

• Avoid creating or using accounts that are either very short (3 characters) or named after applications or executables.

If you do not follow these recommendations, the installer can mistakenly replace occurrences of application names, user names, or server names with WinINSTALL variables. If this happens, the package could produce undesirable results.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . H O W V A R I A B L E S E T T I N G S A R E I N H E R I T E DVariables set at the list level will be used by any packages in the list, unless they are overridden by package-level settings. (But certain list-level settings are not inherited by MSI packages.) The following rules apply:

• Package-level variables override list-level variables. For example, if you set $CONST$ at the list level to be equal to MainServerName, all packages in the list will use that setting. However, if you specify a different setting, such as MyDepartment, for that variable in a specific package in the list, the specified package will use the value MyDepartment for the variable and all other packages in the list will use the inherited value MainServerName.

• If you move a package from one list to another (for example, from a test list to a production list), any variables that you set for the package will still be used when the package is processed. However, any variables that are not set at the package-level will now be inherited from the new (production) list, rather than from the previous (test) list.

• If you run a package directly from the command line (for example, Winstala.exe Filename.nai), only package-level settings will be used. No variable settings will be inherited from a list because the installer has no way of knowing to which list the package belongs.

HOW INHERITED VARIABLE SETTINGS ARE OVERRIDDENIf you set certain variables at the list level, you can override them at the package level. You can replace the list-level value of a variable with a different package-level value or you can remove a variable completely.

NOTE: If you specify a list file instead of a package on the command line, the packages will inherit the settings in that list.


. . .

. .VA R I A B L E S A N D P R O P E R T I E SSYSTEM VARIABLES and PROPERTIES

H O W T O O V E R R I D E A L I S T - L E V E L V A R I A B L E S E T T I N G

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . S Y S T E M V A R I A B L E S A N D P R O P E R T I E SSystem variables and properties let you tell the installers, “Whenever you see this variable or property in a package, replace it with the value appropriate for the user running the package, as predefined by WinINSTALL or the Windows Installer.”

Eligible edit boxes (i.e., those in which you can enter variables or properties) contain paths and are only available once you have selected a package or list.

SYSTEM VARIABLES USED IN WININSTALL PACKAGES AND L ISTSWinINSTALL supports thirty-five system variables for direct use in NAI packages and lists. WinINSTALL discovers the values of these variables through API calls, and you cannot modify them. The list below details the variable names and their values on a typical system (actual values will vary according to the environment on each target system).

1 Select a package in the tree pane.

2 Select General in the list pane.

3 Select the Shared Variables User-defined tabs in the data pane.

4 On the User-defined tab, select the variable you want to change.

5 To delete the variable entirely, click the Delete button.

6 To change the value of the variable, double click the variable, enter a different value on the User Variable dialog, and click OK.

The selected package will now use the new package-level setting, rather than the list-level setting it originally inherited.

@ AdminTools • C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\Administrative Tools

@ AppData • C:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Application Data

@ CommonAppData • C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data

@ CommonDesktop • C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Desktop

@ CommonPrograms • C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs

@ CommonStartmenu • C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu

@ CommonStartup • C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\StartMenu\Programs\ Startup


VA R I A B L E S A N D P R O P E R T I E SSYSTEM VARIABLES and PROPERTIES11

@ Desktop • C:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Desktop

@ Favorites • C:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Favorites

@ Fonts • C:\WINNT\Fonts

@ LocalAppData • C:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Local Settings\ Application Data

@ MyPictures • C:\Documents and Settings\<user>\My Documents\My Pictures

@ NetHood • C:\Documents and Settings\<user>\NetHood

@ PackageDir • \\<WinINSTALL share>\Packages

@ PatchDir • \\<WinINSTALL share>\Patches

@ Personal • C:\Documents and Settings\<user>\My Documents\Personal

@ PrintHood • C:\Documents and Settings\<user>\PrintHood

@ ProgFiles • C:\Program Files

@ Programs • C:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Start Menu\Programs

@ Recent • C:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Recent

@ SendTo • C:\Documents and Settings\<user>\SendTo

@ Shared • C:\Program Files\Common Files

@ ShellNew • C:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Templates

@ SourceDir • This is the full path to the directory where the file is located.

@ StartMenu • C:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Start Menu

@ Startup • C:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Start Menu\Programs\Startup

@ SYSTEM • C:\WINNT\System32

@ Sys16 • C:\WINNT\System

@ Temp • C:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Local Settings\Temp

@ WINDOWS • C:\WINNT

@ Winstalldir • \\<WinINSTALL share>\Bin

@ WinVol • C:

$NetAddr$ • the hardware MAC address of the network card on the workstation that the distribution package will be run on.

$UserName$ • the Microsoft network user name of the currently logged-in user.

$WksName$ • the NETBIOS machine name of the workstation that the distribution package will be run on.


. . .


SYSTEM PROPERTIES USED IN WINDOWS INSTALLER PACKAGESThe Windows Installer natively supports the following twenty-eight system properties (each followed by an example value from a typical system). At runtime, it automatically replaces these system properties with the appropriate value. You cannot modify these values.

[AdminToolsFolder] • The full path to the file system directory that stores administrative tools.

• C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs

[AdminToolsFolder] • The full path to the file system directory that stores administrative tools.

• C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs

[AppDataFolder] • The full path to the file directory containing application data for the current user.

• C:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Application Data

[CommonAppDataFolder] • The full path to the file directory containing application data for all users.

• C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data

[CommonFilesFolder] • The full path to the Common Files folder for the current user.

• C:\Program Files\Common Files

[CommonFiles64Folder] • The full path of the predefined 64-bit Common Files folder. (not used on 32-bit Windows)

• C:\Program Files\Common Files

[DesktopFolder] • The full path to the current user's Desktop folder.

• C:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Desktop

• If an All Users profile exists and the [ALLUSERS] property is set, then this property is set to the full path to the Desktop folder for all users.

• C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Desktop

[FavoritesFolder] • The full path of the Favorites folder for the current user.

• C:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Favorites

[FontsFolder] • The full path of the system Fonts folder.

• C:\WINNT\Fonts

[LocalAppDataFolder] • The full path to the file system directory that serves as the data repository for local (non-roaming) applications.

• C:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Local Settings\Application Data



.

[MyPicturesFolder] • The full path to the MyPictures folder.

• C:\Documents and Settings\<user>\My Documents\My Pictures

[PersonalFolder] • The full path to the Personal folder for the current user.

• C:\Documents and Settings\<user>\My Documents\Personal\

[PRIMARYFOLDER] • The primary folder for the installation.

• C:\ProgramFiles

[PrimaryVolumePath] • The path of the volume designated by the [PRIMARYFOLDER] property.

• For example, if the folder referenced by [PRIMARYFOLDER] resolves to C:\Program Files, then [PrimaryVolumePath] is set to C:

[ProgramFilesFolder] • The full path to the Program Files folder.

• C:\Program Files

[ProgramFiles64Folder] • The full path of the predefined 64-bit Program Files folder.

• C:\Program Files

[ProgramMenuFolder] • The full path to the Program Menu folder for the current user.

• C:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Start Menu\Programs\

[ROOTDRIVE] • The default drive for the destination directory of the installation.

• The value for this property must end with '\'.

[SendToFolder] • The full path to the SendTo folder for the current user.

• C:\Documents and Settings\<user>\SendTo\

[SourceDir] • The root directory containing the source cabinet file or the source file tree of the installation package.

[StartMenuFolder] • The full path to the Start Menu folder.

• C:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Start Menu\

• If an All Users profile exists and the [ALLUSERS] property is set, then this property is set to the full path to the Start Menu folder for all users.

• C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\

[StartupFolder] • The full path to the Startup folder.

• C:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Start Menu\Programs\Startup\

• If an All Users profile exists and the [ALLUSERS] property is set, then this property is set to the full path to the Start Menu folder for all users.


. . .


ADDITIONAL WINDOWS INSTALLER PACKAGE PROPERTIESIn addition to the system properties that are natively supported and automatically handled by Windows Installer (i.e., properties whose use in an MSI package requires no action on your part), WINSTALL allows you to use the following WinINSTALL-defined system properties:

• C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\Startup\

[SystemFolder] • The full path of the System folder.

• C:\WINNT\System32.

[System16Folder] • The full path to folder for 16-bit system DLLs.

• C:\WINNT\System

[System64Folder] • The full path to the predefined System64 folder.

• C:\WINNT\System32

[TARGETDIR] • The root destination directory for the installation. During an administrative installation, this property specifies the location to copy the installation package. During a non-administrative installation, this property specifies the root destination directory.

[TempFolder] • The full path to the Temp folder.

• C:\Temp

[TemplateFolder] • The full path to the Template folder for the current user.

• C:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Template\

[WindowsFolder] • The full path to the Windows folder.

• C:\WINNT

[WindowsVolume] • The volume of the windows folder. This property always ends with abackslash.

[WI_INSTALLER_FOLDER] • The full path to the folder that holds the WinINSTALL executables.

• \\<WinINSTALL share>\bin\

[WIPROPDriveA] … [WIPROPDriveZ]

• A network drive letter.

WI_Username • Microsoft network user name of the currently logged-in user.

WI_Wksname • NETBIOS machine name of the workstation that the distribution package will be run on.



COMPARISON OF WININSTALL SYSTEM VARIABLES AND WINDOWS INSTALLER SYSTEM PROPERTIES

The following table lists WinINSTALL system variables and their counterparts in Windows Installer packages.

WinINSTALL System Variable Windows Installer Property

@AdminTools [AdminToolsFolder]

@AppData [AppDataFolder]

@CommonAppData [CommonAppDataFolder]

@CommonDesktop [DesktopFolder] when all user profile is used

@CommonPrograms [ProgramMenuFolder] when all user profile is used

@CommonStartmenu [StartMenuFolder] when all user profile is used

@CommonStartup [StartupFolder] when all user profile is used

@Desktop [DesktopFolder] when user profile is used

@Favorites [FavoritesFolder]

@Fonts [FontsFolder]

@LocalAppData [LocalAppDataFolder]

@MyPictures [MyPicturesFolder]

@NetHood

@PackageDir

@PatchDir

@Personal [PersonalFolder]

@PrintHood

@ProgFiles [ProgramFilesFolder] except for 64-bit Windows

[ProgramFiles64Folder] for 64-bit Windows

@Programs [ProgramMenuFolder] when user profile is used

@Recent

@SendTo [SendToFolder]

@Shared [CommonFilesFolder]

[CommonFiles64Folder]

@ShellNew [TemplateFolder]

@SourceDir [SourceDir]

@StartMenu [StartMenuFolder] when user profile is used


http://www.targetPC.com

. . .


VIEWING AVAILABLE SYSTEM VARIABLES AND THEIR VALUESYou can view the available system variables and their values (i.e., the values to which they will be resolved) on the System Defined tab in the data pane of the console by doing the following:

1 Highlight a list or a package in the tree pane.


3 Select the Shared tab Variables sub-tab System Defined sub-tab in the data pane. The system variables and their values display on this tab.

USING SYSTEM VARIABLES IN A L IST OR PACKAGEYou can manually insert system variables into an NAI package or you can tell WinINSTALL to search specified parts of an NAI package and automatically insert

@Startup [StartupFolder] when user profile is used

@SYSTEM [SystemFolder] for 32-bit Windows

[System64Folder] for 64-bit Windows

@Sys16 [System16Folder] for 16-bit Windows

@Temp [TempFolder]

@WINDOWS [WindowsFolder]

@Winstalldir [WI_INSTALLER_FOLDER]

WinVol [WindowsVolume]

$NetAddr$

$UserName$ [WI_Username]

$WksName$ [WI_Wksname]

[PRIMARYFOLDER]

[PrimaryVolumePath]

[ROOTDRIVE]

[TARGETDIR]

[WIPROPDriveA] … [WIPROPDriveZ]

NOTE: The controls to add, modify or delete systems variables display on the System Defined tab, but they are inactive because these variables cannot be changed.



specified system variables wherever if finds a value that corresponds to that specified variable’s value.

You must manually insert system variables into an MSI package.

You must manually insert system variables into a list.

When you manually insert system variables into an NAI package or list, you have the choice of entering the name of the variable or choosing from a list of system variables on the popup context menu. When you manually insert system properties (the MSI counterpart of WinINSTALL system variable) into an MSI package, you can either enter the name of the variable or browse for it on a list of available system properties.

AUTOMATICALLY ADDING SYSTEM VARIABLES TO A WININSTALL PACKAGETo have WinINSTALL automatically insert system variables into an NAI package, do the following:

1 Select a WinINSTALL package in the tree pane.

2 From the Edit menu at the top of the window, select Scan Variables …

3 On the Scan for Variables dialog:

• Under the Sections to Scan column, select the sections of the package that you want scanned - Files, Icons, Registry, Edits and NT Services. (By default, all boxes are selected.)

• Under Variables, click the checkbox by every system variable that should be included in the search.

• Click OK.

4 WinINSTALL will scan the package and makes the specified replacements. Each time it encounters one of the strings that you checked, it will replace it with the appropriate variable.

MANUALLY ADDING SYSTEM VARIABLES TO A L IST OR NAI PACKAGEWhen you manually insert system variables into an NAI package or list, you can either type the system-defined variable name into an eligible edit box or you can place the cursor where

NOTE: Each system-defined variable has up to four instances – a file path with a long filename, a file path with a short filename (only if long filename exceeds eight characters), a registry path with a long filename, and a registry path with a short filename (only if long filename exceeds eight characters). If you check all of the boxes, every permutation will be correctly replaced with the appropriate system variable.


. . .


you want to insert the variable in the edit box, right-click, and choose the variable that you want to insert from the pop-up context menu.

You can use any number of system variables, and like other WinINSTALL variables, these can be added into an application package in any number of places, including file paths, text and .ini file contents, registry contents, shortcut parameters, etc.

U S I N G T H E C O N T E X T M E N U T O A D D S Y S T E M V A R I A B L E S T O A L I S T O R N A I P A C K A G E

When you right-click an eligible edit box, the various choices for system variables display on the pop-up context menu:

Simply double-click the desired variable on the context menu, and it is entered automatically in the edit box where the cursor was placed. (If part or all of the text in the edit box was highlighted, the variable will replace the highlighted text.)

MANUALLY ADDING SYSTEM PROPERTIES TO AN MSI PACKAGEYou manually insert system variables into an MSI package by browsing for or entering a system property in an eligible edit box. You can either place the cursor where you want to insert the variable in the edit box or replace existing text by highlighting a block of text in the edit box. You can click the browse button for the edit box and choose a system property from a list of available properties on a dialog.

U S I N G T H E S E L E C T D I R E C T O R Y D I A L O G T O A D D S Y S T E M P R O P E R T I E S T O A N M S I P A C K A G E

When you click the ellipsis (browse) button for an eligible edit box, the various system properties display on the Select Directory dialog.

NOTE: If you want to replace a block of existing text in the edit box, highlight that text and then use the right-click context menu. When you choose a variable, it replaces the entire block of highlighted text.

NOTE: A system property is the Windows Installer counter part to a WinINSTALL system variable.


VA R I A B L E S A N D P R O P E R T I E SUSER VARIABLES 11

Property names prefixed with % represent system and user environment variables. These are never entered into the Property table. The permanent settings of environment variables can only be modified using the Environment table.

PROMPTING THE USER FOR A PROPERTY VALUEWinINSTALL provides the ability to very quickly and easily generate a customized dialog to prompt the user during an install for a value to assign to a property. This property prompt dialog is based on a template MSI file, QueryProperty.msi, found in the \bin directory of the WinINSTALL share. See details on this feature in the Simple GUI section of the Additional MSI Package Options chapter of this Guide.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . U S E R V A R I A B L E S WinINSTALL supports eight types of user variables for use in lists and NAI packages.

• Application Prompt Variables

• Constant Values

• Environment Variables

• Global Prompt Variables

• INI File Variables

• Registry Variables

• Text File Variables

• URL Variables

Like system variables, some of these variables can be used only in packages, some can be used only in lists, and some can be used in both. Three types of user variables can be explicitly inserted into Windows Installer packages.

• Constant Values

• Environment Variables

• Global Prompt Variables

Each of the following sections describes a specific type of user-defined variable in detail; explains how it behaves; specifies whether it can be used in lists, packages, or specific kinds of packages; offers examples of when you might use it; and outlines the steps required to use it (how to define it/set its value and how to insert it into a list or package).


. . .

. .VA R I A B L E S A N D P R O P E R T I E SUSER VARIABLES

APPLICATION PROMPT VARIABLES ($APPVAR$)An application prompt variable is replaced with information supplied by a user in response to a prompt when a package is processed. An application prompt requests information from a user when the package containing the variable is being processed and then replaces the variable with the information provided by the user. An application prompt can be set only at the package level, used only in NAI packages, and used only by the package for which you create it - not by other packages in the list. (If you need to set up prompting variables that will cascade through the entire list, set up global prompts - $Var$ variables – instead.)

H O W A P P L I C A T I O N P R O M P T V A R I A B L E S B E H A V ELike global prompt variables, application prompt variables ask the user for information and then use the answer supplied to assign a value to the variable. They let you tell the installer, “Wherever you see this application prompt variable in a package, replace it with the value entered by the user on the local machine.”

W H E N T O U S E A P P L I C A T I O N P R O M P T V A R I A B L E SYou should use application prompts only in packages where you expect a user to be available to answer prompts during installation. For example, packages scheduled to be installed transparently by the WinINSTALL agent or packages intended to be auto-installed “quietly” would generally not be appropriate packages in which to use application prompts.

We recommend using prompts sparingly. Remember that any time a user is prompted for input, there is the danger of typographical errors or refusal to comply. Although the user must respond with something, the answer may bear no resemblance to what you wanted or expected. If you can achieve your purpose through some other type of variable, we recommend that you do so.

If you do use prompts, it is important to give your users specific guidelines about how to answer. For example, set a prompt that says, “Are you using Windows XP or Windows 2000? (Type XP or 2K.)”

Two possible uses for application prompts would be to personalize the target paths of files to be copied to users’ machines or to add personalized text to certain text files. For example:

• You might want to install certain files to a departmental directory that would be different for different users. You could prompt each user for a department name. The installer would place files into a directory with that name.

• You might want to create an INI-type text file that contained data about each user. You could prompt for department, employee number, etc. and add the material to the text file.



H O W T O U S E A N A P P L I C A T I O N P R O M P T V A R I A B L EUsing an application prompt variable involves two steps – first, define the prompt variable, and then insert it into the package.

H O W T O D E F I N E A N A P P L I C A T I O N P R O M P T V A R I A B L E :1 Select a package in the tree pane.


3 Select the Shared tab Variables sub-tab User-defined sub-tab in the data pane.

4 On the User-defined sub-tab, click the new icon.

5 On the User Variable dialog, select Application Prompt as the variable type, enter the text that will prompt the user for a response, and click OK. WinINSTALL automatically provides the variable name using the following format (with N being an auto-incremented number) - $AppVarN$

H O W T O I N S E R T A N A P P L I C A T I O N P R O M P T V A R I A B L E I N T O A P A C K A G ETo insert an application prompt variable into a package, navigate to the location in the package where you want to insert the variable, right-click an eligible edit box and select the desired application prompt variable from the pop-up context menu. (An Application Prompt menu option will appear only if you have already created at least one $AppVar$ variable and the only choices available will be those variables that you have already defined.) The selected variable will be automatically entered in the edit box.

You can also type in an application prompt variable manually. In an eligible edit box or other appropriate point in an application package, type $AppVarN$, where N is the number of the desired variable. You can use any number of Application Prompt variables, and like

WARNING: If you choose to use an application prompt with a scheduled package, be aware that if the user is not present to answer the prompt, the WinINSTALL Agent will assume the package has not been installed. As a result, the automatic installer will continue to launch, based on the time interval set in the list file, until the prompt is answered.

NOTE: Once you have created the variable, it is added to the context menu that displays when you right-click an eligible edit box.


. . .


other WinINSTALL variables, these can be added into an application package in any number of places, including file paths, text and .ini file contents, registry contents, shortcut parameters, etc.

CONSTANT VALUES ($CONSTN$ OR WI_CONSTN)A constant value is a variable token that is replaced with a pre-set value when a package or list is processed. The administrator enters this value when the package is created or edited. Constants can be set at the list level ($ConstN$) and at the package-level - for both NAI ($ConstN$) and MSI (WI_CONSTn) packages.

H O W C O N S T A N T V A L U E S B E H A V EConstant values work rather like global search and replace. They let you tell the installer, “Wherever you see this token in a package, replace it with the associated constant value that I set through the console.”

W H E N T O U S E C O N S T A N T V A L U E SThe most appropriate place for using constants is in path names in the Files section of a package. For example, if different machines in your network stored Windows applications in different directories, you might want to be able to modify a package to specify a different Windows directory depending upon the machine where the package was being installed.

For example, assume that you have a package in which the directory containing Windows applications is represented by the constant value called $Const1$. Now, further assume that one of your machines stores Windows applications in Dir01, and another stores them in DirXX. If you were installing the package on the first machine, you would define the constant value $Const1$ as Dir01. Whenever WinINSTALL finds the string $Const1$ in a path name in the package, it will replace it with Dir01. For instance, at runtime, if the installer saw an instruction specifying a path such as @PackageDir\$Const1$

NOTE: The eligible edit boxes for application prompt variables are the same as those for system variables.

TIP: If you have already defined a variable and it does not show up on the context menu, click a different main tree node and then return to the Software Distribution tree node. When you try again to insert the variable into the package, it should display on the context menu.



\Excel\Excel.exe, it would interpret is as \\<WinINSTALL share>\Packages\Dir01\Excel\Excel.exe. Because the package uses a constant value rather than the directory-specific string, you could later redefine \$Const1$ as DirXX. When the installer encountered the path shown above, it would now interpret it as \\<WinINSTALL share>\Packages\DirXX\Excel\Excel.exe.

H O W T O U S E A C O N S T A N T V A L U E Using a constant value involves two steps – first define the constant value, and then insert it into the package or list.

H O W T O D E F I N E A C O N S T A N T V A L U E :1 Select a list or a package in the tree pane.


3 Select the Shared tab Variables sub-tab User-defined sub-tab in the data pane.

4 On the User-defined sub-tab, click the new icon.

5 On the User Variable dialog, select Constant as the variable type, enter a value and click OK. WinINSTALL automatically provides the variable name using one of the following formats (with N being an auto-incremented number) - $ConstN$ (NAI package) or WI_CONSTn (MSI package).

H O W T O I N S E R T A C O N S T A N T V A L U E I N T O A L I S T O R P A C K A G EYou can manually insert a constant value into a package or you can use a special WinINSTALL feature to search for a specified value and automatically replace it with a specific constant value.

• To manually insert a constant value into a list or package:

1 Right-click an eligible edit box.

2 Select the desired constant value from the pop-up context menu. It is automatically entered in the edit box.

• To have WinINSTALL automatically replace instances of a value with a constant value:

NOTE: You insert a constant value into a package in the same way that you insert system variables into a package. Once you have created the variable, it is added to the context menu that displays when you right-click an eligible edit box.


. . .


1 On the User Variable dialog, create or edit a constant value, give it the value for which you want WinINSTALL to search, and click OK. (See How to define a constant value:, above, for instructions on how to get to the User Variable dialog.)

2 Choose Edit -> Scan Variables.

3 On the Scan for Variables dialog, select the constant value whose value you set in step 1, above (i.e., the variable whose value you want WinINSTALL to find and replace with the variable itself.

4 Click OK and WinINSTALL will perform the search and replace.

ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES ($ENVARN$ OR WI_ENVARN)An environment variable is replaced with a value retrieved from a user’s environment when a package is processed. A user’s environment is defined in the registry and the Autoexec.bat file. The advantage of using environment variables is that the installer will query the user’s machine, not the user, for the necessary information. The user will not be interrupted by a prompt, and there will be no risk of typographical errors.

H O W E N V I R O N M E N T V A R I A B L E S B E H A V EEnvironment variables let you tell the installer, “Wherever you see this environment variable in a package, replace it with the value retrieved from the user’s environment on the local machine.”

NOTE: You cannot use the Scan Variables function for a constant value unless you have first defined the constant and set its value. It will not appear on the list of available variables until you have done so.

TIP: It’s also possible to manually type the token for a constant variable directly into an application package. In an eligible edit box or other appropriate point in an application package, type $ConstN$, where N is the number of the desired constant value. You can use any number of constant values, and like other WinINSTALL variables, these can be added into an application package in any number of places, including file paths, text and .ini file contents, registry contents, shortcut parameters, etc.



W H E N T O U S E E N V I R O N M E N T V A R I A B L E SEnvironment variables are useful in situations where the user-specific information required for installation of a package is located in the environment settings on the local machine. For example, some applications need to be copied to a user’s home directory on a server. Each user would have a different home directory location, such as the following:

\\<server>\users\tjones

\\<server>\users\bsmith

It would be impractical and difficult to create separate packages to specify these user-specific directories. However, the use of environment variables allows these user-specific values to be resolved dynamically at runtime.

H O W T O U S E A N E N V I R O N M E N T V A R I A B L E Using an environment variable involves three steps – first, determine the type and format of information that is needed, next, define the variable, and finally, insert it into the package.

H O W T O D E T E R M I N E T H E T Y P E A N D F O R M A T O F T H E I N F O R M A T I O N T H A T I S N E E D E DYou can examine the user’s environment to see what type of information is available for you to use as an environment variable. Once you have decided the type of information you will use, the user’s environment also lets you see what a particular setting is called. For instance, if the environment sets a home directory for users, the setting could take several forms, such as those illustrated below:

HomePath=\users\bsmith

HomeDir=\users\bsmith

Home=users\bsmith

Viewing the environment settings on a machine can be accomplished in any of several ways:

• On any type of system, go out to a DOS command prompt and type Set. On the screen, you will see a list of environment variables and their local values.

• On Windows 2000 systems, do one of the following:

• Select Start -> Settings -> Control Panel -> System -> Advanced tab and click the Environment Variables button. On the Environment Variables dialog, you will see a list of user variables and system variables, with their local values.

• Right-click My Computer, select Properties from the popup context menu, select the Advanced tab, and click the Environment Variables button. On the Environment


. . .


Variables dialog, you will see a list of user variables and system variables, with their local values.

• On Windows XP systems, do one of the following:

• Select Start -> Control Panel -> System -> Advanced tab and click the Environment Variables button. On the Environment Variables dialog, you will see a list of user variables and system variables, with their local values.

• Right-click My Computer, select Properties from the popup context menu, select the Advanced tab, and click the Environment Variables button. On the Environment Variables dialog, you will see a list of user variables and system variables, with their local values.

• On Windows NT platforms, do one of the following:

• Select Start -> Programs -> Administrative Tools -> Windows NT Diagnostics. On the Windows NT Diagnostics dialog, select the Environment Variables tab. Click either the Local User or System button to see a list of user variables or system variables, with their local values.

• Right-click My Computer, select Properties from the popup context menu, and select the Environment tab. You will see a list of user variables and system variables, with their local values.

The name of the variable is on the left side of the equation, and the local value is on the right side. For example, in settings such as those shown below, HomeDir and Path – located on the left side of the equation - are the variable names.

HomeDir=c:\users\bsmith

Path=c:users\bsmith

H O W T O D E F I N E A N E N V I R O N M E N T V A R I A B L E 1 Highlight a list or a package in the tree pane.


3 Select the Shared tab ‡ Variables sub-tab ‡ User-defined sub-tab in the data pane.

4 On the User-defined sub-tab, click the Add icon.

5 On the User Variable dialog, select Environment as the variable type, enter a value and click OK.

6 WinINSTALL will automatically provide the variable name using one of the following formats (with N being an auto-incremented number) - $EnvarN$ (NAI package or list) or WI_ENVARn (MSI package).



H O W T O I N S E R T A N E N V I R O N M E N T V A R I A B L E I N T O A L I S T O R N A I P A C K A G ETo insert an environment variable into a list or NAI package, right-click an eligible edit box and select the desired an environment variable from the pop-up context menu. It is entered automatically in the edit box. At any appropriate point in an application package, you can also type $EVarN$, where N is the number of the desired variable. You can use any number of environment variables, and like other WinINSTALL variables, these can be added into an application package in any number of places, including file paths, text and .ini file contents, registry contents, shortcut parameters, etc.

H O W T O I N S E R T A N E N V I R O N M E N T V A R I A B L E I N T O A N M S I P A C K A G ETo insert an environment variable into Windows Installer package, right-click an eligible edit box and select the desired environment variable from the pop-up context menu. It is entered automatically in the edit box. You can also type the variable name where you want to insert it in an edit box.

GLOBAL PROMPTS ($VARN$ OR WI_VARN)A global prompt variable is replaced with information supplied by a user in response to a prompt when the packages in a list are processed. An application prompt requests information from a user and then replaces the variable with the information provided by the user. A global prompt variable can be set only at the list level and is used by all of the packages in the list. A global prompt requests information from the user the first time that it is encountered, and that value is remembered as the installer processes the list of applications, and the value is used whenever the installer encounters the same variable in any package in the list. (If you need to set up prompting variables that will be used only by certain packages in a list, set up application prompts - $AppVar$ variables – for the specified packages.)

H O W G L O B A L P R O M P T V A R I A B L E S B E H A V EGlobal prompt variables let you tell the installer, “Wherever you see this global prompt variable in a package, replace it with the value entered by the user on the local machine.”

Global prompts are set at the list level and inherited by any package that was created in that list after the variables were set. For each list-level global prompt, the user is prompted only

NOTE: You insert an environment variable into an NAI package in the same way that you insert system variables into a package. Once you have created the variable, it is added to the context menu that displays when you right-click an eligible edit box.


. . .


once when the list begins to be processed, no matter how many packages are in the list. For example, if ten packages inherit a particular global prompt, the user will not be prompted ten separate times. The installer will remember the user’s response, apply it to any package that needs it, and ignore it elsewhere.

W H E N T O U S E G L O B A L P R O M P T V A R I A B L E SYou should use global prompts only in lists that contain packages where you expect a user to be available to answer prompts during installation. For example, packages in a list scheduled to be installed transparently by the WinINSTALL agent or packages intended to be auto-installed “quietly” would not be appropriate packages in which to use global prompts.

We recommend using prompts sparingly. Remember that any time a user is prompted for input, there is the danger of typographical errors or refusal to comply. Although the user must respond with something, the answer may bear no resemblance to what you wanted or expected. If you can achieve your purpose through some other type of variable, we recommend that you do so.

If you do use prompts, give your users specific guidelines about how to answer. For example, set a prompt that says, “Are you using Windows XP or Windows 2000? (Type XP or 2K.)”

One common use for global prompts is in the target paths of files to be copied to users’ machines. For example, you might want to install certain files to a departmental directory that would be different for different users. You could prompt each user for a department name. The installer would place files into a directory with that name.

NOTE: Technically, it is possible to set global prompts at the package level. This, however, is a legacy feature included only to ensure backward compatibility with earlier versions of WinINSTALL. There is no longer any reason to set global prompts at the package level, since you can set a virtually unlimited number of application prompts.

WARNING: If you choose to use a global prompt with a list of packages scheduled for distribution, be aware that if the user is not present to answer the prompt, the WinINSTALL Agent will assume the packages have not been installed. Therefore, the automatic installer will continue to launch, based on the time interval set in the list file, until the prompt is answered.



S T E P S I N V O L V E D I N U S I N G A G L O B A L P R O M P T V A R I A B L EUsing a global prompt variable involves two steps – first, define the variable, and then insert it into the package.

H O W T O D E F I N E A G L O B A L P R O M P T V A R I A B L E 1 Highlight a list or a package in the tree pane.




5 On the User Variable dialog, select Global Prompt as the variable type. In the Value field, type a prompt that you want the user to answer and click OK. (The prompt will appear exactly as you type it. The user responds to the prompt, and WinINSTALL uses the response as the value for the variable.) WinINSTALL automatically provides the variable name using the following formats - $VarN$ (NAI package) or WI_VARn (MSI package) - with N being an auto-incremented number.

H O W T O I N S E R T A G L O B A L P R O M P T V A R I A B L E I N T O A L I S TTo insert a global prompt variable into a list, right-click an eligible edit box and select the desired global prompt variable from the pop-up context menu. It is automatically entered in the edit box. In an eligible edit box or other appropriate point in an application package, you can also type the variable in manually ($VarN$, where N is the number of the desired variable).

You can use any number of global prompt variables, and like other WinINSTALL variables, these can be added into an application package in any number of places, including file paths, text and .ini file contents, registry contents, shortcut parameters, etc.

NOTE: Since a global prompt applies to all of the packages in the list, the user is prompted only once during installation. The installer remembers the user’s response and uses it for all packages that are installed during the same user session.

NOTE: You insert a global prompt variable into an NAI package in the same way that you insert system variables into a package. Once you have created the variable, it is added to the context menu that displays when you right-click an eligible edit box


. . .


IN I F ILE VARIABLES (@ININ)An INI file variable is replaced with a value that is read from a configuration (INI) file when a package is processed. An INI file variable can be used to customize installations based on the information located in these configuration files.

H O W I N I F I L E V A R I A B L E S B E H A V EINI file variables let you tell the installer, “Whenever you find an @INI variable, replace it with a string of characters retrieved from a designated INI file.” You designate the INI file name, heading, and key where the value should be retrieved, and the INI file variable is replaced with the specified value when the package is processed.

W H E N T O U S E I N I F I L E V A R I A B L E S An example of an instance in which you might want to use an INI file variable would be if you wanted to read the installation path of a previous version of an application, which is a value you could find in the existing installation's INI file.

S T E P S I N V O L V E D I N U S I N G I N I F I L E V A R I A B L E SCreating and inserting an INI file variable into a package is done in a single action.

H O W T O C R E A T E A N D I N S E R T A N I N I F I L E V A R I A B L E1 Navigate to the place in the package where you want to insert an INI file variable and

right-click an eligible edit box. Choose INI File Variables from the pop-up context menu.

2 On the Specify .INI File Variable dialog, create the variable that will be inserted. Enter or browse to the fully-qualified path to the desired .INI file, select a heading within that file (from the drop-down list), and select a key under that heading (from the drop-down list).

3 Click OK. WinINSTALL will creates the INI file variable, associate it with the path to the INI file/heading/key that you selected in the previous step, and insert the newly created variable into the package. (The variable is created in the format @INI:PathandFilename[SelectedHeading](SelectedKey)) Each time the installer encounters the INI file variable during package processing, it will replace the variable with the value that it finds in the specified INI file/heading/key.



REGISTRY VARIABLES (@REG)A registry variable is replaced with a value in a specified text string in the system registry when a package is processed. You select the registry hive, key, and value where the text string should be retrieved.

H O W R E G I S T R Y V A R I A B L E S B E H A V EA registry variable lets you tell the installer, “Whenever you find a @REG variable, replace it with a string of characters that you retrieve from the registry.” Registry variables can read values from registry keys used by applications to store information about how the application is installed. This information can then be used to customize how an installation is processed.

W H E N T O U S E R E G I S T R Y V A R I A B L E S An example of an instance in which you might want to use a registry variable would be if you wanted to read customized configuration data from an existing installation and use it to customize another installation.

S T E P S I N V O L V E D I N U S I N G R E G I S T R Y V A R I A B L E SCreating and inserting a registry variable into a package is done in a single action.

H O W T O C R E A T E A N D I N S E R T A R E G I S T R Y V A R I A B L E1 Navigate to the place in the package where you want to insert a registry variable and

right-click an eligible edit box. Choose Registry Variables from the pop-up context menu.

NOTE: You can use any number of .ini file variables, and like other WinINSTALL variables, these can be added into an application package in many places, including file paths, text and .ini file contents, registry contents, shortcut parameters, etc. Where the right-click menu is unavailable, you can type the variable in manually--but if you need to do so, be certain it is correct, or the results may be unpredictable.

TIP: Registry variables work only with registry string values (type REG_SZ).


. . .


2 On the Registry Browser dialog, navigate to the registry key that holds the text string for which you want to create a variable. Expand the branches as necessary, navigate to the desired registry entry, and highlight a value in the right-hand pane of the dialog.

3 Click OK. WinINSTALL creates a registry variable, assigns it the value that you selected in the previous step, and inserts the newly created variable into the package. (The variable is created in the format @REG:[[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Key\Subkey\ValueName]].) Each time the installer encounters the registry variable during package processing, it will replace the variable with the string value found at this registry location.

TEXT F ILE VARIABLES ($TVARN$)A text file variable is replaced with the value in a special text file, created specifically for this purpose, after the installer has begun to process a package. These text files can store many different types of data that can be used during application installation. After any pre-install or pre-remove programs have run, the installer checks the specified text file for a go/nogo flag (Proceed=) and for any text file variables. You can design the pre-install or pre-remove program to create and populate the text file that the installers will read.

H O W T E X T F I L E V A R I A B L E S B E H A V E Text file variables let you pass variable information to WinINSTALL through a formatted text file, after the installers have begun to process a package. The purpose of these variables is to enable a pre-install or pre-remove program to communicate directly with the installers, during the process of installing or removing a package, to pass information not readily available to the installers in any other fashion. The installers can then make use of this information throughout the install.

W H E N T O U S E T E X T F I L E V A R I A B L E S An example of an instance in which you might want to use a text file variable is an instance where you wanted an application to be installed in the same directory as another program. You could then write a script or program to find the location of a key file of the other program. Having found that program, you could have the script or program add the path of

NOTE: You can use any number of registry variables, and like other WinINSTALL variables, these can be added into an application package in many places, including file paths, text and .ini file contents, registry contents, shortcut parameters, etc. Where the right-click menu is unavailable, you can type the variable in manually--but if you need to do so, be certain it is correct, or the results may be unpredictable.



that file as the value of a text file variable so that the installer can then read that information and use it as the target install path for the application being installed.

Furthermore, if the script or program is unable to find the key file, it has the ability to set the go/nogo flag in the text file to cause the installer to abort the installation.

S T E P S I N V O L V E D I N U S I N G T E X T F I L E V A R I A B L E SUsing text file variables involves three steps: tell the installers what text file to use, insert the variable into the package, and create the text file that defines the variable.

H O W T O T E L L T H E I N S T A L L E R S W H A T T E X T F I L E T O U S E1 Highlight a list or a WinINSTALL package in the tree pane.



4 On the User-defined sub-tab, enter the path to the text file in the Text Variable File edit box or click the ellipsis to browse for it on the Select File dialog.

H O W T O I N S E R T A T E X T F I L E V A R I A B L E I N T O A P A C K A G EIn an eligible edit box or other appropriate point in an application package, type $TVarN$, where N is the number of the desired variable (see example below). You can use any number of text file variables, and like other WinINSTALL variables, these can be added into an application package in any number of places, including file paths, text and .ini file contents, registry contents, shortcut parameters, etc.

H O W T O C R E A T E T H E T E X T F I L EBefore the package is processed, a text file must be created in the standard INI file format shown below (this file can be created at install time by a pre-install program or script):

[Text File Variables]

Proceed=Yes (default.)

Tvar1=<value to substitute for $Tvar1$>



TIP: Your pre-install program or script can create the text file from which the installers will read the text file variables at the time when the package is installed. This same program or script can also write the variable values to this text file when the file is created.


. . .




URL VARIABLES (@URL)A URL variable is replaced with a user-specified Internet address when a package is processed. You enter the address as the URL value in the console before the package is processed.

H O W U R L V A R I A B L E S B E H A V E URL variables work like global search and replace. They let you tell the installers, “Wherever you see a @URL variable in a package, replace it with the associated Internet-accessed address set through the console.”

W H E N T O U S E U R L V A R I A B L E S You might use a URL variable if you want a particular file that is part of a package to be accessed from a web server on a corporate intranet, rather than from a file server on the LAN. You designate that file by using a URL instead of a mapped drive or UNC. For example, you could insert this type of variable in the Source File Name and Path edit box on the File tab of the File Install Properties dialog.

S T E P S I N V O L V E D I N U S I N G U R L V A R I A B L E SUsing a URL variable involves two steps: define the variable and insert it into the package.

H O W T O D E F I N E T H E U R L V A R I A B L E1 Highlight a list or a WinINSTALL package in the tree pane.




NOTE: A URL (Uniform Resource Locator) is the unique address for a file that is accessible on the Internet. The URL contains the name of the protocol (such as http or ftp) to be used to access the file resource, a domain name (such as www.targetPC.com) that identifies a specific computer on the Internet, and a pathname that specifies the location of a file in that computer.



5 On the User Variable dialog, select URL as the variable type, enter the URL, and click OK. WinINSTALL will automatically provide the variable name using the following format - @URLN - with N being an auto-incremented number.

H O W T O I N S E R T T H E U R L V A R I A B L E I N T O A P A C K A G EIn an eligible edit box or other appropriate point in an application package, type $URLN$, where N is the number of the desired variable--or right-click an eligible edit box, select the desired URL variable from the pop-up context menu, and click the desired variable to automatically enter it into the edit box. You can use any number of URL variables, and like other WinINSTALL variables, these can be added into an application package in any number of places, including file paths, text and .ini file contents, registry contents, shortcut parameters, etc.

NOTE: You can insert a URL variable into an NAI package in the same way that you insert system variables into a package. Once you have created a URL variable, it is added to the context menu that displays when you right-click an eligible edit box.


. . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .RUNTIME OPTIONS 12

ou can customize certain aspects of the automatic and interactive installers runtime behavior. Some options can be set for a list or for either kind of package; others can be set for a list or a WinINSTALL package, but not a Windows Installer package.

If you set options at the list level (that is, when a list is highlighted in the tree pane), the options will apply to all packages in the list, unless overridden at a lower level. If you set options at the package level (when a single package is highlighted in the tree pane), the options will apply only to that package.

The following settings control how the installer behaves at runtime:

• Recovery rollback (lists and NAI packages only)

• Uninstall options available to users

• Visibility of Abort button

• Automatic removal if group conditions are not valid

• Whether the Automatic Installer should pause after completion

• Privilege elevation (lists and MSI packages only)

• Application history location (lists and NAI packages only)

R U N T I M E O P T I O N S T H A T C A N B E S E T F O R

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . L I S T S A N D B O T H K I N D S O F P A C K A G E SThese settings can be controlled at either the list level or the package level – for both WinINSTALL and Windows Installer packages.

To set runtime options that customize how installers behave at runtime, follow these steps:

1 Navigate to a list or WinINSTALL package under Software Distribution in the tree pane.

2 In the list pane, select General.

3 In the data pane, click the Shared tab, then the Runtime sub-tab, and finally the Installer sub-tab.

4 Select and modify the desired options. The options available on the Installer sub-tab may vary, depending on whether you highlighted a list, a WinINSTALL package, or a Windows Installer package.

Y


R U N T I M E O P T I O N SRuntime Options that Can Be Set for Lists and Both Kinds of Packages1 2

INSTALLER SUB-TAB (L IST)When you select a list in the tree pane, you can control the following settings on the Installer sub-tab:

R E C O V E R Y R O L L B A C KWhen you check this option, if an installation fails for any reason, WinINSTALL will automatically return all files to the state they were in before you initiated the install procedure. For WinINSTALL packages, the installer rollback function is enabled by default.

E N A B L E I N T E R A C T I V E I N S T A L L E R ' U N I N S T A L L ' B U T T O NWhen you check this option, users will be able to uninstall any of the applications installed by the Interactive Installer. The default behavior is to enable the Uninstall option.

D I S A B L E A U T O M A T I C ' A B O R T ' B U T T O NBy default, this option is unchecked, meaning that the Automatic Installer Abort button is visible and operational to users. When you check this option, you specify that this button be made unavailable.

A U T O M A T I C A L L Y U N I N S T A L L A P P L I C A T I O N I F U S E R N O L O N G E R M E E T S G R O U P R E S T R I C T I O N S

By default, this option is unchecked. When you check this option, if you have set “Group” conditions on a package, WinINSTALL will automatically uninstall this package if a user is removed from the qualified group(s).

N U M B E R O F S E C O N D S T O P A U S E T H E A U T O M A T I C I N S T A L L E R B E F O R E T E R M I N A T I N G A F T E R C O M P L E T I O N

When the Automatic Installer has completed processing all packages, it pauses on the user's screen and displays a list of everything it has completed. The pause can be set to a value form 0 (no pause) to 999 (pause until the user clicks the OK button). The default is 30 seconds.

NOTE: If you are striving for network-wide consistency, you may not want users to have the option to remove applications.


. . .

. .R U N T I M E O P T I O N SRuntime Options that Can Be Set for Lists and Both Kinds of Packages

A L L O W P R I V I L E G E E L E V A T I O NBy default, this option is unchecked. When you check this option, you specify that a Windows Installer package installation should take place in an administrative security context (i.e., the local system account). Normally, when an MSI package is installed, it takes place in the security context of the logged-in user. This feature is supported on WinNT, Win2K and WinXP.

A P P L I C A T I O N H I S T O R Y L O C A T I O NWinINSTALL keeps track of what applications it has installed on a machine. This information is known as the application History. It is stored in the Registry under HKEY_CURRENT_USER, HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, or both. The installers examine the Registry (or, if specified, a special .NAI.INI file in the user’s Windows directory). If the application history shows that an application has already been installed, WinINSTALL will not try to install it again. The following options are available:

M A C H I N E S P E C I F I C ( D E F A U L T )When you select this option, the installer will check HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE to determine whether to process the package. If the package has been processed on the machine, it will not be reprocessed on that machine, no matter who logs on.

U S E R S P E C I F I CWhen you select this option, the installer will check HKEY_CURRENT_USER to determine whether to process the package. If the package has been processed for the user who is currently logged in, it will not be processed again for that user, regardless of whether or not it has ever been processed on that machine. If a new user logs on, the package will be processed again, with the installer repeating the process of checking to see whether the package has ever been processed for the new user.

B O T HWhen you select this option, the installer will check both HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE and HKEY_CURRENT_USER to determine whether to process the package. If the package is not listed in both places as having been processed, the installer will reprocess the package.

TIP: instructing the Installers to use both the machine and user locations helps to accommodate roving users.



R E G I S T R YThe registry is the default option. With this option selected, the installer examines the Registry to determine whether to process the package.

I N I F I L EIf the INI file option is selected, the installer examines the file NAI.INI in the Windows directory to determine whether to process the package. This option is seldom used under current operating systems, but it is retained for compatibility with legacy packages and systems.

INSTALLER SUB-TAB (WININSTALL PACKAGE)When you select a WinINSTALL package in the tree pane, you can control the following settings on the Installer sub-tab:

R E C O V E R Y R O L L B A C KWhen you check this option, if an installation fails for any reason, WinINSTALL will automatically return all files to the state they were in before you initiated the install procedure. For WinINSTALL packages, the installer rollback function is enabled by default.





. . .

. .R U N T I M E O P T I O N SRuntime Options that Can Be Set for Lists and Both Kinds of Packages





A P P L I C A T I O N H I S T O R Y L O C A T I O NWinINSTALL keeps track of what applications it has installed on a machine. This information is known as the application History. It is stored in the Registry under HKEY_CURRENT_USER, HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, or both. The installers examine the Registry (or, if specified, a special .NAI.INI file in the user’s Windows directory). If the application history shows that an application has already been installed, WinINSTALL will not try to install it again. The following options are available:

M A C H I N E S P E C I F I C ( D E F A U L T )When you select this option, the installer will check HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE to determine whether to process the package. If the package has been processed on the machine, it will not be reprocessed on that machine, no matter who logs on.

U S E R S P E C I F I CWhen you select this option, the installer will check HKEY_CURRENT_USER to determine whether to process the package. If the package has been processed for the user who is currently logged in, it will not be processed again for that user, regardless of whether or not it has ever been processed on that machine. If a new user logs on, the package will be processed again, with the installer repeating the process of checking to see whether the package has ever been processed for the new user.

B O T HWhen you select this option, the installer will check both HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE and HKEY_CURRENT_USER to determine whether to process the package. If the package is not listed in both places as having been processed, the installer will reprocess the package.



R E G I S T R YThe registry is the default option. With this option selected, the installer examines the Registry to determine whether to process the package.

I N I F I L EIf the INI file option is selected, the installer examines the file NAI.INI in the Windows directory to determine whether to process the package. This option is seldom used under current operating systems, but it is retained for compatibility with legacy packages and systems.

INSTALLER SUB-TAB (WINDOWS INSTALLER PACKAGE)When you select a Windows Installer package in the tree pane, you can control the following settings on the Installer sub-tab:



TIP: Instructing the Installers to use both the machine and user locations helps to accommodate roving users.



. . .

. .R U N T I M E O P T I O N SFile Copy Options





A L L O W P R I V I L E G E E L E V A T I O NBy default, this option is unchecked. When you check this option, you specify that a Windows Installer package installation should take place in an administrative security context (i.e., the local system account). Normally, when an MSI package is installed, it takes place in the security context of the logged-in user. This feature is supported on WinNT, Win2K and WinXP.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F I L E C O P Y O P T I O N SWhen a package is installed, it copies files to the target system. In some cases, the file being copied may already exist on the target system. You can control how WinINSTALL behaves when a file being copied already exists on the target system. This control can be applied at the list, package, or individual file level.

FILE COMPARISON CRITERIADuring an install, if the WinINSTALL installer finds an existing copy of a file to be installed, it compares the file in the package with the file existing on the target system to determine whether the copy in the package is newer, older, or the same as the one on the target system. This determination is carried out in the following manner:

NOTE: File copy options can be controlled only for a list or for a WinINSTALL package.


R U N T I M E O P T I O N SFile Copy Options1 2

I N T E R N A L F I L E V E R S I O N C H E C KIf both copies have file versions, then the internal file version determines which file is newer.

If only one copy has a file version, then that copy is considered newer than the one which does not have a file version.

F I L E D A T E / T I M E S T A M P C H E C KIf neither file has an internal file version, then the installer will compare the date/time stamps on the two files. Date/Time Stamps are obviously less reliable than internal file versions, so they are used only as a last resort.

AVAILABLE F ILE COPY OPTIONSThe options listed below, available in the General category for lists and WinINSTALL packages on the Shared -> Runtime -> Files to Copy tab, control installer behavior when files being copied are found to already exist on the target system.

The same options are available as overrides for individual files as well. (Select the desired WinINSTALL package, select Files in the list view and then select the desired file in the Add Phase list. Either double-click the file, or click the Edit icon to invoke the File Install Properties dialog. Select the Options tab and then select the desired copy option from the Copy Option Override drop-down.)

I F D E S T I N A T I O N F I L E A L R E A D Y E X I S T S , T H E N D O N O T C O P Y

If the package says to copy file X and the target system already has file X, the installer will not overwrite the target file with the source file, no matter how old the source file is.

I F S O U R C E F I L E I S O L D E R T H A N D E S T I N A T I O N , T H E N D O N O T C O P Y ( D E F A U L T )

If the package says to copy file X and the target system already has file X, the installer will not overwrite the target file with the source file, if the source file is older than the target file. The file will be copied only if the files are the same, or if the source file is newer than the existing file on the target system.

NOTE: This is the default option, assuring that the user will never mistakenly be given a copy of a file that is older than the one he or she already has.


. . .

. .R U N T I M E O P T I O N SFile Copy Options

I F S O U R C E F I L E I S O L D E R T H A N O R E Q U A L T O D E S T . , T H E N D O N O T C O P Y

If the package says to copy file X and the target system already has file X, the installer will not overwrite the target file with the source file if the target file has the same or later date as the source file. The file will be copied only if the source file is newer than the existing file on the target system. If the files are the same, the file will not be copied.

I F S O U R C E F I L E I S O L D E R T H A N D E S T I N A T I O N , T H E N A S K T H E U S E R

If the package says to copy file X and the target system already has file X, the installer will prompt the user to decide whether to overwrite the target file with the source file.

A L W A Y S C O P YIf the package says to copy file X and the target system already has file X, the installer will always overwrite the target file with the source file, even if the target file is a newer version.

NOTE: This option can save time because the installers will not spend time copying files that are the same.


R U N T I M E O P T I O N SFile Copy Options1 2


. . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .PACKAGE CONDITIONS 13

ou can request that a package be processed only by clients that meet specific conditions. WinINSTALL package conditions are divided into seven categories, most of which can be set at either the list level or the package level, and for either

WinINSTALL or Windows Installer packages. Diskspace conditions are an exception, in that they can be set only for WinINSTALL packages and lists, as are Launch Conditions and Feature Conditions, which can be set only for Windows Installer packages at the package and feature level, respectively.

If no conditions are set, the selected package can be installed on or removed from any computer by any user, unless other factors prevent the package from being installed or removed. But once a condition has been set, only those users or computers who meet all specified conditions will be able to install or remove the package.

You can set the following categories of conditions to determine which users can process a package. Except as noted below, these categories can all apply at the list level or the package level and are valid for both NAI and MSI packages

Diskspace conditions apply only to WinINSTALL packages and lists; and Launch Conditions and Feature Conditions apply only to MSI packages.

1 General Conditions

General conditions can enable or disable installation or removal privileges. They also can require a specific password or the presence of a specific environment variable or registry value in order to process a package.

2 System Conditions

System conditions can specify system prerequisite conditions on the target computer for a package installation or removal.

3 Software Conditions

Software conditions restrict the processing of a package to those computers who have (or lack) certain applications, files and/or shortcuts installed.

4 Language Conditions

Language conditions can restrict processing of a package based on the operating system and/or UI language on the target system.

5 Group Membership Conditions

Group membership conditions can restrict processing of a package to users or machines belonging to certain designated groups (such as NDS groups, Microsoft Network groups, Active Directory groups, or NT Local groups).

Y


P A C K A G E C O N D I T I O N SHow to Set Package or List Conditions1 3

6 Disk Space Conditions

Disk space conditions specify when and how to check disk space for a required amount of available free space. Only those machines which meet the minimum disk space requirements will be permitted to install the package. These conditions are not available for Windows Installer packages, but the Windows Installer checks for disk space automatically.

7 Windows Installer Package Launch Conditions and Feature Conditions

Windows Installer packages offer an additional set of conditions which can be applied to determine whether a package or feature may be installed.

H O W T O S E T P A C K A G E O R L I S T

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C O N D I T I O N STo set package or list conditions, select a list or package in the tree pane, select General in the list pane, select the Conditions tab in the data pane, and then set specific conditions on the following sub-tabs:

• General Sub-tab

• System Sub-tab

• Software Sub-tab

• Diskspace Sub-tab (handled natively in MSI packages)

• Language Sub-tab

• Group Sub-tab

Any of the above conditions that have been set on the separate sub-tabs are represented graphically on the Summary sub-tab.

• Windows Installer Launch Conditions

Windows Installer launch conditions are sequences of logical/comparative operators along with MSI properties and values. See the Windows Installer Launch Conditions section, below, for additional details

D

NOTE: Disk space conditions are not available as an option for MSI packages because the Windows Installer checks disk space natively.


. . .

. .P A C K A G E C O N D I T I O N SConditions Summary

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C O N D I T I O N S S U M M A R YThe General -> Conditions -> Summary sub-tab presents a list of the conditions that have been set for the selected package or list. If a package is highlighted in the tree pane, all of these conditions must be met in order for the package to be installed. If a list is highlighted in the tree pane, all of these conditions must be met in order for the packages in the list to be installed. The following information displays for each condition that has been set on the list:

• Prerequisite

• Mode

• Operator

• Value

The information on the Summary sub-tab is read-only. To change the information, click the appropriate individual sub-tabs. If you double-click a condition on the Summary sub-tab, you will automatically jump to the appropriate sub-tab, where you can modify the selected condition.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . G E N E R A L C O N D I T I O N S Several general conditions can control whether a package or a list of packages can be processed. The following options are available on the General sub-tab:

• Turn on or off installation/uninstallation privileges.

• Require a particular password.

• Require users to have one or more specified environment variables set to specific values.

• Require users to have one or more specified registry values.

• Specify an access denial message to display when any of the above conditions are not met. The access denial message is used only with the Automatic Installer and only when processing a single package.

Each of these conditions is discussed in detail, below.

MODEEach application is available in two modes: Install and Uninstall. The other settings visible on the General sub-tab apply to the selected mode only.

In other words, each package has two groups of settings: one for each mode. If you switch from Install mode to Uninstall (by selecting the other choice in the Mode drop-down), you


P A C K A G E C O N D I T I O N SGeneral Conditions 1 3

will also switch all of the visible settings on the tab from those set for Install to those for Uninstall.

ALLOW ACCESSCheck the Allow Access checkbox to allow processing of the package in the selected mode (Install or Uninstall), or leave it unchecked to prevent processing of the package in the selected mode.

If Allow Access is unchecked, none of the other settings on the tab are enabled. To set a password, access denial message, environment variable requirement or registry variable requirement, you must first check the Allow Access check box for the desired mode (Install or Uninstall).

SETTINGS

R E Q U I R E P A S S W O R DWhen the Require Password checkbox is checked, the user must enter the password that you specify in order to process the package. You must specify a password of up to 8 characters containing the characters A-Z or 0-9.

A C C E S S D E N I A L M E S S A G EThe Automatic Installer can display an access denial message when a user is not allowed to process the package. Enter or browse to the fully-qualified path to the text file containing the message to display.

The access denial message is used only with the Automatic Installer and only when processing a single package.

NOTE: By default, Allow Access is turned on for any package you create. You might want to turn it off if, for example, you wanted to create a package for an application that you don’t want users to install quite yet. (It would be even better to keep such a package in a separate test list until you are ready to deploy it.)

NOTE: You are not typing the actual access denial message here, in the console. You are instead providing the fully qualified path and filename of the text file which contains the message text.


. . .

. .P A C K A G E C O N D I T I O N SGeneral Conditions

When the Automatic Installer processes a list of applications, it simply skips any whose conditions are not met. In such a case, no access denial message is displayed.

When the Interactive Installer encounters a package whose conditions are not met, the package simply will not appear in the interactive list, or else, under certain circumstances, the Install button will be inactive. The Interactive Installer will not display an access denial message.

E N V I R O N M E N T V A R I A B L E S• Enable

When the Enable Environment Variables checkbox is checked, the fields for environment variable name and value are enabled.

• Variable Name

Enter the name of the environment variable that must be present or browse for it on the Environment Variable Selector dialog. (To browse, first click the “new” icon and then click the ellipsis button.)

• Value Substring

Enter the value of the environment variable that must be present.

The variable and value specified here must be present on the target system in order for the package to be processed. You can specify multiple environment variable-value pairs. If the target system environment variables contain a match for any one of these pairs, the package will be permitted to be processed.

R E G I S T R Y C O N D I T I O N S• Enable

When the Enable Registry Conditions checkbox is checked, the fields for registry value and value substring are enabled.

• Registry Value

Enter the value name of the registry entry that must be present or browse for it on the Registry Browser dialog. (To browse, first click the “new” icon and then click the ellipsis button.)

• Value Substring

Enter the value data of the registry entry that must be present.

The value and substring specified here must be present on the target system in order for the package to be processed. You can specify multiple value-substring pairs. If the target


P A C K A G E C O N D I T I O N SSystem Conditions1 3

system registry contains a match for any one of these pairs, the package will be permitted to be processed.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . S Y S T E M C O N D I T I O N SWinINSTALL can require system conditions for the processing of lists and packages. The installer checks for these system prerequisites when it begins to process a package or list, and target systems must meet any specified conditions in order to process such packages or lists.

If the target system does not have the specified prerequisites to install a package, the package will still be able to be uninstalled, unless the Remove option is disabled or other factors prevent the package from being uninstalled.

Available system conditions include the following:

• Installed memory

• CPU speed

• Video resolution

• Windows platform, role, and service pack

For each type of system condition, you can specify a value and select an operator from the following list:

• Equal to

• Less than

• Less than or Equal to

• Greater than

• Greater than or Equal to

• Not Equal to

TIP: If you select the Equal to operator for an Installed Memory or CPU Speed condition, you must specify an exact number, not an approximation. Because the actual calculation of available memory or CPU speed can differ slightly from one system to another, it is recommended that you not use the Equal to operator with these conditions, but use one of the other operators instead.


. . .

. .P A C K A G E C O N D I T I O N SSoftware Conditions

As you create Windows Platform conditions, they display in the list box below the check box.

• To set a Windows Platform condition, click the Add button.

The New Platform Condition dialog will appear, allowing you to set a condition which will permit or deny installation if the target system is running a specified operating system, or running up to a specified operating system, or running a specified operating system or greater.

Once an operating system condition is specified, additional drop-down controls on the dialog are enabled, permitting specification of further conditions, including role (workstation, server, etc.) and service pack.

• To remove a Windows Platform condition from the list, select the desired item and click the Delete button.

• To modify a Windows Platform condition, select the desired item in the list and click the Edit button.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . S O F T W A R E C O N D I T I O N S WinINSTALL permits specification of software conditions to be met by the target system in order for a package or list of packages to be processed. The following categories of software conditions are available:

• A particular application has or has not been installed.

• The desktop contains or does not contain a shortcut with a specified command line.

• A specified file is found or is not found on the target system. Such a file can also have added requirements related to its date/time stamp and/or size.

If the Automatic Installer, while processing a list of packages, encounters a package that does not meet specified software criteria, it will skip that package--but it will re-check the criteria after processing the rest of the list, in case other packages have enabled the system to now meet the those same criteria. The following example illustrates such a situation:

TIP: When the Automatic Installer processes a list of packages, any packages that are not installed because of unmet software prerequisites are automatically rechecked before the installer exits.


P A C K A G E C O N D I T I O N SSoftware Conditions 1 3

• The first package in a list requires a particular software condition in order to run, but the target system does not meet the condition.

• A later package in the list installs the software prerequisite that had been needed by the first package.

• After reaching the end of the list, the installer performs rechecks the first package and finds the prerequisite is now met. Therefore, the installer processes the first package before exiting.

The available software conditions are explained below.

APPLICATIONWhen the Application checkbox is checked, you must enter or navigate to the fully-qualified UNC path to the prerequisite application package and select one of the following conditions from the drop-down:

• This application is installed

• This application is not installed

SHORTCUTWhen the Shortcut checkbox is checked, you must enter or navigate to the fully-qualified UNC path to the command line associated with the shortcut and select one of the following conditions from the drop-down:

• A shortcut with this command line exists

• A shortcut with this command line does not exist

FILEWhen the File checkbox is checked, you must enter or navigate to the fully-qualified UNC path to the file and select one of the following conditions from the drop-down:

• A file with the specified criteria exists

• A file with the specified criteria does not exist

Once you have specified a file, you can further specify particular properties of that file as part of the condition.

If you check the Date/Time checkbox, you must then select an operator and specify the desired date and time.

If you check the Size checkbox, you must then select an operator and specify the desired file size in bytes.


. . .

. .P A C K A G E C O N D I T I O N SLanguage Conditions

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . L A N G U A G E C O N D I T I O N SWinINSTALL permits setting language conditions which need to be met by the target system in order for a package to be processed. The installer checks the language of the operating system and user interface on the target system, and the package will be processed only if the system meets the specified criteria.

The Language sub-tab provides a list of languages to choose from. Selected languages are treated as though connected by a logical or--that is, if the target system has any of the selected languages installed, the package will be processed. The sub-tab provides a summary list of specified language conditions and a check box allowing the list to be limited to only those which have been selected as conditions.

For situations where more detailed control of language conditions is required, checking the Advanced checkbox will provide additional options. If this checkbox is checked, a Language Category drop-down will appear, allowing selection among several categories of operating system language settings:

• User UI Language

• User Language

• System UI Language

• System Language

• System Installed Language

As each category is selected from the drop-down, a summary explanation of the category appears below the drop-down. For further information, please consult the Microsoft documentation for the operating system(s) concerned.

NOTE: The file Size field permits only numeric characters--not alpha characters such as KB. Note that the file size specification is bytes, not kilobytes.

TIP: The default list on the Language sub-tab (leaving the Advanced checkbox unchecked) will provide the expected results in most situations.


P A C K A G E C O N D I T I O N SGroup Membership Conditions 1 3

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . G R O U P M E M B E R S H I P C O N D I T I O N S WinINSTALL enables specification of network group membership criteria that allow a package or list of packages to be installed or removed only by specified users or groups. The following types of groups are available for these conditions:

• Active Directory

• Bindery

• Microsoft Networks

• NDS

• NT Local Groups

The installer checks to see if group conditions have been set when it begins to process the package. If any group condition has been set for package installation, the package will be installed only if the user who is logged on to the target system has been given permission (on this Group sub-tab) to install the package. Similarly, if any group condition has been set for package removal, the package will be uninstalled only if the user who is logged on to the target system has been given permission (on this Group sub-tab) to uninstall the package.

NOTE: When you restrict installation for a package or a list to a group in Active Directory, the restriction also applies to nested groups. For example, if you restrict a package to Group A, and Group B is part of Group A, then everyone in Group A and Group B can install the package. Those not part of Group A or Group B cannot install the package.

WARNING: When the installer checks the group conditions, it is comparing the conditions against the account under which it (the installer) has been launched. Thus, if the installer has been launched by the WinINSTALL Agent, then it is the group membership of the WinINSTALL Agent accoun that is being compared, rather than that of any interactive user who may be logged onto the machine at the time or in the past.


. . .

. .P A C K A G E C O N D I T I O N SGroup Membership Conditions

Both the Interactive and Automatic Installer will install and remove the package if the appropriate group conditions have been set - unless other factors prevent the package from being installed or uninstalled.

If a package has a group condition that allows only installation, the Uninstall button in the Interactive Installer is grayed out. If a package has a group condition that allows only removal, the Install button in the Interactive Installer is grayed out. If conditions prevent both installation and uninstallation of a package, that package will not appear in the list of available applications in the Interactive Installer.

HOW TO SET GROUP MEMBERSHIP CONDITIONS1 The Group sub-tab has a split pane. Expand the desired network type in the left pane

of the Group sub-tab and select the desired user, group or computer.

2 To restrict installation of the selected package to the selected user, group or computer, click the Add button to the left of the top list box on the right (labeled Restrict package installation to). The user, group or computer will appear in the list box. You can make multiple selections and mix users and computers.

3 To restrict removal of the selected package to the selected user, group or computer, click the Add button to the left of the bottom list box on the right (labeled Restrict package removal to). The user, group or computer will appear in the list box. You can make multiple selections and mix users and computers.

4 To remove a restriction, select the desired user, group, or computer in the list box on the right and click the Remove button. The user, group, or computer will be removed from the restrictions list box.

TIP: If you are distributing packages using the WinINSTALL Agent, you can use scheduling to reach desired interactive users (as opposed to the WinINSTALL Agent accounts). See the Targets Tab section of the Scheduling chapter for details on how to schedule to interactive users.

NOTE: Group conditions are joined by a logical OR. That is, processing is allowed if any specified group condition is met.


P A C K A G E C O N D I T I O N SDiskspace Conditions 1 3

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D I S K S P A C E C O N D I T I O N S Diskspace conditions are available at the list level or the package level for WinINSTALL packages only. Windows Installer packages manage diskspace requirements automatically.

To set diskspace conditions, select a list or package in the tree pane, select General in the list pane, select the Conditions tab in the data pane, and then set specific conditions on the Diskspace sub-tab.

By default, when the WinINSTALL installer begins to process any WinINSTALL package, it first calculates how much diskspace is required and then determines whether the space is available on the destination disk on the target machine. It does this when the package processing begins but before the actual installation starts.

Diskspace conditions allow customization of that default check. You can instruct the installer to skip this check, or you can specify a particular amount of space to check for. You can also specify whether the check should be done before or after any pre-install programs are run.

The following options are available on the Diskspace sub-tab:

• When to Check

• Before Calling Pre-Install Program

• After Calling Pre-Install Program

• Never

• Calculate Option

• Automatic (when saving package)

• Dynamic (at install time)

• Explicit (specify here)

NOTE: Group types not available in your environment will be inactive in the tree pane on the left side of the Group sub-tab.


. . .

. .P A C K A G E C O N D I T I O N SWindows Installer Launch Conditions

To add one or more explicit diskspace conditions, provide the following information for each condition:

Click the Add button to create the Diskspace condition. For installation to be allowed, the selected drive is required to have greater than or equal to the specified amount of available space.

To remove a diskspace condition, select the desired condition in the list box and click the Remove button.

To modify a disk space condition, select the desired condition and click the Change button.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . W I N D O W S I N S T A L L E R L A U N C H C O N D I T I O N SWindows Installer packages and features can also impose special launch conditions, in addition to the types of conditions that can be set for NAI packages and lists. Such conditions must be met in order for the package or feature to be installed.

For each Windows Installer package launch condition, you must also specify an error message to display if the condition is not met.

Feature conditions do not include an error message. But they do include a numeric Conditional Install Level (see below for an explanation).

PACKAGE LAUNCH CONDITIONSTo set launch conditions on a Windows Installer package, select the package in the tree pane, select General in the list pane, select the Advanced tab in the data pane, and then select the Launch Condition sub-tab.

To add a condition to a package, click the Add icon and the Launch Condition dialog will display, providing a Condition field (accompanied by an ellipsis button), and an Error Message field. These fields are explained below.

To edit a condition, select the desired condition in the list and click the Edit icon to display the Launch Condition dialog.

To delete a condition, select the desired condition in the list and click the Delete icon.

Drive • Select a drive to be checked on the target system. The drop-down control offers three choices: C:, WinDrive, and SysDrive.

Req Space • Specify the amount of diskspace (in MB) that must be available on the selected drive.


P A C K A G E C O N D I T I O N SWindows Installer Launch Conditions1 3

L A U N C H C O N D I T I O NThis field contains the specification for the condition that must be met in order for the package to be installed. You can type the condition in manually or click the Ellipsis button to display the Condition dialog (see description below), where you can construct the condition by selecting properties and operators from lists and drop-downs.

E R R O R M E S S A G EThis is the message that will display if the package launch condition is not met.

C O N D I T I O N D I A L O GOn the Condition dialog (accessed by clicking the Ellipsis button on the Launch Condition dialog), select a property type from the drop-down on the left, then select the desired property from the list below the drop-down.

Next, select a property type from the drop-down on the right, then select the desired property from the list below the drop-down.

To complete the condition string, select an operator for the comparison operation from the drop-down between the two property lists.

Finally, select a logical operator to be used to combine this condition string with others and then click the Add button.

When you have added all the desired conditions, click OK to add the condition to the list on the Launch Condition tab.

FEATURE CONDITIONSTo set a condition for a Windows Installer feature, select the feature in the tree pane, select General in the list pane, and then select the Conditions tab.

To add a condition to a feature, click the Add icon and the Feature Condition dialog will display, providing a Condition field (accompanied by an ellipsis button), and an Conditional Install Level field. These fields are explained below.

To edit a condition, select the desired condition in the list and click the Edit icon to display the Feature Condition dialog.

To delete a condition, select the desired condition in the list and click the Delete icon.

NOTE: For a package to be installed, all specified Launch Condition logical comparisons must evaluate as true.


. . .

. .P A C K A G E C O N D I T I O N SWindows Installer Launch Conditions

C O N D I T I O NThis field contains the specification for the condition that must be met in order for the feature to be installed. You can type the condition in manually or click the Ellipsis button to display the Condition dialog (see description below), where you can construct the condition by selecting properties and operators from lists and drop-downs.

C O N D I T I O N A L I N S T A L L L E V E LThis field contains a numeric value from 1 to 32,767. A feature is installed only if the feature level value is less than or equal to the current install level value. A conditional install value of 0 disables the feature from being installed. Typically, the install level is modified by options presented to the user during the install.

C O N D I T I O N D I A L O GOn the Condition dialog (accessed by clicking the Ellipsis button on the Feature Condition dialog), select a property type from the drop-down on the left, then select the desired property from the list below the drop-down.

Next, select a property type from the drop-down on the right, then select the desired property from the list below the drop-down.

To complete the condition string, select an operator for the comparison operation from the drop-down between the two property lists.

Finally, select a logical operator to be used to combine this condition string with others and then click the Add button.

When you have added all the desired conditions, click OK to add the condition to the list on the Conditions tab.

NOTE: For a feature to be installed, all specified Feature Condition logical comparisons must evaluate as true.


P A C K A G E C O N D I T I O N SWindows Installer Launch Conditions1 3


. . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .PACKAGE DISTRIBUTION 14

inINSTALL provides a variety of delivery methods for installing application packages on network clients. All of the distribution methods use one of two installers - the Interactive Installer or the Automatic Installer. Distribution

methods that use the Interactive Installer allow users to decide which packages to install and when to install them. Distribution methods that use the Automatic Installer let the administrator determine which packages will be available for installation, but the responsibility for deciding when - and perhaps whether - a package will be installed can vary, depending on how the Automatic Installer is invoked. Both of the installers and the programs that launch them reside on the WinINSTALL share and are run remotely from the client workstations. You may elect to use either or both of these installers in your environment, depending on the distribution methods you find appropriate.

WinINSTALL offers the following methods of distributing software, each of which is discussed in detail in this chapter:

• Interactive package distribution.

• Automatic package distribution.

• Scheduled package distribution.

• CD package distribution.

• E-mail package distribution.

• Advertising packages for installation.

• Installing packages using a command line.

• Allowing a user to install packages.

An additional distribution method, distributing packages with a script, is covered in the Console Scripting section of the WinINSTALL Scripting Extensions chapter.

NOTE: The WinINSTALL Scripting Extensions chapter covers an additional distribution method: distributing packages with a script.

W


P A C K A G E D I S T R I B U T I O NInteractive Package Distribution1 4

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I N T E R A C T I V E P A C K A G E D I S T R I B U T I O NWhen the Interactive Installer is invoked, it displays a menu of packages, from which the user can select applications to install. (This is often called a “pull” installation.) The menu includes all of the qualified packages in the list file referenced by the Interactive Installer.

The Interactive Installer and the program that launches it reside on the WinINSTALL server and are run remotely from the user’s workstation. The Console also includes a menu button that invokes the Interactive Installer, giving the administrator a convenient launch method for testing packages on the Console machine.

On a workstation, the Interactive Installer can be launched from a command line or shortcut. WinINSTALL provides an easily configured sample package to install a shortcut to the Interactive Installer on the users’ desktops.

The file name of the program that launches the Interactive Installer is WINSTALL.EXE. The Interactive Installer itself is WINSTU32.EXE. These programs reside on the WinINSTALL Share and are intended to be run remotely from each user’s workstation.

You can specify on the command line a particular list file for the Interactive Installer to use. By default, the installer will use WinApps.lst. This list may not be appropriate for the Interactive Installer because it is also the default list file for the Automatic Installer.

If users use both installers and both installers use the same list file, the packages in the list will have been processed automatically before the Interactive Installer even checks the list for available packages. As a result, the user will never be able to make decisions about what to install.

TIP: To use both the Automatic and Interactive Installers, you can configure them to use their own separate list files. Be sure that the Interactive Installer list file is not a child of the one used by the Automatic Installer.

NOTE: The Interactive Installer has many uses. It provides administrators with an easily controlled and customized way to launch application installation, but it can also be used for testing and debugging distribution lists and application packages and can also serve as a Help Desk support tool.


. . .

. .P A C K A G E D I S T R I B U T I O NInteractive Package Distribution

HOW A USER RUNS THE INTERACTIVE INSTALLER1 When the user clicks the Interactive Installer icon, the installer checks the associated

list to see whether any packages are available to be processed and qualified for the user.

2 From the menu of available packages, the user selects one or more packages to process. (A checkmark appears beside any packages that have already been installed).

3 When the user clicks the Install button, a confirmation dialog lists all selected packages. The date and time of the last installation appear next to any previously installed packages. The user can continue or cancel.

4 If the user chooses to continue, the installer processes the selected packages sequentially. A progress bar indicates the degree of completion.

5 When an application is installed, an entry is written to the Registry and the information becomes part of the WinINSTALL Application History. If you have turned on notification (either for the package or for the list), the information is also logged to the selected targets (WinINSTALL database, Windows Event Log, text file, e-mail, etc.).

HOW TO LAUNCH THE INTERACTIVE INSTALLER USING A COMMAND LINE.If the Interactive Installer is launched from an shortcut, the shortcut can be configured with a variety of command line arguments. Of course, it’s also possible to use the Windows Run command or a Command.exe window to enter an Interactive Installer command line.

The launcher executable (Winstall.exe) for the Interactive Installer is found in the \WinINSTALL\Bin directory on the WinINSTALL Share. To launch the installer from a command line on a workstation, enter the following command:

\\<server>\WinINSTALL\Bin\Winstall.exe

By default, the Interactive Installer will process the list file WinApps.lst in the Packages folder of the share. To process a different list file, simply include it on the Interactive Installer command line:

\\<server>\WinINSTALL\Bin\Winstall.exe \\<server>\WinINSTALL\Packages\<listfile>.lst

NOTE: Based on WinINSTALL security features set by the administrator, some packages in the list may not be available to the user.


P A C K A G E D I S T R I B U T I O NInteractive Package Distribution1 4

I N T E R A C T I V E I N S T A L L E R C O M M A N D L I N E S W I T C H E SThe following command line switches are available for use with the Interactive Installer:

HOW TO DISTRIBUTE AN INTERACTIVE INSTALLER SHORTCUT TO USERSWinINSTALL includes a sample package that installs a shortcut to the Interactive Installer. The administrator can configure the shortcut package, enable it for installation, and then cause it to be installed on network client machines.

Since the shortcut package is in Winapps.lst, once it is enabled, it will be installed automatically the first time that the Automatic Installer runs. (Like all WinINSTALL sample packages, the Interactive Shortcut package is provided with installation disabled).

To customize and enable the sample Interactive Shortcut package, follow these steps:

1 Under the Software Distribution node in the tree pane, expand Software Distribution Lists Winapps Sample Packages.

2 Right-click the WinINSTALL Interactive User Menu package and select Expand from the pop-up menu. Click Yes to expand the package.

3 Select Shortcuts in the list pane.

4 On the Add Phase tab in the data pane, double-click WinINSTALL Interactive User Menu.

5 Enter any desired changes on the Add New Shortcut dialog, including the following items:

/NoNetwork • do not check for any network information.

/NoNetWare • do not check for any NetWare information.

/NoMSNet • do not check for any Microsoft Net network information.

/SuppressNetworkErrors

• do not display network errors.

/SuppressNetWareErrors

• do not display NetWare errors.

/SuppressMSNetErrors

• do not display Microsoft Net network errors.

NOTE: You must expand the sample package before you can make any changes to it.


. . .

. .P A C K A G E D I S T R I B U T I O NAutomatic Package Distribution

• The sample package will add the WinINSTALL Installer icon to the user’s Start Menu. To make the shortcut appear on the user’s desktop instead, make this change: in the Create In field on the General tab, replace @StartMenu with @Desktop

• If you are going to use a different list file (other than WinApps.lst) for the Interactive Installer, you need to specify that list file’s path and filename on the Interactive Installer command line. To do so, in the Arguments field on the Icon tab, enter the UNC path to the list file that will hold the packages available for interactive installation on users’ workstations. You can also add command line switches (see above), if desired.

6 Next, to enable the package for installation, select General in the list pane.

7 In the data pane, click the Conditions tab and then the General sub-tab.

• For Mode, select Install

• Check the Allow Access checkbox.

8 Save the modified package.

9 Cause the Automatic Installer to be run on the client machine.

The shortcut will be installed on the client machine. Whenever a user on the client machine clicks the shortcut, the WinINSTALL Interactive Installer will display, including the list of the packages available for installation.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A U T O M A T I C P A C K A G E D I S T R I B U T I O NThe Automatic Installer delivers packages to users automatically, typically by means of a login script or through the WinINSTALL Agent. The Automatic Installer requires no space on the client workstation because, like the Interactive Installer, it runs remotely from the WinINSTALL Share. The Console also includes a menu button that invokes the Automatic Installer, giving the administrator a convenient launch method for testing packages on the Console machine.

The Automatic Installer is normally started by running WINSTALA.EXE, which is a stub launcher that calls WINSTLU32.EXE. WinINSTALL provides a number of different ways to launch the Automatic Installer on client machines.

TIP: The variable @PackageDir translates to the \Packages directory in the WinINSTALL share. Depending on the location of the list file, you can use this variable as the path, or as part of the path in the list file argument.


P A C K A G E D I S T R I B U T I O NAutomatic Package Distribution1 4

Unless another list file is specified, the Automatic Installer installs all of the qualified packages that have been enabled for installation within Winapps.lst. The first time the Automatic Installer runs on a PC, it registers itself in the Windows registry, and every subsequent time, it creates registry entries that keep track of all the packages installed for the user or the computer. The administrator can decide whether to make these entries user- or machine-specific.

If you choose, you can specify an individual package and/or a different list file for the Automatic Installer to process, and you can also specify any of a number of command line switches to control the way that the installer operates.

The Automatic Installer is especially versatile in the many ways it can provide package delivery to users. You can use it in any or all of a wide variety of ways, as appropriate to your environment, to specific users, and/or to the packages you are distributing. This chapter discusses several approaches to using the Automatic Installer. These approaches can be conveniently divided into three categories:

• Make installations completely transparent to the user.

For example, you can use a network logon script to invoke the installer, configure a workstation to invoke the installer at login by entering the installer in the Run= registry key or the Startup folder, or instruct the WinINSTALL agent to launch the installer whenever the system starts up.,

• Give users a little control.

For example, you can schedule installation of applications, you can send an email containing a link to the installer, or you can allow users to invoke the installer directly from a command line. You can also provide a CD that contains all of the necessary files – packages and installers.

• Give users more control.

For example, you can send a package as an attachment to an e-mail, or you can advertise the availability of the application on client workstations.

All of these approaches rely on the Automatic Installer.

A U T O M A T I C I N S T A L L E R C O M M A N D L I N E S W I T C H E SThe following command line switches are available for use with the Automatic Installer:


. . .

. .P A C K A G E D I S T R I B U T I O NAutomatic Package Distribution

G E N E R A L S W I T C H E S

N E T W O R K S W I T C H E S

Q U I E T M O D E S W I T C H E S

/Confirm • Keeps the Automatic Installer from terminating itself if it finds no packages to install. Forces the user to click OK.

/NoCancel • Removes the Abort button from the Automatic Installer window.

/NoPause • Overrides any pause setting set in the WinINSTALL Console.

/RunProg • Allows the program to act as a program launcher or menuing tool.

/Reinstall • Instructs the installer to reinstall any packages that are already present.

/Remove • Instructs the installer to remove packages instead of install them.

/Prompt • Enables all the usual WinINSTALL user prompts.

/WIPL • Instructs the Installer to process packages with the WinINSTALL Program Launcher.

/NoNetwork • do not check for network information.

/NoNetWare • do not check for NetWare information.

/NoMSNet • do not check for Microsoft network information.

/SuppressNetworkErrors

• do not display network errors.

/SuppressNetWareErrors

• do not display NetWare errors.

/SuppressMSNetErrors

• do not display Microsoft network errors.

/Quiet or /Quiet_NoPrompt

• prevents the installer from appearing on the desktop, prompting the user, or raising error messages.

/Quiet_Prompt • prevents the installer from appearing on the desktop unless input is required.

/Quiet_Log = <log file>

• logs errors to the specified log file but suppresses user displays.


P A C K A G E D I S T R I B U T I O NScheduled Package Distribution1 4

V E R I F I C A T I O N S W I T C H E SWhen the Automatic Installer runs with verification switches, it does not change anything on the user’s workstation--it simply compares what is installed with what the WinINSTALL package is supposed to install and reports any discrepancies. These switches provide a convenient mechanism for troubleshooting applications installed with WinINSTALL packages (.NAI files) but which have lost their ability to function properly on the user’s system.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . S C H E D U L E D P A C K A G E D I S T R I B U T I O NScheduling allows you to organize the distribution of software over a period of time, rather than performing it in real-time. WinINSTALL provides a wide variety of options for scheduling packages to be distributed at a later time. Full details on scheduling, including scheduled package distribution, are presented in the Scheduling chapter of this guide.

• You can set a time period during which the scheduler should check the specified list file to see if there are packages to be distributed.

• You can tell the scheduler to check daily, weekly, monthly, or yearly.

• You can tell the scheduler to check for scheduled jobs on a specific day of the week or at specific daily intervals.

• You can set a date range during which the scheduler should check for jobs.

• You can have the scheduler stop checking for packages to install after a certain number of occurrences.

• You can let the scheduler continue to check for jobs without a specified end date.

/V or /Verify • checks only files with .EXE, .DLL, .TLB, or .OCX file name extensions.

/VA or /Verify All

• checks everything.

/VF or /Verify Files

• checks all files.

/VR or /Verify Registry

• checks the Windows Registry.

/VT or /Verify Text

• checks text and .INI files.

/VI or /Verify Icons

• checks icons and shortcuts.


. . .

. .P A C K A G E D I S T R I B U T I O NScheduled Package Distribution

The easiest way to schedule an installation is to drag a package or list and drop it onto a single machine, a group of machines, or All Machines, while holding down the Shift key. All you need to do is enter the Task Name on the dialog that displays, specify the scheduling information, and click OK. If you don’t hold the Shift key down while you drag the package, you can still schedule the delivery--you’ll just have to click the Schedule button on the resulting Run Task dialog. You can also schedule a package or list installation by selecting the desired list or package and then clicking the Schedule icon or the Schedule tree node.

HOW TO SCHEDULE A DISTRIBUTION USING DRAG AND DROPTo use drag and drop to schedule packages for distribution to a particular machine or group of machines, follow these steps:

1 Expand the Machines node in the tree pane and then expand the All Machines node, or the Searches sub-node. All of the searches you have created display on the Searches tab in the data pane. (Searches are groups of machines that meet certain user-specified criteria.)

2 Expand the Software Distribution node in the tree pane and navigate to the list or package that you want to schedule for distribution.

3 While holding down the Shift key, drag the package or list and drop it onto the desired machine, group, or search.

4 Enter the required information on the Schedule Task dialog and click OK. (On the Task tab, Distribute Package(s) is already selected for you.) The package or list of packages is now scheduled for distribution.

HOW TO USE OTHER METHODS OF SCHEDULING PACKAGE DISTRIBUTIONTo schedule a package for distribution without using drag and drop, do one of the following:

• Highlight a list under the Software Distribution node in the tree pane, select General in the list pane, and click the Schedule tab in the data pane.

• Highlight a package (NAI or MSI) under the Software Distribution node in the tree pane, select General in the list pane, and click the Schedule tab in the data pane.

• Click the Schedule node in the tree pane.

• Click the Schedule icon on the Shortcuts bar.

In each case, you next click the Add button on the Schedule tab in the data pane and the Schedule Task dialog displays. If you reached this dialog by highlighting a list or a package, the only scheduling option available on the Task tab is Distribute Package(s) and it is already selected for you. If you reached this dialog by clicking the Schedule node or icon, you have several scheduling options and must select Distribute Package(s).


P A C K A G E D I S T R I B U T I O NCD Package Distribution 1 4

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C D P A C K A G E D I S T R I B U T I O N The CD Wizard allows an administrator to select individual application packages and/or list files to be burned onto a CD, together with one or more installers. The CD Wizard creates the image that will be burned onto the CD, but third-party CD creation software is necessary to actually create the CD.

The CD Wizard creates a temporary staging directory where it places all of the application packages and installer files that will be burned to the CD. It also creates a separate list file as a container for all of the lists and packages selected by the administrator. The installer on the CD points to this new list file when it is run. When you distribute software on a CD, you can use either the Automatic Installer or the Interactive Installer. As an option, the CD Wizard can create an Autorun.INF file that will launch either installer when the CD is inserted into the CD drive of a client workstation.

THE WININSTALL CD WIZARDAfter presenting a Welcome panel, the CD Wizard displays the following panels as steps in creating the CD image:

S T A G I N G A R E AOn this panel, you must enter or browse to a location to use as the root directory of the staged CD.

A U T O R U N O P T I O N SThe CD can make use of the AutoRun feature (on workstations configured to use it). If this feature is enabled, the CD can launch your choice of WinINSTALL Installers as soon as it is inserted in the drive on a target workstation.

Select the radio button to specify the desired AutoRun option:

• Launch Interactive Installer

• Launch Automatic Installer

• Do not use AutoRun.

This panel also includes checkboxes for the Automatic and Interactive Installers, to allow you the option of including installers on the CD, in addition to the one launched by the selected AutoRun option. These two checkboxes are enabled or disabled according to the selected AutoRun option.


. . .

. .P A C K A G E D I S T R I B U T I O NCD Package Distribution

P A C K A G E A N D L I S T S E L E C T I O NOn the Package and List Selection panel, you are presented with the software distribution base lists on the current share. These base lists can be expanded to reveal their contents, as in the Console tree node, but with checkboxes beside each package and list.

Click the checkboxes to select the desired packages and/or lists to include on the CD.

T O T A L S P A C E R E Q U I R E DThis panel displays the calculated space needed for the CD.

If the required space is more than your intended media will accommodate, click the Back button and change your selections to reduce the needed space.

If the space requirements are acceptable, click the Next button to stage the CD.

P R O G R E S SThe Progress panel appears only while the CD staging is in progress, displaying a completion bar as the files are copied to the staging area.

If any errors occur, a dialog will appear, listing them.

F I N I S H E DThe Finished panel confirms completion of the CD staging process. You will now need to use a CD burning utility to write the contents of the staging area to your desired media.

HOW TO CREATE A CD FOR DISTRIBUTING PACKAGES1 Highlight the Software Distribution node, Software Distribution Lists node, and then

select a list or a package in the tree pane.

2 Do either of the following:

• Click the CD Wizard icon on the toolbar.

• Choose File -> Run -> CD Wizard from the menu bar.

TIP: It is possible that WinINSTALL may be unable to find some of the referenced files, especially in the external process fields of a .nai file. If so, you will receive a warning during the staging process. If you are certain that those files will be available to the end user at runtime, for example, if you know they are located on the user’s system, then you can safely ignore such a warning.


P A C K A G E D I S T R I B U T I O NE-Mail Package Distribution 1 4

3 Let The WinINSTALL CD Wizard step you through the process of creating the image that you will burn onto a CD. The image can contain packages and installers.

4 Using third-party CD creation software, create a CD from the image that you created with the CD Wizard.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . E - M A I L P A C K A G E D I S T R I B U T I O N You can use the Automatic Installer to distribute software by sending packages as attachments to e-mail messages. The e-mail method of distribution gives administrators control over which applications are available, but lets users decide when or whether to initiate the install, uninstall, or upgrade.

To distribute packages via e-mail, both the Console machine and the client workstation must have a MAPI-compliant email client - such as Outlook or Outlook Express- installed. In addition, you must install a WinINSTALL-provided sample package, WinINSTALL E-mail, on the client workstation. This client prep package enables the email feature by making a file association in the registry on the client workstation. Once the workstation is initially prepared, the user can receive compressed WinINSTALL packages (.NAI files) as email attachments. When the user double-clicks the attachment icon, the Automatic Installer is invoked automatically from the WinINSTALL server to process the package.

HOW TO ENABLE A WORKSTATION TO ACCEPT PACKAGES AS E-MAIL ATTACHMENTS.

WinINSTALL includes a sample package, WinINSTALL E-mail, which installs a registry file association between WinINSTALL packages (.NAI files) and the WinINSTALL Automatic Installer. This association allows the user to install packages by simply double-clicking a .NAI file, including such a file presented as an attachment to an e-mail message. After installation of this sample package, if the user double-clicks a WinINSTALL package, the WinINSTALL Automatic Installer will automatically launch, taking the path and filename of the WinINSTALL package as a command line parameter. The administrator can enable the sample package for installation, and then cause it to be installed on network client machines. The administrator can then e-mail WinINSTALL packages to those users who have had this sample package installed.

To enable the sample WinINSTALL E-mail package, follow these steps:

1 Under the Software Distribution node in the tree pane, expand Software Distribution Lists Winapps Sample Packages.

2 Right-click the WinINSTALL E-mail package and select Expand from the pop-up menu. Click Yes to expand the package.


. . .

. .P A C K A G E D I S T R I B U T I O NAdvertising Packages for installation

3 Next, to enable the package for installation, select General in the list pane.

4 In the data pane, click the Conditions tab and then the General sub-tab.

• For Mode, select Install

• Check the Allow Access checkbox.

5 Save the modified package.

6 Cause the Automatic Installer to be run on the client machine.

The file association will be created on the client machine. From then on, whenever a user on the client machine double-clicks a WinINSTALL package e-mail attachment, the WinINSTALL Automatic Installer will launch and install the selected package.

A D V E R T I S I N G P A C K A G E S F O R

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I N S T A L L A T I O NWinINSTALL allows you to modify an application installation package so that when the package is processed, the product is simply “advertised” to the user and is installed only when the user seeks to start it. “Advertising” is sometimes also called “just-in-time” installation. With this type of installation, an application is not actually installed, but the user is given certain “advertisements” that the product exists and is available. Perhaps an icon is displayed on the desktop, or perhaps the product is listed in the Start Menu. When the client double-clicks the icon or runs the product from the menu, the application is first installed and then run. This lets the administrator avoid saturating the network by distributing software on demand, rather than distributing it to many machines at once.

Advertising is handled differently for WinINSTALL packages and Windows Installer packages. For WinINSTALL packages, just-in-time installation is handled by the WinINSTALL Program Launcher (WIPL). For Windows Installer packages, it is handled through the Favor Advertising option.

For full information on advertising WinINSTALL packages using WIPL, please see the WIPL Tab and Advertising WinINSTALL Packages (WIPL) sections of the Shortcuts chapter of this guide.

For additional information on advertising Windows Installer packages, please see the Advertising section of the General Package Options chapter of this guide.

NOTE: You must expand the sample package before you can make any changes to it.


P A C K A G E D I S T R I B U T I O NDistributing Packages with a Script1 4

HOW TO PREPARE A WININSTALL PACKAGE FOR “JUST- IN-T IME” INSTALLATION

1 Expand the Software Distribution node in the tree pane and navigate to a WinINSTALL package (.NAI file).

2 Select Shortcuts in the list pane and click the Add Phase tab in the data pane.

3 On the Add Phase tab, double-click the New icon. The Add New Shortcut dialog displays.

4 On the General and Icon tabs, add the information necessary to create a shortcut. On the WIPL tab, select either Subscribed or Unsubscribed WIPL Install and click OK.

5 Click the Save icon from the toolbar or choose Save from the File menu to save the changes you made to the package.

6 When this package is chosen for installation, a special shortcut, rather than the application itself will be installed. The application will not actually be installed until the first time that the user tries to use the shortcut.

HOW TO PREPARE A WINDOWS INSTALLER PACKAGE FOR ' JUST- IN-T IME” INSTALLATION.

1 Expand the Software Distribution node in the tree pane and navigate to the desired MSI package. Expand the package and select a feature within it.

2 Select General in the list pane and click the Advanced tab in the data pane.

3 Under Advertising in the middle of the Advanced tab, click the checkbox for Favor Advertising.

4 Click the Save icon on the toolbar or choose Save from the File menu to save the changes you made to the package.

5 When this package is chosen for installation, a shortcut rather than the application itself will be installed. The application will not actually be installed until the first time that the user tries to use the shortcut.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D I S T R I B U T I N G P A C K A G E S W I T H A S C R I P TYou can distribute software packages with a script (either JavaScript or VBScript) via the Windows Scripting Host. For details, please see the Console Scripting section of the WinINSTALL Scripting Extensions chapter of this guide.


. . .

. .P A C K A G E D I S T R I B U T I O NInstalling Packages using a Command Line

I N S T A L L I N G P A C K A G E S U S I N G A

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C O M M A N D L I N EThe installer executables are located in the \bin sub-directory of the WinINSTALL share, and the packages are typically located in the \Packages sub-directory under the share. WinINSTALL supports two system variables to represent these two locations. @WinstallDir points to the installer program directory. @PackageDir points to the share \Packages directory. These system variables may be used as necessary on the WinINSTALL installer command line to locate packages and lists.

INSTALLER COMMAND L INE FILE SEARCH BEHAVIORThe installers follow the conventions listed below when they are invoked from a command line:

• If nothing is passed on the command line, the installer will attempt to open @PackageDir\WINAPPS.lst.

• If an NAI, LST or MSI file is passed on the command line and the file has a path, the installer will use that path to locate the file.

• If an NAI, LST or MSI file is passed on the command line but the file has no path, the installer will search the installer program directory (as though @WinstallDir\<file> were specified.)

• If an NAI, LST or MSI file is passed on the command line and an @ variable is used to indicate the path, the installer will resolve and use that variable (e.g. @PackageDir) to locate the file.

The safest thing to do is to always specify a path to package or list file on the installer command line, ideally using @ variables - usually starting with @PackageDir.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A L L O W I N G A U S E R T O I N S T A L L P A C K A G E SNormally, a user does not have administrative privileges and thus cannot perform software installations. Therefore, most packages are installed by the WinINSTALL agent. However, in some instances it may be necessary to install a package from within the user’s context, rather than installing the package through the WinINSTALL agent.

WinINSTALL provides two ways to provide the needed administrative privileges for user installation of software packages: one for WinINSTALL packages (Client Launch) and the other for Windows Installer packages (privilege elevation).


P A C K A G E D I S T R I B U T I O NAllowing a user to install packages1 4

USER INSTALLATION OF WININSTALL PACKAGES (CLIENT LAUNCH)A special WinINSTALL facility called Client Launch allows a WinINSTALL package to be installed by the user but to invoke the privileges of the WinINSTALL Agent. Such a package is actually installed from the user’s context--but it uses the WinINSTALL Agent’s privileges.

Using the Client Launch facility involves two steps: enabling its use on the user’s machine, and invoking WIClient.exe in place of the WinINSTALL Automatic Installer.

H O W T O E N A B L E C L I E N T L A U N C H O N A U S E R ’ S M A C H I N E1 In the tree pane, expand the Machines node and then highlight the All Machines node.


• In the list pane, highlight the desired machine and choose Agent Settings from the Machines menu at the top of the screen.

• In the data pane, right-click the desired machine and choose Agent Settings from the context menu.

3 The WinINSTALL Agent Settings dialog displays. On the Distribution tab, check the Enable Client Launch checkbox and then click the Permissions button to specify the desired permissions.

H O W T O I N S T A L L P A C K A G E S U S I N G T H E C L I E N T L A U N C H F A C I L I T Y

1 To install a package on the local machine using the Client Launch facility, the user simply invokes WIClient.exe instead of WINSTALA.EXE .

2 WIClient.exe accepts the same command line arguments and parameters as WINSTALA.EXE. A simple Client Launch command would be something like this:

NOTE: Versions of WinINSTALL prior to 8.x performed the client launch functionality of WIClient.exe through the NTSVC32.exe and SSWNTSVC.exe utilities.

NOTE: For security reasons, the Client Launch utility must be enabled in the Agent Settings for the desired machine, must be explicitly called as part of the package install, and can only be invoked in reference to those packages located within the hierarchy of the specified Agent Start Up List (or WinApps.lst, if no Start Up List is specified).


. . .

. .P A C K A G E D I S T R I B U T I O NAllowing a user to install packages

WIClient test.nai

3 WIClient passes everything in the command line to the installer via the distribution functionality of the WinINSTALL Agent.

H O W T O U S E W I N I N S T A L L D I S T R I B U T I O N M E T H O D S W I T H C L I E N T L A U N C H

It is a good example of the flexibility and utility of WinINSTALL that you can create a WinINSTALL package that contains, as an external process, a WIClient.exe command line. You can then distribute this WinINSTALL package to desired users via e-mail, CD, schedule, or any other WinINSTALL distribution method.

To create a WinINSTALL package that calls WIClient.exe as an external process, follow these steps:

1 In the Console tree pane, select the desired list file under the Software Distribution tree node.

2 Right-click and select New and WinINSTALL Package from the context menu and sub-menu to create a new WinINSTALL package.

3 Enter the desired filename and description on the Create Package dialog and click OK. WinINSTALL will create the new package and display it in the console, with General selected in the list pane.

4 Click on the External Processing tab in the data pane and then click the Add icon on the External Processing tab, selecting Shell Command as the type of new process.

5 In the Shell Command field of the Shell Command dialog, enter @WinstallDir/WIClient.exe.

6 In the Arguments field, enter the desired package or list file, plus any desired additional command line parameters or switches.

7 Click OK and then save the package.

You can now distribute this package to any user whose machine has had Client Launch enabled, and the package or list you specified in step 6 will be installed using the privileges of the WinINSTALL agent, rather than those of the user.

For additional details, see the External Processing Tab section of the Additional NAI Package Options chapter of this guide.

TIP: If you embed the WIClient.exe command line as an external process in a WinINSTALL package (see below), you can use any WinINSTALL distribution method to install packages from within the user’s context but using the privileges of the WinINSTALL agent.



USER INSTALLATION OF WINDOWS INSTALLER PACKAGES ( ELEVATED PRIVILEGE)

Normally, when an MSI package is installed, it takes place in the security context of the logged-in user. Ordinary users typically lack the necessary privileges to install software successfully, so most packages are installed by means of the WinINSTALL Agent.

But some packages require installation from within the user context, so WinINSTALL provides an option to have a user-launched installation take place in an administrative security context (i.e., the local system account). WinINSTALL’s MSI Privilege Elevation feature is supported on Windows NT, Windows 2000 and Windows XP. This feature is neither required nor supported on Windows 9x.

B A C K G R O U N DWhile a typical MSI package is technically installed by a service running under the LocalSystem account, which is a privileged account, the package is installed using the security context of the user account which is receiving the package. This limitation may prevent ordinary users from being able to install packages.

Workarounds for this limitation include the use of Group Policy, where applications can be advertised for per-machine installation. Per-machine installations are executed in a privileged state. Such packages, while they can be installed on demand by users, require intervention on the part of the administrator to advertise or assign them to users. Microsoft has also provided a means by which any/all applications can be installed in a privileged state for selected users, though this approach could be considered a potential security liability, because the administrator no longer has control over which applications can and cannot be installed in this privileged fashion. This potential problem can be overcome through Group Policy by setting certain registry values, which the Windows installer uses to decide whether to install applications as privileged.

The purpose of the WinINSTALL MSI Privilege Elevation feature is to provide an additional method by which administrators can allow selected (or all) users to install specified applications with elevated privileges, while maintaining security and control.

By using this feature, you can distribute Windows Installer packages to desired users via e-mail, CD, schedule, or any other WinINSTALL distribution method.

TIP: If you enable use of the WinINSTALL privilege elevation feature (see below), you can use any WinINSTALL distribution method to install Windows Installer packages from within the user’s context but using the privileges of the WinINSTALL agent.


. . .

. .P A C K A G E D I S T R I B U T I O NAllowing a user to install packages

Using the WinINSTALL MSI Privilege Elevation facility involves two steps: enabling its use by the WinINSTALL Agent on the user’s machine, and enabling the desired Windows Installer packages to make use of WinINSTALL Privilege Elevation.

H O W T O E N A B L E M S I P R I V I L E G E E L E V A T I O N I N T H E W I N I N S T A L L A G E N T

1 Deploy the WinINSTALL Agent

Elevation is implemented in part by the WinINSTALL agent, which typically runs under a privileged account on the managed machine. In order for the privilege elevation feature to work properly, the account under which the WinINSTALL agent executes must have administrative privileges on the local machine. Domain administrative privileges are not necessary.

2 Configure the WinINSTALL Agent to Enable Privilege Elevation for Software Distribution

By default, this feature is available only to users running with local administrative privileges. To allow non-privileged users to use this feature, you must check the Enable checkbox in the Privilege Elevation group box on the Distribution tab of the WinINSTALL Agent Settings dialog and then click on the Permissions… button to control who can (or cannot) use this feature. Failure to click on Permissions… will result in the feature being disabled. (You can verify that the feature is enabled by closing the dialog and opening it again. The Enable checkbox should still be checked.)

This step creates a security descriptor that is used by the WinINSTALL agent to control access to privilege elevation. In addition to controlling who can and cannot use privilege elevation, you can also audit who uses (or tries to use) the feature.

Make sure your agent settings have been published and the agent is running on the machine on which you wish to install packages.

H O W T O U S E M S I P R I V I L E G E E L E V A T I O N I N A W I N D O W S I N S T A L L E R P A C K A G E

1 Create or Edit an MSI Package and select Allow Privilege Elevation

By default, packages do not request privilege elevation during installation. In order for the WinINSTALL Interactive or Automatic Installer to request privilege elevation when installing a package, you must check the Allow Privilege Elevation checkbox on the General / Shared / Runtime tab for that package. This setting is also inheritable from a list file by making the same setting on the General / Shared / Runtime tab for the list file.

2 Install the Package



Using either the WinINSTALL Interactive or Automatic installer, the user can now install the package requiring elevated privileges.


. . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .SCHEDULING PACKAGES AND LISTS 15

cheduling lets you set a time frame during which the WinINSTALL agent will install packages. The fact that you set a time frame, rather than a specific moment, for processing such tasks helps prevent your network and server from being saturated by many tasks occurring at the same time, and it also allows you to schedule these tasks

to take place when users are out of the office to avoid interfering with office productivity.

You can schedule distribution of software packages or lists any of three different ways:

• Using the Schedule node in the tree pane of the Console.

• Using drag and drop from nodes within the Software Distribution tree to the Machine list.

• Using the Schedule tab that appears in each package and list’s data view when General is selected in the list view.

Each of these methods is summarized briefly below. But for full details on all WinINSTALL scheduling, including scheduling package installations, please see the Scheduling chapter of this guide, where you will find a complete discussion of the Schedule Task dialog and all its associated tabs and controls.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . T H E S C H E D U L E N O D E I N T H E T R E E P A N EOne method of scheduling a package or list to be installed is to use the Schedule node in the tree pane of the Console. This method involves three steps:

1 Highlight the Schedule node in the tree pane.

2 On the Schedule tab in the data pane, do one of the following:

• Click the Add button on the data pane to add a new task.

• Click the Properties button on the data pane to modify the scheduling information for an existing task.

3 Add or modify the scheduling information on the Schedule tab of the Schedule Task dialog and click OK.

S


S C H E D U L I N G P A C K A G E S A N D L I S T SDrag and Drop1 5

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D R A G A N D D R O PAnother method of scheduling a package or list to be installed is by means of drag and drop. This method involves the following four steps:

1 Expand the Software Distribution node in the tree pane and navigate down to a list file, a WinINSTALL package, or a Windows Installer package.

2 Expand the Machines node in the tree pane and either select the All Machines node beneath it or expand the Searches node beneath it and select a specific search.

3 Highlight the desired package or list and drag it, dropping it on the desired machine or group of machines in the list pane.

4 The Schedule Task dialog will appear. Add or modify the scheduling information and click OK.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . T H E S C H E D U L E T A B I N T H E D A T A P A N E .Each package and list also offers a Schedule tab in the data pane. A further method of scheduling package and list installations is to do so directly from this tab. The following steps are involved in this process:

1 Expand the Software Distribution node in the tree pane and navigate down to a list file, a WinINSTALL package, or a Windows Installer package.

2 Highlight General in the list pane.

3 Click the Schedule tab in the data pane.

4 Click the Add button to create a new scheduled task.

5 The Schedule dialog will appear, with its Task, Schedule, and Target tabs.

6 On the Task tab, specify the Task Name, Type (Distribution will have been pre-selected), and Options (Install, Re-install, Uninstall, or specific command line).

7 On the Schedule tab, specify the start and finish time (creating a window during which the task is enabled to run), whether to run the task once or as a recurring task, start and end dates, and, if recurring the pattern of recurrence.

8 On the Targets tab, specify the specific machines or users for which the package is being scheduled.

9 Click OK to create the scheduled job.


. . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .PATCH MANAGEMENT 16

he WinINSTALL patch management feature provides an intuitive and convenient way to download the latest patches from the Microsoft web site and automatically create WinINSTALL packages from them. These packages can then be distributed

using all the power and selectivity of the WinINSTALL package distribution capability. Integrated into the management console, WinINSTALL Patch Management is pre-configured to retrieve and display the published bulletin and patch information index, mssecure.xml, from the same location as Microsoft’s own Baseline Security Analyzer. As this xml document is updated by Microsoft, the newly available information and patches will automatically become available to the WinINSTALL patch management system. The mssecure.xml contains the information essential for you to assess the impact of the latest security and stability patches that Microsoft has to offer. For a more detailed description of each issue, the WinINSTALL Console also provides you with direct access to each of the relevant official Microsoft TechNet articles. Once patches are wrapped within a WinINSTALL package, they can be replicated to other WinINSTALL servers (see the Replication chapter of this guide for full information on WinINSTALL replication) and distributed to appropriate workstation and server machines using WinINSTALL Software Distribution (see the Package Distribution chapter of this guide for full information on distribution of WinINSTALL and Windows Installer packages).

The bulletin and patch information index is currently published in four languages: English (US), French, German and Japanese. WinINSTALL allows you to switch between them in order to patch these Windows platforms. Additional languages are available through the use of the special PatchCatalog utility, explained in the Miscellaneous chapter of this guide, in the section entitled Special Utility for Microsoft Patches (PatchCatalog.exe).

Patch management currently supports http-based patches that are either self-extracting Win32 Cabinet executables or self-extracting Windows Installer executables, which represent the vast majority of Microsoft patches. Patches that are specified as ftp:// or .zip files are not currently supported for automatic retrieval, but WinINSTALL can be used to distribute them.

WinINSTALL does not provide an unattended removal/uninstall complement to the Microsoft patch deployment. This is because removal of a patch can have a de-stabilizing effect on the system or other applications. We recommend that if you must uninstall these patches, you use Control Panel ‡ Add/Remove Programs (ARP). The native patch uninstallation process will, if necessary, warn you of the effects.

T


P A T C H M A N A G E M E N TPatch Management Workflow1 6

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P A T C H M A N A G E M E N T W O R K F L O WWinINSTALL Patch Management involves the following general steps:

1 Determine the machines to be patched.

NOTE: If you use ARP, rather than WinINSTALL, to uninstall a patch originally distributed with WinINSTALL, and then you later choose to install it again with WinINSTALL, you must choose the Reinstall option, rather than the Install option. The reason for this requirement is that the WinINSTALL installers do not recognize that ARP has uninstalled the package. As a result, the Installers will see a subsequent attempt to Install the package as unnecessary, unless a Reinstall operation is specified.

TIP: When you distribute a patch with WinINSTALL, the installed patch (hotfix/update) may not show up on the Windows Updates/Hotfixes tab in the data pane after you perform an inventory on the machine where the patch was installed. However, in such a situation, the patch will show up on the Applications/ Components tab.

TIP: In this release of WinINSTALL, you must determine which machines you need to patch. But WinINSTALL provides you with powerful tools to make this determination. First of all, WinINSTALL allows you to view Microsoft Bulletins and TechNet articles directly from the WinINSTALL Console. Furthermore, WinINSTALL’s extensive inventory captures the patch level of each machine’s operating system and applications. So you can search on these items to find which machines need patching, and you can also use the resulting group of machines as the target for a patch distribution job. You can also set software and/or system conditions on the WinINSTALL packages and/or lists you use to distribute the patches, to assure that they reach only the machines they should. See Package Conditions for details on how to set such conditions.


. . .

. .P A T C H M A N A G E M E N TMicrosoft Bulletins

2 Download the appropriate patches or automatically create patch packages with the appropriate patches.

3 If necessary, replicate the patch packages to additional servers.

4 Distribute the patches to the appropriate machines to apply them.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . M I C R O S O F T B U L L E T I N SMicrosoft Patch Management begins with the Microsoft bulletins, which appear in the Console under the Patch Management node in the tree pane. You can view these bulletins in English, French, German, or Japanese. Additional languages are available through the use of the special PatchCatalog utility, explained in the Miscellaneous chapter of this guide, in the section entitled Special Utility for Microsoft Patches (PatchCatalog.exe).

Each bulletin refers to one or more patches, which can be automatically downloaded and distributed in a simple series of steps--all within the WinINSTALL Console.

The Bulletins tab under the Patch Management node in the WinINSTALL Console contains a list of Microsoft bulletins. If All Bulletins is selected, the list contains all of the Microsoft bulletins. If you select a specific category, the list will narrow to only the bulletins that apply to products in the selected category, providing a product-oriented way of looking at bulletins and patches.

VIEW A L IST OF MICROSOFT BULLETINSWhen you expand the Patch Management node in the tree pane and click or expand the All Bulletins sub-node, a message box will notify you that WinINSTALL is “Loading bulletin information.”

WARNING: If packages are rolled out to inappropriate machines, their built-in patching mechanism will fail to install the patches, but you will not necessarily see why it failed to do so. Examples of rolling out a package to the wrong machine include attempting to patch the wrong machine or attempting to apply a patch to a machine that does not have the necessary prerequisites.


P A T C H M A N A G E M E N TMicrosoft Bulletins1 6

When the bulletin information has been retrieved from the Microsoft web site, one of the following happens:

• If you clicked the All Bulletins sub-node, a list of all Microsoft bulletins displays on the Bulletins tab in the data pane.

• If you expanded the All Bulletins sub-node, a list of categories of Microsoft bulletins displays below the All Bulletins sub-node, in alphabetical order. Each category includes all of the Microsoft products that may be affected by the patches specified by a bulletin. The list pane is not visible and the information displayed in the data pane does not change. When you click a category, only bulletins that affect products in the selected category display in the data pane.

The following information displays for each bulletin:

The bulletins are originally sorted by ID in descending order, but you can click on any column header to sort the list by the information in that column. The list pane will not be visible at this point.

TIP: The “Loading bulletin information” message appears only if the bulletin information has not yet been loaded, if you explicitly refresh the bulletin information, or if the mssecure.xml file does not exist on the WinINSTALL share. The mssecure.xml file is downloaded to the WinINSTALL share when the bulletin information is initially loaded, and WinINSTALL uses the information in this file to populate the bulletin information in the console. To ensure that you have the most up-to-date bulletins, you must manually refresh this information periodically by selecting the Patch Management node in the tree view of the Console and then selecting the Refresh Bulletin Info from the Bulletin menu.

ID • The unique Microsoft identifier for the bulletin (example, MS02-015)

QNumber • The Microsoft Query Number which can be used to query the Microsoft web site for information about this bulletin.

Title • Short descriptive label that identifies the issues that the bulletin addresses

Date • The date on which the bulletin was released.


. . .


VIEW DETAILS ON A SPECIFIC BULLETINIf you double-click a bulletin, the General tab will replace the Bulletins tab in the data pane, revealing information on that specific bulletin and the patches it refers to.

The bulletin ID appears at the top of the data pane, and the details for that bulletin display below on the General tab.

In the data pane, the selected bulletin ID displays at the top of the General tab. The bulletin ID is a unique identifier in the format MS<yy><nnn>, where <yy> are the last two digits of the year and <nnn> is a chronologically sequential number.

The following information appears below, in the sections of the General tab:

• In the top section of the tab, the title of the bulletin offers a very brief description of the issues addressed by the bulletin. The following information is listed below the bulletin title

NOTE: At this point, the list pane displays an All Bulletins entry at the top, followed by ID and Title entries for each of the bulletins. The bulletins appear initially sorted by ID in descending order, but you can also sort the list by Title by clicking on that column header. The data pane will display the details for whatever bulletin you select in the list pane.

QNumber • The Microsoft Query Number that can be used to query the Microsoft web site for information about this bulletin.

Severity • Specifies how critical the patch is considered to be by Microsoft. (Some patches do not have a severity level).

• Critical

• Severe

• Important

• Moderate

• Low

Posted • Date on which the bulletin was initially released.

Revised • Most recent date on which the bulletin was modified.

Summary • Detailed description of the problems addressed by the patches in the bulletin.



• Under Patch Information, in the middle section of the tab, is a list of the patches included in the bulletin, with the following information about each patch:

• The bottom section contains four tabs of detailed information pertaining to the individual patch which is selected in the middle section: General, Products, Files, and Registry.

NOTE: The Japanese version contains a link to the Summary information, rather than the information itself.

Name • The name of the executable file that installs the patch. The icon in front of the name changes based on whether a patch has been downloaded or a patch package created.

• Patch not downloaded and patch package not created.

• Patch downloaded but patch package not created.

• Patch downloaded and patch package created.

Size • Size of the executable file that installs the patch.

Application List

• Specifies the list file containing the patch package--if a link to a list exists.

Download Folder

• If this patch has already been downloaded by WinINSTALL, specifies the path to the folder where the patch is stored. The variable @PatchDir represents the full path to the directory where you have chosen to save the patch.

Package • If this patch has already been downloaded and a patch package created, specifies the name of the WinINSTALL package - in the format <executable patch file name>.nai. (If the patch file name includes an extension, that extension is included in the package name.)

NOTE: If the Files and Registry tabs have no content, it is because Microsoft did not include this information with the bulletin.


. . .


The General tab specifies whether the patch requires the machine on which it is installed to be rebooted, and whether this is the newest version of the patch:

The Products tab lists all of the products to which the patch selected above applies, and it also provides the following information for each product:

The Files tab lists all of the files affected by the patch, plus the following information for each affected file:

The Registry tab lists all of the registry entries affected by the patch, plus the following information for each affected registry entry:

Requires machine reboot

• Specifies whether the patch requires the machine to be rebooted before the patch takes effect.

Patch superseded by

• If this patch has been replaced by another later patch, specifies the name of the executable file that installs the newer patch.

Product Name

• The name of the product affected by the patch. For example, Internet Information Services 5.0.

Service Pack • The name of the service pack affected by the patch.

Release Date • The date on which the patch was released.

Fixed in SP • The name of the service pack, if any, that fixes the problem addressed by the patch.

Filename • The name of the file.

Date • The date on which the file was created.

Version • The version of the file.

Size • The size of the file.

Action • The type of action to be performed on the affected file. For example, 'change' or 'change if exists, ignore if not'.

Checksum • The checksum value for the file. (The checksum is a numerical value based on the number of set bits in the file that is used for error detection.)

Location • The location of the affected entry in the registry. For example, HKLM\Microsoft\Updates\Windows2000\SP2\Q286818.

Key Name • The name of the affected registry key. For example, Type, IsInstalled, or Compatibility Flags.



HOW TO VIEW THE TECHNET© ARTICLE FOR A MICROSOFT BULLETINThe WinINSTALL Patch Management facility makes it very simple to view a TechNet© article for a specific Microsoft bulletin. Simply follow these steps:

1 Expand the Patch Management node in the tree pane, and click the All Bulletins sub-node. If desired, click a bulletin category beneath it.

2 You can now view a TechNet article by taking any one of the following actions:

• Highlight a bulletin in the data pane and select Get TechNet© Article from the Bulletin menu

• Highlight a bulletin in the data pane and click the Get Article icon on the toolbar.

• Right-click a bulletin and click Get TechNet© Article on the pop-up context menu. (You can also highlight or right-click a bulletin in the list pane when it is visible.)

ADVANCED OPTIONSThe file which provides the information used to populate the Microsoft bulletin information in the Console is specified in the following registry key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\OnDemand\WinINSTALL\Console\

Installed Modules\Patch Management: XMLPath

The default value for this key is set to the link to the English mssecure cab file. If you must replace this registry value, you can change it only to an alternative Microsoft mssecure.xml (e.g., mirrored site). Because of the risks involved with editing the registry, this is considered an advanced option and is not a recommended procedure. It should only be changed if, for example, the specified URL is not available.

When you select a language for the bulletin information, a value is loaded into the appropriate registry key (from the four shown below) specifying a link to the .cab file

Action • The type of registry entry on which the action will be performed. For example, registry key.

Value • The value of the affected registry entry. For example, 1, 1024 or Modify.

NOTE: If you attempt to download a patch or create a patch package and WinINSTALL is unable to find the path to the patch in the information provided by Microsoft, you will have to provide the correct http url to the appropriate patch. You can use the TechNet© link to manually download the specified patch executable and save it to the specified patch folder.


. . .

. .P A T C H M A N A G E M E N TManaging Microsoft Patches

containing the bulletin information in the selected language. However, you should change the bulletin language via the bulletin menu in the console, not by editing these registry keys.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\OnDemand\WinINSTALL\Console\ Installed Modules\Patch Management\XMLPathEnglish

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\OnDemand\WinINSTALL\Console\ Installed Modules\Patch Management\XMLPathFrench

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\OnDemand\WinINSTALL\Console\ Installed Modules\Patch Management\XMLPathGerman

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\OnDemand\WinINSTALL\Console\

Installed Modules\Patch Management\XMLPathJapanese

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . M A N A G I N G M I C R O S O F T P A T C H E SWinINSTALL allows you to download Microsoft patches, to automatically create WinINSTALL packages to deliver those patches, and to manage the patches and packages you have created.

HOW TO DOWNLOAD A MICROSOFT PATCHThe WinINSTALL Console provides a choice of methods to download a Microsoft patch.

1 To start, expand the Patch Management node in the tree pane, and click the All Bulletins sub-node. If desired, click a bulletin category beneath All Bulletins to narrow the list of bulletins.

2 Double-click a bulletin in the data pane, and the bulletin information will display on the General tab.

3 In the Patch Information section in the middle of the tab, take any one of the following actions:

• Highlight a patch and choose Download Patch... from the Patch menu.

• Highlight a patch and click the Download Patch icon on the toolbar.

• Right-click a patch and choose Download Patch... from the pop-up context menu.

NOTE: The special PatchCatalog utility, explained in the Miscellaneous chapter of this guide, in the section entitled Special Utility for Microsoft Patches (PatchCatalog.exe), enables access to patches and bulletins in additional languages.


P A T C H M A N A G E M E N TManaging Microsoft Patches1 6

4 If the information provided by Microsoft correctly specifies the path to the patch, the Download Patch dialog displays. Click OK and the patch will be downloaded. The icon in front of the patch name will change and a value will appear in the Download Folder column. If the information provided by Microsoft does not correctly specify the path to the patch, the Alternative Patch Location dialog will appear, and the icon in front of the patch name will remain unchanged. In this case, you will need to provide the correct http url to the appropriate patch, then click OK to continue.

HOW TO CREATE A WININSTALL PACKAGE TO DELIVER A MICROSOFT PATCHThe WinINSTALL Console makes it very simple to download a Microsoft patch and automatically create a patch package, in a single operation.

1 To begin, expand the Patch Management node in the tree pane and click the All Bulletins sub-node. If desired, click a bulletin category to narrow the scope of bulletins displayed in the data pane.

2 Double-click the desired bulletin in the data pane, and the bulletin information will display on the General tab.

3 In the Patch Information section in the middle of the tab, select the desired patch and take one of the following actions:

• Choose Create Patch Package... from the Patch menu

• Click the Package icon on the tool bar.

• Right-click the patch and choose Create Patch Package... from the pop-up context menu.

4 If the information provided by Microsoft correctly specifies the path to the patch, the Create Patch Package dialog will display. Click OK to download the patch and create the patch package. The icon in front of the patch name will change, and appropriate values will appear in the Download Folder and Package columns.

If the information provided by Microsoft does not correctly specify the path to the patch, the Alternative Patch Location dialog will appear, and the icon before the patch name will remain unchanged. In this case, you will have to provide the correct http url to the appropriate patch. Click OK to continue.

TIP: You can use the TechNet© link to manually download the specified patch executable and save it to the specified patch folder.


. . .


HOW TO DOWNLOAD MULTIPLE MICROSOFT PATCHESYou can also use the WinINSTALL Console to download multiple Microsoft patches in one operation, with the option of creating patch packages for each of the downloaded patches.


2 Click on a single bulletin, or use Shift-click or Ctrl-click to select multiple bulletins, in the data pane.

3 Use one of the following methods to download all patches:

• Choose Download Patches... from the Patch menu.

• Right click the selection(s) in the data pane and choose Download Patches... from the pop-up context menu.

4 If the information provided by Microsoft correctly specifies the path to the patch, the Download Patches dialog displays. Select the desired patches and right-click to select the desired operation:

• Download Patches (download the patches).

• Create Patch Packages (download the patches and create a patch package for each one).

• Add Patch Packages to List (download the patches, create patch packages, and add the packages to a list--you will be prompted to select a list from the Browse for an Application List File dialog).

5 Click OK and the specified operations will be completed.

6 Click the Close button to dismiss the Download Patches dialog. The icon in front of the patch name in the General Bulletin tab will change and a value will appear in the Download Folder column.

NOTE: WinINSTALL can automatically add the patch package to a WinINSTALL list file when it is created. You can use one of the patch list files provided with the product or create a new list file under the Patches list file.

TIP: You can use the TechNet© link to manually download the specified patch executable and save it to the specified patch folder.



HOW TO DELETE A DOWNLOADED MICROSOFT PATCHIf you need to delete a Microsoft patch that you previously downloaded, you can do so easily from within the Console.

1 To begin, either expand the Patch Management node in the tree pane, and click the All Bulletins sub-node; or else expand the Patch Management node in the tree pane, expand the All Bulletins sub-node, and then click beneath it the bulletin category that includes the patch you want to remove.

2 Double-click a bulletin in the data pane that includes the patch that you want to remove, and the bulletin information displays on the General tab.

3 In the Patch Information section in the middle of the tab, either highlight the patch that you want to remove and choose Delete Patch... from the Patch menu or right-click the patch and choose Delete Patch... from the pop-up context menu.

4 The Delete Patch File dialog will display. Click OK and the patch will be removed. The icon in front of the patch name will change, and the value in the Download Folder column will disappear.

HOW TO DELETE A MICROSOFT PATCH PACKAGEWhen you remove a Microsoft patch package that you created, you can delete only the patch package or you can remove both the patch package and the patch that it installs. To delete a Microsoft patch package that you previously created, follow these steps:

1 Expand the Patch Management node in the tree pane and click the All Bulletins sub-node. If desired, you can narrow the list of bulletins displayed by clicking the bulletin category that contains the desired patch.

2 Double-click a bulletin in the data pane that contains the desired patch, and the bulletin information will display on the General tab.

3 In the Patch Information section in the middle of the tab, either highlight the desired patch and choose Delete Patch Package... from the Patch menu or right-click the patch and choose Delete Patch Package... from the pop-up context menu.

4 The Delete Patch Package dialog will appear. If you want to delete the patch as well as the package, check the Delete associated patch file and folder checkbox.

5 Click OK to remove the patch package. The icon in front of the patch name will change and the value in the Package column will disappear. (If you chose to remove both the

NOTE: When you delete a patch, you also delete the patch package (if you have created a package for that patch), along with any references to that package in the software distribution lists.


. . .


package and the patch, the icon in front of the patch name will change, and the values in both the Download Folder and Package columns will disappear.)

HOW TO DELETE MULTIPLE MICROSOFT PATCHES AND PACKAGESYou can also use the WinINSTALL Console to delete multiple Microsoft patches in one operation, including any created patch packages for the downloaded patches.


2 Click on a single bulletin, or use Shift-click or Ctrl-click to select multiple bulletins, in the data pane.

3 Use one of the following methods to download all patches:

• Choose Delete Patches... from the Patch menu.

• Right click the selection(s) in the data pane and choose Delete Patches... from the pop-up context menu.

4 The Delete Patches dialog will display. Select the desired patches and right-click to choose the desired operation:

• Delete Patches (delete all selected patches and folders, plus associated packages, including references to the packages in the software distribution lists).

• Delete Patch Packages (delete the packages, including removing references to those packages from the list files in which they appear). This action does not delete the patches and folders--only the packages.

5 A confirmation dialog will appear, explaining the operation about to be performed and asking whether or not to continue. Click Yes and the specified deletions will be completed.

6 Click the Close button to dismiss the Delete Patches dialog.

NOTE: When you delete a patch package, you are given the option of also deleting the patch file that was used to create the patch package, and the folder it was placed in. (When you create a Microsoft patch package with WinINSTALL, it automatically downloads the patch when it builds the patch package and stores it in a special folder in the Patches directory in the WinINSTALL share.) When you choose this option, the patch entry is also removed from the Patches list file.




. . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Section 3

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PACKAGE EDITINGCHAPTER 17: GENERAL PACKAGE OPTIONS

CHAPTER 18: ADDITIONAL MSI PACKAGE OPTIONS

CHAPTER 19: ADDITIONAL NAI PACKAGE OPTIONS

CHAPTER 20: INSTALLER NOTIFICATION

CHAPTER 21: FILES

CHAPTER 22: SHORTCUTS

CHAPTER 23: REGISTRY

CHAPTER 24: FILE EDITS

CHAPTER 25: SYSTEM SERVICES

CHAPTER 26: ADVERTISING

CHAPTER 27: MERGE MODULES



. . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .GENERAL PACKAGE OPTIONS 17

hen you highlight a list or package in the tree pane and select General in the list pane, tabs display in the data pane. The tabs that display depend on whether you selected a list, a WinINSTALL (NAI) package, or a Windows Installer (MSI)

package in the tree pane.

This chapter discusses the Summary tab for both WinINSTALL and Windows Installer packages, and all of the General tabs for MSI features and components.

When you highlight a package in the tree pane and select General in the list pane, a Summary tab displays in the data pane. However, the information on the Summary tab differs, depending on whether an NAI or an MSI package is selected.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . S U M M A R Y T A B ( W I N I N S T A L L P A C K A G E )On the Summary tab for an NAI package, you can configure two installation settings and provide a description for the package. You can customize whether and how the package may be uninstalled through Add/Remove Programs in the Control Panel, and you can specify whether or not to allow the package to be installed automatically on target machines. The following items are available on this tab:

UNINSTALL COMMAND LINE FOR ARP REMOVALWhen this check box is checked, you can supply a command line to be used when the package is removed through Add/Remove Programs. You enter the command line in the text box, which becomes active once the check box is checked.

If the check box is unchecked, no entry for the package will appear in Add/Remove Programs.

ALLOW AUTOMATIC INSTALLATIONWhen this option is selected, the package is enabled to be installed via the WinINSTALL Automatic Installer. When you uncheck this checkbox, you prevent the Automatic Installer from processing the package. The package can be installed by the WinINSTALL Interactive Installer in any case.

DESCRIPTIONIf you enter a brief description here, it will be visible to the user when the package is listed on the list of available packages in the Interactive Installer.

W


G E N E R A L P A C K A G E O P T I O N SSummary Tab (Windows Installer package)1 7

COMMENTSThis field is intended for text and notes to annotate the selected package, for management purposes. The sole purpose of these comments is to document the package, and they have no effect on the processing of the packages.

COPY PACKAGE FOLDERThe checkbox marked When copying this package through WinINSTALL, copy all the files in the package folder instead of just those referenced in the package instructs the WinINSTALL CD Wizard and WinINSTALL Replication to copy the entire contents of the folder where the package is located. This setting enables the inclusion on CDs and in replicated folders, of files required by but not explicitly referenced in, a package. An example might be a .dll used by a program called as an external process.

S U M M A R Y T A B ( W I N D O W S I N S T A L L E R

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P A C K A G E )On the Summary tab for an MSI package, you can view, enter, edit or delete administrative information about the highlighted package, such as product information, support information, and whether and how the application should display in Add/Remove Programs in the Control Panel.

The following items are available on this tab:

ARP ICONChoose whether the application will appear on the Add/Remove Programs dialog (available from the Control Panel) and what actions will be available to the user if it does appear.

SHOW PRODUCT IN ARPWhen this checkbox is not checked, the application will not appear in the list of applications on the Add/Remove Programs dialog.

SHOW CHANGE BUTTONWhen this checkbox is not checked, the user cannot modify the installation of the application from the Add/Remove Programs dialog.

TIP: The information you enter in the Comments textbox will display only within the Console. Use the Description textbox for text that you want to display in the Interactive Installer.


. . .

. .G E N E R A L P A C K A G E O P T I O N SSummary Tab (Windows Installer package)

SHOW REMOVE BUTTONWhen this checkbox is not checked, the user cannot uninstall the application from the Add/Remove Programs dialog.

SUPPORT INFORMATIONThe information entered in this field will display on the Support Info dialog when a user selects the application on the Add/Remove Programs dialog (available from the Control Panel) and then clicks Click here for support information:

C O N T A C TThis is the name of a person or entity that can be contacted for product support.

P H O N EThis is the telephone number for product support.

O N L I N E S U P P O R TThis is the URL for online product support.

H E L P F I L E U R LThis is the URL for the online help system.

U P D A T E I N F O U R LThis is the URL where users can find update information about the product.

R E G I S T E R E D U S E R / C O M P A N YThis field identifies the user or company that is the registered owner of the product. This value can be obtained in one of three ways:

The

NOTE: The ARP icon is associated with advertising an application.

Automatic (get from Registry)

• The Windows Installer will automatically retrieve the name of the current user from the Registry.


G E N E R A L P A C K A G E O P T I O N SSummary Tab (Windows Installer package)1 7

S H O W R E P A I R B U T T O NWhen this checkbox is not checked, the Repair button does not appear on the Add/Remove Programs dialog.

MSI SCHEMAWhen you are creating a new package, you should enter here the version of the MSI database schema that will be used in the creation of the package. For existing packages, the version is supplied automatically based on the MSI version installed on the PC where the application package was created, and it therefore cannot be changed on this tab.

VERSION Enter the number that specifies the particular version of the product being installed. The version number is in the format -

xxxxx.xxxxx.xxxxx.xxxxx

where x represents a digit and the maximum version string allowed is 65535.65535.65535.65535.

PRODUCT CODEThis field holds the Globally Unique Identifier (GUID) that is the principal identifier for the application or product. Letters in a product code GUID must be uppercase.

The 32-bit and 64-bit versions of an application's package must have different product codes.

If any 32-bit component of an application is recompiled into a 64-bit component, a new product code must be assigned.

Click the Ellipsis button to browse for the product code. If no GUID exists, a message box will ask whether you want to generate a new GUID.

Suppress • The Windows Installer will not display this information during installation.

Use these values

• The Windows Installer will use the values entered on this dialog in the User Name and Company Name fields.

NOTE: If significant changes are made to a product, then the product code should also be changed to reflect this. However, it is not a requirement that the product code be changed when the changes to the product are relatively minor.


. . .

. .G E N E R A L P A C K A G E O P T I O N SSummary Tab (Windows Installer package)

PACKAGE CODEThis field holds the GUID that is the principal identifier for the package.

Click the Ellipsis button to browse for the package code. If no GUID exists, a message box will ask whether you want to generate a new GUID.

PRODUCT LANGUAGEFrom the drop-down list of available languages, you can select the language in which the application will display.

PRODUCT IDThis field contains the product identifier that will display when the application is selected in the Add/Remove Programs dialog.

MANUFACTURERThis field displays the name of the software vendor that created the application.

MANUFACTURER'S URLThis field holds the address of the web site for the software vendor that created the application.

COMMENTSThe contents of this field display when a user selects the application on the Add/Remove Programs dialog (available from the Control Panel).

UPDATE PACKAGE CODEPackage codes are updated automatically or not, according to the selection among the following three options:

• Do not automatically update package code when saving changes

When this radio button is not selected, WinINSTALL keeps the same package code when it saves changes to the package. When this radio button is selected, WinINSTALL changes the package code whenever it saves changes to the package.

• Automatically update package code when saving changes

NOTE: The package code must be unique for every package. A small update, a minor upgrade, or a major upgrade of the same application all require separate package codes. Versions of the same application in different languages also require separate package codes.


G E N E R A L P A C K A G E O P T I O N SGeneral Information for Installing a Windows Installer Feature1 7

When this radio button is selected, WinINSTALL always changes the package code when it saves changes to the package.

• Use global setting {found under Preferences}

When this radio button is selected, WinINSTALL will determine whether to update the package code when it saves changes to the package, based on the global setting found under Preferences.

COPY PACKAGE FOLDERThe checkbox marked When copying this package through WinINSTALL, copy all the files in the package folder instead of just those referenced in the package instructs the WinINSTALL CD Wizard and WinINSTALL Replication to copy the entire contents of the folder where the package is located. This setting enables the inclusion on CDs and in replicated folders, of files required by but not explicitly referenced in, a package. An example might be a .dll used by a program called as part of a custom action.

To continue, click another tab in the data pane or make another selection from the list pane. To save your entries, click the diskette icon on the toolbar or choose Save from the File menu.

G E N E R A L I N F O R M A T I O N F O R I N S T A L L I N G A

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . W I N D O W S I N S T A L L E R F E A T U R EWindows Installer packages consist of functional elements called features and components. Components are the smallest elements of an application, as small as a single file, icon, or registry entry. Features are the smallest discrete pieces of an application which can be installed. Features can contain other features, but they must contain one or more components. The detailed installation instructions for a feature are associated with the components that make up that feature. However, Windows Installer packages also contain general information about the features in the package.

When you highlight a feature in the tree pane and select General in the list pane, you can edit this general feature-level information on the following tabs in the data pane:

NOTE: If significant changes are made to a package, the package code should be changed to reflect this. It is not necessary for a package to be changed if the changes to the package are relatively minor.


. . .

. .G E N E R A L P A C K A G E O P T I O N SGeneral Information for Installing a Windows Installer Feature

Summary Tab

The information on this tab includes the feature identifier, the name of the feature as it appears in the console, a description of the feature, and “whether”, “when”, and “where” instructions for the Add/Remove Programs applet in Control Panel.

Conditions Tab

The information on this tab includes conditions which will be evaluated to determine whether the feature will be installed.

Advanced Tab

The information on this tab includes the default install levels, where the feature should be stored, whether the feature should be advertised, and how the feature should be displayed.

SUMMARY TAB (WINDOWS INSTALLER FEATURE)On the Summary tab, you can enter, view or edit general information used for management and documentation purposes - such as the name of the feature, its ID, its description, and “whether”, “when”, and “where” instructions for the Add/Remove Programs applet in Control Panel.

On the Summary tab in the data pane, you can view the following information:

I D E N T I F I E RWinINSTALL automatically generates a unique identifier for each new feature that is created. The identifier has the format WIFEAT<0000000n>, where <0000000n> is an auto-incremented 8-digit number. WinINSTALL uses this identifier internally to locate features. (WinINSTALL uses a similar format for all internally generated identifiers.) This value is read-only.

N A M EThis field holds the name of the feature; this name displays in the tree pane. It is a good idea to use a name that helps users understand what the feature does.

TIP: A Windows Installer package is made up of one or more features. An example of a feature is the Spell Checker in Microsoft Word.



D E S C R I P T I O NThis description of the feature displays as tool-tip text when you mouse-over the feature name in the tree pane of the console.

O T H E R F E A T U R E A T T R I B U T E S• Run from local hard drive

When this radio button is selected, the components of this feature will be installed so that they run from the hard drive of the local machine. The files installed by this feature will be installed to the local hard drive and will be run from the local hard drive.

• Run from source

When this radio button is selected, all of the components of this feature will be installed so that they run from the source media, typically a CD or a network share. The files installed by this feature will not be installed on the local hard drive, but instead will be run from the network resource or some other installation media.

• Install on first use

When this radio button is selected, the feature will be installed the first time that a user attempts to use it. This is called just-in-time installation, or advertising.

• Not available

When this radio button is selected, the feature will not display as an installation option.

• Not installable

When this radio button is selected, the feature will display, but will not be an active installation option.

• Other (Use Advanced Tab)

This radio button is selected when you make either of the selections below on the Advanced tab:

• Under Storage Location: Favor Parent

• Under Display: Hide Not Available button

NOTE: Choices made on the radio buttons above can alter what is displayed on the Advanced tab, and choices made on that tab can alter what displays here.


. . .

. .G E N E R A L P A C K A G E O P T I O N SGeneral Information for Installing a Windows Installer Feature

CONDITIONS TAB (WINDOWS INSTALLER FEATURE)On the Conditions tab, you can create, view or modify conditions which will be evaluated in order to determine whether the feature will be installed. Condition definitions are used to set the install level, a numerical value that determines whether a feature is installed and, if so, how it is installed. Conditions allow you to add another level of control to the functionality of an installation.

On the Conditions tab in the data pane, you can view or edit the following information:

C O N D I T I O NA condition is an expression that evaluates to either true or false. You can create condition statements from properties, environment variables, component action states, component install states, feature action states, and feature install states.

L E V E LEvery installation package has a default install level, which is an integer value that can range from 0 to 32,767. Conditions let you change the install-level value for a particular feature, and thus change its installation state. If the install level for a feature is greater than the default install level, the feature will not be installed. An install level of 0 disables and hides the feature.

You can perform the following actions on this tab:

• To create and add a new condition, click the Add icon. Enter the required information on the Feature Condition dialog and click OK.

• To edit an existing condition or install level, highlight it and click the Edit icon. Change the desired information on the Feature Condition dialog and click OK.

• To delete an existing condition, highlight it and click the Delete icon.

ADVANCED TAB (WINDOWS INSTALLER FEATURE)On the Advanced tab, you can view, add, or modify information such as install levels, where the feature should be stored, whether the feature should be advertised, and how the feature should be displayed. You can view or edit the following information:

D E F A U L T F E A T U R E I N S T A L L L E V E LPackages and features both have default install levels. If the default install level for a feature is less than or equal to the default install level for the package, the feature will be installed. An install level of 0 disables and hides the feature.



D E F A U L T P A C K A G E I N S T A L L L E V E LEvery installation package has a default install level, which is an integer value that can range from 0 to 32,767. Features are installed or not installed based on their install level. If the install level for a feature is greater than the default install level, the feature will not be installed.

S T O R A G E L O C A T I O NA feature can be installed from the local hard drive or the source media. The following three choices are available:

A D V E R T I S I N GWhen a feature is advertised, it is not installed until the user tries to use it. This is called just-in-time installation, or advertising, and it offers certain advantages, such as reducing the network load that accompanies an enterprise-wide simultaneous installation, and not installing applications that a particular user does not need or use. You can choose whether or not to have a feature advertised, and whether to have it advertised based on the degree of integration of the Windows Installer Service with the client operating system. The following advertising choices are available:

Favor Local • First try to install the feature from the local hard drive; if that fails, try to install from the source media.

Favor Source • First try to install the feature from the source media; if that fails, try to install from the local hard drive.

Favor Parent • First try to install the feature using the same installation choice as the parent of the feature; if that fails, try alternative methods.

Do not allow advertising

• Advertising will not be an installation option for this feature.

Favor advertising

• Allow the feature to be advertised as an installation option.

Advertise only if the OS understands MSI

• Allow the feature to be advertised only if the operating system “understands” how to use the Windows Installer service.


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. .G E N E R A L P A C K A G E O P T I O N SGeneral Information for Installing a Windows Installer Component

D I S P L A YYou can choose to have the feature displayed either expanded or collapsed, or you can choose not to have it displayed at all. You can also hide the Not available option from the user. The following display options are available:

G E N E R A L I N F O R M A T I O N F O R I N S T A L L I N G A

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . W I N D O W S I N S T A L L E R C O M P O N E N TA Windows Installer package installs a product, which can be a single application or a suite of applications. Windows Installer packages are made up of one or more features that are in turn made up of one or more components and sub-features. A component is the smallest and most fundamental unit in a Windows Installer package. In addition to detailed installation instructions about files, registry keys, environment variables, and shortcuts, packages also contain general installation information about components. When you highlight a component in the tree pane and select General in the list pane, you can edit information on the following tabs in the data pane:

Summary Tab

The information on the Summary tab uniquely identifies the component, tells the installer where it is located on the installation media and where it should be installed on the local machine, specifies the value that will be used to find the component, and optionally defines the conditions under which the component will be installed. The values entered on this tab are used to populate or modify the Components table in the MSI database.

Reserve Cost Tab

Visible and Expanded

• The feature will display as an installation option in an expanded form with its components visible.

Visible and Collapsed

• The feature will display as an installation option in a collapsed form.

Invisible • The feature will not display as an installation option.

Hide Not Available button

• When this checkbox is checked, the Not Available button does not appear.

NOTE: Some of the choices that you make on this tab will alter what is displayed on the Summary tab, and choices that you make on that tab will alter what displays here.


G E N E R A L P A C K A G E O P T I O N SGeneral Information for Installing a Windows Installer Component1 7

The information on this tab designates the amount of disk space (hard drive space in addition to the file size) that will be required if the component is installed. The values entered on this tab are used to populate or modify the ReserveCost table in the MSI database.

Advanced Tab

The information on this tab tells the installer where it should look for the installation files for this component and specifies whether the reference count in the shared DLL registry should be incremented, whether the component should be removed during an uninstall, whether it should be reinstalled if it already exists, and whether an associated condition should be evaluated again during a reinstall. The values entered on this tab are used to populate or modify the Attributes column in the Component table.

If you add new general information about a package, or edit existing information, you must save your changes by clicking the diskette icon on the toolbar or choosing File --> Save from the menu bar.

SUMMARY TAB (WINDOWS INSTALLER COMPONENT)On the Summary tab in the data pane, you can enter, view or edit the following information:

I D E N T I F I E RThis is an internally generated alphanumeric value that uniquely identifies the component for the installer. It is in the format: WICOMP<0000000n>, where <0000000n> is a unique auto-incremented 8-digit number. This value is used to populate or modify the Component column of the Component table. This value is read-only and is used to relate various tables together.

S O U R C ESpecify the private property that represents the folder on the installation media from which the component will be installed. This private property will be resolved at runtime to the location of the MSI file. If you change the existing value, the new entry must begin with [SourceDir]\, followed by the path to the location of the component. If the new entry does not start with [SourceDir]\, you will receive an error message when you leave this tab.

T A R G E TSpecify the public property that represents the folder on the local machine to which the component will be installed. This property can be specified in the Property table of the MSI database or on the run line. If no property is specified, it resolves at runtime to the drive with the most free space available. If you change the existing value, you must enter a valid directory property value or click the ellipsis button to browse for one on the Select Directory


. . .


dialog. If you enter an invalid directory property value, WinINSTALL will automatically change it back to [TARGETDIR]/ when you leave this tab.

C O M P O N E N TSpecify the GUID of the component that will be installed. Click the ellipsis button to create a new GUID.

K E Y P A T HSpecify the value that will be used by the installer to detect the presence of the component. It can be defined as the location of a specific file or the value of a registry key, or it can be null. If it refers to a file, the file must be present in order for the installer to think that the component is installed. If it is a registry key, that key must be present in order for the installer to think that the component is installed. If it is null, the installer will use the directory as the key path, and if the directory is not present, it will reinstall the component. This value is used to populate or modify the Keypath column of the Component table. Click the ellipsis button to browse for a keypath on the Define Keypath dialog.

C O N D I T I O NCreate an optional conditional statement that can control whether the component is installed. If the condition evaluates to true or no condition is specified, the component is enabled. If the condition evaluates to false, the component is not installed. This value is used to populate or modify the Condition column of the Component table. Click the ellipsis button to create a condition on the Condition dialog.

RESERVE COST TAB (WINDOWS INSTALLER COMPONENT)On the Reserve Cost tab in the data pane, you can enter, view or edit the following information:

R E S E R V E F O L D E RThis is the name of a property that is the full path to the destination directory where the component will be installed. Depending on whether the component is installed to run locally or from source, one of the two amounts of disk space specified below is added to the volume cost of the device containing the destination directory. This value is used to populate or modify the ReserveFolder column of the ReserveCost table.

R E S E R V E L O C A LThis is the number of bytes of disk space that must be reserved if the component is installed to run locally. If the component is installed to run locally, this amount of disk space



specified will be added to the volume cost of the device containing the destination directory. This value is used to populate or modify the ReserveLocal column of the ReserveCost table.

R E S E R V E S O U R C EThis is the number of bytes of disk space that must be reserved if the component is installed to run from source. If the component is installed to run from source, this amount of disk space specified will be added to the volume cost of the device containing the destination directory. This value is used to populate or modify the ReserveSource column of the ReserveCost table.


• To reserve space in a new folder, click the Add icon. Enter the required information on the Reserve Cost dialog and click OK.

• To edit existing reserved space, highlight the reserve folder and click the Edit icon. change the desired information on the Reserve Cost dialog and click OK.

• To delete existing reserved space, highlight the reserve folder and click the Delete icon.

ADVANCED TAB (WINDOWS INSTALLER COMPONENT)On the Advanced tab in the data pane, you can enter, view or edit the following information:

R U N F R O M

Local • When this radio button is selected, the component cannot be run from source. The entry you make here is used to set or modify the msidbComponentAttributesLocalOnly attribute, and the resulting value is saved in the Attributes column of the Component table.

Source • When this radio button is selected, the component can be run only from source. The entry you make here is used to set or modify the msidbComponentAttributesSourceOnly attribute, and the resulting value is saved in the Attributes column of the Component table.

Optional • When this radio button is selected, the component can be run either locally or from source. The entry you make here is used to set or modify the msidbComponentAttributesOptional attribute, and the resulting value is saved in the Attributes column of the Component table.


. . .


I N C R E M E N T S H A R E D D L L C O U N T E R ( C R E A T E I F N E C E S S A R Y )

If this checkbox is checked, the installer will increment the reference count in the shared DLL registry of the component's key path - creating one if it does not yet exist. If this checkbox is not checked, the installer will increment the reference count only if the reference count already exists. This entry is used to set or modify the msidbComponentAttributesSharedDllRefCount attribute, and the resulting value is saved in the Attributes column of the Component table.

D I S A L L O W C O M P O N E N T U N I N S T A L L D U R I N G P A C K A G E R E M O V A L

When this checkbox is checked, the installer will not remove the component when a feature or application that includes the component is uninstalled. The installer registers an extra system client for the component in the Windows Installer registry settings. The entry you make here is used to set or modify the msidbComponentAttributesPermanent attribute, and the resulting value is saved in the Attributes column of the Component table.

S K I P C O M P O N E N T I N S T A L L A T I O N W H E N K E Y P A T H E X I S T SWhen this checkbox is checked, the installer does not install or reinstall the component if a key path file or a key path registry entry for the component already exists. The application does register itself as a client of the component. The entry you make here is used to set or modify the msidbComponentAttributesNeverOverwrite attribute, and the resulting value is saved in the Attributes column of the Component table.

R E - E V A L U A T E C O M P O N E N T C O N D I T I O N D U R I N G R E I N S T A L LWhen this checkbox is checked, the installer evaluates any conditions associated with the component whenever the component is reinstalled. If the condition previously evaluated to False and now evaluates to True, the installer installs the component. If the condition previously evaluated to True and now evaluates to False, the installer removes the component even if the component has other products as clients. The entry you make here is used to set or modify the msidbComponentAttributesTransitive attribute, and the resulting value is saved in the Attributes column of the Component table.




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. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .ADDITIONAL MSI PACKAGE OPTIONS 18

hen you highlight a package in the tree pane and select General in the list pane, different tabs and sub-tabs appear in the data pane, depending on what you have selected in the tree pane. Certain tabs and sub-tabs display only if the selected

package is a WinINSTALL package, and others only if the selected package is a Windows Installer package. Some of the tabs in the data pane are specific to features or components of Windows Installer packages. This chapter discusses two tabs that display only for Windows Installer packages.

When you highlight a Windows Installer package in the tree pane and select General in the list pane, the following tabs and sub-tabs display in the data pane.

• Directory Tab

• Install Modes Tab

• Advanced Tab

• Components Sub-tab

• Launch Condition Sub-tab

• Sequence Sub-tab

• Install Sub-tab

• Admin Sub-tab

• Advertise Sub-tab

• AppSearch Sub-tab

• Dialogs Sub-tab

• Custom Actions Sub-tab

• Package History Sub-tab

NOTE: Windows Installer packages, features, and components all have an Advanced tab, but each has different information. The Advanced tabs for packages are covered in this chapter. Those for features and components are explained in the Advanced Tab (Windows Installer Feature) and Advanced Tab (Windows Installer Component) sections of the General Package Options chapter of this guide.

W


A D D I T I O N A L M S I P A C K A G E O P T I O N SDirectory Tab 1 8

This chapter also provides a brief discussion of the WinINSTALL MSI Table Editor.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D I R E C T O R Y T A B You can view, add, edit or delete the directories used in a Windows Installer package on the Directory tab in the data pane. Each directory may be associated with a component, and if so, also associated with the feature which contains that component.

When you highlight a Windows Installer package in the tree pane, select General in the list pane, and click the Directory tab in the data pane, you can enter, view or edit all of the directories in the package.

On the Directory tab, you can enter or modify the following information: Directory ID, and

Directory Name

TO MANAGE DIRECTORIES USED IN A WINDOWS INSTALLER PACKAGE:1 Navigate to the package under Software Distribution Lists in the tree pane.


3 Click the Directories tab in the data pane. You can view or edit the following information:

• Directory ID

• Directory Name

4 You can perform the following action on this tab:

• To add a directory, click the New icon. Enter the required information on the Directory dialog and click OK.

• To modify an existing directory, highlight it and click the Edit icon. Edit the desired information on the Directory dialog and click OK.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I N S T A L L M O D E S T A B You can edit Windows Installer packages to specify whether to install the application per user or per machine, whether to reboot after installation, and what type of user interface to use. Per-machine installations are installed once for the system; per user installations are performed for individual users on a system, which could mean multiple installations of the same application on a system.


. . .

. .A D D I T I O N A L M S I P A C K A G E O P T I O N SAdvanced Tab

TO SEE OR ENTER INSTALL MODE INFORMATION FOR A PACKAGE:1 Navigate to the package under Software Distribution Lists in the tree pane.


3 Click the Install Modes tab in the data pane.

4 You can edit the Installation Mode by selecting one of the following radio buttons, depending on the desired behavior:

• Install only per user

Installation should be performed based on the user who is currently logged on to the PC where the installation is being performed.

• Install only per machine user

Installation should be performed based on the PC where the installation is being performed.

• Install per machine; if fails, per user

Windows Installer should first attempt to perform the installation based on the PC where the installation is being performed. If installation is not possible, Windows Installer should than attempt to perform the installation based on the user who is currently logged on.

5 To automatically reboot the user’s PC after the application installation is complete, select the check box marked Reboot the workstation when this application installation is complete.

6 To allow the user to see only progress dialogs and error messages while the installation is performed, select the check box marked Show basic user interface only (simple progress and error handling).

7 To save your entries, click the Save icon or choose Save from the File menu.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A D V A N C E D T A B On the Advanced tab, you can enter, view or edit installation information for a Windows Installer package, including the components within it, the conditions that must be met in order for the product to be installed, the sequence of actions that will take place during a regular install, an administrative install, and an advertised install, and how the installer will locate files. This information is presented on six sub-tabs:

• Components sub-tab.

• Launch Condition sub-tab (see the Windows Installer Launch Conditions section of the Package Conditions chapter, later in this guide).


A D D I T I O N A L M S I P A C K A G E O P T I O N SAdvanced Tab 1 8

• Sequence sub-tab.

• AppSearch sub-tab.

• Dialogs sub-tab.

• Custom Actions sub-tab.

COMPONENTS SUB-TABWindows Installer packages are made up of features, which are, in turn, made up of components or other features. Components hold various files, shortcuts, and/or registry entries. On the Components tab, you cannot create a component directly, but you can view the following information for existing components:

• Component

This is an internally generated alphanumeric value that uniquely identifies the component to WinINSTALL. It is in the format: WICOMP<0000000n>, where 0000000n is a unique auto-incremented 8-digit number.

All internally generated WinINSTALL identifiers have the same format: WI + <entity identifier> + <0000000n>.

Entity identifiers include COMP (for components), FEAT (for features), etc.

• GUID

A Globally Unique Identifier (GUID) is a 128-bit unique identification string used to identify different products, upgrades, and installer components. Each installer component used by Windows Installer must have a unique GUID, and every version of every product must have a unique package GUID. Different upgrades of a product, however, have the same product GUID, though each will have a unique upgrade GUID.

An example of a syntactically correct GUID is shown below:

97531-2222-44444-666666-88888888ABCD

• Key Path

The key path defines the location of the component on the system. This is normally the name of a file in the component, but it can also be a folder or a registry entry. The Windows Installer looks for the key path of a component to determine if the component is properly installed.

• Key Path Value

A key path value is uniquely associated with a component - a component can have only one key path value and a key path value can be used by only one component. The Windows


. . .


Installer uses this value to locate an installed component and also uses it for self-repair if it finds that the key path is missing.

LAUNCH CONDITION SUB-TABThe Launch Condition sub-tab is described in detail in the Windows Installer Launch Conditions section of the Package Conditions chapter, later in this guide.

SEQUENCE SUB-TAB There are three types of installations for Windows Installer packages - a normal installation, an administrative installation, and an advertised installation. Each type of installation has two different sequences of actions - one for the user interface and one for the actual installation of the product. Within each sequence, each separate action has a name, an optional condition, and a sequence number that determines the order of execution.

After you select the Sequence tab in the data pane, you must click one of the following sub-tabs:

• Install sub-tab

• Admin sub-tab

• Advertise sub-tab

On the sub-tab you select, you must click an additional sub-tab:

• Execute sub-tab

• User Interface sub-tab

I N S T A L L S U B - T A B ( E X E C U T E A N D U S E R I N T E R F A C E S U B -T A B S )

On the Execute sub-tab of the Install sub-tab, you can view, add, modify or delete information related to the sequence of actions performed during a normal installation. The installation sequence is required.

On the User Interface sub-tab of the Install sub-tab, you can view, add, modify or delete information related to the sequence of UI actions performed during a normal installation. The UI sequence is optional, depending on whether or not the installation requires a user interface.



You can view or edit three items on this tab:

• Action

• Condition

• Sequence Number


• To add a new sequence entry to the installation, click the Add icon. Enter the required information on the Sequence Entry dialog and click OK.

• To edit the action, condition, or sequence number in an existing sequence entry, highlight it and click the Edit icon. Make the desired changes on the Sequence Entry dialog and click OK.

• To delete an existing sequence entry, highlight it and click the Delete icon.

A D M I N S U B - T A B ( E X E C U T E A N D U S E R I N T E R F A C E S U B -T A B S )

An administrative installation installs a source image of the application onto the network to make it available to network users for local installations. The output of an administrative installation is analogous to a source image on a CD-ROM. Users in a workgroup who have access to this administrative image can then install the product from this source.

On the Execute sub-tab of the Admin sub-tab, you can view, add, modify or delete information related to the sequence of actions performed during an administrative installation. The installation sequence is required.

On the User Interface sub-tab of the Admin sub-tab, you can view, add, modify or delete information related to the sequence of UI actions performed during an administrative

NOTE: The INSTALL action is a top-level action called to install or remove components. This action queries the InstallUISequence Table and InstallExecuteSequence Table for the action to execute, the condition for action execution, and the place of the action in the sequence.

TIP: Editing an administrative installation is usually a concern of the original software vendor, rather than a network administrator at a customer site.


. . .


installation. The UI sequence is optional, depending on whether the installation requires a user interface.

You can view or edit the following information on this tab:

• Action

• Condition

• Sequence Number





A D V E R T I S E S U B - T A B ( E X E C U T E A N D U S E R I N T E R F A C E S U B - T A B S )

Advertising is a technique whereby an application appears to be installed, but is not actually installed until the user attempts to use the application. This is also called a just-in-time installation.

On the Execute sub-tab of the Advertise sub-tab, you can view, add, modify or delete information related to the sequence of actions performed during an advertised installation. The installation sequence is required.

On the User Interface sub-tab of the Advertise sub-tab, you can view, add, modify or delete information related to the sequence of UI actions performed during an advertised installation. The UI sequence is optional, depending on whether the installation requires a user interface.

You can view or edit the following information on this tab:

• Action

• Condition

• Sequence Number







A P P S E A R C H S U B - T A B The information displayed on the AppSearch tab tells the installer what to look for to determine where an application should be installed. You can specify the signature for which the installer should search and also indicate where to look. For example, you can tell the installer to look for locations specified in the registry, or the location of an existing file, or something else, any of which can be used to populate a variable that will then determine the location where the application will be installed. The Windows Installer uses this information to locate the components of an application so that it can verify that all of the required components exist and can be found before performing an installation and to perform self-repair if a component is missing.

You can view or edit the following information on the AppSearch sub-tab:

Signature • A name associated with the search. A list of file signatures is maintained in the Signature table in the MSI database. At least one of these files needs to be present on a user's computer for the user to be in compliance with the program. (The signature is also the external key into the Signature, RegLocator, IniLocator, CompLocator, and DrLocator tables in the MSI database.)

Property • The property which AppSearch will set to the results of the search - for example, the location of the file indicated by the signature specified above. The AppSearch action sets this property if the file signature exists on the user's computer. If the signature is not found, the initial property value is used. If the signature is not found and the property was never initialized, the property is undefined. This must be a public property and have an identifier that contains no lowercase letters.

CCP • Compliance Checking Program (CCP) - uses file signatures to make sure that the user is in compliance with the program.

RMCCP • The RMCCPSearch action uses file signatures to validate that qualifying products are installed on a system before an upgrade installation is performed. (Each file signature in the CCPSearch table is searched for under the path referred to by the CCP_DRIVE property using the DrLocator table. The absence of the signature from the Signature table denotes a directory. If any signature is determined to exist, the RMCCPSearch action terminates.)


. . .


You can perform the following actions on the AppSearch sub-tab:

• To add a new signature, click the Add icon. Enter the required information on the AppSearch and Related Tables dialog and click OK.

• To modify an existing signature, highlight it and click the Edit icon. Make the desired changes on the AppSearch and Related Tables dialog and click OK.

• To delete an existing signature, highlight the signature and click the Delete icon.

D I A L O G S S U B - T A BYou can edit Windows Installer packages to create dialogs that your client machines can use when the package is processed.

A D D I N G D I A L O G SYou can perform the following actions on the Dialogs sub-tab, with regard to adding dialogs to a Windows Installer package:

• To add a new dialog, click the Add icon. Enter a name for the dialog on the New Dialog dialog and click OK. Design the dialog box on the Dialog: dialog and the Options dialog.

• To edit an existing dialog, highlight it and click the Edit icon. Make the desired changes on the Dialog: dialog and the Options dialog.

• To delete an existing dialog, highlight it and click the Delete icon.

S I M P L E G U IWinINSTALL also provides the ability to quickly and easily generate a standard Windows Installer user interface, including a customized dialog to prompt the user during an install for a value to assign to a property. This property prompt dialog is based on a template MSI file, QueryProperty.msi, found in the \bin directory of the WinINSTALL share.

To access the simple GUI/user prompt feature, click the Simple GUI button on the Dialogs tab. The Dialog Properties dialog will appear, allowing you to add as many property prompt dialogs as you like.

This dialog allows you to set the name of the property, a description to appear at the top of the page when it’s shown to the user during an install, and a prompt to appear just above the text box provided for the user’s input.

When the Dialog Properties dialog appears, it lists all existing user prompt dialogs by property in the Properties list box. Selecting a listed property will display the existing values for that property’s prompt dialog Page Description and Prompt (see below).



To add a user prompt dialog, click the Add button. The Dialog Property dialog will appear, allowing you to enter the following three items:

Generally, you will specify a public MSI property in the Property field (a name that is in all caps), but any valid property is acceptable. During package installation, the property’s value is set to the user’s input prior to the InstallExecute sequence of the install.

To modify a user prompt dialog, select the corresponding property in the list and click the Modify button. The Dialog Property dialog will appear, allowing you to modify the Property, Page Description, and Prompt.

To delete a user prompt dialog, select the corresponding property in the list and click the Delete button.

H O W T O M O D I F Y T H E A P P E A R A N C E O F T H E S I M P L E G U I D I A L O G SYou can modify the template MSI file, QueryProperty.msi, as desired, for example to change the images in the Binaries table to use your company logo.

Alternatively, WinINSTALL provides the option of specifying a different template MSI file to use. Click on the Advanced Options button on the Dialog Properties dialog to view the Advanced Dialog Properties dialog.

By default, the Advanced Dialog Properties dialog will display QueryProperty.msi, the default template MSI file included with WinINSTALL. But you can enter or browse to another .msi file.

Property • The property whose value the user will be prompted to enter. WinINSTALL will write the text provided by the user to this property before the install is performed (for example, [TARGETDIR]).

Page Description

• The title of the user prompt dialog. This title will display in the title bar of the dialog at install time, when the user is prompted (for example, Data Directory).

Prompt • The text to display on the dialog to prompt for the desired information (for example, Please enter the data directory:)

NOTE: When you Click OK on this dialog and then save the MSI file, WinINSTALL generates a number of user interface dialogs for the MSI file. You can edit these as desired.


. . .


C U S T O M A C T I O N S S U B - T A B You can edit MSI packages to create custom actions that will occur when the package is processed. The Custom Action Wizard, which helps you edit or create MSI custom actions, is discussed later in this chapter, and addtional details are also presented later in this chapter, in the section entitled MSI Custom Action Example.

You can view or edit the following information on the Custom Actions sub-tab:


• To add a custom action, click the Add icon. The Custom Action Wizard will walk you through the creation of a custom action.

• To modify an existing custom action, highlight it and click the Edit icon. The Custom Action Wizard will step you through the process of modifying the custom action.

• To delete an existing custom action, highlight it and click the Delete icon.

P A C K A G E H I S T O R YIf Always log changes is selected from the drop-down on the Package History sub-tab, WinINSTALL will record in the MSI file itself a history of modifications made to the selected package within the WinINSTALL Console.

The drop-down provides three choices: Always log changes, Never log changes, or Log according to console defaults.

WARNING: WinINSTALL does not check to verify that the template MSI file is appropriate. You will need to make sure that it is suitable to replace the supplied QueryProperty.msi file.

Name • Descriptive label for the custom action

Type • Source type (EXE, DLL, Install, JScript, Text, VBScript)

Source • Location where the source of the custom action is stored

Target • Target of the custom action (differs depending on source type)

NOTE: To set the console defaults for the MSI Package History Feature, select any Windows Installer package in the Console tree pane and then select Edit->Preferences. On the Preferences dialog, check or uncheck Log MSI changes to the changed MSI package and click OK.


A D D I T I O N A L M S I P A C K A G E O P T I O N SThe Custom Action Wizard1 8

On the Package History sub-tab, you can view the following information for each logged change:

• date and time of the change

• type of change

• associated message

• username of the user who was logged into the Console machine at the time of the change.

You can filter the list to view only certain types of changes, you can purge the list by date, and you can export the log to a tab-delimited text file.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . T H E C U S T O M A C T I O N W I Z A R DThe Custom Action Wizard creates or modifies a custom action that can be used to extend the built-in functionality of the Windows Installer. Once you have created a custom action, you must insert it into one of the sequences in order for it to be executed. Once the custom action is defined, it can be used like any other action in the sequence table. Additional details on defining custom actions and adding them to the sequence table are explained in the section entitled MSI Custom Action Example, below.

To invoke the Custom Action Wizard, select the desired Windows Installer package in the Console tree view, select General in the list view, and then click on the Advanced tab and the Custom Actions sub-tab in the data pane. This tab presents a list of all configured custom actions for the selected package.

NOTE: Package History records only three types of package events: changes to MSI tables, merging of Merge Modules, and application of Transforms.

WARNING: Changes made outside the WinINSTALL Console, as well as those changes to packages made in the WinINSTALL table editor or through MSI Validation and Repair, are not logged to the Package History table.


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. .A D D I T I O N A L M S I P A C K A G E O P T I O N SThe Custom Action Wizard

To create a new custom action, click the Add icon; to edit an existing custom action, select the desired custom action and click the Edit icon. Either icon will launch the Custom Action Wizard.

After presenting a Welcome panel explaining its purpose, the Custom Action Wizard gathers information from you on the four panels described below. After the last, a Completing the Custom Action Wizard announces the completion of the process, and clicking Finish will actually create the custom action.

SOURCE TYPEOn the Source Type panel, you provide a name for the custom action (alphanumeric characters only--no spaces or special characters) and select the source type for the custom action to be created. Custom actions can be any of six source types:

SOURCE STORAGEOn the Source Storage panel, select the appropriate radio button to specify where in the package the source of the custom action should be stored. The available radio buttons depend on the source type selected on the previous panel:

The choice made on this that you select determines which target panel will appear next.

TARGET PANELSDepending on the source storage choice made on the previous panel, one of the following target panels will appear.

DLL • Calls an entry point into a DLL.

EXE • Launches an executable.

Text • Defines a directory, property or error message with specified text.

JScript • Launches a Java script.

VBScript • Launches a VBScript script.

Install • Launches a nested installation of another MSI package.

DLL • Binary Table or File Table

EXE • Binary Table, File Table, Directory, or Property

Text • Error Text, Directory, or Property

JScript • Binary Table, File Table, Line of Code, or Property

VBScript • Binary Table, File Table, Line of Code, or Property

Install • Binary Table, Relative Path to MSI, or Product Code



B I N A R Y E N T R Y P A N E LIf Binary Table was selected on the Source Storage panel, the Binary Entry panel appears, displaying a list of binary files included in the package. You can add an additional binary file by clicking the Add Binary Entry button and then entering or browsing to the desired file. Select the desired file in the list and click Next.

F I L E P A N E LIf File Table was selected on the Source Storage panel, the File panel appears, displaying a list of files included in the package. You can add an additional file by clicking the Add File Entry button and then entering or browsing to the desired file. Select the desired file in the list and click Next.

If Relative Path to MSI was selected on the Source Storage panel, the File panel appears, displaying a list of MSI file entries. You can add an additional MSI file by clicking the Select Relative MSI . . . button and then entering or browsing to the desired MSI file. Select the desired file in the list and click Next.

D I R E C T O R Y P A N E LIf Directory was selected on the Source Storage panel, the Directory panel appears, prompting you to enter or browse to the directory containing the custom action. Click Next to proceed.

P R O P E R T Y P A N E LIf Property was selected on the Source Storage panel, the Property panel appears, displaying a list of available Windows Installer properties. Select the desired property and and click Next.

T A R G E T P A N E LIf Error Text was selected on the Source Storage panel, the Target panel appears, displaying an edit box where you can enter a formatted text string, a literal message, or an index into the MSI file error table. Type in the desired entry and click Next.

If Line of Code was selected on the Source Storage panel, the Target panel appears, displaying an edit box where you can enter a line of the appropriate code (JScript or VBScript). Type in the desired code and click Next.

P R O D U C T C O D E P A N E LIf Product Code was selected on the Source Storage panel, the Product Code panel appears, prompting you to enter the GUID for the MSI package to install as a custom action. Enter the GUID and click Next to proceed.


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. .A D D I T I O N A L M S I P A C K A G E O P T I O N SThe Custom Action Wizard

FINAL DETAILS On the Final Details panel, you provide instructions on three aspects of the actual execution of the custom action.

E X E C U T I O N S C H E D U L I N G O P T I O N S

R E T U R N T Y P EThe Return Type depends on the state of the Continue and Asynchronous checkboxes, as explained below.

Always • Always execute. Because a custom action can be listed in both the UI and the Execute Sequence tables, it could potentially be executed twice if Always is selected.

First Sequence

• Execute once if present in both sequence tables.

Once Per Process

• Execute once if present in both sequence tables. Used to prevent actions that modify the session state, such as property and database data, from running twice.

Client Repeat • The action runs only if the execute sequence is run on the client following UI sequence. May be used to provide either/or logic, or to suppress the UI related processing if already done for client session.

Inscript • Specifies a deferred execution custom action (queues the custom action for execution at scheduled point within script).

Rollback checkbox

• Available only for deferred execution (Inscript) custom actions, designates the custom action as one to be performed only on install roll back.

Commit checkbox

• Available only for deferred execution (Inscript) custom actions, designates the custom action as one to be performed only on install commit.

NOTE: The Asynchronous checkbox is ignored if the Rollback checkbox (see Execution Scheduling Options, above) is checked, and it is disabled if the custom action type is Install (nested MSI execution--see Source Type, above).



B O T H C O N T I N U E A N D A S Y N C H R O N O U S U N C H E C K E DIf neither is checked, the installer waits for the custom action thread to complete before resuming the main installation thread, and if the custom action thread does not return a successful return code (i.e., 0), the installation fails.

C O N T I N U E C H E C K E DIf Continue is checked but Asynchronous is not checked, the installer waits for the custom action thread to complete before resuming the main installation thread, but the return code is ignored, and the installation continues in any case.

A S Y N C H R O N O U S C H E C K E DIf Continue is not checked but Asynchronous is checked, the installer runs the custom action simultaneously as the main installation continues, but the return code is checked at the end of the sequence. If the return code does not signal success (i.e., 0), the install fails.

B O T H C O N T I N U E A N D A S Y N C H R O N O U S C H E C K E DIf both are checked, the installer runs the custom action simultaneously as the main installation continues, but the return code is ignored at the end of the sequence.

D O N O T I M P E R S O N A T E C H E C K B O XThe installer runs custom actions with user privileges by default for security reasons. If this checkbox is checked, then the installer will run with only user level privileges.

This checkbox is only available for deferred execution (Inscript) custom actions (see Execution Scheduling Options, above).

COMPLETING THE WININSTALL CUSTOM ACTION WIZARDOn this panel, you tell the wizard to complete the process and actually create the custom action.

TIP: The state of the Do Not Impersonate checkbox is not an issue if the installer is being launched by the WinINSTALL agent, since the WinINSTALL agent normally executes with elevated privileges.


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. .A D D I T I O N A L M S I P A C K A G E O P T I O N SMSI Custom Action Example

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . M S I C U S T O M A C T I O N E X A M P L EThe following section uses the simple launching of an external program as an example of a Windows Installer custom action. Such actions can be configured to executed as part of a package installation or uninstallation, and at any point during the install or uninstall process.

The example includes four variations, demonstrating how to call an external program at the start or completion of the installation or uninstallation of a package. These four variations are intended to serve as a first step in understanding how to create and configure custom actions for Windows Installer packages.

Configuring any of these simple behaviors is straightforward, and involves two separate actions. First you must set up the custom action itself. Once the custom action has been created, you must then add it to the sequence table, which includes specifying at what point in the process and under what conditions it will be executed. WinINSTALL makes these actions very simple and easy to perform.

DEFINING THE CUSTOM ACTION:You can define an external program as a custom action within an MSI package by running the WinINSTALL Custom Action Wizard:

1 Select the desired Windows Installer package in the tree pane, select General in the list pane, select the Advanced tab in the data pane and select the Custom Actions sub-tab.

2 Click the Add icon to launch the Custom Action Wizard.

3 On the Source Type panel, provide a name for the custom action (alphanumeric characters only--no spaces or special characters), select EXE as the type, and click Next.

4 On the Source Storage panel, select the Directory radio button, and click Next.

5 When the Directory panel appears, leave the Enter directory where the custom action may be found field blank, and click Next.

6 On the Target panel, enter the UNC path and filename of the target executable, along with any command line parameters. Note that properties can be included here (e.g. [SourceDir]winstala.exe).

TIP: For additional details on custom actions and their configuration, please see the Windows Installer help file, MSI.CHM, available from Microsoft.


A D D I T I O N A L M S I P A C K A G E O P T I O N SMSI Custom Action Example1 8

Be sure to include quotation marks around the executable path if you are using long path names.

Click Next.

7 On the Final Details panel, select Inscript/Commit for the Execution of custom action and Continue as the Return Type.

8 The Completing panel reminds you that you will need to add the custom action to the sequence table in the appropriate place (see the additional steps below). Click Finish to complete the wizard, and then click the Save icon (diskette) on the tool bar to save the package.

9 To complete the preparation of your custom action, you will need to specify where in the install sequence the custom action should be executed, as well as the appropriate sequence condition. These specifications differ, depending on your intent, and are detailed below for pre-install, post-install, pre-uninstall, and post-uninstall situations.

SPECIFYING THE CUSTOM ACTION SEQUENCE:To instruct the Windows Installer to execute your custom action at the appropriate time and under the appropriate conditions, you will need to follow one of the procedures outlined below, depending on your intentions.

P R E - P R O C E S S I N G D U R I N G I N S T A L L :To enter your custom action to execute at the start of the package installation, you must add it to the sequence table immediately following the InstallInitialize action by following these steps:

1 Select the Advanced tab, the Sequence sub tab, the Install sub tab, and the Execute sub tab, then sort the events by sequence.

2 Choose a sequence number between the InstallInitialize event and the event immediately following it.

3 Click the Add icon to add your custom action into the sequence.

4 On the Sequence Entry dialog, enter the sequence number you have chosen, type in NOT Installed as the sequence condition, and click the Ellipsis button beside the Action field to browse for and select your custom action.

5 Click OK to add the custom action to the sequence and again save the package.

NOTE: If you specify the SourceDir property, you must also add the ResolveSource action to the sequence table prior to the custom action.


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. .A D D I T I O N A L M S I P A C K A G E O P T I O N SMSI Custom Action Example

P O S T - P R O C E S S I N G D U R I N G I N S T A L L :To enter your custom action to execute at the end of the package installation, you must add it to the sequence table immediately before the InstallFinalize action by following these steps:


2 Choose a sequence number between the InstallFinalize event and the event immediately preceding it.


4 On the Sequence Entry dialog, enter the sequence number you have chosen, type in NOT Installed as the sequence condition, and click the Ellipsis button beside the Action field to browse for and select your custom action.


P R E - P R O C E S S I N G D U R I N G U N I N S T A L L :To enter your custom action to execute at the start of the package uninstallation, you must add it to the sequence table immediately following the InstallInitialize action by following these steps:


2 Choose a sequence number between the InstallInitialize event and the event immediately following it.


4 On the Sequence Entry dialog, enter the sequence number you have chosen, type in Installed as the sequence condition, and click the Ellipsis button beside the Action field to browse for and select your custom action.


P O S T - P R O C E S S I N G D U R I N G U N I N S T A L L :To enter your custom action to execute at the end of the package uninstallation, you must add it to the sequence table immediately before the InstallFinalize action by following these steps:


2 Choose a sequence number between the InstallFinalize event and the event immediately preceding it.


A D D I T I O N A L M S I P A C K A G E O P T I O N SThe MSI Table Editor1 8


4 On the Sequence Entry dialog, enter the sequence number you have chosen, type in Installed as the sequence condition, and click the Ellipsis button beside the Action field to browse for and select your custom action.


. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . T H E M S I T A B L E E D I T O RIf you right-click on a Windows Installer package in the tree view, the context menu presents a choice labeled View/Edit Tables. Making this selection will display the WinINSTALL MSI Table Editor, a facility for viewing and editing the full contents of any Windows Installer package.

This editor is also available from the View Tables button on the Advanced Options panel of the WinINSTALL Patch Wizard. In this situation, the Table Editor displays the intermediate patch creation package (.pcp) file being used to create the patch. Edits entered at this point will be included in the resulting .msp file.

The left column of the Table Editor lists, in alphabetical order, the tables contained in the package. On the right is a grid displaying the rows and columns of the table selected in the list on the left, with values for each field visible and available for edit.

HOW TO CHANGE VALUES IN THE MSI TABLE EDITORTo edit a value, click on desired cell and enter the desired changes. Note that validation is minimal--you are not prevented from entering invalid entries or entries which will invalidate other, linked values in other tables.

To add or remove rows, take either of these actions:

1 Select Add Row or Drop Row(s) from the Edit menu.

2 Right-click in the grid and select Add Row or Drop Row(s).

WARNING: The WinINSTALL Table Editor does not assure that your changes will not break the package. Because only minimal validation is enforced in the Table Editor, it is strongly recommended that you make changes elsewhere in the Console, unless you have a specific need to use the Table Editor. In any case, it is critical that you understand the possible implications of any changes you make in the Table Editor.


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. .A D D I T I O N A L M S I P A C K A G E O P T I O N SThe MSI Table Editor

HOW TO SAVE OR DISCARD CHANGES IN THE MSI TABLE EDITORWhen you have finished your edits, you can choose one of two methods to either save your changes or close the editor without saving your changes.

1 Select Save or Close from the File menu.

2 Click the Save button or the Close button at the bottom of the Table Editor dialog.


A D D I T I O N A L M S I P A C K A G E O P T I O N SThe MSI Table Editor1 8


. . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .ADDITIONAL NAI PACKAGE OPTIONS 19

hen you highlight a package in the tree pane and select General in the list pane, the tabs and sub-tabs that display in the data pane depend on whether the selected package is a WinINSTALL package or a Windows Installer package.

This chapter discusses two tabs that display only if you select a WinINSTALL package.

When you highlight a WinINSTALL package in the tree pane and select General in the list pane, the following two tabs display in the data pane.

Reset Options Tab

External Processing Tab

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . R E S E T O P T I O N S T A BA WinINSTALL package can instruct the installer to take any one of a number of actions after the package has been processed. For example, you can specify whether the target system should be reset after the package is installed, what type of reset should be performed, and whether the user should be allowed to determine when the reset should be performed.

On the Reset Options tab, the following options are available:

• No reset - just complete the installation

• Exit to DOS (Win32: Shutdown)

• Restart Windows (Win32: Logoff)

• Reboot the workstation

If the selection indicates to reset the workstation or log the user off, you can also specify whether the reset will be mandatory or the user will be offered the chance to refuse it. The default is to offer the reset to the user as an option.

WARNING: The WinINSTALL Agent cannot display a prompt to reboot since it runs in a separate session from the currently-logged-in user. Because of this, packages that are deployed using the agent should be set to perform the reset without asking if a reboot is needed. Otherwise, the agent will stop at the end of the installation and wait for the prompt to be answered by the user, which will never happen.

W


A D D I T I O N A L N A I P A C K A G E O P T I O N SExternal Processing Tab 1 9

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . E X T E R N A L P R O C E S S I N G T A B WinINSTALL packages provide options to cause the installer to display messages and run programs or scripts external to the package itself. (Custom actions provide similar functionality in Windows Installer packages.) These actions can be set to take place before, during or after package processing and can be further restricted to take place during installs, uninstalls, or both. Using this external processing feature, you can do any or all of the following in any WinINSTALL package:

• Display messages to the user.

• Run shells (.EXE programs).

• Run scripts (such as JavaScript or VBScript).

To understand how external processes work in a WinINSTALL package, you must understand the order in which the WinINSTALL installers process a package.

In the Remove phase, the installer first removes any existing items specified for deletion (files, registry entries, shortcuts, etc.) from the target system. Then, in the Add phase, the installer adds those new items that comprise the package install.

In all, the processing of a WinINSTALL package offers a series of five points at which external processing can take place. Multiple actions can be specified for each of the five points, providing an enormous array of points during an installation process where external processes may be invoked.

The five external processing points proceed in the following order:

:

During actual package processing (i.e., during the add and remove phases), the installers process only event-driven script references. As a result, such scripts must include functions for at least one event (for example, OnPreFileCopy). The installer will ignore all other

Pre phase • Before any items have been removed from or added to the target system.

Remove phase

• While existing items are being removed from the target system – at a point determined by a particular event – and before new items are added.

Intermediate phase

• After existing items have been removed from the target system but before new items are added.

Add phase • While adding new items to the target system – at a point determined by a particular event – and after existing items have been removed.

Post phase • After items have been removed from and added to the target system.


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. .A D D I T I O N A L N A I P A C K A G E O P T I O N SExternal Processing Tab

entries in the script during these phases. These scripts are specified in the Add and Remove Phase Event Script fields at the bottom of the External Processing tab. The Installer Scripting section of the WinINSTALL Scripting Extensions chapter contains a detailed explanation of supported scripting events.

Scripts to be processed at any of the other three points are specified in the same way as text messages and shell commands, as explained below. Since these scripts are not processed during the actual installation operation (they are processed before, after, or between phases of the installation operation), they do not have access to the Installer events.

The External Processing tab presents a row of five icons above the list of external processes:

These icons can be used to add, modify and delete external process entries to be executed before (Pre), between (Intermediate), and after (Post) the remove and add phases of package processing.

Entries are executed in the order in which they appear in the list, so the up and down arrow icons enable changes to the order in which the entries will be executed.

Click the Add icon to add a new text message, shell command, or script to the list of external processes. A popup menu will offer the following choices:

• New Text Message …

• New Shell Command …

• New Script …

Click the Edit icon to edit an existing text message, shell command, or script in the list of external processes.

Click the Delete icon to remove an existing entry from the list.

• Add Icon

• Edit Icon

• Delete Icon



Click this icon to move the selected entry up a row in the list. (This icon is not active unless there is another file to be processed in the same phase - Pre, Intermediate, or Post – above it in the list.)

Click this icon to move the selected entry down a row in the list. (This icon is not active unless there is another file to be processed in the same phase - Pre, Intermediate, or Post – below it in the list.)

Below the icons, in the main body of the tab, is a list of all of the external processes that will be invoked before, between, and after the remove and add phases of package processing. The following information displays for each entry in the list:

FILE NAMESpecifies the path to the message, program, or script file. (The path can include WinINSTALL variables.)

TYPE Specifies whether this is a message to be displayed, a program to be executed, or a script to be run (Text Message, Shell Command, or Script)

PHASEThe point at which the external process will be executed during package processing

PROCESS DURINGSpecifies whether the file should be run during an installation and/or an uninstall:

• Install

• Up Arrow Icon

• Down Arrow Icon

Pre • Before any items have been removed from or added to the target system.

Intermediate phase

• After existing items have been removed from the target system but before new items are added.

Post phase • After items have been removed from and added to the target system.


. . .


• Uninstall

• Both

Entries are grouped according to phase and are executed in the order in which they appear in the list. You can use the arrow icons to change the order of files in the list and the other icons to add, modify and delete entries in the list.

EVENT SCRIPTSAt the bottom of the External Processing tab two textboxes are available to specify event-driven scripts to be run during either the add phase or remove phase of package processing.

Note that scripts to be run before the add or remove phase, between the two phases, and at the end--after the add phase--are specified in the list, just like shell commands or text messages.

The scripts specified in the event script fields on the External Processing tab are different, because they are processed during the actual installation process itself and must include at least one installer event to trigger their execution.

For full information on WinINSTALL scripting during package installs, see the Installer Scripting section of the WinINSTALL Scripting Extensions chapter of this guide.

A D D P H A S E E V E N T S C R I P TClick the Ellipsis icon and navigate to the script file to run during the add phase.

To edit or remove the filename for the add phase event script, simply modify or delete the entry in the text box.

Click the Edit button to modify the contents of the specified script file using your standard editor for that type of file. (The default editor is often Notepad.)

R E M O V E P H A S E E V E N T S C R I P TClick the Ellipsis icon and navigate to the script file to run during the remove phase.

To edit or remove the filename for the remove phase event script, simply modify or delete the entry in the text box.

Click the Edit button to modify the contents of the specified script file using your standard editor for that type of file. (The default editor is often Notepad.)

MESSAGE TIMEOUT IN SECONDSYou can specify that all messages should close automatically after a specified number of seconds. (This is a per-package setting and cannot be customized for individual messages.)



To specify a package-level time-out value for any messages to be displayed, enter the desired number of seconds for the program to wait for the user to click OK before proceeding.

The default is 30 seconds and the maximum is 1000 seconds. All messages will close automatically after the specified number of seconds, and the installer will proceed.

TEXT MESSAGESThe External Processing tab allows you to add, edit, or remove text messages to display before, during, or after installing a package.

The entry on the External Processing tab is not the actual message to display, but rather a text file containing the message to display. If you double-click a text message entry in the External Processing list, the Text Message dialog will display. Clicking the Edit button on the Text Message dialog will allow you to view and edit the contents of the text message file using your default text editor (Notepad by default).

To add a new text message, click the Add icon at the top of the tab and select New Text Message … from the popup menu. The Text Message dialog displays.

To add a new text message, enter the following information on the Text Message dialog:

NOTE: The entry on the External Processing tab for a text message is not the message itself, but the path and filename of a text file, whose contents the installer will display at the specified point. Every WinINSTALL user who is to see the message must have read access to this text file.

TIP: You can create a file containing a text message using Notepad or any text editor. The maximum line length is 60 characters, and the entire file must be less than 3K in size.

Text File • Click the Ellipsis button to browse to a text file that contains a message that you want displayed to the user. Click the Edit button to modify the contents of the text file.

Operation • Select Install to display the text message to the user only when the package is being installed.


. . .


Click the Edit button on the Text Message dialog to modify the contents of the specified script file using your standard editor for that type of file. (The default editor is often Notepad.)

To modify an existing text message entry, highlight the desired entry on the External Processing tab and click the Edit icon at the top of the tab (or just double-click the entry). The Text Message dialog displays. Change the desired information, as discussed above, and click OK.

To delete an existing text message, highlight the entry containing desired the message and click the Delete icon at the top of the tab. The file will be removed from the list.

SHELL COMMANDSThe External Processing tab allows you to add, edit, or remove shell commands to execute before, during, or after installing a package. A shell command is an external command, such as a .exe or .bat file.

• Select Uninstall to display the text message only when the package is being uninstalled.

• Select Both to display the text message regardless of whether the package is being installed or uninstalled.

Phase • Select Pre to display the text message before items have been removed from or added to the target system.

• Select Intermediate to display the text message after items have been removed from the target system but before any items are added.

• Select Post to display the text message displayed after all items have been removed from and added to the target system.

Do not show cancel button on message screen

• If Pre or Intermediate phase is selected, check this checkbox to not provide a Cancel button on the message screen.

NOTE: If a user clicks the Cancel button on a Pre or Intermediate screen, the installer will roll back the machine to its state before the operation (installation or uninstallation) began. On the other hand, a Post message appears when everything else in the operation is complete. Because the operation has already been completed when the message appears, WinINSTALL does not offer an option to display a Cancel button for Post messages.



To add a new shell command, click the Add icon at the top of the tab and select New Shell Command … from the popup menu. The Shell Command dialog displays.

To create a new Shell Command entry, enter the following information on the Shell Command dialog:

SCRIPTSTo add a new script to be run before, between phases of, or after package processing, click the Add icon at the top of the tab and select New Script … from the popup menu. The Script dialog will display.

Shell Command • Click the Ellipsis icon to browse to the file to execute.

Arguments • Enter command line arguments that to include in the execution of the file specified above.

Operation • Select Install to execute the shell command only when the package is being installed.

• Select Uninstall to execute the shell command only when the package is being uninstalled.

• Select Both to execute the shell command regardless of whether the package is being installed or uninstalled.

Phase • Select Pre to execute the shell command line before any items have been removed from or added to the target system.

• Select Intermediate to execute the shell command after any necessary items have been removed but before any have been added.

• Select Post to execute the shell command line after all items have been removed from and added to the target system.

Do not wait for shell to complete

• Check this checkbox to instruct the installer to proceed without waiting for the shell command to complete.

TIP: By default, WinINSTALL will pause its operation until the called program has completed. The installer looks for an on-screen window to verify that the called program has launched. If the program does not display a window, WinINSTALL will not know that it has started and will eventually produce an error message. To avoid this error message, click the Do not wait... check box.


. . .


On the Script dialog, enter the following information to create a new script entry:

To add a new script to be run during package processing - during either the remove or add phase - use the text boxes at the bottom of the tab. Scripts added here must include functions for at least one event (for example, OnPreFileCopy). During the add and remove phases, the installers process only event-driven script references and will ignore all other entries in the script. WinINSTALL will launch the script at the appropriate point.

NOTE: Scripts included in the list on the External Processing tab are not processed during the actual operation of an install but before, between, or after, the two phases of an install. To specify scripts to execute during the actual operation of an install, use the event script text boxes at the bottom of the External Processing tab.

Script File • Click the Ellipsis icon to browse to a script file that you want executed. Click the Edit button to modify the contents of the file (using your standard editor for that type of file).

Operation • Select Install to execute the script only when the package is being installed.

• Select Uninstall to execute the script file only when the package is being uninstalled.

• Select Both to execute the script file regardless of whether the package is being installed or uninstalled.

Phase • Select Pre to execute the script file before any items have been removed from or added to the target system.

• Select Intermediate to execute the script file after items have been removed from the target system but before any have been added.

• Select Post to execute the script file after all necessary items have been removed from and added to the target system.




. . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .INSTALLER NOTIFICATION 20

nstaller notification can be set at either the list level or the package level. Because they can be set for a list and inherited by the packages in that list, installer notification settings are accessible through the Shared area of the console.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . L O G G I N G L E V E L SWinINSTALL can log results at any of the following six levels, listed from least to most verbose.

• None

• Error Only

• Errors and Warnings

• Standard

• Verbose

• Diagnostic

These levels are all available for all WinINSTALL logging and all notification methods.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . S H A R E D N O T I F I C A T I O NWinINSTALL’s installer notification options allow selection of one or more methods of reporting information about the success or failure of installer operations. The following notification methods are available:

• Logs

WARNING: Diagnostic logging is extremely valuable for tracking down problems with the operation of the WinINSTALL agents and Installers, but it will result in an enormous amount of information. Therefore, Diagnostic level logging should be used only during the actual process of troubleshooting, and only on the specific nodes where the troubleshooting is taking place.

I


I N S T A L L E R N O T I F I C A T I O NShared Notification2 0

The WinINSTALL installers and agents can log messages to the Windows Event Log and/or to a designated ASCII text file.

• Email

The WinINSTALL installers can generate SMTP mail messages during installs or uninstalls.

• SNMP

The WinINSTALL installers can generate SNMP traps.

• Management Platforms

The WinINSTALL installers can notify certain management platforms.

• Database

WinINSTALL installers and agents can log messages to the WinINSTALL database.

To set notification options, select a list or package in the tree pane, highlight General in the list pane, and click the Shared tab in the data pane, then the Notification sub-tab, and finally any of the five sub-tabs listed above.

WinINSTALL’s standard logging levels are available for each of these notification options (see Logging Levels).

LOGS SUB-TAB The installer can log messages to the Windows Event Log, a specified ASCII text file, or both during processing of a package. On the Logs sub-tab, you can specify whether to log messages to the Windows Event Log or to a text file and the level of logging for each.

For the text file option, you must also enter or browse to the fully qualified path and filename where WinINSTALL is to write the log information.

WARNING: Text files do not support simultaneous access by multiple users. If you configure your network to permit multiple users to share a text log, there may be errors writing to the shared log file. To prevent this problem, establish a separate text file log for each user. If separate files are not feasible, we recommend logging to a database table instead.


. . .

. .I N S T A L L E R N O T I F I C A T I O NShared Notification

EMAIL SUB-TAB If TCP/IP is installed, the WinINSTALL installer can send a Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) email message during processing of a package. Specify the level of logging for each and provide the additional information listed below:

SNMP SUB-TAB SNMP, or Simple Network Management Protocol, is the protocol governing network management and the monitoring of network devices and their functions. It is not necessarily limited to TCP/IP networks. Using the SNMP notification option, you can generate an SNMP trap. At the end of a job, traps are issued indicating whether it succeeded or failed.

WinINSTALL has defined a program-specific MIB (Management Information Base), which is available in the file Winstall.txt. WinINSTALL SNMP notification is provided in either of two ways:

W I N I N S T A L L S N M P E X T E N S I O N A G E N T The WinINSTALL NT SNMP extension agent is a .DLL (SSNMPX32.DLL) that allows the NT SNMP Agent to query the WinINSTALL MIB. To install the extension agent on a particular NT workstation or server, use the program SNMPCFG.EXE. This program copies the extension agent to the system directory, because it must be installed on a local disk.

To activate the extension agent, enable installation for the sample package WinINSTALL SNMP Support (Get and Set) in the supplied Notification Options sub-list of the Winapps application list. When this package executes the following command:

snmpcfg /nt [/set] [<dir>]

Recipient Address

• Enter the email address that will receive the message

SMTP E-Mail Host

• Enter the name or IP address of the SMTP host (for example, 191.157.198.45 or New York)

SMTP Port • The default port number for most SMTP installations is 25.

NOTE: Since SMTP is a protocol that runs at the server level, make sure that SMTP has been configured for your email program. The method will vary for different email programs. Generally, you will need to provide a login name, the address of the incoming mail server, and the address of the outgoing SMTP server.



.EXE

stry

After installing this package, the extension agent will start the next time the NT SNMP service starts. If the service is already running, you can use the Control Panel to stop and restart the service.

W I N I N S T A L L T R A P F A C I L I T Y This method runs on any machine that has WINSOCK.DLL installed. You must specify the destination address (and port) of the trap in the package. The WinINSTALL MIB branch is described in the file WINSTALL.TXT.

H O W T O U S E T H E W I N I N S T A L L T R A P F A C I L I T Y :1 Load the MIB definition (from WINSTALL.TXT) using the CA/Unicenter Idmib utility. See

Unicenter's documentation for details on Idmib.

2 The SSNMPCA.EXE agent must be running on the machine being browsed. This agent is a system service. From the command line, switch to the directory containing SSNMPCA.EXE (usually the directory containing the WinINSTALL executables) to install the service, execute the command:

ssnmpca install

3 Activate the service by executing this command:

ssnmpca start

4 If the CA/Unicenter facility is not running on the machine, an error message will display and the agent will exit. To prevent this, use the Setting \ Services facility to configure the agent to start whenever the machine is booted.

On the SNMP sub-tab, specify whether the installers should generate an SNMP trap, which method they should use, and the settings.

S N M P C F G . E X E P A R A M E T E R S

Parameter Explanation

/nt Indicates that the NT extension agent is being installed.

[/set] Indicates that the SNMP SET command should be supported.

[<dir>] Specifies a complete path to the directory that currently contains SSNMPX32.DLL. If you are running SNMPCFGfrom the same directory, this parameter is not needed.

/remove Initiates a removal of the NT extension agent. Deletes the .DLL from the system directory and removes the Regientries. Use with /nt.


. . .

. .I N S T A L L E R N O T I F I C A T I O NShared Notification

T R A P M E T H O D

S E T T I N G SHost

Community

Port (If you chose WinINSTALL SNMP Mechanism, set the port number to 162.)

Tries

Retry Interval

MANAGEMENT PLATFORM SUB-TABWinINSTALL is integrated with two Network Management Systems - Microsoft Systems Management Server and Tivoli. You can configure WinINSTALL so that these platforms receive notification messages when packages are processed if the installer detects their presence on the target system.

Choose the management platform(s) for which you want to enable notification and specify the level of logging:

• Microsoft Systems management Server

• Tivoli

If a WinINSTALL package is highlighted, the following additional option is available on the Management Platform sub-tab:

• Configure PDF

Click this button to configure the Package Definition File for this package. Enter the required information on the Systems Management Server Package Definition File dialog

None • Disable SNMP Traps

Auto • Use Existing Workstation SNMP Agent (see WinINSTALL SNMP Extension Agent )

WinINSTALL • Use WinINSTALL SNMP Mechanism (see WinINSTALL Trap Facility )

TIP: To enable integration with CA-Unicenter, HP-OpenView, and other SNMP-based management platforms, enable SNMP notification on the SNMP sub-tab.



and click OK. This setting instructs WinINSTALL to automatically update the SMS event log should a failure occur during install and/or uninstall via PCM (Package Command Manager).

DATABASE SUB-TAB The installer can also log messages to the WinINSTALL database during processing of a Windows Installer package. Use the drop-down on this tab to specify whether and at what level the WinINSTALL installer should log messages to the database.

NOTE: The WinINSTALL installer can log to the WinINSTALL database only by means of the WinINSTALL agent. Therefore, no database logging is possible when the installer is not launched through the WinINSTALL agent (as it is not, for example, when a user runs the Interactive Installer).


. . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .FILES 21

ne of the most important tasks performed during a package installation is the modification of files on the target system – adding files, removing files, moving files, copying files, and creating folders, including decisions about what to do

when destination files already exist on the target system. The types of modifications that can be made to files depend on whether the package is a WinINSTALL package or a Windows Installer package.

When you highlight a package in the tree pane of the Console and select Files in the list pane, you can use the tabs in the data pane to examine or change the package’s instructions regarding files. You can specify the following file operations:

• Files to be added.

• Folders to be created.

• Files to be removed, and under what circumstances.

• Files to be moved (Windows Installer packages only).

• Files to be duplicated (Windows Installer packages only).

• ODBC information to be added or modified (Windows Installer packages only).

For WinINSTALL packages, you can set the File Copy Options, which determine installer behavior when destination files are found to already exist on the target system, at the list, package, and individual file levels. For information on list level control, see File Copy Options in the Runtime Options chapter of this guide.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . W I N I N S T A L L P A C K A G E F I L E O P E R A T I O N SWhen you highlight a WinINSTALL package in the tree pane and select Files in the list pane, two tabs (Add Phase and Remove Phase) in the data pane allow you to specify files to be added to or removed from the target system during package processing, and also what to do if files to be copied are found to already exist on the target system.

WinINSTALL packages are installed in two phases. During the first, or “remove” phase, deletions may be made in order to prepare the system for the second, or “add” phase. You can control what happens in each of these phases.

O


F I L E SWinINSTALL Package File Operations2 1

FILE COMPARISON CRITERIADuring an install, if the WinINSTALL installer finds an existing copy of a file to be installed, it compares the file in the package with the file existing on the target system to determine whether the copy in the package is newer, older, or the same as the one on the target system. This determination is carried out in the following manner:

I N T E R N A L F I L E V E R S I O N C H E C KIf both copies have file versions, then the internal file version determines which file is newer.

If only one copy has a file version, then that copy is considered newer than the one which does not have a file version.

F I L E D A T E / T I M E S T A M P C H E C KIf neither file has an internal file version, then the installer will compare the date/time stamps on the two files. Date/Time Stamps are obviously less reliable than internal file versions, so they are used only as a last resort.

FILE COPY OPTIONSWhen a package is installed, it copies files to the target system. In some cases, the file being copied may already exist on the target system. You can control exactly how WinINSTALL behaves when a file being copied already exists on the target system. This control can be applied at the list, package, or individual file level.

The options listed below, available in the General category for lists and WinINSTALL packages on the Shared -> Runtime -> Files to Copy tab, control installer behavior when files being copied are found to already exist on the target system.

The same options are available as overrides for individual files as well. (Select the desired WinINSTALL package, select Files in the list view and then select the desired file in the Add Phase list. Either double-click the file, or click the Edit icon to invoke the File Install Properties dialog. Select the Options tab and then select the desired copy option from the Copy Option Override drop-down.)

I F D E S T I N A T I O N F I L E A L R E A D Y E X I S T S , T H E N D O N O T C O P Y

If the package says to copy file X and the target system already has file X, the installer will not overwrite the target file with the source file, no matter how old the source file is.


. . .

. .F I L E SWinINSTALL Package File Operations

I F S O U R C E F I L E I S O L D E R T H A N D E S T I N A T I O N , T H E N D O N O T C O P Y ( D E F A U L T )

If the package says to copy file X and the target system already has file X, the installer will not overwrite the target file with the source file, if the source file is older than the target file. The file will be copied only if the files are the same, or if the source file is newer than the existing file on the target system.

I F S O U R C E F I L E I S O L D E R T H A N O R E Q U A L T O D E S T . , T H E N D O N O T C O P Y

If the package says to copy file X and the target system already has file X, the installer will not overwrite the target file with the source file if the target file has the same or later date as the source file. The file will be copied only if the source file is newer than the existing file on the target system. If the files are the same, the file will not be copied.

I F S O U R C E F I L E I S O L D E R T H A N D E S T I N A T I O N , T H E N A S K T H E U S E R

If the package says to copy file X and the target system already has file X, the installer will prompt the user to decide whether to overwrite the target file with the source file.

A L W A Y S C O P YIf the package says to copy file X and the target system already has file X, the installer will always overwrite the target file with the source file, even if the target file is a newer version.

ADDING OR REMOVING FILES You can specify files that should be added to or removed from the target system when a WinINSTALL package is processed.

NOTE: This is the default option, assuring that the user will never mistakenly be given a copy of a file that is older than the one he or she already has.

NOTE: This option can save time because the installers will not spend time copying files that are the same.


F I L E SWinINSTALL Package File Operations2 1

To manage files that are added or removed during installation, select a list or WinINSTALL package in the tree pane, highlight Files in the list pane, and click either the Add Phase or Remove Phase tab in the data pane.

A D D P H A S E T A BThe Add Phase tab presents a list of files that will be added to the target system during installation of a WinINSTALL package. The following information displays for each file in the list:

You can view, add, edit, and delete the files in the list.

• To add a file to the list of files to be added to the target system, click the New icon. On the Copy Files dialog, select the file to be added and click OK. On the Pick a Destination Directory dialog, select the location where the file will be added on the target system and click OK.

• To delete a file from the list of files to be added to the target system, highlight it and click the Delete icon.

• To edit a file in the list of files to be added to the target system, either double-click it or highlight it and click the Edit icon. Make the desired changes on the File Install Properties dialog.

Source • Fully-qualified UNC path to the file (on the source) to be added during installation.

Size • Size (in megabytes) of the file to be added.

Version • If applicable, the version of the file to be added.

Modified • Date and time on which the file to be added was last modified.

Attrs • If applicable, the attributes of the file to be added.

Target • Fully-qualified path to the location where the file will be added on the target system.

WARNING: When you delete a file from the list of files to be copied, you are not prompted to confirm the deletion of the file from the list.


. . .

. .F I L E SWindows Installer Package File Operations

REMOVE PHASE TAB The Remove Phase tab presents a list of files that will be removed from the target system during installation of a WinINSTALL package. The following information displays for each file in the list:

You can view, add, edit, and delete the files in the list.

• To add a file to the list of files to be removed from the target system, click the New icon. On the Files to Remove dialog, select the file that you want to add to the list of files to be removed during installation and click OK.

• To delete a file from the list of files to be removed from the target system, highlight it and click the Delete icon.

• To edit a file in the list of files to be removed from the target system, either double-click it or highlight it and click the Edit icon. Change to a different file on the Files to Remove dialog and click OK.

W I N D O W S I N S T A L L E R P A C K A G E F I L E

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O P E R A T I O N SWhen you highlight a Windows Installer package and select Files in the list pane, six tabs in the data pane are available for controlling file operations: Add, Remove, Move File, Duplicate File, Create Folder, and ODBC.

You can specify a number of file modifications to be made on the target system when a Windows Installer package, feature, or component is processed – files to be added, removed, moved, or copied; folders to be created: and changes to be made to ODBC data source, driver, and translator files.

To provide instructions for file modifications, select a Windows Installer package in the tree pane, highlight Files in the list pane, and click one of the six tabs in the data pane.

Filename • File name of the file to be removed during installation

WARNING: When you delete a file from the list of files to be deleted, you are not prompted to confirm the deletion of the file from the list.


F I L E SWindows Installer Package File Operations2 1

ADD FILESThe Add tab presents a list of files that will be added to the target system during installation of a Windows Installer package, feature, or component. The following information displays for each file in the list:

L O N G F I L E N A M EThis is the long version of the name of the file that will be added to the target system during installation. This is a text string.

S H O R T F I L E N A M EThis is the short version of the name of the file that will be added to the target system during installation. This is a text string that uses short file name syntax - eight-character name, period (.), and 3-character extension. A short file name must always be provided because the SHORTFILENAMES property may be set or the target volume for the installation may only support short file names.

S I Z EThis is the size, in bytes, of the file to be added to the target system during installation.

V E R S I O NThis is the version of the selected component file that will be added to the target system during installation.

A T T R I B U T E S These are the file attributes - such as Read-Only, Hidden, or System - of the file that will be added to the target system during installation.

L A N G U A G EThis is the language identified with the file that is to be added to the target system during installation.

T A R G E T D I R E C T O R YThis is the full path to the directory to which the file will be added on the target system during installation. (The default value provided by WinINSTALL is the variable [TARGETDIR]\.)

You can view, add, modify or delete information about files that will be added to the target system during installation:


. . .


• To add a new file to the list of files to be added during installation, click the New icon. If you highlighted a package or a feature in the tree pane, you will be prompted to select a specific component within that package or feature before continuing. Navigate to the desired file on the Files to Insert dialog and click OK.

• To modify an existing file on the list of files to be added during installation, highlight the file and click the Edit icon. Make the desired changes on the File Properties dialog and click OK.

• To delete a file from the list of files to be added during installation, highlight the file and click the Delete icon.

REMOVE FILESThe Remove tab presents a list of files that will be removed from the target system during installation of a Windows Installer package, feature, or component, and the circumstances under which they are to be removed. The following information displays for each file in the list:

F I L E N A M EThis is the name of a file that is to be removed from the target system when the MSI package is processed.

M O D EThis specifies the circumstances under which the file is to be removed from the target system:

• during installation of the component

• during removal of the component

• during installation or removal of the component


• To add a new file to the list of files to be removed during installation, click the New icon. If you highlighted a package or a feature in the tree pane, you will be prompted to select a specific component within that package or feature before continuing. Navigate to the desired file on the File(s) to Remove dialog and click OK.

• To set or change settings for when a file will be removed during installation, highlight the file and click the Edit icon. Navigate to a different file on the Remove Properties dialog and click OK.

• To delete a file from the list of files to be removed during installation, highlight the file and click the Delete icon.



MOVE FILESThe Move tab presents a list of files that will be moved from one location on the target system to another during installation of a Windows Installer package, feature, or component. (This tab lets you view or modify information relating to the MoveFile table.) The following information displays for each file in the list:

S O U R C E N A M EThis is the original name of the file that will be moved from one location to another on the target system during installation.

D E S T N A M EThis is the name of the file after it is moved from one location to another on the target system during installation.

S O U R C E F O L D E RThis is the original full-path directory location of the file that will be moved from one location to another on the target system during installation.

D E S T F O L D E RThis is the new full-path directory location to which the file will be moved on the target system during installation.


• To add a new file to the list of files to be moved during installation, click the New icon. If you highlighted a package or a feature in the tree pane, you will be prompted to select a specific component within that package or feature before continuing. Enter the required information on the Move File dialog and click OK.

• To modify an existing file on the list of files to be moved during installation, highlight the file and click the Edit icon. Make the desired changes on the Move File dialog and click OK.

• To delete a file from the list of files to be moved during installation, highlight the file and click the Delete icon.

DUPLICATE F ILESThe Duplicate File tab presents a list of installed files (selected from among the files to be added) to be duplicated on the target system to another location during installation of a Windows Installer package, feature, or component. The aim of this function is to allow a single file to be installed to multiple locations.


. . .


Information entered on this tab affects the contents of the DuplicateFile table.

The following information appears for each file in the list:

F I L EThis is the name of the file being added during installation that will also be duplicated.

D E S T I N A T I O N N A M EThis is the name of the duplicated file when it is created on the target system.

D E S T I N A T I O N F O L D E RThis is the folder in which the duplicated file will be stored when it is created on the target system.


• To add a new file to the list of files to be copied during installation, click the New icon. If you highlighted a package or a feature in the tree pane, you will be prompted to select a specific component within that package or feature before continuing. Enter the required information on the Duplicate File dialog and click OK.

• To modify an existing file on the list of files to be copied during installation, highlight the file and click the Edit icon. Make the desired changes on the Duplicate File dialog and click OK.

• To delete a file from the list of files to be copied during installation, highlight the file and click the Delete icon.

CREATE FOLDERSThe Create Folder tab presents a list of folders that will be created on the target system during installation of a Windows Installer package, feature, or component. The following information displays for each folder in the list:

TIP: Duplicating an installed file rather than installing it from multiple points provides better file management because changes to the duplicated file must be made in only one place. You can create multiple duplicates of the same file that is being added, but you must give them each unique names within their destination folders.



D I R E C T O R YThis is the full path to the new folder that will be created on the target system during installation


• To add a new folder to the list of folders to be created during installation, click the New icon. If you highlighted a package or a feature in the tree pane, you will be prompted to select a specific component within that package or feature before continuing. Select the directory on the Directory dialog and set permissions if desired. Click OK.

• To set or modify permissions for a folder to be created during installation, highlight the folder and click the Edit icon. Click the Permissions button on the Directory dialog, make the desired changes, and click OK.

• To delete a folder from the list of folders to be created during installation, highlight the folder and click the Delete icon.

ODBC INFORMATIONWhen you are editing Windows Installer packages, you can view, add, or modify certain ODBC information. The database for MSI packages had five tables relating to ODBC:

• ODBCDataSource

• ODBCSourceAttribute

• ODBCDriver

• ODBCAttribute

• ODBCTranslator

D A T A S O U R C E S U B - T A B The Data Source tab presents a list of ODBC data sources that will be installed on the target system during installation of a Windows Installer package, feature, or component. (This tab lets you view or modify information relating to the ODBCDataSource and ODBCSourceAttribute tables.) The following information displays for each data source in the list:

D A T A S O U R C E This is the internal token name for the data source. It is a primary key for the ODBCDataSource table.


. . .


D R I V E RThis is the driver associated with the data source specified above. A driver is a program that contains a special interface that allows programs that use the driver to access files in a number of different databases.


• To add a new ODBC data source to the list of ODBC data sources to be installed, click the New icon. If you highlighted a package or a feature in the tree pane, you will be prompted to select a specific component within that package or feature before continuing. Enter the required information on the Data Source dialog and click OK.

• To modify an existing ODBC data source, highlight it and click the Edit icon. Make the desired changes on the Data Source dialog and click OK.

• To delete an existing ODBC data source from the list of ODBC data sources to be installed, highlight the data source and click the Delete icon.

D R I V E R S U B - T A B The Driver tab presents a list of ODBC drivers that will be installed on the target system during installation of a Windows Installer package, feature, or component. (This tab lets you view or modify information relating to the ODBCDriver and ODBCAttribute tables.) The following information displays for each driver in the list:

D R I V E RThis is the internal token name for the driver associated with the data source.

F I L EThis is the DLL file that contains the ODBC driver software program for the driver specified above.

S E T U P F I L EThis is the setup DLL file for the driver if it is different from the driver specified above.

NOTE: The Windows Installer does not actually perform the ODBC installation, but instead provides the necessary information to the ODBC Driver Manager, which then performs the actual installation.




• To add a new ODBC driver to the list of ODBC drivers to be installed, click the New icon. If you highlighted a package or a feature in the tree pane, you will be prompted to select a specific component within that package or feature before continuing. Enter the required information on the Driver dialog and click OK.

• To modify an existing ODBC driver, highlight it and click the Edit icon. Make the desired changes on the Driver dialog and click OK.

• To delete an existing ODBC driver from the list of ODBC drivers to be installed, highlight it and click the Delete icon.

T R A N S L A T O R S U B - T A B The Translator tab presents a list of ODBC drivers that will be installed on the target system during installation of a Windows Installer package, feature, or component. (This tab lets you view or modify information relating to the ODBCTranslator table.) The following information displays for each driver in the list:

T R A N S L A T O RThis is the internal token name for the translation DLL.

F I L EThis is the DLL file for the translator specified above.

S E T U P F I L EThis is the setup DLL file for the translator if it is different from the Translator specified above.




. . .

. .F I L E SSearch and Replace Feature


• To add a new ODBC translator to the list of ODBC translators to be installed, click the New icon. If you highlighted a package or a feature in the tree pane, you will be prompted to select a specific component within that package or feature before continuing. Enter the required information on the Translator dialog and click OK.

• To modify an existing ODBC translator, highlight it and click the Edit icon. Make the desired changes on the Translator dialog and click OK.

• To delete an existing ODBC translator from the list of ODBC translators to be installed, highlight the data source and click the Delete icon.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . S E A R C H A N D R E P L A C E F E A T U R EWinINSTALL provides a simple facility to search for a character string within a package and replace it with another character string. This feature operates throughout the package, but it is often used within the file operations areas of a package.

For example, perhaps the package specifies that the installers are to add all files to a directory called OldDir, but the files now need to go into a directory called NewDir instead. The following steps explain how to perform this operation.

1 Select the desired package in the tree pane and select Replace from the Edit menu at the top of the console. The Search and Replace dialog will appear.

2 Under Sections to Search, check the checkboxes for sections of the package that you want to search. By default, all of the checkboxes are checked. (In the example given above, you would check only the File Destination checkbox).

3 In the Replace All Occurrences … textbox, type the string that you want WinINSTALL to find. (In the above example, you would enter OldDir).

4 In the With This textbox, type the new string that will be used to replace the string found above. (In the example given above, you would enter NewDir).

5 Click OK. WinINSTALL immediately searches the specified sections of the package and makes the appropriate replacements.

NOTE: This technique does not replace character strings in a text file on the user’s workstation. It only replaces strings in the package that will be processed on the user’s workstation.


F I L E SSearch and Replace Feature2 1


. . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .SHORTCUTS 22

hen you highlight a package in the tree pane of the Console and select Shortcuts in the list pane, you can use the tabs in the data pane to examine or change the package’s instructions regarding shortcuts, also commonly referred to as icons.

You can specify the following instructions:

• Shortcuts to be added.

• Shortcuts to be removed (WinINSTALL packages only).

• Shortcuts to be modified, and what modifications to make.

WinINSTALL packages are installed in two phases. During the first, or “remove” phase, deletions may be made in order to prepare the system for the second, or “add” phase.

When you highlight a WinINSTALL package in the tree pane and select Shortcuts in the list pane, there are two tabs in the data pane, Add Phase and Remove Phase. On these tabs, you specify files to be added to or removed from the target system during package processing.

When you highlight a Windows Installer package and select Shortcuts in the list pane, there is a single tab in the data pane: Add.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . S H O R T C U T S I N W I N I N S T A L L P A C K A G E SDuring the installation of a WinINSTALL package, WinINSTALL can add new shortcuts to a target system and remove or modify existing shortcuts as well. Shortcuts can be configured to be automatically installed when the package is installed, or they can be “advertised” so that they are not installed until the shortcut is actually executed by the user. This is commonly referred to as installation on demand. Shortcuts added during an installation are automatically removed during an uninstall.

To manage shortcuts to be added or removed during installation, select a WinINSTALL package in the tree pane, highlight Shortcuts in the list pane, and click either the Add Phase or Remove Phase tab in the data pane, depending on whether you want to add or remove shortcuts.

NOTE: WinINSTALL packages allow you to add shortcuts to and remove shortcuts from the target system during installation, while Windows Installer packages only allow you to add shortcuts.

W


S H O R T C U T SShortcuts in WinINSTALL Packages2 2

ADD PHASE TAB The Add Phase tab presents a list of shortcuts to be added to the target system during installation of a WinINSTALL package. The following information displays for each shortcut in the list:

A Create shortcut only if file is found checkbox allows you to specify whether to create the shortcuts always, or only when the specified target file is found. This checkbox applies to all shortcuts in the list.

You can add, edit, or delete the shortcuts in the list.

• To add a new shortcut to the list, click the Add icon and enter the required information on the Add New Shortcut dialog. This dialog has three tabs - General, Icon, and WIPL

• To remove a shortcut from the list, select the desired entry in the list and click the Delete icon.

• To edit a shortcut in the list, either double-click the desired entry in the list or just select it and click the Edit icon. Make the desired changes on the Edit Shortcut dialog. This dialog has three tabs - General, Icon, and WIPL

REMOVE PHASE TABThe Remove Phase tab presents a list of shortcuts to be removed from the target system during installation of a WinINSTALL package. The following information displays for each shortcut in the list:

The Create shortcut only if file is found checkbox is disabled on the Remove Phase tab.

You can create, delete, edit, and view the shortcuts in the list.

• To add a new shortcut to the list, click the Add icon and enter the required information on the Add New Shortcut dialog. This dialog has only a single tab.

Name • Display name for the shortcut to be added.

Target • Fully-qualified path to the executable launched by the shortcut to be added.

WARNING: When you click the Delete icon, you will not be asked to verify the deletion. The shortcut will simply be deleted.

Name • Display name for the shortcut to be removed.

Target • This column will always be empty on the Remove Phase tab.


. . .

. .S H O R T C U T SShortcuts in WinINSTALL Packages

• To remove a shortcut from the list, highlight it and click the Delete icon.

• To edit or view a shortcut in the list, either double-click it or highlight it and click the Edit icon. Make the desired changes on the Edit Shortcut dialog. This dialog has only a single tab.

ADD/EDIT SHORTCUT DIALOGAdding or editing a shortcut in the Add phase of a WinINSTALL package will produce the Add or Edit Shortcut dialog, which presents three panes of information.

G E N E R A L T A BThe General tab allows you to enter the following information (not all fields are enabled when the Add/Edit Shortcut dialog is launched from the Remove Phase tab):

I C O N T A BThe Icon tab allows you to enter the following information:


Name • The text which appears on the desktop or in a menu where the shortcut is created. It is also the filename portion of the shortcut file itself (i.e., filename.lnk).

Create In • The folder where the shortcut is to be created (can be @StartMenu, @Desktop, or even an absolute path).

Target File • The executable (plus any desired parameters or switches) to launch when the shortcut is executed. Long filenames require quotes.

Install for All Users

• Checkbox to add the shortcut to all users on the target machine.

Permanent • Checkbox to indicate that the shortcut should not be removed when the package is uninstalled.

NT Separate Memory

• Checkbox to specify that the process launched by executing the shortcut should run in its own separate memory space.


S H O R T C U T SShortcuts in WinINSTALL Packages2 2

W I P L T A BWIPL, or WinINSTALL Program Launcher, is a feature allowing the advertising, or installation on demand, of WinINSTALL applications (Windows Installer applications have their own advertising mechanism).

N O N - W I P L S H O R T C U T SThe default selection is for a shortcut to be installed as a non-WIPL shortcut. A series of three radio buttons on the WIPL tab allow selection of a non-WIPL shortcut (the default), a subscribed WIPL install or an unsubscribed WIPL install.

U N S U B S C R I B E D W I P L S H O R T C U T SAn unsubscribed WIPL install will result in the package installing only the shortcut. When the user executes the shortcut for the first time, the rest of the package will be installed and then the application will be launched. Every launch after the first will be a normal application launch.

S U B S C R I B E D W I P L S H O R T C U T SA subscribed WIPL install will also install only the shortcut when the package is installed. When the user executes the shortcut for the first time, as with an unsubscribed WIPL shortcut, the rest of the package will be installed and the package will be launched.

But a subscribed WIPL shortcut is different, in that every time the user executes the shortcut, WinINSTALL will check to see whether or not the application package on the server has been updated since it was installed on the current user’s desktop. If it has been updated, then the package will be re-installed before the application is launched. This mechanism assures that the user is always running the very latest available version of the application.

Shortcut Key • The shortcut key combination to activate this shortcut on the user’s desktop (i.e., Ctrl + x). You can enter this key combination by actually clicking the desired key combination while the cursor is in the Shortcut Key field.

Show Command

• A drop-down offering a selection of window types to open for the launched process (i.e., Normal, Minimized, Maximized).

Arguments • Any desired command line arguments for the shortcut command line.

Working Directory

• The directory to use as the working directory for the launched process.

Icon • Click the Select Icon button to browse for a file (and an icon within the file) to use as the icon for the shortcut.


. . .

. .S H O R T C U T SShortcuts in WinINSTALL Packages

A D D I T I O N A L W I P L I N F O R M A T I O NIf the Install Prompt checkbox is checked, then the prompt entered into the field below it will be presented to the user when the WIPL shortcut is first executed. The Install Prompt will provide the user with the option of not installing or updating the application at that time.

The Extra Arguments for Auto Installer field enables the specification of command line switches and/or arguments to add to the Automatic Installer command line when the package is finally installed as a result of the user executing the WIPL shortcut.

W I P L C O N T E X T M E N UIf the user right-clicks on a WIPL icon, he will be presented with four special context menu options:

ADVERTISING WININSTALL PACKAGES (WIPL)WIPL - WinINSTALL Program Launcher - is a separate program (Wipl.exe) provided with WinINSTALL. WIPL allows you to install an icon “advertising” the availability of an application on a desktop. The actual installation does not take place until the user attempts to use the application. Advertising avoids saturating the network by distributing software on demand rather than to all the machines in the network at once.

The first time the user tries to run an application installed in the “unsubscribed” mode, WIPL completes the installation. Each time the user launches an application installed in the “subscribed” mode, WIPL compares the version of the application loaded on the workstation to the version on the network. If the network version is newer, the updated

Execute • Runs the target executable--just like double-clicking the icon.

Install • Installs (or re-installs) the application package.

Verify • Uses WinINSTALL’s verification capability to compare the installed application with the package on the server to verify the integrity of the installation.

Uninstall • Removes the application and shortcut).

TIP: To produce an installation which makes use of the WIPL shortcut options, the package must be installed using the /WIPL switch on the command line. This switch will cause the installer to install only the WIPL shortcut; without this switch, the application will be installed normally, even if WIPL shortcut options are specified.


S H O R T C U T SAdding or Changing Shortcuts with a Windows Installer (MSI) Package2 2

version is installed. This can be a significant time-savings for large enterprises dealing with long recipient lists for software distribution.

Using WIPL with a WinINSTALL package, involves the following steps:

1 Modify the package by choosing either Subscribed WIPL Install or Unsubscribed WIPL Install on the WIPL tab of the Add New Shortcut dialog.

2 Have users run the installer with the /WIPL switch. In whatever method is being used to distribute the package (for example, logon script, email, centrally-located file, etc.), specify the following line:

winstala <package name>.nai /WIPL

3 When the installer runs a WinINSTALL package configured for WIPL with the /WIPL switch, it will install a WIPL icon to the user’s workstation. When the user right-clicks the WIPL icon, a menu will display, offering the following options:

• Execute

Installs the application and runs it. (Works the same as double-clicking the icon.)

• Install

Installs the application but does not run it.

• Verify

Checks the integrity of the application by comparing the local installation on the workstation to the package on the network.

• Uninstall

Removes both the application and the icon.

4 The actual program will not be installed until the user clicks the icon or chooses Execute or Install from the menu.

A D D I N G O R C H A N G I N G S H O R T C U T S W I T H A

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . W I N D O W S I N S T A L L E R ( M S I ) P A C K A G EWindows Installer packages can add new shortcuts and modify existing during a package install. Shortcuts can be configured so that they are automatically installed when the package is processed, or they can be “advertised” so that they are not installed until the shortcut is actually invoked (a.k.a. installation on demand). Shortcuts added during an installation are automatically removed during an uninstall.

To manage shortcuts that are added or modified during installation, select a Windows Installer package in the tree pane, highlight Shortcuts in the list pane, and click the Add tab in the data pane.


. . .

. .S H O R T C U T SAdding or Changing Shortcuts with a Windows Installer (MSI) Package

ADD TAB The Add tab presents a list of shortcuts that will be added to the target system during installation of a Windows Installer package. The following information displays for each shortcut in the list:

You can create, delete, edit or view the shortcuts in the list.

To add a new shortcut to the list, click the Add icon and enter the required information on the Shortcut dialog. It has two tabs - General and Icon.

To remove a shortcut from the list, highlight it and click the Delete icon.

To edit a shortcut in the list, either double-click it or highlight it and click the Edit icon. Make the desired changes on the Shortcut dialog.

ADD/EDIT SHORTCUT DIALOGAdding or editing a shortcut will produce the Add or Edit Shortcut dialog, which presents two tabs of information.

G E N E R A L T A BThe Windows Installer Shortcuts General tab allows you to enter the following information:

Name • Display name for the shortcut to be added.

Target • The target can be a feature or a file - either the feature that is the current component's parent or one of the files that will be installed with this component.


Name • The text which appears on the desktop or in a menu where the shortcut is created. It is also the filename portion of the shortcut file itself (i.e., filename.lnk).

Shortened Name

• Shortened version of the name (above).

Component • The component for which the shortcut is being created, selected from a drop-down list. The installation state of this component determines whether the shortcut is created or not.


S H O R T C U T SAdding or Changing Shortcuts with a Windows Installer (MSI) Package2 2

I C O N T A BThe Windows Installer shortcuts Icon tab allows you to enter the following information:

Create In • The folder where the shortcut is to be created (can be @StartMenu, @Desktop, or even an absolute path).

Target (select either Feature or File)

• Feature: the feature that contains the component whose key file is the file launched by the shortcut. When the shortcut is activated, the installer verifies that all the components in the feature are installed before launching this file.

• File: the executable (plus any desired parameters or switches) to launch when the shortcut is executed. Long filenames require quotes.

Description • The text that will be used for the shortcut tooltip.

Shortcut Key • The shortcut key combination to activate this shortcut on the user’s desktop (i.e., Ctrl + x). You can enter this key combination by actually clicking the desired key combination while the cursor is in the Shortcut Key field.

Show Command

• A drop-down offering a selection of window types to open for the launched process (i.e., Normal, Minimized, Maximized).

Arguments • Any desired command line arguments for the shortcut command line.

Working Directory

• The directory to use as the working directory for the launched process.

Icon • Click the Select Icon button to browse for a file (and an icon within the file) to use as the icon for the shortcut.


. . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .REGISTRY 23

inINSTALL enables packages to specify registry files, keys, or values to be added, removed, or modified. You can also create instructions to set access rights – both user and group rights – for registry values. For instance, you can

create a package that installs a registry value that any user can modify or delete using RegEdit.exe. Or, you can protect the new registry value being installed by setting a high level of access to it so that only an administrator can delete it from a workstation after it has been installed. WinINSTALL allows you to do these things with both WinINSTALL and Windows Installer packages.

Anyone who modifies registry instructions for a package should be an experienced professional who understands that modifying the registry can have serious consequences.

If you make a mistake that causes problems when starting your computer, you can restore the registry. Follow the instructions given in the Regedit Help system for your version of Windows.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . R E G I S T R Y F I L E SThe registry is a hierarchical data store holding many types of information. The registry consists of entries called hives, keys, and values. The hives are the top-level nodes in the hierarchy: HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT, HKEY_CURRENT_USER, HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, HKEY_USERS, and HKEY_CURRENT_CONFIG. All other nodes are keys. Keys can contain none, one, or multiple values or sub-keys. Each value consists of a name and some data in one of several formats.

Many WinINSTALL packages include one or more registry files, which are text files with a .REG extension. Additional files used with WinINSTALL packages will have extensions RG0, RG1, etc. These files are used to update the Windows Registry. They are also called registry change files.

A .REG file looks like this:

REGEDIT4

NOTE: This security feature is NTFS-specific. Users with FAT drives cannot take advantage of this feature.

W


R E G I S T R YRegistry Changes in a WinINSTALL Package2 3

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.nai]

@=”WinINSTALL .NAI File”

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\WinINSTALL .NAI File]

@=”WinINSTALL .NAI File”

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\WinINSTALL .NAI File\shell]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\WinINSTALL .NAI File\shell\open]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\WinINSTALL .NAI File\shell\open\command]

@=”@WINSTALLDIR\Winstala %1”

For a user's Registry to be updated by a WinINSTALL package, the user must have read access to the .REG files specified in the package at the time when the package is installed.

In addition to the four top-level registry hives (HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT, HKEY_CURRENT_USER, HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, HKEY_USERS, and HKEY_CURRENT_CONFIG), an additional top-level registry node displays in the WinINSTALL Console: Follow the per user/per-machine installation. Values placed under any of the four regular registry hives will be added to those hives in the registry on the target system. Values placed under Follow the per user/per-machine installation will be added to either HKEY_CURRENT_USER or HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, based on the installation context specified on the Install Modes tab for the package.

R E G I S T R Y C H A N G E S I N A W I N I N S T A L L

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P A C K A G EInstallation of WinINSTALL packages can add new registry entries to a target system and modify or remove existing entries. Registry entries added during an installation are automatically removed during an uninstall, unless specifically marked as “permanent.”

The updating of the registry files takes place near the end of the WinINSTALL installation process. This means that a registry file may be one of the files copied in the Files section of a package and, then, after the registry file is copied, the installer, or a script called by the installer, can edit it before it is used to update the registry. (This feature is available only for WinINSTALL packages.)

To manage registry entries added, modified, or removed during installation, select a WinINSTALL package in the tree pane, highlight Registry in the list pane, and click either the Add Phase or Remove Phase tab in the data pane, depending on whether you want to add or remove registry entries during the installation process.


. . .

. .R E G I S T R YRegistry Changes in a WinINSTALL Package

ADD PHASE TAB You can create instructions to add registry files, keys, and values during the addition phase of WinINSTALL package processing. These instructions are entered on the Add Phase tab.

The Add Phase tab presents a hierarchical tree view of the registry entries to be added to or modified in the registry on the target system when the package is processed. The tab contains two panes:

• In the left pane, you can add, or delete registry files; add, delete or rename registry keys; and add a new value for a registry key. You can also make a registry file Permanent, so it will not be removed if the application is removed, and you can also set access rights for registry keys.

• In the right pane, you can modify the name or data for a registry value; delete a registry value from the package; and make a registry value Permanent, so it will not be removed if the application is removed.

R E G I S T R Y F I L E S :• To specify a new registry file to be added to the target system, right-click Registry (the

top node) in the left pane of the tab and select Add File or New File. From the Registry File Name dialog, enter or browse to the file that you want to add to the registry and click OK. When you expand the new file, the registry hives display beneath it.

• To delete a registry file from the list of files to be added to the target system, right-click the file in the left pane of the tab and select Delete.

• To prevent a registry file that is being added to the target system from being removed when the application is removed, right-click the file in the left pane of the tab and select Permanent.

TIP: If the package does not already contain instructions for editing a registry file that you want included in the package, you can add the file to the list. This feature is not available for Windows Installer packages.

WARNING: When you click Delete, you will not be asked to confirm the deletion. The file will simply be deleted from the package.



R E G I S T R Y K E Y S :• To specify a new key to be added to a registry hive or key on the target system, right-

click the hive or key in the left pane of the tab and select New Key. The key is added below the highlighted hive or key, with the temporary name New Key #n. Type the name for the new key (over the temporary name) and press the Enter key.

• To delete a registry key from the list of those being added to the target system, right-click the key in the left pane of the tab and select Delete.

• To set access rights for a registry key being added to the target system, right-click the key in the left pane of the tab and select Permissions. From the Permissions dialog, set the access rights for specific domains, machines, or users.

TIP: When a registry file has been marked Permanent (one that should not be removed), a checkmark appears beside Permanent on the context menu.


WARNING: Although the Delete menu option is enabled for top-level registry hives, you are not allowed to remove these hives. If click Delete with a top-level hive selected, the hive itself is not removed--but all of the keys beneath it are removed.

TIP: When permissions have been set for a registry sub-key, a checkmark appears beside Permissions on the context menu.


. . .


To rename a registry key being added to the target system, right-click the key in the left pane of the tab and select Rename. The existing name is highlighted and the cursor is blinking. Type the new name and press Enter.

R E G I S T R Y K E Y V A L U E S :• To specify a new registry value to be added to the target system, right-click the key in

the left pane of the tab and select New Value. Enter the value name and select the data type for the new value on the Add Value dialog and click OK. Enter the string representing the value on the dialog that displays and click OK.

• To modify the value name for a registry value being added to the target system, right-click the value name in the right pane of the tab and select Rename. Enter the new name for the value in the Edit Value Name dialog and click OK.

• To modify the value data of a registry value being added to the target system, double-click the value name in the right pane of the tab or right-click the value name and select Properties. Enter the new value data on the dialog that displays and click OK.

• To delete an existing value for a registry key from the list of values being added to the target system, right-click the value name in the right pane of the tab and select Delete.

NOTE: Although the Permissions menu option is enabled for top-level registry hives, you are not allowed to set access rights for these hives. If you try to add permissions for a top-level hive, nothing happens.

NOTE: Although the Rename menu option is enabled for top-level registry hives, you are not allowed to change the name of these hives. If you try to rename a top-level hive, you are allowed to enter a new name, but it is not applied.

NOTE: Although the New Value menu option is enabled for top-level registry keys, you are not allowed to set a value for these keys. If you try to set a value for a top-level key, you receive a message informing you that you are not allowed to do this.



• To prevent a registry value from being removed when the application is removed, right-click the value name in the right pane of the tab and select Permanent.

REMOVE PHASE TABThe Remove Phase tab presents a hierarchical tree view of the registry entries that will be removed from the target system during the removal phase of a WinINSTALL package installation. This tab contains two panes.

• In the left pane, you can view, add, or delete registry files; view, add, delete or rename registry keys; and add a new value for a registry key.

• In the right pane, you can modify the name or data for an existing registry value or delete an existing registry value.

You can create instructions to delete registry files, keys, and values during the removal phase of WinINSTALL package processing.

R E G I S T R Y F I L E S :• To specify a new registry file to be removed from the target system, right-click Registry

(the top node) in the left pane of the tab and select Add File or New File. From the Registry File Name dialog, enter or browse to the file that you want to add to the registry and click OK.

• To delete a registry file from the list of files to be removed from the target system, right-click the file in the left pane of the tab and select Delete.

R E G I S T R Y K E Y S :• To specify a new key to be removed from a registry hive or key on the target system,

right-click the key in the left pane of the tab and select New Key. The key is added below

WARNING: When you click Delete, you will not be asked to confirm the deletion. The value will simply be deleted.



. . .


the highlighted key, with the temporary name New Key #n. Type the name for the new key and press the Enter key.

• To delete a registry key from the list of those being removed from the target system, right-click the key in the left pane of the tab and select Delete.

To rename a registry key being removed from the target system, right-click the key in the left pane of the tab and select Rename. The existing name is highlighted and the cursor is blinking. Type the new name and press Enter.

R E G I S T R Y K E Y V A L U E S :• To specify a new registry value to be removed from the target system, right-click the key

in the left pane of the tab and select New Value. Enter the value name and select the data type for the new value on the Add Value dialog and click OK. Enter the string representing the value on the dialog that displays and click OK.

WARNING: When you click Delete, you will not be asked to confirm the deletion. The key will simply be deleted.

WARNING: Although the Delete menu option is enabled for top-level registry hives, you are not allowed to remove these hives. If click Delete with a top-level hive selected, the hive itself is not removed--but all of the keys beneath it are removed.

NOTE: Although the Rename menu option is enabled for top-level registry hives, you are not allowed to change the name of these hives. If you try to rename a top-level hive, you are allowed to enter a new name but it is not applied.

NOTE: Although the New Value menu option is enabled for top-level registry keys, you are not allowed to set a value for these keys. If you try to set a value for a top-level key, you receive a message informing you that you are not allowed to do this.


R E G I S T R YRegistry Changes in a Windows Installer Package2 3

• To modify the value name for a registry value being removed from the target system, right-click the value name in the right pane of the tab and select Rename. Enter the new name for the value in the Edit Value Name dialog and click OK.

• To modify the value data of a registry value being removed from the target system, double-click the value name in the right pane of the tab or right-click the value name and select Properties. Enter the new value data on the dialog that displays and click OK.

• To delete an existing value for a registry key from the list of values being removed from the target system, right-click the value name in the right pane of the tab and select Delete.

R E G I S T R Y C H A N G E S I N A W I N D O W S

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I N S T A L L E R P A C K A G EInstalling Windows Installer packages can add new registry entries to a target system and modify or remove existing ones. Unlike registry keys in WinINSTALL packages, Windows Installer package registry keys cannot be marked “Permanent.”

To manage registry entries that are added, modified, or removed during installation, select a Windows Installer package in the tree pane, highlight Registry in the list pane, and click either the Add or Remove tab in the data pane. Each tab has two panes. In the left pane, expand My Computer to display the top-level nodes in the registry hive and then navigate to the desired level within the registry as if you were using Regedit. The right pane displays registry values - name, data type (such as DWORD or string), and data – as you highlight registry keys in the left pane.

ADD TAB On this tab, you create instructions to add registry keys and values during processing of a Windows Installer package.

The Add tab presents a hierarchical tree view of the registry entries that will be added to or modified in the registry on the target system when the package is processed. Two panes appear on this tab.



. . .

. .R E G I S T R YRegistry Changes in a Windows Installer Package

• In the left pane, you can view, add, delete, or rename registry keys to be added to the target system; set permissions for registry keys being added to the target system; or specify new registry values to be added to the target system.

• In the right pane, you can modify the name or data for a registry value being added to the target system; or delete a registry value being added to the target system.

R E G I S T R Y K E Y S :• To specify a new key to be added to a registry hive or key on the target system, right-

click the hive or key in the left pane of the tab and select New Key. The key is added below the highlighted hive or key, with the temporary name New Key. Type the name for the new key (over the temporary name) and press the Enter key.

• To delete a registry key from the list of those being added to the target system, right-click the key in the left pane of the tab and select Delete.

• To set access rights for a registry key being added to the target system, right-click the key in the left pane of the tab and select Permissions. From the Permissions dialog, set the access rights for specific domains, machines, or users.

• To rename a registry key being added to the target system, right-click the key in the left pane of the tab and select Rename. The existing name is highlighted and the cursor is blinking. Type the new name and press the Enter key.

R E G I S T R Y K E Y V A L U E S :• To specify a new registry value to be added to the target system, right-click the key in

the left pane of the tab and select New Value. Enter the value name and select the data type for the new value on the Add Value dialog and click OK. Enter the string representing the value on the dialog that displays and click OK.


TIP: When permissions have been set for a registry sub-key, a checkmark appears beside Permissions on the context menu.



• To modify the value name for a registry value being added to the target system, right-click the value name in the right pane of the tab and select Rename. Enter the new name for the value in the Edit Value Name dialog and click OK.

• To modify the value data of a registry value being added to the target system, double-click the value name in the right pane of the tab or right-click the value name and select Properties. Enter the new value data on the dialog that displays and click OK.

• To delete an existing value for a registry key from the list of values being added to the target system, right-click the value name in the right pane of the tab and select Delete.

REMOVE TAB

On this tab, you create instructions to remove registry keys and values during processing of a Windows Installer package.

The Remove Phase tab presents a hierarchical tree view of the registry entries that will be removed from the target system when a Windows Installer package is processed. There are two panes on this tab.

• In the left pane, you can view, add, or delete registry files; view, add, delete or rename registry keys; and add a new value for a registry key.

• In the right pane, you can modify the name or data for an existing registry value or delete an existing registry value.

R E G I S T R Y K E Y S :• To specify a new key to be removed from a registry hive or key on the target system,

right-click the key in the left pane of the tab and select New Key. The key is added below the highlighted key, with the temporary name New Key #n. Type the name for the new key and press the Enter key.

• To delete a registry key from the list of those being removed from the target system, right-click the key in the left pane of the tab and select Delete.



. . .

. .R E G I S T R YRegistry Changes in a Windows Installer Package

• To rename a registry key being removed from the target system, right-click the key in the left pane of the tab and select Rename. The existing name is highlighted and the cursor is blinking. Type the new name and press the Enter key.

R E G I S T R Y K E Y V A L U E S :• To specify a new registry value to be removed from the target system, right-click the key

in the left pane of the tab and select New Value. Enter the value name on the Add Value dialog and click OK.

• To modify the value name for a registry value being removed from the target system, right-click the value name in the right pane of the tab and select Rename. Type the new name over the highlighted existing name.

• To delete an existing value for a registry key from the list of values being removed from the target system, right-click the value name in the right pane of the tab and select Delete.






. . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .FILE EDITS 24

inINSTALL provides the means to edit INI files and ASCII and Unicode text files as part of package installs. ASCII and Unicode text file edits are not natively supported by the Windows Installer, but WinINSTALL adds this

capability to any Windows Installer package it creates. In addition, you can edit environment variables on target systems (with WinINSTALL packages only).

When you select a package, feature, or component in the tree pane and then select Edits in the list pane, the data pane will display three tabs: INI Files, ASCII Files, and (for Windows Installer packages only) Environment.

The INI Files and ASCII Files tabs both provide Add and Remove sub-tabs. (For WinINSTALL packages, these are labeled Add Phase and Remove Phase). The Add sub-tab provides instructions to the installer for adding files and text during package installation, while the Remove sub-tab provides instructions on removing text during package installation.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I N I F I L E E D I T SWindows INI files are text files containing one or more headings enclosed in square brackets. Each heading is followed by one or more lines in the format key=value. Each key beneath a given heading must be unique. (In legacy SYSTEM.INI files, the Device= lines beneath the [386Enh] section are an exception to this rule). Neither the order of the headings nor the order of the key=value statements beneath any heading is significant; only their presence or absence matters.

If the file you want to edit does not follow these rules, you cannot edit it through the INI Files tab. In this case, you can remove it from the INI Files tab, move it to the ASCII Files tab, and edit it there.

WinINSTALL lets you make the following types of edits to INI files:

• Add sections or keys to .ini files

• Delete sections or keys from .ini files

• Remove entire lines from .ini files

• Search and replace strings in .ini files

During the install process, the installer checks the INI file for each section specified to be modified. It will take the following actions:

W


F I L E E D I T SText File Edits2 4

• If the heading does not exist, the installer will create it and add the specified lines beneath it.

• If the heading does exist, the installer will check for the specified keys beneath the heading. If a specified key exists, the value will be changed to the one specified in the package. If the key does not exist, the key=value statement will be added.

LEGACY INI F ILE SPECIAL CASESFor WinINSTALL packages only, WinINSTALL recognizes certain lines in legacy WIN.INI and SYSTEM.INI files and treats them as special cases:

• The Run= line beneath the [Windows] heading in WIN.INI

• The Load= line beneath the [Windows] heading in WIN.INI

• The Drivers= line beneath the [Boot] heading in SYSTEM.INI

These lines are never removed or replaced. Instead, if a package specifies text to be inserted in one of these lines, the installer will simply add it to what is already there (if anything). The uninstall process will remove from these lines only the text specified in the package. All other text on these lines will be left intact.

The SYSTEM.INI file can have multiple Device= lines beneath the [386Enh] heading. Therefore, WinINSTALL treats modifications to these lines differently from other INI file modifications. If a Device= line beneath the [386Enh] heading is specified as a change to SYSTEM.INI, WinINSTALL will add it to the SYSTEM.INI [386Enh] section if it is not already present. No existing Device= lines will be changed or removed.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . T E X T F I L E E D I T SWinINSTALL enables the creation and editing of ASCII and Unicode text files. Supported operations include the insertion of text at specified locations within such files. For example, the text can be inserted before or after other, specified, text, or at the beginning or end of the file. Text file editing capabilities also include removing text and removing entire lines in text files. In addition, in WinINSTALL packages, the installation process can include search and replace operations on text files as well.

WinINSTALL also provides the capability, when editing the legacy file Autoexec.bat, to add directories to the PATH= line.


. . .

. .F I L E E D I T SEditing Files with a WinINSTALL Package

E D I T I N G F I L E S W I T H A W I N I N S T A L L

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P A C K A G EA WinINSTALL package can add and modify ASCII and Unicode text files and INI files on a target machine. To manage edits to text or INI files during installation, select a WinINSTALL package in the tree pane, highlight Edits in the list pane, and click either the INI Files or ASCII Files tab in the data pane.

IN I F ILES TAB When you click the INI Files tab in the data pane, both the Add Phase and the Remove Phase sub-tabs are split into two panes, with the tree view of INI files on the left and the detail for changes to be made on the right. In the left pane, the top-level node - INI Files - is expanded to reveal SYSTEM.INI and WIN.INI.

When you select an INI file in the left pane, the following information displays in the right pane:

• Find

• Replace With

• Type

• Case Sens.

• Permanent

If you expand an INI file and select an INI section in the left pane, the following information displays in the right pane:

• Key

• Value

A D D A N D R E M O V E P H A S E S U B - T A B SThe Add Phase sub-tab specifies how a WinINSTALL package will add or modify INI files on a target during installation. The Remove Phase sub-tab provides instructions on headings, keys and values to remove from INI files during an installation--and during an uninstallation. These two tabs are organized identically, and all options are provided on both tabs--but the entries on the Add Phase tab will be added during an install of the package, while the entries on the Remove Phase tab will be removed during an install or uninstall of the package.


F I L E E D I T SEditing Files with a WinINSTALL Package2 4

You can perform the following actions on these tabs:

• Import the contents of an existing SYSTEM.INI or WIN.INI file to be added to those files on the target system.

• Specify an INI file to be created or modified on the target system.

• Delete an INI file from the list of files to be created or modified.

• Specify a section to be added to or modified in an INI file on the target system.

• Specify a key to be added to or modified in a section of an INI file on the target system.

• Edit an existing INI file:

• Find and replace text.

• Remove entire lines.

• Remove entire sections.

H O W T O I M P O R T A N E X I S T I N G S Y S T E M . I N I O R W I N I . I N I F I L EThe ability to import the contents of a SYSTEM.INI or WINI.INI file saves you the time and trouble of creating the desired contents of such a file from scratch. Simply import an existing file and edit it to suit the needs of this package.

1 In the left pane, right-click SYSTEM.INI or WINI.INI and select Import File from the context menu.

2 On the Import INI dialog, browse to or enter the fully-qualified UNC path to the filename of the file you are importing and click OK.

3 The contents of the imported file are used to populate the file on this tab. You can use the file as it is or edit it.

H O W T O S P E C I F Y A N I N I F I L E T O B E C R E A T E D O R E D I T E DYou would add a new INI file for one of two reasons - you want the package to add an INI file that doesn't currently exist on the target system or you want the package to make changes to an INI file that already exists on the target system. To add a new file, follow these steps:

TIP: Entries on the Add Phase tab will be added during an install of the package and removed during an uninstall of the package. In contrast, the entries on the Remove Phase tab will always be removed, regardless of whether the operation is an install or an uninstall.


. . .


1 In the left pane, right-click the top-level node - INI Files - and select New File from the context menu.

2 On the INI File Name dialog, browse to or enter the fully-qualified UNC path to the filename of the file you are adding and click OK.

3 The INI Files node is expanded and the new file displays beneath it.

H O W T O D E L E T E A F I L E F R O M T H E L I S T O F I N I F I L E S T O B E C R E A T E D O R M O D I F I E D

1 Right-click the file and select Delete from the context menu.

2 The selected file will no longer appear beneath the INI Files node.

H O W T O S P E C I F Y A S E C T I O N T O B E A D D E D O R M O D I F I E DYou would add a new section to an INI file for one of two reasons - you want the package to add a section that doesn't currently exist on the target system or you want the package to make changes to a section that already exists on the target system. To add a new section:

1 In the left pane, right-click the INI file for which you want to add a new section or modify an existing section and select New Section from the context menu.

2 A section is added beneath the file. Enter a name for the section.

H O W T O S P E C I F Y A K E Y T O B E A D D E D O R M O D I F I E DYou would add a new key to an INI file for one of two reasons - you want the package to add a key that doesn't currently exist on the target system or you want the package to make changes to a key that already exists on the target system. To add a new key:

1 In the left pane, right-click the section for which you want to add a new key and select New Key from the context menu.

2 On the Properties dialog, enter the name and value for the new key and click OK.

H O W T O E D I T A K E Y T O B E A D D E D T O A S E C T I O N O F A N I N I F I L E O N T H E T A R G E T S Y S T E M

1 In the right pane, right-click the desired key and select Preferences from the context menu.

2 On the Properties dialog, change the key name, value, or both. Click OK.

H O W T O E D I T A N I N I F I L E T O B E A D D E D T O T H E T A R G E T S Y S T E MWinINSTALL can perform three kinds of edits on INI files. Instructions for specifying each type of edit are provided below.



• Find and replace text strings:

• Remove entire lines:

• Remove sections:

ASCI I F ILES TAB The ASCII Files tab enables you to specify edits to ASCII and Unicode text files. When you click the ASCII Files tab in the data pane, you can click either the Add Phase or the Remove Phase sub-tab. Both sub-tabs are split into two panes, with the tree view of ASCII files on the left and the detail for changes to be made on the right. In the left pane, the top-level node - ASCII Files – can be expanded to reveal AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS and each of these can be expanded to reveal Edits and Options.

1 Right-click the file and choose New Edit from the context menu.

2 On the Properties dialog, specify that you want to Search and Replace. Enter both the text that you want to replace and the text that will replace it and click OK.


2 On the Properties dialog, specify that you want to Remove Line Containing and enter the text that will trigger the removal of the line. If desired, you can indicate that the text search should be case-sensitive, and you can also specify that the change made should be permanent - meaning that it would not be reversed during an uninstall. Click OK.


2 On the Properties dialog, specify that you want to Remove Section and enter the text that will trigger the removal of the section. Click OK.


. . .


When you highlight any ASCII file in the left pane, the following information displays in the right pane:

• Edit Lines

• Permanent

When you highlight Edits in the left pane, the following information displays in the right pane:

• Find

• Replace With

• Type

• Case Sens.

• Permanent

When you highlight Options in the left pane (available only for the legacy files AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS), the following information displays in the right pane:

• Boot Drive

• Path Change

A D D A N D R E M O V E P H A S E S U B - T A B SThe Add Phase sub-tab specifies how a WinINSTALL package will add or modify ASCII or Unicode text files on a target machine during installation. The Remove Phase sub-tab provides instructions on removing text from files during an installation--and during an uninstallation. These two tabs are organized identically, and all options are provided on both tabs--but the entries on the Add Phase tab will be added during an install of the package, while the entries on the Remove Phase tab will be removed during an install or uninstall of the package.

NOTE: The Options node is available only for the legacy files AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS. The available options concern only the boot drive (to locate these files) and edits to the PATH= statement (in AUTOEXEC.BAT only).




• Import an existing CONFIG.SYS or AUTOEXEC.BAT file to be added to the target system.

• Add an ordinary ASCII or Unicode text file to the list of text files that will be created or modified on the target system.

• Delete an ordinary ASCII or Unicode text file from the list of text files to be created or modified on the target system.

• Edit an ordinary text file in the list of text files to be created or modified on the target system:

• Insert text.

• Find and replace text strings.


• Edit the legacy files AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS on the target system:

• Insert text.



• Modify the path and boot drive.

H O W T O I M P O R T A N E X I S T I N G A U T O E X E C . B A T O R C O N F I G . S Y S F I L EThe ability to import the contents of an existing AUTOEXEC.BAT or CONFIG.SYS file saves you the time and trouble of creating the desired contents of such a file from scratch. Simply import an existing file and edit it to suit the needs of this package.

1 In the left pane, expand ASCII Files, right-click either AUTOEXEC.BAT or CONFIG.SYS, and select Import File from the context menu.

2 On the Import Text File dialog, browse to or enter the fully-qualified UNC path to the file you are importing and click OK.

3 You can now edit the file.

TIP: Entries on the Add Phase tab will be added during an install of the package and removed during an uninstall of the package. In contrast, the entries on the Remove Phase tab will always be removed, regardless of whether the operation is an install or an uninstall.


. . .


H O W T O A D D A F I L E T O T H E L I S T O F T E X T F I L E S T O B E C R E A T E D O R M O D I F I E DYou would add a new text file for one of two reasons - you want the package to add a file that doesn't currently exist on the target system or you want the package to make changes to an existing file. To add a new text file to the package, follow these steps:

1 Right-click the top-level node - ASCII Files - in the left pane and select New File from the context menu.

2 On the Text File Name dialog, browse to or enter the fully-qualified UNC path to the filename of the file you are adding and click OK.

3 The ASCII Files node will expand to display the new file beneath it.

H O W T O D E L E T E A F I L E F R O M T H E L I S T O F T E X T F I L E S T O B E C R E A T E D O R M O D I F I E D


2 The selected file will no longer appear beneath the ASCII Files node.

H O W T O E D I T A T E X T F I L E T O B E A D D E D T O T H E T A R G E T S Y S T E MYou can perform three kinds of edits on text files:

• Insert text

• Find and replace text strings

1 Right-click the file and select Edit Lines from the context menu.

2 On the Edit Lines dialog, enter the text that you want to insert, specify where the text should be inserted, and click OK.

1 Expand the file, right-click the Edits node beneath it, and select New Edit from the context menu.

2 On the Properties dialog, select the Search and Replace radio button. Enter the old text that you want to replace and the new text that will replace it, and click OK.


F I L E E D I T SEditing Files with a Windows Installer (MSI) Package2 4

• Remove entire lines

H O W T O E D I T T H E B O O T D R I V E A N D P A T H I N T H E L E G A C Y F I L E S A U T O E X E C . B A T A N D C O N F I G . S Y S You can perform four kinds of edits on these two legacy files. Three of them, inserting text, finding and replacing text strings, and removing entire lines, are all accomplished in the same manner as with any other text file (see immediately above). But you can also edit the boot drive and path statement in these legacy files

1 Expand either AUTOEXEC.BAT or CONFIG.SYS, right-click the Options node beneath it, and select Change Options from the context menu.

2 On the Options dialog, you can modify the boot drive specification and (for AUTOEXEC.BAT only) the path. Click OK when the modifications are complete.

E D I T I N G F I L E S W I T H A W I N D O W S

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I N S T A L L E R ( M S I ) P A C K A G EA Windows Installer package can add and modify ASCII and Unicode text files, INI files, and environment variables on a target machine.

To manage edits to text or INI files or environment variables during installation, select a Windows Installer package in the tree pane, highlight Edits in the list pane, and click the INI Files, ASCII Files, or Environment tab in the data pane.

IN I F ILES TAB When you click the INI Files tab in the data pane, both the Add and Remove sub-tab are split into two panes, with the tree view of INI files on the left and the detail for changes to be

1 Expand the file, right-click Edits beneath it, and select New Edit from the context menu.

2 On the Properties dialog, select the Remove Line Containing radio button and enter the text that will trigger the removal of the line. If desired, you can indicate that the text search should be case-sensitive, and you can also specify that the change made should be permanent - meaning that it would not be reversed during an uninstall. Click OK.


. . .

. .F I L E E D I T SEditing Files with a Windows Installer (MSI) Package

made on the right. In the left pane, there is one top-level node - INI File Values. The following information displays in the right pane:

• Key

• Value

• Action

A D D A N D R E M O V E S U B - T A B SThe Add sub-tab lets you examine details or provide instructions about how a Windows Installer package will add or modify INI files on a target machine during installation.

The Add sub-tab specifies how a Windows Installer package will add or modify INI files on a target during installation. The Remove sub-tab provides instructions on headings, keys and values to remove from INI files during an installation. These two tabs are organized identically, and all options are provided on both tabs--but the entries on the Add tab will be added, while the entries on the Remove tab will be removed during an install of the package. During an uninstall, the entries on the Add tab will be removed, and the entries on the Remove tab will be ignored.


• Specify an INI file to be created or modified on the target system.

• Delete an INI file from the list of files to be created or modified.

• Specify a section to be created or modified in an INI file on the target system

• Specify a key to be added, removed, or modified in a section of an INI file on the target system

• Edit an existing INI file on the target system. Edits can perform one of three actions:

• Add a line (creates or updates an entry).

• Create a line (creates an entry only if it does not already exist).

• Add a tag to an existing key (creates a new entry or appends a new comma-separated value to an existing entry).

TIP: Entries on the Add tab will be added during an install of the package and removed during an uninstall of the package. In contrast, the entries on the Remove tab will be removed during an install operation, but they will be ignored during an uninstall of a Windows Installer package.



H O W T O S P E C I F Y A N I N I F I L E T O B E A D D E D T O O R M O D I F I E D O N T H E T A R G E T S Y S T E MYou would add a new INI file for one of two reasons - you want the package to add an INI file that doesn't currently exist on the target system or you want the package to make changes to an INI file that already exists on the target system. To add a new file:

1 Right-click INI File Value node on the Add or Remove tab.

2 Select New File from the pop-up menu.

3 On the INI File Name dialog, enter or browse for the name of the file to add and click OK.

H O W T O D E L E T E A F I L E F R O M T H E L I S T O F I N I F I L E S T O B E C R E A T E D O R M O D I F I E D


2 The selected file will no longer appear beneath the INI Files node.

H O W T O S P E C I F Y A S E C T I O N T O B E A D D E D T O O R M O D I F I E D You would add a new section to an INI file for one of two reasons - you want the package to add a section that doesn't currently exist on the target system or you want the package to make changes to a section that already exists on the target system. To add a new section:

1 Right-click the INI file to which you want to add the section.

2 Select New Section from the pop-up menu.

3 In the box that appears next to the new node under the INI file, enter the section name.

H O W T O S P E C I F Y A K E Y T O B E A D D E D T O O R M O D I F I E DYou would add a new key to an INI file for one of two reasons - you want the package to add a key that doesn't currently exist on the target system or you want the package to make changes to a key that already exists on the target system. To add a new key:

1 Right-click the desired INI file section on the left side of the Add or Remove tab.

2 Select New Key from the pop-up menu.

3 Add the desired key and value to the Properties dialog, select the appropriate radio button for the desired operation (Add Line, Create Line, or Add Tag), and click OK.

4 The new key will appear in the right pane of the tab. You can add multiple keys to a section.

H O W T O E D I T A K E Y T O B E A D D E D1 In the left pane, expand the desired INI file and section.

2 In the right pane, right-click the desired key.


. . .


3 Select Rename from the pop-up menu.

4 Complete the Properties dialog (change the name of the key, its value, and/or the action that will be taken--Add Line, Create Line, Add Tag) and click OK.

5 The modified information for the key will displays in the right pane.

ASCI I F ILES TAB The ASCII Files tab enables you to specify edits to ASCII and Unicode text files. When you click the ASCII Files tab in the data pane, you can click either the Add or the Remove sub-tab. Both sub-tabs are split into two panes, with the tree view of ASCII files on the left and the detail for changes to be made on the right. In the left pane, the top-level node - ASCII Files – displays.

A D D A N D R E M O V E S U B - T A B SThe Add sub-tab specifies how a Windows Installer package will add or modify ASCII or Unicode text files on a target machine during installation. The Remove sub-tab provides instructions on removing text from files during an installation; these instructions are ignored on uninstallation.

The Add and Remove tabs are organized identically, and all options are provided on both tabs--but the entries on the Add tab will be added during an install of the package, while the entries on the Remove tab will be removed during an install or uninstall of the package.


• Add a new ASCII or Unicode text file to the list of files to be created or modified on the target system.

• Delete a file from the list of text files to be created or modified on the target system.

• Edit a text file in the list of text files to be created or modified on the target system:

• Insert text.


• Modify the path in the Path= line in a legacy AUTOEXEC.BAT file.

TIP: Entries on the Add tab will be added during an install of the package and removed during an uninstall of the package. In contrast, the entries on the Remove tab will be removed, but only when the operation is an install. These entries are ignored during an uninstall of a Windows Installer package.



• Change or delete a listed text file edit.

H O W T O A D D A N E W F I L E T O T H E L I S T O F T E X T F I L E S T O B E C R E A T E D O R M O D I F I E D You would add a new ASCII or Unicode file for one of two reasons - you want the package to add an ASCII file that doesn't currently exist on the target system or you want the package to make changes to an ASCII file that already exists on the target system. To add a new file, follow these steps:

1 Right-click the top-level node - ASCII Files - in the left pane and select New File from the context menu.

2 On the Text File Name dialog, browse to or enter the fully-qualified UNC path to the filename of the file you are adding and click OK.

If you selected a package or a feature in the tree pane, you will be prompted to select a specific component within that package or feature before continuing.

3 The ASCII Files node will expand to display the new file beneath it.

H O W T O D E L E T E A F I L E F R O M T H E L I S T O F T E X T F I L E S T O B E C R E A T E D O R M O D I F I E D


2 The selected file will no longer appear beneath the ASCII Files node.

H O W T O E D I T A T E X T F I L E O N T H E T A R G E T S Y S T E MYou can perform three kinds of edits on text files:

• Insert text

1 Add the target file to the list if it is not already listed (see above for steps to add a file to the list).

2 Right-click the file and select New Edits from the context menu.

3 On the Text File Edits dialog, enter the new text to insert, optionally enter Position Text (text after or before which the new text is to be added) select the appropriate Action radio button to specify where the new text should be inserted, and click OK.


. . .


• Find and replace text strings

• Add a path to the Path= line in a legacy AUTOEXEC.BAT file.

H O W T O C H A N G E O R D E L E T E A L I S T E D T E X T F I L E E D I T1 Expand the top-level node - ASCII Files - in the left pane and select the desired file.

2 Right-click the desired edit in the list in the right pane and select the desired operation:

• Select Rename to display the Text File Edits dialog, where you can modify the edit as desired.

• Select Delete to remove the edit from the list in the right pane.

ENVIRONMENT TAB On the Environment tab, you can provide information that will be used to modify environment variables on the target system during installation of a Windows Installer package, feature or component. An environment variable defines some changeable aspect of



3 On the Text File Edits dialog, enter the new text to add, enter the old text to be replaced, and select the Action radio button marked Replace to specify a search and replace operation.

4 Click OK.



3 On the Text File Edits dialog, enter the new path to be added (or multiple paths, separated by semicolons), optionally enter Position Text (an existing path after which to add the new path), select the Action radio button marked Path Addition, and click OK.



a user's working environment, such as the default printer, browser, or text editor to be used. Environment variables are generally set during login.

C R E A T I N G A N D M O D I F Y I N G E N V I R O N M E N T V A R I A B L E STo add or modify environment variable information, you click the Add or Edit icon on the list to display the Environment Variable dialog. The following information is available on this dialog:

H O W T O A D D A N E N V I R O N M E N T V A R I A B L E T O T H E L I S TTo add an environment variable to the list of environment variables to be created or modified during package installation, click the New icon. Enter the necessary information on the Environment Variable dialog (see above) and click OK.

H O W T O M O D I F Y A L I S T E D E N V I R O N M E N T V A R I A B L ETo modify an existing environment variable, select the desired variable in the list and click the Edit icon. Change the desired information on the Environment Variable dialog (see above) and click OK.

H O W T O D E L E T E A L I S T E D E N V I R O N M E N T V A R I A B L ETo remove an environment variable from the list of environment variables to be created or modified during package installation, select the desired variable in the list and click the Delete icon..

Variable • The environment variable to be created or modified.

Value • The value to which the environment variable is to be set.

Function • The actual operation: Set, Create, or Remove.

Attributes • Checkboxes--select any or all: System, Remove on uninstall, Append value to original, Prepend value to original.

Separator character

• Default separator is a semicolon. This character will be used for append or prepend operations.


. . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .SYSTEM SERVICES 25

hen you highlight a package in the tree pane of the Console and select Services in the list pane, you can use the tabs in the data pane to examine or change the package’s instructions regarding services.

• If you are using the console to edit a WinINSTALL package, you can include instructions to add, remove, or modify system services when the package is processed.

• If you are using the console to edit a Windows Installer package, you can include instructions to add a single system service or control system services when the package is processed.

Installing a system service requires a specific level of security access. Therefore, packages that contain instructions related to services must be installed under an account with this level of access. Either the WinINSTALL agent account must have administrative privileges or the administrator must grant special elevated privileges for the installation of a package that adds a service. A discussion of this issue appears in the section titled User Installation of Windows Installer Packages (Elevated Privilege) , in the Package Distribution chapter of this guide.

When you highlight a WinINSTALL package and select Services, there are two tabs in the data pane:

When you highlight a Windows Installer package and select Services, two tabs appear in the data pane:

A D D I N G O R C H A N G I N G S E R V I C E S W I T H A

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . W I N I N S T A L L P A C K A G EUsers can add new services to a target system during the installation of a WinINSTALL package and remove existing ones. Services added during an installation are automatically removed during an uninstall.

Add Phase • Lists services that will be added during installation.

Remove Phase

• Lists services that will be removed during installation, before any services are added.

Add • Lists services that will be added during installation.

Control • Lists services for which you want to give special control instructions, including deletion.

W


S Y S T E M S E R V I C E SAdding or Changing Services with a WinINSTALL Package2 5

To manage services that are added or removed when a WinINSTALL package is installed, select the package in the tree pane, highlight Services in the list pane, and click either the Add Phase or Remove Phase tab in the data pane, depending on whether you want to add or remove services during the package install.

ADD PHASE TAB The Add Phase tab presents a list of system services that will be added to the target system during installation of a WinINSTALL package. The following information displays for each service in the list:

Service • Name used by Windows to identify the service in the registry

Binary Path • Fully-qualified path to the binary file that launches the service

Service Type • Location from which the service will load:

Win32 Own Process

Win32 Share Process

Kernel Driver

File System Driver

NOTE: Win32 process services will be .exe files, while file system and kernel level driver services will be .sys files. Win32 process services generally load from the Winnt\system32 directory. Device driver services generally load from the Winnt\system32\drivers directory.

Start Type Method by which the service will be started:

Auto StartLoads the driver or service when the package is installed.

Demand StartLoads the driver or service when manually requested by the user.

Boot StartInstructs Windows NT to load the driver or service at system boot up by using the Windows NT Boot Loader.

System StartInstructs Windows NT to load the driver or service at kernel initialization.

Service Disabled


. . .

. .S Y S T E M S E R V I C E SAdding or Changing Services with a WinINSTALL Package

You also specify the required encryption capability that must exist on the operating system of the target system where the service will be installed.

• Use 40-bit encryption for account passwords

• Use 128-bit encryption for account passwords

• Use highest available (obsolete)

You can view, add, edit, and delete services in the list of services to be added to the target system.

• To add a new service to the list, click the Add icon and enter the required information on the Service dialog.

• To remove a service from the list, highlight it and click the Delete icon.

• To edit a service in the list, either double-click it or highlight it and click the Delete icon. Make the desired changes on the Service dialog.

REMOVE PHASE TAB The Remove Phase tab presents a list of system services that will be removed from the target system during installation of a WinINSTALL package. The following information displays for each service in the list:

NOTE: The Use highest available option exists only for supporting legacy packages. However, you can no longer save a legacy package with this option. You must choose either 40-bit or 128-bit encryption.

WARNING: You will not be asked to confirm the deletion. When you click the Delete icon, the service will simply be deleted from the list.

Service • Name used by Windows to identify the service in the registry


S Y S T E M S E R V I C E SAdding or Changing Services with a WinINSTALL Package2 5

You can view, add, edit, and delete services in the list of services to be removed from the target system.

• To add a new service to the list, click the Add icon and enter the required information on the Service dialog.

• To remove a service from the list, highlight it and click the Delete icon.

Binary Path • Fully-qualified path to the binary file that launches the service

Service Type • Location from which the service will load:

Win32 Own Process

Win32 Share Process

Kernel Driver

File System Driver

NOTE: Win32 process services will be .exe files, while file system and kernel level driver services will be .sys files. Win32 process services generally load from the Winnt\system32 directory. Device driver services generally load from the Winnt\system32\drivers directory.

Start Type Method by which the service will be started:

Auto StartLoads the driver or service when the package is installed.

Demand StartLoads the driver or service when manually requested by the user.

Boot StartInstructs Windows NT to load the driver or service at system boot up by using the Windows NT Boot Loader.

System StartInstructs Windows NT to load the driver or service at kernel initialization.

Service Disabled


. . .

. .S Y S T E M S E R V I C E SAdding or Changing Services with a Windows Installer (MSI) Package

• To edit a service in the list, either double-click it or highlight it and click the Delete icon. Make the desired changes on the Service dialog.

A D D I N G O R C H A N G I N G S E R V I C E S W I T H A

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . W I N D O W S I N S T A L L E R ( M S I ) P A C K A G EWinINSTALL allows the addition of a new service to a target system during the installation of a Windows Installer package and it also enables the controlling (start, stop, delete) of specified system services on the target system during the installation or uninstallation of a package. Installing a system service requires a specific level of security access. The package must be installed under an account with this level of access.

To manage services that are added or controlled when a Windows Installer package is installed, select the package, feature, or component in the tree pane, highlight Services in the list pane, and click either the Add or Control tab in the data pane.

ADDING, EDITING, OR DELETING SYSTEM SERVICESTo install a system service, the package component containing the service must have as its keypath the executable file for the service.

A D D T A BThe Add tab presents a list of system services to be added to the target system during installation of the package. The following information displays in the list box on the Add tab for each listed service:


NOTE: If you have not specified the keypath and try to add a service, you will receive the message “Component needs to have key path file.” To proceed, you must highlight a component in the tree pane, select General in the list pane, and specify the keypath on the Summary tab in the data pane.


S Y S T E M S E R V I C E SAdding or Changing Services with a Windows Installer (MSI) Package2 5

S E R V I C EThis is the name of a system service to be added during installation (and to be removed during an uninstall).

B I N A R Y P A T HThe binary path column displays the full path and filename for the executable file used as the keypath for the system service.

S E R V I C E T Y P EServices must be one of two types:

• Win32 Own Process

A Microsoft Win32 service that runs as its own process.

• Win32 Shared Process

A Win32 service that shares a process.

S T A R T T Y P EThe Start Type field displays the method by which the service will be started:

• Auto Start

The service starts automatically during system startup. Loads the driver or service when the package is installed.

• Demand Start

The service starts when the service control manager calls the StartService function. Loads the driver or service when manually requested by the user.

H O W T O A D D O R E D I T S E R V I C E SYou can add new services to the list or edit or delete existing services in the list.

• To add a service to the list of system services to be added during installation, click the Add icon and enter the required information on the Add Service dialog. This dialog has two tabs - the General tab and the Options tab.

• To modify an existing service, highlight it and click the Edit icon, or simply double-click the entry in the list. Make the desired changes on General and/or Options tab of the Edit Service dialog. These tabs are identical to the tabs of the same name on the Add Service dialog.

• To remove a service from the list of system services to be added during installation, click the Delete icon.


. . .


G E N E R A L T A BThe General Tab provides three fields and three sets of radio buttons.

N A M EThe first field is the Name field, where you must specify a name for the service being added or edited.

C O M P O N E N TThe Component field is a drop-down, allowing you to select the component of the current package with which the service is associated.

R U N S E R V I C E A R G U M E N T SThe Run Service Arguments field specifies command line arguments for the service executable.

S E R V I C E T Y P EThe Service Type radio buttons indicate that the service will either run as a separate process thread or as a shared process.

S T A R T T Y P EThe Start Type radio buttons specify whether the service will be started automatically when the operating system initializes, or only on demand.

E R R O R C O N T R O LAnd the Error Control radio button/checkbox combination specifies the handling of startup errors. The three radio buttons represent the following choices:


Ignore • Log the error and continue with the startup.

Normal • Log the error, display a message box and continue the startup.

Critical • Log the error, if possible, and restart with the last known good configuration. If the last known good configuration fails, the startup operation fails.



The state of the Fail checkbox indicates whether or not the package installation will fail if the service is unable to start.

O P T I O N S T A B

D I S P L A Y N A M EThe Display Name field contains a friendly, more descriptive name to display in the list of services.

L O A D O R D E R G R O U PIf the service needs to be started as part of a group of services, this field allows placement of this service into a load order group.

D E P E N D E N C I E SThis field allows specification of any dependencies. Such dependencies could be a single system service or a service load order group.

L O G O N C R E D E N T I A L SThis tab provides the ability to specify that the service run under either the local system account or a specified logon ID and password. An additional checkbox allows specification of whether or not the service interacts with the desktop of the currently logged on user. Generally, only services run as Local System can interact with the desktop.

I M P O R T N T S E R V I C EThe Import NT Service button allows the selection of a service running on the Console machine. If you select a service running on the local Console machine, its information will be imported into the fields of the Edit Service dialog.

CONTROLLING SYSTEM SERVICESWhen a Windows Installer package is installed or uninstalled, it may be necessary to start or stop, or even delete a system service during the installation or uninstallation process. Such a service may or may not be one that is to be installed or uninstalled by the package. WinINSTALL provides the means to specify the required information for this type of control operation from the Services->Control tab.

The Control tab lists system services to be started, stopped, or deleted during the install or uninstall of the selected package or feature. You can add new services to the list or edit or delete existing services in the list.

• To add a service to the list of system services to be controlled during installation or uninstallation, click the Add icon and enter the required information on the Control Options dialog.


. . .


• To modify an existing service, highlight it and click the Edit icon, or simply double-click the entry in the list. Make the desired changes on the Control Options dialog.

• To remove a service from the list of system services to be controlled, click the Delete icon.

C O N T R O L O P T I O N SThe information that can be specified on the Control Options dialog includes the arguments to be passed to the service; whether to start, stop, or delete the service; and whether to wait until the service completes.

Controlling a system service requires a specific level of security access. This means that any package installation or uninstallation that attempts to control a system service must be installed under an account with this level of access. Either the WinINSTALL service account must have administrative privileges or the administrator must grant special elevated privileges for the installation of a package that controls a service.

The Control tab presents a list of system services whose behavior on the target system will be changed during installation and/or uninstallation of a Windows Installer package. The following items are available to be specified:

S E R V I C E N A M EThis is the name of the system service for which you are specifying system service commands (Start/Stop/Delete).

This name can be found, on a system where the service is installed, under the following key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Services

A R G U M E N T SThe Arguments field enables the addition of command line arguments to the execution of the service startup executable.

W A I TThe Wait check box specifies whether or not the installer will wait for the service to complete before proceeding with the installation or uninstallation. If the check box is checked, then the installer will pause until the service successfully starts or stops before

NOTE: Service control instructions can apply either to a service you are newly adding or to a service that already exists on the target machine. For this reason, the services listed on the Control tab do not have to be the same as those listed on the Add tab.



continuing with the installation or uninstallation. If Wait is unchecked, the installer will pause only until the service state is pending.

S E R V I C E A C T I O N SFor both installation and uninstallation, check boxes allow specification of any or all of three actions to take:

• Start during the StartService action.

• Stop during the StopService action.

• Deleted during the DeleteService action.


. . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .ADVERTISING 26

t one time, a product was either installed or not installed. That is, installation was an all-or-nothing process. But today, applications may be installed in a partial fashion, a type of installation often referred to as advertising, or just-in-time

installation.

Advertising means that a product is not actually installed, but instead, the user is provided with certain “advertisements” that the product exists and is available. Perhaps an icon displays on the desktop, or perhaps the product appears on the Start menu. When the client clicks the icon or attempts to run the product from the menu, the application is installed at that time.

WinINSTALL allows both WinINSTALL and Windows Installer packages to be configured so that when the package is processed, the product is advertised to the user and installed only when the user first attempts to use it.

For WinINSTALL packages, the just-in-time installation is handled by WIPL, the WinINSTALL Program Launcher.

Advertising for Windows Installer packages is handled through the Allow Advertisement option.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . H O W A D V E R T I S I N G W O R K SJust-in-time installation is invoked by a client requesting use of an advertised application, through an advertising entry point. The client of an application can be either a physical user or another application. An advertising entry point is a method by which a client can request use of a given application. This request is accomplished by invoking one of the application’s entry points – for example, by using a shortcut, calling the install through the Add/Remove Programs applet (ARP), or programmatically via a COM class.

The way Microsoft Outlook and Microsoft Word (two very discrete applications) interact is a good example of this phenomenon. A physical user who simply double-clicks the Word shortcut (one entry point) can be a direct client of Word . Alternatively, Outlook (an application acting as a client) can use Word by providing the user with the ability to use Word as the email editor. Even though the user may think that he or she is using Outlook to compose the email, Outlook is directly acting as a client of Word by requesting Word’s facilities. In this case, the physical user is indirectly using Word by way of a programmatic link between Outlook and Word. This programmatic link is another entry point into Word.

In the example cited above, two entry points are exposed to the actual user:

A


A D V E R T I S I N GAdvertising Packages for Distribution2 6

• Shortcuts

• The entry an application puts into ARP

A WinINSTALL administrator can control how these entry points behave by using the Shortcuts section and the Summary tab of the package within the Console.

In addition, the programmatic entry points (transparent to the human user) are combined in the Advertising section of a package. Typically, there is no reason for a WinINSTALL administrator to edit the programmatic entry points. An exception would be if the administrator is creating a package for an in-house application, developed by his or her own company.

A D V E R T I S I N G P A C K A G E S F O R

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D I S T R I B U T I O NPackages that are advertised are not installed until they are used. This avoids saturating the network by distributing software on demand rather than to many machines at once. In other words, advertising can be an effective method of staggering installations to save bandwidth in large enterprises with long recipient lists for software distribution.

In addition, advertising can be a very efficient method of distributing packages. For example, if a particular user has no need for the software, he will never execute it. In other words, such a package will be installed only for those users who actually make use of it.

HOW TO ADVERTISE A WININSTALL PACKAGE1 Expand the Software Distribution node in the tree pane and select a WinINSTALL

package.

2 Select Shortcuts in the list pane and click the Add Phase tab in the data pane.

3 On the Add Phase tab, double-click the Add icon. The Add New Shortcut dialog displays.

WARNING: A WinINSTALL administrator should not need to edit the Advertising section of a package. The settings in the Advertising section of the package involve programmatic entry points, which are ultimately under control of the programmers who originally created the application. Programmers who require more detailed understanding of advertising Windows Installer packages should consult the Windows Installer documentation (specifically, see the file msi.chm.)


. . .

. .A D V E R T I S I N GAdvertising Packages for Distribution

4 On the General and Icon tabs, add the information necessary to create a shortcut. On the WIPL tab, select either Subscribed or Unsubscribed WIPL Install and click OK. (Refer to the Shortcuts chapter for more detailed information about information entered on the Add/Edit Shortcut Dialog.)

• If Subscribed WIPL Install is selected, the package is advertised. The shortcut represents an advertised application. When the user launches an application that was installed in the subscribed mode, WIPL can compare the application loaded on the workstation to the version on the network. If the network version is newer, the updated version will be installed.

• If Unsubscribed WIPL Install is selected, the package is advertised. The shortcut represents an advertised application. The first time the user launches an application that was installed in the unsubscribed mode, the application is installed.


When this package is chosen for installation, a special shortcut, rather than the application itself, will be installed. The application will not actually be installed until the first time the user tries to use the shortcut.

HOW TO ADVERTISE A WINDOWS INSTALLER PACKAGE1 Expand the Software Distribution node in the tree pane and select an MSI package.

Expand the package and select the desired feature within it.

2 Select General in the list pane and click the Advanced tab in the data pane.

3 Under Advertising in the middle of the Advanced tab, click the checkbox for Favor Advertising.


5 When this package is chosen for installation, a shortcut, rather than the application itself, will be installed. The application will not actually be installed until the first time the user tries to use the shortcut.

MANAGING PROGRAMMATIC ENTRY POINTS IN A WINDOWS INSTALLER (MSI ) PACKAGE OR MERGE MODULE

Advertising an MSI package or feature takes advantage of the just-in-time, or installation-on-demand functionality that is built in to the Windows Installer. Within the MSI file itself, installation-on-demand is accomplished by means of entry points (i.e., shortcuts, file extensions, and Typelibs) pointing to a parent feature. When an entry point is invoked, all the key paths in that feature are checked prior to launching the application. To the user it appears as if that functionality is already installed. In reality, the Windows Installer does not actually perform the installation until the user tries to start an advertised application or chooses a feature of an application from a toolbar or menu for the first time.



Windows Installer packages offer two types of advertising:

A S S I G N I N GAssigning makes changes to the user interface to advertise that the product exists and is available. When the client clicks the icon or asks to run the product from the menu, the application is installed at that time.

P U B L I S H I N GPublishing does not change the user interface. But it does provide access to other applications which might need to open or use the published application.

When you highlight a Windows Installer package, feature, component, or merge module in the tree pane and select Advertising in the list pane, you can add or modify information related to programmatic entry points to a package, feature, or merge module.

Much of the information appearing in the data pane is used by the Windows Installer to locate the component when it is actually installed. Some tabs contain information required for accessing COM objects, and some are specific to the .NET platform. Information in the HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT hive of the registry maps the identifiers of COM entities (CLSIDs) to the physical locations of the modules that contain them (file locations).

Follow these steps to enter or modify information related to programmatic entry points to a Windows Installer package, feature or merge module:

1 Navigate to the Windows Installer package, feature, component, or merge module under Software Distribution in the tree pane.

2 Select Advertising in the list pane.

3 In the data pane, select one of the following tabs:

• The TypeLib tab lets you view, add, or modify information related to the TypeLib property of a component. (TypeLIb table)

• The Classes tab lets you view, add, or modify information related to the class identifier (CLSID) of a COM class. (Classes table)

• The ProgID tab lets you view, add, or modify information related to the programmatic identifier (ProgID) of a COM class. (ProgID table)

NOTE: If a package, feature or merge module is highlighted in the tree pane and Advertising is selected in the list pane, you must select a specific component within that package, feature or merge module before adding, modifying or deleting information on tabs in the data pane.


. . .


• The Extensions tab lets you view, add, or modify information related to the Shell file extension associations of a resource component. (Extensions table)

• The AppID tab lets you view, add, or modify information related to the Application Identifiers for COM servers. (AppID table)

• The Assembly tab lets you view, add, or modify information related to the assemblies in which component code must reside in order for .NET to execute the code at runtime.

• The AssemblyName tab lets you view, add, or modify information related to the name of the .NET assembly that holds the code of a component.

T Y P E L I B T A B Every CLSID (component) in the HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID hive of the registry has a TypeLib subkey. Type information provides information about supported interfaces and methods, and allows clients to invoke these methods dynamically. A type library describes all of the interfaces supported by the (server) object, all of the methods, and the parameters of those methods. Since a type library describes exactly what an interface can do, it can be used to marshal data between processes. An associated feature must be installed in order for the type library to be operational. The information on this tab is used to populate the TypeLib table in the MSI database.

The Typelib tab presents a list of entries. Clicking the Add icon or selecting an existing entry and clicking the Edit icon, displays the Typelib dialog, which offers the following fields:

C L A S S E S T A BClass information about a component is needed to support COM functionality. Every COM class has a unique Class ID (CLSID), which is a 128-bit integer that uniquely identifies the component. The CLSID is used whenever an instance of that component is created. Class information is used to populate the Class table in the MSI database.

LibID • The Globally Unique Identifier (GUID) that identifies the type library.

Component • The GUID for the component associated with the selected TypeLib.

Description • Textual description of the type library.

Help path • Drop-down selection of the folder where help for the type library will be installed.

Language • This drop-down allows the selection of the language of the type library.

Dialect • Drop-down providing a selection of dialects, dependent on the selected language.

Version • Version of the type library, including both major and minor versions.

Cost • Amount of disk space in bytes, associated with the registration of the type library. Must be a non-negative number or null.



The Classes tab presents a list of entries. Clicking the Add icon or selecting an existing entry and clicking the Edit icon, displays the Class dialog, which displays the class data fields on two tabs, General and Options.

The following fields display on the General tab:

Clicking on the Options tab will display the following data fields:

P R O G I D T A B The program identifier (ProgID) is a textual version of a COM class's name - easier to understand than the CLSID. ProgIDs are not necessarily unique. The recommended format for a ProgID is SERVER.COMPONENT.VERSION. Entering information about the program

Component • Drop-down offering the 128-bit Globally Unique Identifiers (GUIDs) that identify the components of the currently selected feature. The selected GUID identifies the component whose key file provides the COM server.

Feature • Drop-down offering the descriptions of each feature in the current package.

CLSID • GUID identifying the CLSID key in the registry.

Context • The server context for this COM server (may be one of the following values: LocalServer, LocalServer32, InprocServer, InprocServer32).

Default Inproc Handler

• Available as an option only if the context is set to LocalServer or LocalServer32. 1 indicates a 16-bit InprocHandler, 2 indicates a 32-bit InprocHandler, and 3 indicates both 16 and 32 bit InprocHandlers.

Default Program ID

• Every insertable object class has a programmatic identifier (ProgID). The value you enter here will be used as the default if no other ProgID is supplied. ProgIDs have the format: <vendor>.<component>.<version>.

File Type Mask

• The file mask for the HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT entries in the registry. Multiple patterns must be delimited by semicolons.

Arguments • Available as an option only when Context LocalServer or LocalServer32. The text in this field is registered as the argument against the OLE server and is used by OLE for invoking the server.

Description • This is a human readable name for the component class represented by the CLSID. This is the name that will be displayed in the user interface.

Icon • The icon associated with this CLSID. By default, the icon comes from the COM server. Advertised file associations and shortcuts require a specified icon to display properly.


. . .


identifier is the first part of creating the registration information for defining a file type. Program identifier information entered is used to populate the ProgID table, which provides the Windows Installer with necessary COM information.

The ProgID tab presents a list of entries. Clicking the Add icon or selecting an existing entry and clicking the Edit icon, displays the ProgID dialog, which offers the following fields

E X T E N S I O N S T A B Extensions are used to create a file association for an application.

The Extensions tab presents a list of entries. Clicking the Add icon or selecting an existing entry and clicking the Edit icon, displays the Extension dialog, which displays the extensions data fields on three tabs, Extension, Mime, and Verb.

The following fields display on the Extension tab:

ProgID • The program identifier (Program ID).

ProgID Parent

• Defined only for version independent program IDs, this is the program ID for the parent COM class.

Class • Optional, but only available for version independent Program IDs. This is a CLSID from within the same package.

Description • Optional description of the Program ID.

Icon • Optional icon for the Program ID.

Extension • The file name extension being registered (i.e., the extension for which the component specified below will act as a file name extension server). The file name extension does not include the preceding period and can be up to 255 characters long.

Component • Component associated with the extension.

Feature • Drop-down to select the description of the feature associated with the extension.

Associated Program ID

• Drop-down to select the program ID (text description) associated with the file name extension specified above.

MIME Content Type

• The MIME content type (expressed in the form of type/format) to be written for the extension. An example of a MIME content type for a normal ASCII file is text/plain.



The following fields are available on the MIME tab:

The following fields display on the Verb tab:

A P P I D T A B Application Identifiers (AppIDs) are unique identifiers for COM servers. Information stored in the AppID table in the MSI database is used by the installer to configure and register DCOM servers to take one of the following actions:

• Run the DCOM server as a service.

• Run the DCOM server under a different identity than the user who activated the server.

• Register the DCOM server so that it is activated on a different computer.

• Configure the default security access for the DCOM server.

The AppID tab presents a list of entries. Clicking the Add icon or selecting an existing entry and clicking the Edit icon, displays the AppID dialog, which offers the following fields:

MIME • The particular MIME (Multipurpose Internet Mail Extension) type associated with this extension.

Associated Class

• CLSID of the COM server to be associated with the specified MIME type.

Verb • Action to invoke (i.e., open, print, etc.).

Command • Text to display on the context menu to indicate this action.

Arguments • Command arguments. For example, %1 to pass the filename.

AppID • 128-bit Globally Unique Identifier (GUID) identifying the AppID key in the registry.

Remote Server Name

• The name of a server that will be installed on client machines to configure the client to request the object be run at a particular machine whenever an activation function is called for which a COSERVERINFO structure is not specified. This allows client applications to be written without hard-coded server names and then configured by modifying this value for the classes of objects they use.

Local Service

• Value specifying to configure and register the DCOM server to run as a local service with this name.

Service Parameters

• Parameters to be passed to the service specified above.


. . .


A S S E M B L Y T A BAn assembly is a logical collection of one or more EXE or DLL files containing an application's code and resources. An assembly also contains a manifest, which is a metadata description of the code or resources inside the assembly. All security, namespace resolution and versioning features work on a per-assembly basis. An assembly often resides in a single file, but it can also be a logical - not physical - collection of multiple files in the same directory. Assemblies are used by the .NET framework to maintain a set of related resources for a feature or product so that they cannot be “broken” by the installation or uninstall of another feature or product.

The Assembly tab presents a list of entries. Clicking the Add icon or selecting an existing entry and clicking the Edit icon, displays the Assembly dialog, which offers the following fields:

A S S E M B L Y N A M E T A B An assembly is a logical collection of one or more EXE or DLL files that contain an application's code and resources (see above). An assembly's name has a significant impact on the assembly's scope and use by multiple applications. Assemblies intended for use by one application only require a name that is unique within the application. Assemblies intended to be shared by multiple applications must be signed with strong names using standard public key cryptography. Signing an assembly with a strong name allows the assembly to be deployed in the global assembly cache.

DLL Surrogate

• Allows DLL servers to run in a surrogate process. If no value is entered, the system-supplied surrogate is used; if a value is entered, it specifies the path of the surrogate to be used.

Activate At Storage

• Checkbox to indicate whether or not to set the COM server’s ActivateAtStorage registry value to “Y.”

Run As Interactive User

• Checkbox to indicate whether or not to run this server as the currently logged on interactive user.

Component • Drop-down to select the name of the associated component.

Feature • Drop-down to select the name of the associated feature.

File Manifest • Contained within an assembly, this file is a metadata description of the code or resources inside the assembly.

File Application

• The EXE or DLL containing the resource code for the component or feature associated with this assembly.

Assembly Type Radio Buttons

• Specify whether the assembly is a .NET Framework or Win32 assembly.



The Assembly Name tab presents a list of entries. Clicking the Add icon or selecting an existing entry and clicking the Edit icon, displays the Assembly Name dialog, which offers the following fields:

Component • The component whose key file is a resource in the assembly.

Name • The name of the attribute associated with the value specified below. The file name of an assembly in the global assembly cache must match the assembly name (not including the file name extension, such as .exe or .dll). Private assemblies deployed only in the root application directory can have an assembly name that is different from the file name.

Value • The value associated with the name specified above.


. . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .MERGE MODULES 27

merge module (.MSM file), like a Windows Installer package (.MSI file), is a database containing instructions, components, and setup logic. A merge module, however, cannot stand alone. Instead, it must be merged into an existing Windows

Installer package. This process alters the original package by adding the merge module’s components and logic to it.

WinINSTALL enables the use of the Discover Wizard to create a merge module (for details, see Using Discover to Build a Windows Installer Package or Merge Module in the Building Packages chapter of this guide). Once created, a merge module can be edited in the WinINSTALL Console in the same way as a Windows Installer package. Merge modules are located in designated folders, accessible under a separate tree node, Merge Module Folders under Software Distribution in the tree pane. The tabs in the data pane are very similar to, but not entirely identical with, those for MSI packages.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . M E R G E M O D U L E C A C H EWinINSTALL enables the creation of a merge module “cache.” The cache acts as a quick lookup table for the MSI file creation process for both the Discover Wizard and the console. The cache contains critical information about the merge modules it contains. When the WinINSTALL converter is generating an MSI file from a WinINSTALL package, or Discover is creating a new MSI file, it can look at each file in a package and see if the file is part of a merge module in the merge module cache. If a file is distributed as part of a Microsoft (or other) merge module, the converter can include that module instead of the individual file. This approach prevents conflicts with other applications that distribute the same file and allows applications to be more compliant with Microsoft (MSI) applications that use merge modules. This process effectively emulates a developer making a conscious decision to merge a redistributable module into a Windows Installer package without the administrator having to think about it.

A


M E R G E M O D U L E SEditing Merge Modules2 7

WinINSTALL installs a Microsoft Merge Modules sub-folder containing a large number of redistributable Microsoft merge modules. You can add additional and updated .msm files to this folder, and you can create other folders beneath the \MergeModules folder.

The most common activities associated with merge modules are to add additional vendor-supplied .msm files to the merge module cache and then to include them in new Windows Installer packages.

ADDING NEW MERGE MODULE FOLDERS TO THE CACHETo add new merge module folders to the cache, first create the desired folder beneath the \MergeModules folder in the share and copy the desired .msm files into that folder. Then in the console, right-click the Merge Module Folders node beneath Software Distribution in the tree pane and select Add Folder.

Browse to the new folder, add a descriptive name for the folder and click OK. WinINSTALL will add the new folder and its contents to the Console.

UPDATING THE CACHETo add new merge modules to an existing merge module folder, copy the desired .msm files to the appropriate MergeModule sub-directory in the WinINSTALL share.

Right-click this folder beneath the Merge Module Folders node in the tree pane and select Update Cache. WinINSTALL will update the XML list to include the changes to the cache folder contents.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . E D I T I N G M E R G E M O D U L E SEditing a Windows Installer merge module is very similar to editing a Windows Installer package. The one aspect of package editing that does not apply to merge modules is Patches and Transforms.

NOTE: When a merge module is added to the “cache,” the files within that merge module are listed in the file MergeModule.xml on the WinINSTALL share. When an MSI package is built or converted, WinINSTALL compares this file list with the files in the package. When it finds a match, it uses the merge module, rather than including the individual files in the package. This approach prevents the creation of multiple entries with different GUIDs for the same common components.


. . .

. .M E R G E M O D U L E SEditing Merge Modules

With the exception of the General category, the tabs in the data pane for the other categories are the same for both merge modules and packages. Therefore, only the tabs in the data pane for the General category of merge modules are explained in this chapter. For an explanation of the other categories, please refer to the following chapters:

Files

Shortcuts

Registry

System Services

File Edits

Advertising

When you select a merge module in the tree pane and choose General in the list pane, four tabs appear in the data pane:

• Summary Tab

• Advanced Tab

• Merge Module Tab

• Directory Tab

SUMMARY TAB When you highlight a Windows Installer merge module in the tree pane, select General in the list pane, and click the Summary tab in the data pane, you can view, enter, edit or delete general information about the package, such as product information, support information, and whether and how the application should display in Add/Remove Programs in the Control Panel.

On the Summary tab, you can view the following information:

MSIThis field displays the version of the MSI database schema to be used to create the merge module. For existing merge modules, the version is supplied automatically based on the MSI version installed on the PC where the merge module was created and cannot be changed on this tab.

M O D U L E S I G N A T U R EThe Module Signature is the GUID that identifies the merge module.



M A N U F A C T U R E RThe Manufacturer is the software vendor which created the application.

P A C K A G E C O D EThe Package Code is the GUID that serves as the principal identifier for the package. The package code must be unique for every package. A small update, a minor upgrade, or a major upgrade of the same application all require separate package codes. Versions of the same application in different languages also require separate package codes.

Click the Ellipsis button to browse for the package code. If no GUID exists, a message box offers to generate a new GUID.

C O M M E N T SThe Comments field holds descriptive text that will display when a user selects the application on the Add/Remove Programs dialog (available from the Control Panel).

ADVANCED TABThe Advanced tab holds installation information, such as the components within the merge module, the conditions that must be met in order for the merge module to be installed, the sequence of actions that will take place during a regular install, an administrative install, and an advertised install, and how the installer will locate files.

The Advanced tab consists of six sub-tabs. Because these sub-tabs are the same as those provided for Windows Installer packages, they are all described fully elsewhere in this guide (links provided below):

Components Sub-tab.

Launch Condition Sub-tab.

AppSearch Sub-tab.

Dialogs Sub-tab.

Custom Actions Sub-tab.

Package History Sub-tab.

C O M P O N E N T S S U B - T A BWindows Installer merge modules, like packages, are made up of components. Components hold various files, shortcuts, and/or registry entries. An explanation of read-only items on the Components tab appears in the Components Sub-tab section of the Additional MSI Package Options chapter, earlier in this guide.


. . .


L A U N C H C O N D I T I O N S U B - T A BWindows Installer merge modules can include special launch conditions which must be met in order for the merge module to be processed. Full details on the information on the Launch Conditions sub-tab are presented in the Windows Installer Launch Conditions section of the Package Conditions chapter, earlier in this guide.

A P P S E A R C H S U B - T A B The information on the AppSearch tab tells the installer what to look for to determine where an application should be installed. Full details on this information are provided in the AppSearch Sub-tab section of the Additional MSI Package Options chapter, earlier in this guide.

D I A L O G S S U B - T A BThe information on the Dialogs tab tells the installer what dialogs to display when an application is installed. Full details on this information are provided in the Dialogs Sub-tab section of the Additional MSI Package Options chapter, earlier in this guide.

C U S T O M A C T I O N S S U B - T A B The information on the Custom Actions tab tells the installer what custom actions to execute when an application is installed. Full details on this information are provided in the Custom Actions Sub-tab section of the Additional MSI Package Options chapter, earlier in this guide.

P A C K A G E H I S T O R Y S U B - T A B If the Always log changes checkbox has been checked, the information on the Package History tab will reflect the changes made to the merge module in the WinINSTALL Console, including the username of the user who made each change. Details on this information are provided in the Package History section of the Additional MSI Package Options chapter, earlier in this guide.

MERGE MODULE TABWhen you highlight a Windows Installer merge module in the tree pane, select General in the list pane, and click the Merge Module tab, three sub-tabs appear in the data pane – Signature, Sequence, and Ignore Tables.



S I G N A T U R E S U B - T A BOn the Signature sub-tab, you can view or modify the following general information for the merge module:

S E Q U E N C E S U B - T A BThere are three possible types of MSI installations - a normal installation, an administrative installation, and an advertised installation. Each type of installation has two different sequences of actions - one for the user interface and one for the actual installation of the product. Within each sequence, each separate action has a name, an optional condition, and a sequence number that determines the order of execution. Full details on this information are provided in the Sequence Sub-tab section of the Additional MSI Package Options chapter, earlier in this guide.

I G N O R E T A B L E S S U B - T A B ( O F T H E M E R G E M O D U L E T A B )When you highlight a Windows Installer merge module in the tree pane, select General in the list pane, click the Merge Module tab in the data pane and then click the Ignore Tables sub-tab, you can view the list of tables in the merge module that will be ignored (i.e., not merged) when the merge module is merged into an MSI file.

If a table in the merge module is listed on the Ignore Tables sub-tab, it will not be merged into the .msi file. If the table already exists in the .msi file, it will not be modified by the merge.

Module ID • Descriptive name of the merge module itself.

GUID • The Globally Unique Identifier, a 128-bit unique identification string, which identifies the current merge module. If you click the Ellipsis button, WinINSTALL will offer to create a new GUID.

Language • The language for which this merge module is to be used (* means any language).

Dialect • Drop-down offering choices based on the selected language.

Version • Numeric version number for the current merge module.

Exclusions • A list of other merge modules that are incompatible with this merge module. Click the Add icon to add a merge module to this list. To delete a module from the list, select the desired module and click the Delete icon.

Dependencies • A list of other merge modules required by this merge module. Click the Add icon to add a merge module to this list. To delete a module from the list, select the desired module and click the Delete icon.


. . .


The tables in the ModuleIgnoreTable can therefore contain data that is unneeded after the merge.

You can perform the following operations on the Ignore Tables sub-tab:

DIRECTORY TAB When you highlight a Windows Installer merge module in the tree pane, select General in the list pane, and click the Directory tab in the data pane, you can enter, view or edit all of the directories in the merge module. This information is the same as that available for Windows Installer packages, and it is described in detail in the Directory Tab section of the Additional MSI Package Options chapter, earlier in this guide.

TIP: To minimize the size of the merge module, it is recommended that unused tables be removed from merge modules, rather than listing these tables on the Ignore Tables Sub-tab.

Add a new table to the list

• click the Add icon and at the bottom of the list, where the cursor appears, type in the name of the table to be ignored.

Delete a table from the list

• highlight the desired table name in the list and click the Delete icon.

NOTE: You will not be asked to confirm the deletion.




. . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Section 4

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ADDITIONAL OPERATIONSCHAPTER 28: LICENSE AND ASSET MANAGEMENT

CHAPTER 29: INVENTORY

CHAPTER 30: PERSONALITY TRANSFER

CHAPTER 31: PXE CLIENT RESET

CHAPTER 32: CLIENT RESET

CHAPTER 33: REPLICATION

CHAPTER 34: SCHEDULING

CHAPTER 35: REPORTS

CHAPTER 36: WININSTALL SCRIPTING EXTENSIONS

CHAPTER 37: MISCELLANEOUS



. . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .LICENSE AND ASSET MANAGEMENT 28

inINSTALL provides the capability of managing software licenses and user-defined assets, such as furniture; and you can add additional information, such as location or cost, for inventoried assets. This feature is accessible from within

the Machines node of the Console tree pane.

If you select either All Machines or any machine search, the data pane will display three panes: Machines, Licenses, and Assets. The Machines tab will present a list of all machines in the selected group. For information on managing machines through the Console, please refer to the Managing Machines chapter of this guide.

WinINSTALL’s license management capabilities are accessible on the Licenses tab. The asset management capabilities are accessible on the Assets tab.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . L I C E N S E M A N A G E M E N TOn the Licenses tab, you can add, modify and delete software assets managed by WinINSTALL via the Console. This feature enables management of multiple licenses for a single product, and it enables you to monitor license usage--how many licenses you have, how many are in use, how many are available

When you add a license, you also add the license count (how many machines the license allows to use the software). And you are also able to specify a number of licenses to reserve. Reserved licenses are owned but not available for distribution.

The Licenses tab displays a list of all software products whose licenses have been entered, including for each license, the product name, the license count, the combined count (sum of all owned licenses for a single product), the installed count (the number of current installations of the product on managed machines), the reserved count (see above), and the number of licenses remaining (license count - installed count - reserved count).

Other columns on the Licenses tab display the cost of the license, the license term, term starting date, requestor and department.

You can perform the following actions on the Licenses tab:

• To add a software asset to the machine manually, click the Add button. Enter the required information on the Add or Modify License dialog and click OK.

• To view or modify the properties for a machine, highlight the software asset in the list and click the Modify button. Modify the desired information on the Add or Modify License dialog and click OK.

W


L I C E N S E A N D A S S E T M A N A G E M E N TLicense Management2 8

• Use the Edit menu or the right-click context menu in the list to copy all or selected entries to the clipboard for pasting into other applications, or to export all or selected entries to a tab-delimited text file for processing by another application. The Export and Export All options will prompt you for an output path and filename.

To delete a software asset from the Console, highlight the asset in the list and click the Delete button. You are asked whether you are sure that you want to delete the asset. Click OK and the asset no longer displays on the Licenses tab.

Clicking the Add or Edit button will display the Add or Edit License dialog, which provides the following fields:

License Key • The software license key used to install the software product.

Product Name • Drop-down to select the name of the software product.

License Count • The number of licenses purchased for the software product.

Reserved licenses

• The number of licenses owned but being held out of distribution for the moment.

Installed licenses

• The number of licenses installed on managed, inventoried machines.

Cost • The purchase price of the software product.

License Term • The period in days during which the software license is valid if the usage of the software product begins on a specified day or has a specified term.

Starting Date • The day on which the usage of the software product began or begins if the usage of the software product has a specific start date or term.

Requestor • The name of the individual or entity that requested the purchase of the software product.

Department • The name of the department or organizational entity that requested the purchase of the software product.

NOTE: The Product Name drop-down contains the name of all packages which have been added through the Console or found in the ARP and MSI records on inventoried machines.


. . .

. .L I C E N S E A N D A S S E T M A N A G E M E N TAsset Management

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A S S E T M A N A G E M E N TWhen the Assets tab is selected in the data pane, you can add, modify and delete assets of any type, including furniture, leased equipment, etc. The following information is available for each asset:

You can perform the following actions on the Assets tab:

• To add an asset to the machine, click the Add button. Enter the required information on the Add or Edit Asset dialog and click OK.

• To view or modify the properties for an asset, highlight the asset in the list and click the Modify button. Modify the desired information on the Add or Edit Asset dialog and click OK.

• To delete an asset from the Console, highlight the asset in the list and click the Delete button. You are asked whether you are sure that you want to delete the asset. Click OK and the asset no longer displays on the Assets tab.

• Use the Edit menu or the right-click context menu in the list to copy all or selected entries to the clipboard for pasting into other applications, or to export all or selected entries to a tab-delimited text file for processing by another application. The Export and Export All options will prompt you for an output path and filename.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . L I C E N S E A N D A S S E T R E P O R T STo view reports on the license and asset data in your WinINSTALL database, select the Asset Management category of reports within the Reports node in the tree pane of the Console. The Reports tab in the data pane will list all available license and asset management reports.

If you have a copy of Crystal Designer installed on the Console machine, you can create custom reports to access any information in the WinINSTALL database.

Name • The name for the user-defined asset.

Description • A brief description of the user-defined asset.

Location • The physical location of the user-defined asset.

Owner • The name of the individual who currently “owns” the user-defined asset.

Delivery Date • The date on which the user-defined asset was or will be delivered.

Asset Type • The category to which the user-defined asset belongs - Furniture, Equipment, Miscellaneous, or any new asset type added by the user.


L I C E N S E A N D A S S E T M A N A G E M E N TLicense and Asset Reports2 8

For details on using the WinINSTALL reports feature, including configuring Crystal Designer for operation with WinINSTALL, please refer to the Reports chapter of this guide.


. . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .INVENTORY 29

inINSTALL can perform an inventory on any managed machine. The inventory can include hardware, software, and all the files on the machine. Inventories can be launched on single machines, on network or user-defined groups of machines

(called “searches”), or on all of the machines in your network. Inventories can be run in real time or scheduled. You can view the results of inventories in the Console and in a variety of ready-to-use reports. You can also query the inventory information stored in the WinINSTALL database to create your own reports or for other purposes.

The workflow for performing an inventory is described in the following steps:

1 Add the machine to the Console.

2 Configure the machine - assign it a role and assign it a share or server.

3 Deploy the WinINSTALL Agent to the machine and make sure the agent is running.

4 Configure the inventory settings for the machine or accept the default settings.

If you have changed the settings from the defaults, these settings will ned to be published, either directly from the console, or automatically, according to the configured intervals.

5 Run the inventory task on the machine.

Once the inventory has completed, the results will need to be merged into the database, either on command from the console, or automatically, according to the configured intervals.

6 View the inventory results in the Console or in reports.

The first three steps above are explained in the Managing Machines chapter of this Guide, along with details of publishing settings and merging results. This chapter describes the last three steps: configuring inventory settings, running inventory tasks, and viewing inventory results.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C O N F I G U R I N G I N V E N T O R Y S E T T I N G S You can configure custom inventory settings, or you can accept the default inventory settings provided by WinINSTALL. To customize inventory settings, do the following:

1 In the tree pane, expand the Machines node and highlight the All Machines sub-node.

2 In the list pane, highlight All Machines.


W


I N V E N T O R YConfiguring Inventory Settings 2 9




4 Click the Inventory tab on the Agent Settings dialog and view or change the desired inventory settings and click OK:

INVENTORY SETTINGSInventories are configurable in the following ways.

I N V E N T O R Y M O D E

I N V E N T O R Y L O G G I N G

Incremental (default)

• The entire system is scanned each time an inventory is performed (according to the criteria you set in the following options), but only inventory information that has changed is written to the database. This is the most efficient method.

Full • The entire system is scanned each time an inventory is performed (according to the criteria you set in the following options), and all of the inventory information is written to the database. This method can be time-consuming.

NOTE: A full scan is always run the first time an inventory is performed on a machine, regardless of the Inventory mode setting. This is done to provide baseline inventory data that will be used in future comparisons. A full scan is also run whenever an inventory is performed, if the last inventory result has not been merged into the database or if the last full scan cannot be found. This is done to ensure the consistency and accuracy of the data.

No • Changes detected between inventories will be logged to the WinINSTALL database, but they will not be visible in the Console.

Yes (default) • Changes detected between inventories will be logged to the WinINSTALL database and visible in the Console – on the Change History tab in the data pane.


. . .

. .I N V E N T O R YConfiguring Inventory Settings

L O G V A R I A B L E SAll of the standard WinINSTALL variables are automatically included in the scan, but you can add specific INI file variables, environment variables, and registry variables on the Inventory Log Variables dialog. If you specify these additional variables, they will also be included in the inventory scan.

If you click on the Log Variables button, the Inventory Log Variables dialog will display, offering the opportunity to type in environment variables and to browse for ini file and registry variables to log during inventory.

F I L E S C A NWinINSTALL identifies installed applications by a variety of methods, including looking at the Windows Installer and WinINSTALL installation records. In addition, WinINSTALL inventories can scan the file system as thoroughly as desired.

By default, WinINSTALL inventories scan for a limited set of file types, according to the specified File scan filters.

You can turn the File Scan feature of inventory off, or you can modify the default set of filters, adding or removing folders, file types, and individual files, as desired.

If you enable File Scan but remove all filters, the inventory will scan the entire file system and enter every file on the machine into the database. This information can be very helpful, in conjunction with the inventory Files Sub-tab feature on the Files Sub-tab tab, in troubleshooting application problems on a managed machine. But be careful to change the setting back to a more conservative setting when the troubleshooting operation is complete, and then make use of WinINSTALL’s inventory data purge feature to clean the machine’s file information from the database (see Purging Inventory Data, below).

NOTE: The Inventory Logging setting is valid only if you are doing an incremental inventory.

TIP: Removing all file scan filters (except Standard Exclusions) will result in the inventory capturing all files on the machine. Because WinINSTALL can associate files with applications, capturing all files is especially useful in troubleshooting software problems.


I N V E N T O R YConfiguring Inventory Settings 2 9

If you enable the File Scan feature, you can also elect to filter the scan to include or exclude specific folders, file types, and individual files. In addition, whether or not you specify filters to include or exclude, you also have the option of using WinINSTALL’s standard set of exclusions: the Recycle Bin, the Temp directory, and all temporary internet files.

S C A N F I L E S

F I L E S C A N F I L T E R SFile scan filters are folders (specified by a trailing backslash--for example C:\Program Files\Common Files\), file types (extensions, such as COM, for example), or individual files (with or without a path) which you can specify to either include or exclude in the inventory file scan.

By default, WinINSTALL includes only COM and EXE files in an inventory file scan. You can remove either or both of these and/or add other filters.

WARNING: Removing all file scan filters is very useful for troubleshooting, but it is not recommended as a regular practice because it creates an enormous amount of data. Once the troubleshooting operation is complete, it is strongly recommended to reset the inventory settings to capture a smaller set of files and to purge the machine’s existing inventory data to recapture space in the database.

No • Files will not be included in the inventory scan. Only hardware, software, and the registry will be scanned. This is the most efficient method, and for most situations, it is sufficient.

Yes (default) • Files will be included in the inventory scan, in addition to hardware, software, and the registry. Depending on the specified File scan filters, this method can be time-consuming and use a large amount of space in the database. But the data is extremely valuable for trouble-shooting and diagnostics. You can reduce the number of files scanned – and the time it takes - by checking the Standard Exclusion checkbox and by retaining the default File scan filter specifications.

TIP: All file exclusion filters are applied before any inclusion filters. Thus, if you were to exclude the folder where user data files are stored but include the *.xls file type, you would not capture any .xls files in the user data folders.


. . .

. .I N V E N T O R YConfiguring Inventory Settings

Filter Types

To add a filter, click the Add icon above the list of filters. To modify an existing filter, select the desired filter and click the Modify icon above the list.

The Add or Edit File Scan Filter dialog will appear, allowing you to enter or edit the desired filter and to select a radio button indicating whether the filter specifies file types you would like included in or excluded from the WinINSTALL inventory file scan operation.

To remove a filter from the list, simply select the desired filter in the list and click the Delete icon.

Folder • Specified by a trailing backslash (e.g., C:\Program Files\ or Application Data\).

• Exclusion: Nothing within or below the specified folder will be scanned, regardless of specified file inclusion filters.

• Inclusion: Contents of the specified folder will be scanned, except for specified exclusions.

File type • Specified as a three letter extension (e.g., XLS or DOC). No asterisk or period is needed.

• Exclusion: No files of the specified type will be included in the scan.

• Inclusion: All files of the specified type will be included in the scan, except those eliminated by specified exclusions.

File • Specified as a filename (e.g., readme.txt) or path and filename (e.g., C:\docs\readme.txt).

• Exclusion: The specified file will not be included in the scan.

• Inclusion: The specified file will be included in the scan, unless eliminated by specified exclusions.


I N V E N T O R YRunning Inventory Tasks 2 9

S T A N D A R D E X C L U S I O N S

HOW TO VIEW INVENTORY SETTINGS AND INVENTORY SUB-AGENT STATUSTo view inventory settings and inventory sub-agent status in the Console:, follow these steps:


2 In the list pane, highlight the desired machine(s).

3 In the data pane, click the General tab:

Under WinINSTALL Agent Settings, you can view the following inventory settings:

• Inventory: Mode

• Inventory: Scan Files

• Inventory: Change Log

Under WinINSTALL Agent Status, you view the status of the Inventory sub-agent.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . R U N N I N G I N V E N T O R Y T A S K S WinINSTALL can perform an inventory on one machine, multiple machines, or all machines. Inventories can be targeted to the machines in network groups or in groups that you create, called “searches.” (Refer to the Searches section of the Managing Machines chapter of this guide for a discussion of searches).

HOW TO RUN AN INVENTORY1 In the tree pane, expand the Machines node and highlight the All Machines sub-node.

2 In the list pane, select All Machines.

3 In the data pane, select the desired machine(s).

• To inventory a single machine, highlight that machine.

No (default) • All files (within the parameters of any specified file scan filters) will be included in the scan.

Yes • Files in the Recycle Bin and the Temp directory, as well as temporary Internet files, will not be included in the scan. This reduces the time it takes to perform an inventory when files are included in the scan. It can also reduce the size of the data going into the WinINSTALL database.


. . .

. .I N V E N T O R YViewing Inventory Results

• To inventory multiple machines, use Ctrl + Alt or Shift + Alt to select multiple machines.

• To inventory all machines, click the Select All button at the bottom of the tab.

4 Once you have selected the machine(s), do one of the following:

• Click the Task icon on the toolbar at the top of the screen.

• Select Task ... from the Machines menu on the menu bar at the top of the screen.

• Right-click the machine, or group of highlighted machines, and choose Task ... from the popup menu.

5 The Run Task dialog opens, with the machines that you selected listed under Affected Machines.

• To perform the inventory in real-time, check the Perform Inventory radio button and click OK.

• To schedule the inventory task, click the Schedule button at the bottom of the dialog. (See the Scheduling chapter of this guide for an explanation of how to schedule an inventory task.)

HOW TO VIEW SCHEDULED INVENTORY TASKSTo view scheduled inventory tasks in the Console, follow these steps:


2 In the list pane, highlight the desired machine(s).

3 In the data pane, click the Schedule tab. Look for scheduled tasks with Inventory in the Task column. The following information will appear for scheduled inventory tasks:

• Name

• Status

• Target

• Frequency

• Start

• End

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . V I E W I N G I N V E N T O R Y R E S U L T SOnce an inventory has completed and the data has been merged into the database, you can view the results of the inventory in reports or in the Console.


I N V E N T O R YViewing Inventory Results2 9

HOW TO VIEW INVENTORY INFORMATION IN A REPORT1 1. Expand the Reports node in the tree pane and select the Inventory report category

beneath it.

2 2. On the Reports tab in the data pane, select any of the inventory reports. (Refer to the Reports chapter of this guide for more information on reports included with WinINSTALL. Refer to the document DBSchema.htm for a full description of the database schema. DBSchema.htm is located in the WinINSTALL share in the \Bin\Help folder and on console machines in the \Program Files\OnDemand\WinINSTALL\Help folder. The names of all tables that contain inventory data are prefixed with WIINV_.)

HOW TO VIEW INVENTORY INFORMATION IN THE CONSOLE1 In the tree pane, expand the Machines node and highlight the All Machines sub-node.

2 In the list pane, highlight the desired machine (you can only view inventory data for one machine at a time in the Console).

3 In the data pane, first click the Inventory tab and then click any of the ten inventory sub-tabs to view the desired category of information:

• Summary Sub-tab

• Devices Sub-tab

• Printers Sub-tab

• Services Sub-tab

• Files Sub-tab

• Applications/Components Sub-tab

• MSI Features Sub-tab

• Windows Updates/HotFixes Sub-tab

• Change Log Sub-tab

• Log Variables Sub-tab

The information on these sub-tabs is read-only, and the columns are sortable.

The Summary, Devices, Printers, Services, Files, and Applications/Components sub-tabs allow you to view specific types of inventory information.

The Change Log sub-tab allows you to view information written to the Change Log, but only if you made the appropriate setting on the Inventory tab of the WinINSTALL Agent Settings dialog.


. . .


The Log Variables sub-tab allows you to view information logged for specific variables, but only if you made the appropriate setting on the Inventory tab of the WinINSTALL Agent Settings dialog.

The information provided on each of the Inventory sub-tabs is described in detail below.

S U M M A R Y S U B - T A BThe Summary sub-tab displays the following read-only information that was detected about the selected machine during the latest inventory scan.

I N V E N T O R Y D A T E / T I M E The date and time when the last inventory was performed are displayed at the top of the tab.

S Y S T E M I N F O R M A T I O N The following system information appears on the Summary sub-tab:

BIOS Date • Date on which the BIOS in the machine was created.

BIOS Version • Version of the BIOS in the machine.

Chassis Types • Body type of the computer - for example, Desktop, Laptop, or Docking Station.

CPU Model • Model of the central processing unit in the machine.

CPU Speed (Mhz)

• Speed of the central processing unit in the machine.

CPU Vendor • Vendor that produced the central processing unit in the machine.

IP Address(es) • IP address of the machine.

IP Subnet Mask(s)

• IP subnet mask of the machine.

MAC Address (es)

• MAC address of the machine.

Maximum Page File Size (MB)

• Maximum page file size (in megabytes) for the machine.

Maximum RAM Size (MB)

• Total RAM (in megabytes) that can be inserted in the machine.

Monitor Manufacturer

• Manufacturer of the monitor currently used with the machine.

Monitor Model • Model of the monitor currently used with the machine.

Number of Processors

• Number of processors in the machine.

OS Build Number

• Build number of the operating system installed on the machine.



OS Name • Name of the operating system installed on the machine.

OS Service Pack

• Operating system service pack installed on the machine.

OS Version • Version of the operating system installed on the machine.

Platform • Operating system type (i.e., NT) installed on the machine.

Plus Version • Operating system “Plus Pack” installed on the machine.

Serial Number • Serial number of the machine.

System Manufacturer

• Manufacturer of the system for the machine.

System Model • Model of the system for the machine.

Time Zone • Time zone for which the machine is set.

Total Number of RAM Slots

• Total number of RAM slots that are available on the machine.

Total RAM (MB) • Total RAM (in megabytes) for the machine.

RAM Slots In addition to displaying the amount of installed RAM, you can also see how it is deployed - what size SIMS are used in which slots.

• Tag

• Capacity (MB)

• Locator

• Memory Type

• Type Detail

• Position in Row

Local Logical Drives

• Drive Letter (Letter identifying a logical drive on the local machine that was scanned during inventory).

• Total Space (MB) (Total amount of disk space on the logical drive identified by the letter above).

• Free Space (MB) (Total amount of free disk space on the logical drive identified by the letter above).

NOTE: Items displayed on this tab are available as criteria for creating searches.


. . .


D E V I C E S S U B - T A BThe Devices sub-tab displays the following read-only information about devices that were detected on the selected machine during the latest inventory scan.

P R I N T E R S S U B - T A BThe Printers sub-tab displays the following read-only information about printers that were detected on the selected machine during the latest inventory scan.

Device Name • Display name of the device.

Driver Date • Date on which the device driver was created.

Device Type • Description of the kind of device (for example, Network adaptors, System devices, or Sound, video and game controllers)

Driver Version • Version number of the device driver.

Device Status • Last-known status of the device.

Driver Producer

• Vendor who produced the device driver.

Driver File • Fully-qualified file name of the device driver.

Printer Name • Name of the printer as you see it in Control Panel | Printers.

Driver • Name of the Windows printer driver.

Port • Port that is used to transmit data to the printer. (If a printer is connected to more than one port, the names of the ports are separated by commas. Under Windows 95, only one port can be specified.)

Print Processor

• Name of the print spooler that handles print jobs.

Server • Name of the server that controls the printer. (If this string is NULL, the printer is controlled locally.)

Share • Share name of the Windows printing device.

Network • Specifies whether the printer is a network printer.

Priority • Priority of the printer. (Jobs on a higher priority printer are scheduled first).

Location • Physical location of the printer.

Description • Description of the printer.



S E R V I C E S S U B - T A BThe Services sub-tab displays the following read-only information about services that were detected on the selected machine during the latest inventory scan.

F I L E S S U B - T A BThe Files sub-tab lets displays the following read-only information about files detected on the selected machine during the latest inventory scan.

Service Name

• File name of the service.

Display Name

• Descriptive label for the service that displays in the console.

Current State • Current status of the service on the highlighted machine:

• Running

• Stopped

• Paused

Start Type • Method by which the service is started on the highlighted machine:

• Manual (on demand)

• Automatic (during system startup)

• Disabled (can not be started without changing the start type)

NOTE: The Files sub-tab information appears only if the machine’s inventory settings specify to include files in the inventory scan.

File Name • Name of a file found on a machine during an inventory scan.

File Path • Fully-qualified path to the file.

File Size • Size of the file (in MB).

Modified Date

• Date on which the file was last modified.

File Version • Version of the file.

File Description

• Description of the file.


. . .


Company Name

• Name of the company who created the file.

Product Name

• Name of the product to which the file belongs.

Product Version

• Version number of the product to which the file belongs.

Registry Association

• Application with which the file is associated in the registry.

App/File Relations

• The View App/File Relations button on the Files tab, offers two views of the relationships between files and applications, both presented in a hierarchical tree view. These views can be extremely useful in troubleshooting workstation application problems.

• The Application View presents a list of applications, each of which can be expanded to display all of the files related to that application.

• The File View presents a list of files, each of which can be expanded to list all the applications it is associated with.

NOTE: Before you can view App/File Relations information for any workstation, the applications involved must have been included in a Conflict Assessment in order to enter into the WinINSTALL database the file details for that application. For all applications which have been included in Conflict Assessments, the App/File Relations display will then include the appropriate NAI or MSI icon and will show all files contained within each package, including the state of each file: whether or not it is present on the workstation and, if so, whether or not it is the correct version.

NOTE: When you use the View App/File Relations feature, the files shown as present on the machine will be limited to those configured to be scanned in the Inventory Agent settings (see the discussion of File scan filters in the File scan section, above). Other files will show as not present, simply because they were not configured to be captured in the inventory file scan.



A P P L I C A T I O N S / C O M P O N E N T S S U B - T A BThe Applications/Components sub-tab displays the following read-only information about applications and components that were detected the selected machine during the latest inventory scan.

M S I F E A T U R E S S U B - T A BThe MSI Features sub-tab displays the following read-only information about MSI application features detected on the selected machine during the latest inventory scan:

TIP: If you double-click a file entry, you jump to the application view of that file on the Applications/Components sub-tab. You must double-click the file name itself - not any other column in the file's row. In order for this feature to work, the file must list an associated Product Name.

Product Name • Name of the application.

Product Version

• Version number of the application.

Vendor • Company that produced the application.

Product State • Specifies whether the application is installed for the user or the machine.

Determined By • Specifies how the existence of the application was determined:

• ARP (Add/Remove Programs)

• MSI (Windows Installer)

• NAI (WinINSTALL)

Install Date • Date on which the application was installed on the machine.

Package • Fully-qualified file name of the application package.

Last Used On • Date that the application was last used.

Usage Count • Number of times the application has been used.

Product Name • Name of the MSI product.

Feature Name • Name of the MSI feature within the product.

Product Version • Version of the MSI product.


. . .


W I N D O W S U P D A T E S / H O T F I X E S S U B - T A BThe Windows Updates/Hot Fixes sub-tab presents the following read-only information about Windows Updates and Hotfixes detected on the selected machine during the latest inventory scan:

Product State • Installed state for each product will appear as one of the following values:

• The product is installed for a different user.

• The product is advertised but not installed.

• The product is installed for the current user.

• The product is neither advertised nor installed.

Feature State • Installed state for each product feature will appear as one of the following values:

• The feature is not installed.

• The feature is advertised

• The feature is installed locally.

• The feature is installed to run from source.

• The product code or feature ID is unknown.

Feature Usage Count

• Number of times the feature has been used.

Feature Last Use

• Date that the feature was last used.

Install Date • Date that the feature was installed.

Package • The name of the MSI package from which this product was installed.

Update/Hotfix ID • Unique identifier for the update or hotfix.

Product Name • Name of the product to which this update or hotfix is applied.

Description • Description of this update or hotfix.

Is Installed? • Specifies whether or not this update or hotfix has been installed.

Installed By • Username of the person who installed this update or hotfix.

Install Date • Date that this update or hotfix was installed.



C H A N G E L O G S U B - T A BThe Change Log sub-tab displays the following information for the inventory change log on the selected machine, provided the Change Log setting is checked on the Inventory tab of the WinINSTALL Agent Settings dialog.


Click the Purge button to delete all Change Log entries for the selected machine.

Click the Filter button to specify a filter date for the Change Log entries you want to view. The resulting display will include only entries later than the specified date. For example, if you want to see only entries that were logged today, you would specify yesterday as the filter date.

L O G V A R I A B L E S S U B - T A BThe Log Variables sub-tab displays the current values of certain environment and system variables that are automatically included in inventory scans. Each time an inventory runs, it collects this information.

Log Variable information is useful for a variety of purposes, including identifying environment or system variable changes that could cause help desk issues, and tracking machine usage by user (because Log Variable information includes who was logged on at the time that an inventory was run).

Click the Purge button to delete all Log Variable entries for the selected machine.

The following read-only information is included for each variable displayed on the Log Variables sub-tab:

Table Name • Name of the table in which a field was changed.

Primary Key I • Name of the first primary key in the table containing the field that was changed.

Primary Key II • Name of the second primary key in the table containing the field that was changed.

Field • Name of the field that was changed in the table.

Old Value • Previous value of the field in the log table before it was changed.

Time Stamp • Date and time on which the field in the database was changed.

Variable Name

• Name of a variable that will be logged to the change log


. . .

. .I N V E N T O R YInventory Comparisons

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I N V E N T O R Y C O M P A R I S O N SWinINSTALL makes use of inventory data to provide two tools for comparing installed applications between or among various machines. These comparisons can be of use for troubleshooting or for a number of other purposes.

TROUBLESHOOTING COMPARISONThe purpose of a Troubleshooting Comparison is to find differences in the inventory results for two machines. For example, if one machine is operating properly but another, similarly configured machine is not, it could be useful to know what is different about the two machines--which applications are installed on one machine but not on the other, which devices are installed on one machine but not on the other, which files are found on one machine but not on the other.

To execute a Troubleshooting Comparison of two machines, follow these steps:

1 Select the All Machines node or any Search under the Machines node in the tree pane.

2 Next, take either of the following steps:

• Select Machine from the menu bar and the select Inventory->Troubleshooting.

• Click on the Troubleshooting icon on the tool bar.

3 The Troubleshooting Comparison dialog will appear. Select one machine in the Reference machine list and another in the Machine to compare list; then, click Compare.

The results will appear in the Comparison Results list on the bottom half of the dialog, displayed in three columns:

For certain results, the description will state that “a difference was found . . .” For such entries, more detail is available. For example, some items in the device category may differ in the installed driver. Selecting such an item in the list will enable the Details button at the lower right of the dialog.

Variable Value

• Value of the log variable named above

Log Date • Date and time on which the variable with the name and value specified above was written to the change log

Category • Type of inventory item (e.g., Device, File, Application, etc.)

Name • Name of the inventory item (e.g., file name, application name, etc.)

Description • Comparison results--for example, found on one machine but not on the other.


I N V E N T O R YPurging Inventory Data2 9

Clicking the Details button will present a dialog displaying the full details of the difference.

Clicking the Copy to Clipboard button will place the entire list of comparison results on the Windows Clipboard, from which it can be pasted into a text file or document for saving, printing, etc.

APPLICATION DISTRIBUTION COMPARISONThe purpose of an Application Distribution Comparison is to find similarities differences in the applications installed on a group of machines. For example, if three machines are used for similar purposes, it might be helpful to discover whether or not they all have the same applications installed.

To execute an Application Distribution Comparison of a group of machines, follow these steps:

1 Select the All Machines node or any Search under the Machines node in the tree pane.

2 Next, take either of the following steps:

• Select Machine from the menu bar and the select Inventory Comparison->Application Distribution.

• Click on the Application Distribution icon on the tool bar.

3 The Application Distribution Comparison dialog will appear. Select the desired machines in the Machines to Compare list (or click the Select All button to include all listed machines); then, click Compare.

The results will appear in the Comparison Results list on the bottom half of the dialog, displayed in three columns:

Clicking the Copy to Clipboard button will place the entire list of comparison results on the Windows Clipboard, from which it can be pasted into a text file or document for saving, printing, etc.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P U R G I N G I N V E N T O R Y D A T AFor a variety of reasons you may find that you want to remove from the database all the inventory data associated with a machine or group of machines.

Category • Type of inventory item (e.g., Application or Common Application)

Name • Name of the application.

Description • Comparison results--for example, found on all machines (i.e., Common Application), or found on the following machines (accompanied by a list of those machines which have the application).


. . .

. .I N V E N T O R YPurging Inventory Data

For example, you may have generated a complete file-level inventory to use in troubleshooting a software problem. Once the problem has been resolved, the large amount of file detail is no longer needed in the database. Setting the inventory agent on that machine back to a non-file inventory (or to using a more standard set of inclusions--say .exe and .dll files, for example) will not remove existing file data from the database.

Or you may have reinstalled a machine’s operating system with a different set of applications (possibly through WinINSTALL’s automated Client Reset capability), and you would like the inventory data for that machine to start from an empty data set.

You may have other reasons for wanting to remove from the database inventory data for selected machines. In any case, WinINSTALL makes this data purging a very simple operation.

Simply select the desired machine(s) in the machine list in the Console, right-click, and select Purge Inventory . . . from the context menu. You will be asked to confirm the purge operation. If you do so, WinINSTALL will delete all the inventory data for the selected machines and will task the inventory sub-agent on the selected machines with making sure that the data is not inadvertently replaced from the local cache.

The database will be cleaned of any inventory data for these machines and they will appear in the Console as though no inventory has ever been run on them.

Any subsequent inventory jobs executed on these machines will result in new data being added to the database.

WARNING: Purging inventory data for a machine will also purge that machine’s MAC address from the database. Because Wake-on-LAN operations require the MAC address for each target machine, purging a machine’s inventory data will make this machine unavailable as a Wake-on-LAN target until the next inventory or refresh of the share proximity cache.

Either of these operations will restore the MAC address information to the database, thereby re-enabling Wake-on-LAN operations to that machine.


I N V E N T O R YPurging Inventory Data2 9


. . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .PERSONALITY TRANSFER 30

he WinINSTALL Personality Transfer feature is the transfer of machine personalities, user settings and data (both operating system- and application-related), from one PC to another, from one PC to many others, or from one PC to a

temporary storage point on the server and then back to itself again at a later point. Furthermore, settings and data can be transferred across operating systems and application versions.

This powerful, yet flexible approach means that personality information can be interpreted and applied generically, rather than being tied to a particular operating system or release. In other words, a machine being restored is not dependent on anything about the machine from which the backup was taken, nor do the source and target machines in a migration need to know anything about each other.

Personality Transfer is an invaluable tool in life cycle management. Among its many benefits, are that it enables ongoing, as-needed PC refresh operations, migrating machines to new operating system platforms, rebuilding unstable machines, and assisting in disaster recovery.

With the WinINSTALL Personality Transfer feature, you can perform all of the following operations:

• Create a variety of templates that define the content (settings and files) that will be used to transfer personalities. You can create a library of templates that can then be reused for backups, migrations, and policy creation.

• Configure and migrate user settings and data from one PC to another.

• Migrate a user’s settings and data from one operating system to another, on the same machine or between two different machines.

• Back up one or more PCs to server-based repositories.

• Restore repository data to a single PC.

• Create policy based on the settings and/or data on a single PC and save it in a repository.

NOTE: WinINSTALL’s Personality Transfer feature is included only in the WinINSTALL Desktop Availability Suite (DAS). If you are using the Desktop Management Suite (DMS), please contact your Attachmate representative for information on upgrading to DAS.

T


P E R S O N A L I T Y TR A N S F E RPersonality Transfer Overview3 0

• Distribute policy from the repository to one or more PCs.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P E R S O N A L I T Y T R A N S F E R O V E R V I E WAll Personality Transfer functions involve two steps: extraction and injection. In the extraction step, the WinINSTALL Personality Transfer sub-agent extracts the settings and data from the specified PC and stores them in a repository on the WinINSTALL server. In the injection step, the sub-agent reads the data and settings from the repository and injects them into the target PC.

When it extracts the data and settings, the Personality Transfer sub-agent stores them in the repository in a generic format, independent from the versions of the operating system and applications from which they originated. On injection, the Personality Transfer sub-agent adapts these settings and data to the versions of the operating system and applications it finds installed on the target PC. For example, it is possible to move data and settings from Microsoft Office 2000 on a Windows 2000 PC to Microsoft Office 2003 on a Windows XP machine.

The Personality Transfer facility supports many applications and many operating system and desktop features. The particular settings and data which are extracted and injected in a given operation are specified in a Personality Transfer template which the administrator configures through a simple user interface in the WinINSTALL Console.

PERSONALITY TRANSFER WORKFLOWWinINSTALL provides three categories of Personality transfer actions:

Each of these categories requires a Personality Transfer template to specify the specific content - which settings and data - to extract and inject. These templates can be reused for multiple operations.

Once you have created a template, you can create a personality extraction task (Backup, Migration, or Policy Creation) based on this template. After you have completed a personality extraction task, you can create the corresponding injection task – Restore (a Backup) or Distribute (a Policy). You can review the status of extraction and injection tasks on the appropriate data pane tabs, as well as through the various Personality Transfer reports.

Backup and restore

• Moves data and settings from one PC to the server and then, at a later point, back again.

Migration • Moves data and settings from one PC to another.

Policy creation and distribution

• Moves data and settings from one PC to many.


. . .

. .P E R S O N A L I T Y TR A N S F E RPersonality Transfer Templates

FUNCTIONALITY AND PLATFORM LIMITATIONSThe Personality Transfer feature can extract user data and settings for backups, migrations, and policy creation from any of the following platforms:

• Windows 95

• Windows 98

• Windows NT

• Windows 2000

• Windows XP

• Windows 2003

Regardless of the platform from which the data was extracted, that extracted data can then be injected for restores, migrations, and policy distribution into any platform except Windows 95 or Windows 98. Injection is not supported on Windows 95 and Windows 98. Therefore, you cannot migrate to Windows 95 or Windows 98, nor can you restore data or distribute Personality Transfer policies to either of these platforms.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P E R S O N A L I T Y T R A N S F E R T E M P L A T E SA Personality Transfer template specifies exactly what settings and data will be extracted from the workstation to which it is applied. The settings and data are specified by selecting specific applications or features (of applications or of operating systems) in a simple tree control. Selecting an application will extract both its settings and associated data to the repository.

In addition, you can specify file rules, which instruct the Personality Transfer sub-agent to include or exclude specific files or folders during the extraction. File rules enable you to capture settings and data associated with applications not explicitly supported, and they also enable you to customize the data and settings included in the extraction, independent of the applications involved. For example, you might decide that, even though the extraction will capture the contents of the user’s My Documents folder, you want it to exclude all .mp3 or .jpg files. File rules provide a simple way to accomplish such a purpose.

CREATING AND EDIT ING PERSONALITY TRANSFER TEMPLATESPersonality Transfer templates are created and edited by means of a three tab dialog, the Create Personality Transfer Template dialog or the Edit Personality Transfer Template dialog. Each of the three tabs is described in detail below.


P E R S O N A L I T Y TR A N S F E RPersonality Transfer Templates3 0

G E N E R A L T A BThe General tab enables entry of the following basic identifying information and overall settings for the template:

C O N T E N T T A BThe Content tab presents a tree with three branches: Applications, Data Transport, and Windows Options. Each of these branches expands to display an array of sub-nodes to select from. Nodes containing further sub-nodes are marked by a plus sign. Click the plus sign to expand the node, and place a check next to any item you want included in the template.

A P P L I C A T I O N SThe application branch displays all the applications natively supported by the Personality Transfer engine. Many of these applications expand to allow selection of individual components and options of those applications. Available options and components vary, depending on the individual application.

Selecting an application will instruct the extraction to include both settings and data associated with that application, unless indicated otherwise by the selected item itself.

D A T A T R A N S P O R TThe Data Transport branch contains only a File Rules sub-node. If the File Rules node is checked, then files and folders specified on the File Rules tab (see below) will be included in the extraction; if it is unchecked, any items specified on the File Rules tab will be ignored. File Rules provide an important additional capability, beyond those built into the Applications and Windows Options features described above and below.

Name • Descriptive identifying name for the template.

Description • Additional identifying details.

Exclude System & Internet Temporary Directories

• Checkboxes to exclude temporary directories from the transfer (excluded is the default and recommended setting).

Disable Compression

• Checkbox to disable the default practice of compressing the data stored in the repository on the WinINSTALL share.

TIP: If you hold your cursor over any leaf node in the Personality Transfer Content tree, a tool tip will appear, providing details on what that leaf node represents.


. . .


W I N D O W S O P T I O N SThe Windows Options branch provides an array of operating system settings which can be included in or excluded from the template. These options include such items as My Documents and the Windows Address Book, which can vary in their location according to the version of Windows on the source and target machines. The Personality Transfer engine understands these differences and handles the extraction and injections of such settings properly across the various operating system versions.

F I L E R U L E S T A BFile Rules allow the template to include file types and folders, beyond those automatically included as part of applications selected on the Content tab (see above). File Rules also allow the template to exclude any file type or the contents of any folder or entire directories.

Furthermore, File Rules provide a means of controlling how these files are injected onto the target system.

The File Rules tab presents a list of File Rules contained in the current template. Clicking the Add Rule button displays the File Rule dialog, where you can specify the following parameters for the personality transfer template:

The Source Path and Destination Path fields can accept some special entries, which greatly increase the flexibility and utility of File Rules.

W I L D C A R D F I L E S P E C SYou can specify files in file rules using standard wildcards (?, *), like this:

C:\Extra Data\*.doc

Include/ Exclude

• Radio button to specify whether the rule is to include or exclude a file or folder.

Source Path • Enter or browse for a path to include.

Date • Checkbox to limit files by date, plus drop-downs for operator (On or before/On or after) and date.

File Size • Checkbox to limit files by size, plus a drop-down for operator (Less than or equal to/Greater than or equal to), and a data entry field for the desired size (in KB).

Destination Remapping

• Remap Destination checkbox enables injection to a different target folder than the original source folder

Preserve Subdirectories

• Checkbox to preserve original sub-folders when remapping the destination folder on injection.

Destination Path

• Enter or browse for a target path for the injection.


P E R S O N A L I T Y TR A N S F E RPersonality Transfer Templates3 0

t

L

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M U L T I P L E F I L E S P E C SYou can combine file specs into one file rule by separating them with semicolons, like this:

*.mp3;*.jpg;*.bmp

F I L E R U L E T O K E N S U B S T I T U T I O NFile Rules include a number of tokens that can be substituted for hard-coded folder locations in constructing file rules. This feature is especially useful because these folder locations vary by operating system, so rules using tokens are effective across operating systems.

The following tokens are valid in File Rules:

HOW TO CREATE A PERSONALITY TRANSFER TEMPLATE 1 Expand the Personality Transfer node in the tree pane and click the Templates sub-

node.

2 Click the Create... button. The New Personality Transfer Template dialog presents three tabs (described in the Creating and Editing Personality Transfer Templates section, above).

TIP: File Rule tokens are similar to WinINSTALL variables--but WinINSTALL variables are not valid in File Rules.

%DESKTOP% • The Desktop directory (equivalent to the WinINSTALL @Desktop variable).

%USERNAME% • The username for the user account selected for extraction (equivalento the WinINSTALL $Username$ variable).

%MYDOCUMENTS% • The default document storage folder (equivalent to the WinINSTAL@Documents variable).

%WINDOWS% • The Windows directory (equivalent to the WinINSTALL @Windowvariable).

%SYSTEM% • The Windows\System folder (equivalent to the WinINSTALL @System variable).

%FIXEDDISKS% • All local fixed drives.

%HOMEDRIVE% • Redirect files to a user’s local or network home drive (valid only in tDestination Path of a file rule).

%USERPROFILE% • The user’s profile folder (for example, C:\Documents and Settings\Username).


. . .


3 On the General Tab, specify the following parameters for the personality transfer template:

• Enter a name and description for the template.

• Use the checkboxes to specify whether to exclude the system temporary directory and temporary internet directory. Both are checked (excluded) by default, and it is recommended that these directories be excluded unless you have a specific reason to include them.

• Use the Disable Compression checkbox (unchecked by default) to specify whether or not to use compression when storing the extracted data on the share.

4 The Content Tab presents a tree with three branches, including Applications, Data Transport, and Windows Options. Each of these branches expands to display an array of sub-nodes to select from.

• Nodes containing further sub-nodes are marked by a plus sign. Click the plus sign to expand the node.

• If you hold your cursor over any leaf node in the tree, a tool tip will appear, explaining what that leaf node represents.

• Place a check next to any item you want to include in the template.

• Selecting any application in the list will instruct the extraction to include both settings and data associated with that application. Available options for each application vary, depending on the individual application.

• The Data Transport branch contains only a File Rules sub-node. If the File Rules node is checked, then files and folders specified on the File Rules tab (see below) will be included in the extraction; if it is unchecked, any items specified on the File Rules tab will be ignored.

5 On the File Rules Tab, you can specify file and folder inclusions and exclusions by means of rules.

Click the Add Rule button to add a new rule, or the Edit Rule button to edit the rule selected in the list of file rules on the tab. Clicking either of these buttons will display the File Rule dialog. On this dialog, you can specify the following parameters for the personality transfer template:

• Select a radio button to specify whether the rule is to include or exclude a file or folder.

• Enter or browse for a path to include.

• If desired, specify limits by date and/or file size.

• If desired, specify destination remapping, meaning that the injection should place the extracted files into a folder on the target system different from those on the source system where they were found during the extraction.

• The remapping option also provides a checkbox enabling the preservation of the original subfolders.

6 Click OK to save the template.


P E R S O N A L I T Y TR A N S F E RBackups and restores3 0

HOW TO MODIFY A PERSONALITY TEMPLATEWhen you expand the Personality Transfer node in the tree pane and select the Templates sub-node, the list of existing Personality Transfer templates displays on the Templates tab in the data pane. The following information (entered on the General Tab) displays for each template:

To view or modify an existing Personality Transfer template, highlight the template in the list and click the Edit… button, or simply double-click the template. You can now enter or modify the desired information on the three tabs of the Edit Personality Transfer Template dialog, as described in the Creating and Editing Personality Transfer Templates section, above.

To delete an existing Personality Transfer template, highlight the template in the list and click the Delete button.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B A C K U P S A N D R E S T O R E SYou can use the Personality Transfer feature to back up user data, or settings, or both, for restoration during a disaster recovery operation. And you can use WinINSTALL’s schedule capability to perform these back ups at whatever times and intervals you like, so that a user’s latest data is always available for restoration in case of emergency.

Restoring Personality Transfer data from a back up cannot be done on a file-by-file basis in this release. You must select for restoration any or all of the content items specified in the template used for the back up operation. You can, for example, restore all Outlook Express .eml files, or stationery (provided they were backed up, of course). But you cannot specify a specific file to restore.

CREATING A BACKUP JOBSelecting the Backups node of the Console tree pane produces a display in the data pane containing two-tabs: Backups and Schedule.

The Backups tab lists all available backup jobs. To create a new backup job, click the Create button. The Create Backup Job dialog will display, containing four tabs and two buttons at the bottom.

The buttons at the bottom are labeled Schedule and Backup. These buttons launch the backup job, once the necessary information has been provided on the four tabs.

Name • Name of the migration template

Description • Description of the migration template


. . .

. .P E R S O N A L I T Y TR A N S F E RBackups and restores

Clicking the Schedule button brings up the Schedule Task dialog, with Perform backup selected as the task and with the Targets tab listing the machines specified on the Machines tab (above). For details on scheduling, see The Schedule Task Dialog in the Scheduling chapter of this guide.

Clicking the Backup button launches the backup job immediately.

The information to define the job is entered on the four tabs: General, Content, Machines, and Users.

G E N E R A LThe General tab enables entry of the following basic identifying information and overall settings for the backup job:

C O N T E N TThe Content tab provides a list of available Personality Transfer templates. You can either select one from the list or create a new one by clicking the Create button. See Creating and Editing Personality Transfer Templates for details on how to create a new template.

M A C H I N E SThe Machines tab presents a list of All machines on the left and a list of Machines to back up on the right. You can move machines between the two lists by selecting them and clicking the Add or Remove button, as needed.

The list of machines in the Machines to back up list are the target machines for the backup job, the machines which will process the backup job.

U S E R SThe Users tab enables you to specify which user accounts on a target machine should be included in the backup job.

If you have specified multiple machines to back up, the job will back up all users on all selected machines, and you will not have the option to change that selection.

If you have selected a single machine to back up, the Selected users to back up list contains a list of all user accounts on the target machine.

Name • Descriptive identifying name for the job.




By default, the All users radio button is selected and the Selected users to back up list is disabled (with all users selected).

If you select instead the Selected user(s) radio button, you can select/deselect users in the list to specify which user accounts to include in the backup operation.

HOW TO BACK UP A PC PERSONALITYWhen you use the Personality Transfer feature to back up a PC, you have two options. You can back up the personalities of one or more users on a single machine, or you can back up the personalities of all users on multiple machines. Either way, the backup process involves the same steps.

1 Expand the Personality Transfer node in the tree pane and click the Backups sub-node.

2 Click the Create... button.

3 On the General tab, provide a name for the back up job you are creating and, optionally, a description.

4 On the Content tab, either select an existing Personality Transfer template or click the Create button to create a new one. See Creating and Editing Personality Transfer Templates, above, for details on creating new templates.

5 On the Machines tab, select the machine(s) to back up.

6 If you are backing up a single machine, on the Users tab you can either back up all users on the PC, or you can select the specific users whose data and settings you want included in the backup. If you are backing up multiple machines, you will not have a choice: data and settings from all users on each machine will be backed up.

7 You have two options for launching the backup:

• If you want to perform the backup in real-time, click the Backup button and the operation will begin.

• If you want to schedule the backup, click the Schedule button and enter the desired information on The Schedule Task Dialog.

CREATING A RESTORE JOBSelecting the Restores node of the Console tree pane displays the Restores tab in the data pane.

The Restores tab lists all available restore jobs. To create a new restore job, click the Create button. The Restore Backup Job dialog will display, containing five tabs and a Restore button at the bottom.

Clicking the Restore button launches the restore job immediately.


. . .


The information required to define the restore job is entered on the five tabs: General, Source, Content, Machine, and Users.


S O U R C EThe Source tab presents a list of existing backups, including for each the source machine, the name of the backup job, and the date and time when the backup completed.

You must select the desired backup to restore from this list of backups.

NOTE: Restore jobs are executed in real time only. They cannot be scheduled.



File Overwrite Rule

• Radio buttons to specify what to do if a file being restored is found to already exist on the target system:

• Always overwrite with restored file

• Never overwrite with restored file

• Overwrite if restored file is newer

Give local admin rights checkbox

• Whether or not to assign local system administrator rights to any accounts created during the restore operation.

Create injection log

• Whether or not to create a log of the restore operation. If created, this log file will be found in the repository on the share.

Action on completion

• Radio buttons specifying which action to take on the target machine when the restore is complete:

• No action

• Log off target users

• Reboot



C O N T E N TThe Content tab provides a tree control displaying only those content items which were included in the backup (see the Content Tab, above, for details on this tree control).

By default, all content items included in the backup are selected, but you can uncheck anything you would like to exclude from the restore job.

M A C H I N EThe Machine tab presents a list of all machines. You can select a single machine from this list to which the selected backup job will be restored.

U S E R SThe Users tab enables you to specify individual user accounts on a target machine to receive data from each of the individual accounts which were included in the backup job.

Select the desired Source User account in the list and click the Insert button to select the desired Destination User on the target machine.

Click the Remove button to specify that the selected Source User account be omitted from the restore job.

HOW TO RESTORE A PC PERSONALITYWhen you use the personality transfer feature to restore a PC, you restore data and settings that have been previously backed up and stored in a repository.

You can restore data and settings to a PC in either of two ways:

H O W T O R E S T O R E F R O M T H E R E S T O R E S S U B - N O D E1 Expand the Personality Transfer node in the tree pane and click the Restores sub-node.

2 Click the Create... button. The Restore Backup Job dialog appears, with five tabs. (see Creating a Restore Job, above, for details).

3 On the General tab, specify the following job instructions:

• Enter a name and description for the restore job.

• Select the File overwrite rule radio button that describes your choice of treatment for existing files (always overwrite, never overwrite, overwrite only if restored file is newer).

• Use the checkboxes to specify whether or not to grant local administrator rights to any accounts created during the restore and whether or not to create a log.

• Finally, select the appropriate radio button to specify the desired action at the end of the restore: no action, log off target machine users, or reboot the target machine.

4 On the Source tab, select from the list of existing backups the one you want to restore.


. . .


5 The Content tab displays the content available in the selected backup. Since the backup was performed earlier, you cannot select anything new. But you can de-select those items you want to exclude from the restore.

6 The Machine tab displays a list of machines. Select the target machine, the machine to which you want to restore the data and settings.

7 On the Users tab, each Source User, one whose data and settings were included in the backup, is displayed in a list. The list also displays a Target User for each Source User. By default, each Target User is the same as the Source User.

But you have the option of re-mapping data from one account to another. That is, you can click the Insert . . . button to specify that data backed up from the selected user account on the source machine be restored to a different user account on the target machine.

You can also use the Remove button to specify that data and settings from selected source users not be included in the restore.

8 Click the Restore button to restore the PC in real-time.

H O W T O R E S T O R E F R O M T H E B A C K U P S S U B - N O D E1 Expand the Personality Transfer node in the tree pane and click the Backups sub-node.

2 Select the backup that you want to use and click the Restore... button.

3 Enter the appropriate information on the five tabs of the Restore Backup Job dialog - General, Source, Content, Machines, and Users (see Creating a Restore Job, above, for details).

4 Click the Restore button to restore the PC in real time.

HOW TO VIEW AND MODIFY BACKUPSWhen you expand the Personality Transfer node in the tree pane and select the Backups sub-node, the Backups tab appears in the data pane, displaying the list of existing backup jobs. The following information appears for each backup job:

Status • Status of the backup job, preceded by a representative icon:

• Working

• Complete

• Failed

Machine • Machine name of the PC from which data and settings are being backed up (extracted)

Machine Group • Name of the machine group to which the above machine belongs



• To make sure that you have the most up-to-date list of backups, click the Refresh button.

• To create a new backup job, click the Create… button and enter the desired information on the Create Backup Job dialog. (See Creating a Backup Job, above, for details).

• To restore an existing backup to a PC, highlight the backup and click the Restore button. Enter the appropriate information on the Restore Backup Job dialog. (See Creating a Restore Job, above, for details).

• To retry a backup that previously failed, highlight the backup and click the Retry button.

• To delete an existing backup job, highlight the backup in the list and click the Delete button.

• To view additional information on a backup job listed in the data pane, either double-click the desired backup job, or highlight it and click the Details button. The Backup Details dialog will appear, displaying the job details.

HOW TO VIEW AND MODIFY RESTORESWhen you expand the Personality Transfer node in the tree pane and select the Restores sub-node, the Restores tab appears in the data pane, listing the existing backup jobs. The following information displays for each backup job:

• To make sure that you have the most up-to-date list of restores, click the Refresh button.

• To create a new restore job, click the Create… button and enter the desired information on the Restore Backup Job dialog. For details on creating a restore job, see Creating a Restore Job, above.

Task • Name of the backup job

Date • Date and time when the backup job ran

Status • Status of the restore job, preceded by a representative icon:

• Working

• Complete

• Failed

Machine • Machine name of the PC to which data and settings are being restored

Machine Group • Name of the machine group to which the specified machine belongs

Task • Name of the restore job

Date • Date and time when the restore job ran


. . .

. .P E R S O N A L I T Y TR A N S F E RMigrations

• To retry a restore job that previously failed, highlight the restore job and click the Retry button.

• To delete an existing restore job, highlight the restore job in the list and click the Delete button.

• To view additional information on a restore job listed in the data pane, either double-click the desired restore job, or highlight it and click the Details button. The Restore Details dialog will appear, displaying the job details.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . M I G R A T I O N SWhen an employee receives a new PC, it is always important to get the new PC fully operational quickly, with as little manual intervention as possible. This process obviously requires moving the user’s data and settings from the old PC to the new one. This is exactly what a WinINSTALL Personality Transfer Migration does.

A migration is a Personality Transfer operation involving the moving of data and settings from one PC to another.

A WinINSTALL migration job can include one or more migrations. That is, a migration job can move data and settings from PC A to PC B (one migration), or it can move data and settings from PC A to PC B, from PC C to PC D, and from PC E to PC F (three migrations in a single migration job).

CREATING A MIGRATION JOBSelecting the Migrations node of the Console tree pane produces a display in the data pane containing two-tabs: Migrations and Schedule.

The Migrations tab lists all available migration jobs. To create a new migration job, click the Create button. The Create Migration Job dialog will display, containing five tabs and three buttons at the bottom.

The buttons at the bottom are labeled Schedule, Migrate, and Cancel.

Clicking the Schedule button brings up the Schedule Task dialog, with Perform migration selected as the task and with the Targets tab listing the machines specified on the Destinations tab (see below). For details on scheduling, see The Schedule Task Dialog in the Scheduling chapter of this guide.

Clicking the Migrate button launches the migration job immediately.

The information to define the job is entered on the five tabs: General, Content, Sources, Users, and Destinations.


P E R S O N A L I T Y TR A N S F E RMigrations3 0



S O U R C E SThe Sources tab presents a list of All machines on the left and a list of Machines to migrate on the right. You can move machines between the two lists by selecting them and clicking the Add or Remove button, as needed.



File Overwrite Rule

• Radio buttons to specify what to do if a file being migrated is found to already exist on the target system:

• Always overwrite with migrated file

• Never overwrite with migrated file

• Overwrite if migrated file is newer

Give local admin rights checkbox

• Whether or not to assign local system administrator rights to any accounts created during the migration operation.

Delete migration task when all migrations are completed

• Checkbox to specify whether or not to retain the migration task in the list after completion of all included migrations.


• Whether or not to create a log of the migration operation. If created, this log file will be found in the repository on the share.


• Radio buttons specifying which action to take on the target machine when the migration is complete:

• No action


• Reboot


. . .

. .P E R S O N A L I T Y TR A N S F E RMigrations

The list of machines in the Machines to migrate list are the source machines for the migration job, the machines from which data and settings will be migrated.

U S E R SThe Users tab enables you to specify which user accounts on a source machine should be included in the migration job.

If you have specified multiple machines to migrate, the job will migrate all users on all selected machines, and you will not have the option to change that selection.

If you have selected a single machine to migrate, the Selected users to migrate list contains a list of all user accounts on the source machine.

By default, the All users radio button is selected and the Selected users to migrate list is disabled (with all users selected).

If you select instead the Selected user(s) radio button, you can select/deselect users in the list to specify which user accounts to include in the migration.

D E S T I N A T I O N SThe Destinations tab presents a list of source and destination machines. For each source machine in the list, you can click the Insert button to select a destination machine from the list of all machines, or click the Remove button to remove a specified destination.

HOW TO MIGRATE A PERSONALITYTo migrate a personality from one PC (the source) to another (the destination), follow these steps:

1 Expand the Personality Transfer node in the tree pane and click the Migrations sub-node.


3 Enter the desired information on the five tabs of the Create Migration Job dialog - General, Content, Sources, Users, and Destinations (see the Creating a Migration Job section, above, for details on these tabs).

4 To perform the migration in real-time, click the Migrate button. To schedule the migration, click the Schedule button and enter the desired information on the Schedule Task dialog (see the The Schedule Task Dialog in the Scheduling chapter of this guide for details).


P E R S O N A L I T Y TR A N S F E RMigrations3 0

HOW TO VIEW AND MODIFY PERSONALITY MIGRATIONSWhen you expand the Personality Transfer node in the tree pane and select the Migrations sub-node, the Migrations tab appears in the data pane, listing all existing migration jobs. The following information is listed for each migration job:

• To make sure that you are working with the most up-to-date list of migrations, click the Refresh button.

• To create a new migration job, click the Create… button and enter the desired information on the Create Migration Job dialog (see Creating a Migration Job, above).

• To retry a migration job that previously failed, highlight the migration and click the Retry button.

• To delete an existing migration job, highlight the migration in the list and click the Delete button.

• To view detailed information about a migration job listed in the data pane, either double-click the desired job, or highlight it and click the Details button. The Migration Details dialog will appear, displaying the job details.

NOTE: The default behavior is to migrate all users on a machine to the new machine, creating accounts for them as needed. You can change this behavior, moving data from one account on the source machine to a different account on the destination machine, through the user mapping feature.

Status • Status of the migration job, preceded by a representative icon:

• Working

• Complete

• Failed

Source Machine

• Machine name of the PC from which data and settings are being migrated (extracted)

Destination Machine

• Machine name of the PC to which data and settings are being migrated (injected)

Task • Name of the migration job

Date • Date and time when the migration job ran


. . .

. .P E R S O N A L I T Y TR A N S F E RPersonality Transfer Policies

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P E R S O N A L I T Y T R A N S F E R P O L I C I E SYou can use the Personality Transfer feature to create company policies based on application or operating system settings and/or data, and you can then distribute these policies throughout the enterprise. For instance, you may want to institute a policy of requiring certain Internet Explorer security settings on every desktop, or on every desktop in a specific group. To impose such a policy, you would simply create a policy template for the appropriate security settings and then distribute it to the appropriate users.

To create a policy, you specify as the source PC and user for the policy extraction a machine and user account which contains the desired settings and/or data. The extraction process then creates a repository containing the desired settings and/or data. You can then distribute this policy by creating a policy distribution job to inject these settings and/or data to the desired target PCs.

Selecting the Policies node of the Console tree pane displays the Policies tab in the data pane. The Policies tab lists all available Personality Transfer policies.

Clicking the Distribute button brings up the Distribute Policy dialog, enabling you to create a policy distribution job (see Creating a Policy Distribution Job for details).

Clicking the Delete button deletes the selected policy from the list.

Clicking the Refresh button updates the list of available policies with the latest information.

CREATING A PERSONALITY TRANSFER POLICYTo create a new policy, click the Create button. The Create Policy dialog will display, containing four tabs and Create and Cancel buttons at the bottom.

The information required to define the policy is entered on the four tabs: General, Content, Machine, and User.

Clicking the Create button on the Create Policy dialog immediately creates the policy and adds it to the list on the Policies tab.

G E N E R A LThe General tab enables entry of the following basic identifying information for the policy:

NOTE: Personality Transfer policies are each based on a single user account on a single PC. Unlike other Personality Transfer tasks, policy creation is performed using a single PC, and a single account on that PC, at a time.


P E R S O N A L I T Y TR A N S F E RPolicy Distribution3 0


M A C H I N EThe Sources tab presents a list of All machines. Simply select the desired source machine in the list.

U S E R SThe User tab enables you to specify which user account on the selected source machine will be included in the migration job.

The Select a single user on which to model the policy list contains a list of all user accounts on the selected source machine. Simply select the desired user account from the list.

HOW TO CREATE A PERSONALITY TRANSFER POLICY1 Expand the Personality Transfer node in the tree pane and click the Policies sub-node.


3 Enter the appropriate information on the four tabs of the Create Policy dialog - General, Content, Machine, and User (see the Creating a Personality Transfer Policy section for details.

4 Click the Create button to create the policy in real-time.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P O L I C Y D I S T R I B U T I O NIn order to use the Personality Transfer feature to distribute company policy settings throughout the enterprise, you must perform two steps: first create the Personality Transfer policy (see Creating a Personality Transfer Policy, above); then, you follow the instructions detailed below to actually distribute that policy to machines and users in your enterprise.

Selecting the Policy Distribution node of the Console tree pane produces a display in the data pane containing two-tabs: Policy Distribution and Schedule.

Name • Descriptive identifying name for the policy.



. . .

. .P E R S O N A L I T Y TR A N S F E RPolicy Distribution

The Policy Distribution tab lists all available policy distribution jobs. The status of each job will be listed as working (meaning in progress), complete, or failed.

Clicking the Details button will display all available information about the selected job, including such items as the path to the repository on the WinINSTALL share, the template used and the number of eligible users found.

Clicking the Refresh button updates the list of jobs with the latest status and other information.

Clicking the Retry button will immediately re-launch the selected (failed) job. This option enables retrying jobs which have not succeeded on the first attempt.

Clicking the Delete button deletes the selected policy from the list.

CREATING A POLICY DISTRIBUTION JOBTo create a new policy distribution job, click the Create button. The Distribute Policy dialog will display, containing four tabs and three buttons at the bottom.

The buttons at the bottom of the Distribute Policy dialog are labeled Schedule, Distribute, and Cancel.

Clicking the Schedule button brings up the Schedule Task dialog, with Distribute Policy selected as the task and with the Targets tab listing the machines specified on the Machines tab (see below). For details on scheduling, see The Schedule Task Dialog in the Scheduling chapter of this guide.

Clicking the Distribute button launches the policy distribution job immediately.

The information required to define the job is entered on the four tabs: General, Source, Machines, and Users.





• Radio buttons specifying which action to take on the target machine when the policy distribution is complete:

• No action




S O U R C EThe Source tab presents a list of all existing Personality Transfer policies. Simply select the desired policy in the list.

M A C H I N E SThe Machines tab presents a list of All machines on the left and a list of Target machines of the distribution on the right. You can move machines between the two lists by selecting them and clicking the Add or Remove button, as needed.

The list of machines in the Target machines of the distribution list are the destination machines for the policy distribution job, the machines to which the policy will be distributed.

U S E R SThe Users tab allows you to specify the network users and groups to which you want to distribute the policy.

The tab presents a list of Network users and groups on the left and a list of Selected users and groups on the right. You can move users between the two lists by selecting them and clicking the Add or Remove button, as needed.

The list of users in the Selected users and groups list are the target users for the policy distribution job, the users to which the policy will be distributed.

DISTRIBUTING POLICIESYou can distribute policy in either of two ways:

• Reboot


• Whether or not to create a log of the policy distribution operation. If created, this log file will be found in the repository on the share.

NOTE: Policy distributions are processed only on the selected target machines, and they are distributed only to the selected target users. Therefore, to receive a policy distribution, a selected target user must have an account on one or more of the selected target machines.


. . .

. .P E R S O N A L I T Y TR A N S F E RPolicy Distribution

H O W T O D I S T R I B U T E F R O M T H E P O L I C Y D I S T R I B U T I O N S U B - N O D E :

1 Expand the Personality Transfer node in the tree pane and click the Policy Distribution sub-node.

2 Click the Create... button to create a policy distribution job.

3 Enter the appropriate information on the four tabs of the Distribute Policy dialog - General, Source, Machines, and Users (see Creating a Policy Distribution Job for details).

4 If you want to distribute the policy in real-time, click the Distribute button. If you want to schedule the policy distribution, click the Schedule button and enter the desired information on the Schedule Task dialog. For details on scheduling, see The Schedule Task Dialog in the Scheduling chapter of this guide.

H O W T O D I S T R I B U T E F R O M F R O M T H E P O L I C I E S S U B -N O D E :

1 Expand the Personality Transfer node in the tree pane and click the Policies sub-node.

2 Select the policy that you want to distribute and click the Distribute... button.

3 Enter the appropriate information on the four tabs of the Distribute Policy dialog - General, Source, Machines, and Users (see Creating a Policy Distribution Job for details).

4 If you want to distribute the policy in real-time, click the Distribute button. If you want to schedule the policy distribution, click the Schedule button and enter the desired information on the Schedule Task dialog For details on scheduling, see The Schedule Task Dialog in the Scheduling chapter of this guide.

HOW TO VIEW AND MODIFY POLICIESWhen you expand the Personality Transfer node in the tree pane and select the Policies sub-node, the Policies tab appears in the data pane, displaying a list of existing policies. The following information displays for each policy:

Status • Status of the policy creation job, preceded by a representative icon:

• Working

• Complete

• Failed

Machine • Machine name of the PC from which data and settings are being extracted to create the policy



• To make sure that you are working with the most up-to-date list of policies, click the Refresh button.

• To create a new policy, click the Create… button and enter the desired information on the Create Policy dialog. (See Creating a Personality Transfer Policy for details).

• To distribute an existing policy, highlight the desired policy and click the Distribute button. Enter the desired information on the Distribute Policy dialog. (See Creating a Policy Distribution Job for details).

• To retry a policy creation job that previously failed, highlight the job and click the Retry button.

• To delete an existing policy, highlight the policy in the list and click the Delete button.

• To view detailed information about a policy listed in the data pane, either double-click the desired policy, or highlight it and click the Details button. The the Policy Details dialog will appear, displaying the policy details.

HOW TO VIEW AND MODIFY POLICY DISTRIBUTIONSWhen you expand the Personality Transfer node in the tree pane and select the Policy Distribution sub-node, the Policy Distribution tab appears in the data pane, displaying the list of existing policy distribution jobs. The following information displays for each policy distribution job:

Machine Group • Name of the machine group to which the machine belongs

Task Name • Name of the policy job

Date • Date and time when the policy creation job ran:

Status • Status of the policy distribution job, preceded by a representative icon:

• Working

• Complete

• Failed

Machine • Machine name(s) of a PC to which the data and settings that form the policy are being distributed

Machine Group

• Name of the machine group to which the machine or machines belong

Task • Name of the policy distribution job


. . .

. .P E R S O N A L I T Y TR A N S F E RGlobal Encryption Key

• To make sure that you are working with the most up-to-date list of policy distribution jobs, click the Refresh button.

• To create a new policy distribution job, click the Create… button and enter the appropriate information on the Distribute Policy dialog. (See Creating a Policy Distribution Job for details).

• To retry a policy distribution job that previously failed, highlight the policy and click the Retry button.

• To delete an existing policy distribution job, highlight the job in the list and click the Delete button.

• To view detailed information about a policy distribution job listed in the data pane, either double-click the desired job, or highlight it and click the Details button. The Policy Distribution Details dialog will appear, displaying the job details.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . G L O B A L E N C R Y P T I O N K E YThe WinINSTALL Personality Transfer facility provides the option of encrypting all Personality Transfer data stored in repositories on WinINSTALL servers. Encryption protects all backups, migrations, and policies from being accessed by unauthorized individuals.

The encryption setting, including the encryption key, is a global setting. That is, if it is turned on, Personality Transfer data will from that point on be encrypted (using the specified key) on all WinINSTALL servers sharing the same database; if it is turned off, then all servers sharing the database will thereafter store Personality Transfer data in unencrypted form.

The global Personality Transfer encryption key is set in the Console, on the Personality Transfer Options dialog. To set this key, select the Personality Transfer node in the tree pane and then select the Personality Transfer -> Options menu pick.

If you elect to encrypt Personality Transfer data, it is strongly recommended that you set the key before creating any repository data and avoid changing the key once it has been initially set. Creating or changing the encryption key will make all previously stored repositories inaccessible.

Date • Date and time when the policy job ran

Eligible Users

• Number of eligible users found on the target machines.


P E R S O N A L I T Y TR A N S F E RUser Mapping During Migration3 0

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . U S E R M A P P I N G D U R I N G M I G R A T I O NThe default behavior of a migration operation is to migrate all users on a machine to the new machine, creating accounts on the target machine as needed during the migration process. This behavior may be undesirable for several reasons:

1 You may not want to carry over all users from the old machine. For example, the new machine may already have an administrator account with settings appropriate to the new machine.

2 You may want to move users to a new domain as part of the migration. Doing so would require the users to move to new (domain) accounts on the target machine.

3 You may want to implement some form of mapping of users from unmanaged machines (e.g. Win9x) to managed machines.

To account for such situations, WinINSTALL provides a way for you to customize migration. You can create an XML file called UserMap.xml in the \bin folder on the WinINSTALL share. This XML file can contain one or more rules which the Personality Transfer sub-agent will use to map the extracted users to injected users (or to exclude extracted users from the injection). When you create this XML file, you must keep in mind the following general rules that apply to user mapping:

• Each rule has three attributes to match (fromUser, fromMachine, toMachine), and a target (to) user, also known as the injection user, to use for the injection.

• Rules are processed in the order in which they appear in the XML file.

WARNING: When you change the encryption key, data and settings saved earlier are no longer accessible. The only way to access these repositories is to change the encryption key back to the value it had when the repositories were created. Therefore, if you change the key, we highly recommend that you save the original key in a secure location in the event you need it to retrieve data stored earlier.

NOTE: If you initially leave the encryption key blank (i.e., specify no encryption) and then later initiate encryption by setting an encryption key, understand that you have changed the global encryption key. At that time, the Personality Transfer sub-agent will be unable to access the repositories stored prior to initiating encryption.


. . .

. .P E R S O N A L I T Y TR A N S F E RUser Mapping During Migration

• Once a rule matches for a user, no other rules are examined for that user.

• Therefore, more restrictive rules should come first, and less restrictive rules later in the XML file.

• The default is for rules to be case-insensitive. Use the caseSensitive attribute in a rule to make it case-sensitive. (See the example below.)

• Rules use Regular Expressions (REs) for pattern matching. Some examples appear below, but more extensive syntax information for REs can be found at <http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url= /library/en-us/vclib/html/vclrfCAtlRegExp.asp>. (All of the features described in the referenced MSDN article are supported by the WinINSTALL Personality Transfer user mapping feature). RE’s are very powerful, but they can also require some debugging to get them to behave the way you want (or expect) them to. Another article that provides a good introduction to Regular Expressions can be found at <http://www.4guysfromrolla.com/webtech/090199-1.shtml>

• Match groups can be inserted into the injection user allowing, for instance, the extraction user to be inserted into the injection user, but with a different domain (or vice versa). The variables used for match groups are %m1 through %m9, corresponding (left to right) to the groups used in the various REs. If a variable is used that doesn’t have a corresponding match group, it will be inserted as a null string.

• If an attribute to match is not specified or null, it acts like a wildcard, and will match for any extraction user. In other words, it doesn’t participate in the rule.

A sample UserMap.xml file with four rules is shown below. Each rule is described in some detail in the section following the sample.

<?xml version=”1.0” encoding=”utf-8”?>

<MigrationUserMap >

<User fromUser=”{[^\\]+}\\fred” >%m1\Bill</User>

<User fromUser=”BOXCAR\\Sally” fromMachine=”MAC-VM-XP” toMachine=”toMachine=”” caseSensitive=”1” >FREIGHTTRAIN\Sally</User>

<User fromUser=”[^\\]+\\administrator” fromMachine=”fromMachine=”” toMachine=”toMachine=”” ></User>

<User fromUser=”fromUser=”” fromMachine=”fromMachine=”” toMachine=”toMachine=”” ></User>

</MigrationUserMap>



R U L E 1 : < U S E R F R O M U S E R = ” { [ ^ \ \ ] + } \ \ F R E D ” > % M 1 \ B I L L < / U S E R >This rule says, “Map user fred, coming from any domain, to user Bill in the same domain.” Note the use of RE match groups (enclosed by “{“ and “}”), and the use of a variable (%m1) indicating that the first match group should be inserted in the target user. Also note that, since the attributes to match are Regular Expressions, backslashes must be escaped (preceded by a backslash) when used for the domain\user separator. And, since the target user isn’t a regular expression, the backslash does not need to be escaped there. Note also that you don’t need to specify fromMachine and toMachine if you don’t want to match on them.

R U L E 2 : < U S E R F R O M U S E R = ” B O X C A R \ \ S A L L Y ” F R O M M A C H I N E = ” M A C - V M - X P ” T O M A C H I N E = ” T O M A C H I N E = ” ” C A S E S E N S I T I V E = ” 1 ” > F R E I G H T T R A I N \ S A L L Y < / U S E R >This rule says, “map user Sally in domain BOXCAR on MAC-VM-XP to user Sally in the FREIGHTRAIN domain.” Note that no REs were used in this example, other than escaping the backslash in the fromUser attribute. Note also that this rule would be processed as case-sensitive, so a user of “Sally” would match, but not “SALLY”.

R U L E 3 : < U S E R F R O M U S E R = ” [ ^ \ \ ] + \ \ A D M I N I S T R A T O R ” F R O M M A C H I N E = ” F R O M M A C H I N E = ” ” T O M A C H I N E = ” T O M A C H I N E = ” ” > < / U S E R >This rule says, “drop any user named administrator from the injection.” Note that there is no target user specified - this is the indicator that the user should be dropped from the injection.

R U L E 4 : < U S E R F R O M U S E R = ” F R O M U S E R = ” ” F R O M M A C H I N E = ” F R O M M A C H I N E = ” ” T O M A C H I N E = ” T O M A C H I N E = ” ” > < / U S E R >This rule says, “drop any user who didn’t match a previous rule from the injection.” This might be used (as the last rule) to ensure that you don’t drag along user profiles that you don’t explicitly want to, as specified in previous rules. It could be used, for instance, to exclude all local user profiles when migrating domain user profiles, matched by previous rules that specified the domain(s) to include.

In terms of diagnostics, if the UserMap.xml file has a syntax error, either in its XML or in any of its REs, an error message will be written to the Windows Event Log, and the migration injection job will fail. If informational logging is enabled, a message will be written indicating that the user map is being used. During processing of the user map, a diagnostic message (if enabled) will be issued when a user is dropped or changed due to the user map, so you can see the effect. If you’re not seeing the expected results, the first step is to turn on diagnostic logging and look at the migration messages. RE’s are very powerful,


. . .

. .P E R S O N A L I T Y TR A N S F E RUser Mapping During Migration

but they can also require some debugging to get them to behave the way you want (or expect).

NOTE: Don't worry if the (EXD) users that show in the diagnostic messages appear a bit strange (e.g. DOMAINDOMAIN\User). As long as the resulting user is what you would expect, assume that the fromUser is what you would expect as well (e.g. DOMAIN\User, in this example).




. . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .PXE CLIENT RESET 31

reboot eXecution Environment (PXE) is a way to boot a computer using the Network Interface Card to download the executable image from the network instead of booting from an image stored locally on disk. PXE was first created by

Intel Corporation in 1998. It was later revised to PXE version 2.1 in 1999. It has been revised several times over the years and sometimes goes by the name Wired for Management (WfM).

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . W I N I N S T A L L P X E C L I E N T R E S E T O V E R V I E WThe PXE-based Client Reset feature of the WinINSTALL Desktop Availability Suite installs Windows operating systems directly from network servers, without loading MS-DOS or running MS-DOS applications. In addition, administrators can use the built-in integration of WinINSTALL software distribution and personality transfer to optionally include in the reset process installation of any number of application packages and/or Microsoft patches, and the restoration of user data and settings as well.

WinINSTALL PXE Client Reset installs Windows operating systems using the original setup programs supplied by Microsoft, driven by a configuration file so as to streamline the process and make it operate entirely unattended. Using the vendor setup program to install the operating system enables use of a single set of operating system files for many configurations, while avoiding having to create and maintain separate images for each desired configuration. In addition, the PXE reset process has been optimized to the point where install times are very competitive with imaging solutions. For example a complete PXE reset install of Windows 2000, including Service Pack 4, can be completed in under 16 minutes, and a similar install of Windows XP, including Service Pack 2, can be completed in well under 20 minutes. Actual times will vary, depending on the performance of the machines, processors and networks involved.

WHAT PXE CLIENT RESET CAN DOThe seamless integration of PXE Client Reset with WinINSTALL’s powerful personality transfer and software distribution capabilities provides unmatched power and simplicity to desktop management. The full integration of these features makes it a simple matter to completely rebuild any machine or group of machines by performing the following steps:

1 Back up the user data and settings.

2 Reboot the PC, format the hard disk, install a new copy of Windows 2000, XP, or 2003.

3 Install a series of patches and application packages.

P


P X E C L I E N T R E S E TWinINSTALL PXE Client Reset Overview3 1

4 Conclude by restoring the user data and settings

METHODS OF REMOTELY RESETTING A WORKSTATIONWhat’s more, you can launch a complete workstation reset in any of three ways:

• Right-click on a machine, or group of machines, in the WinINSTALL Console, and with a single command, launch an immediate PXE Client Reset—remotely, while the PCs are unattended.

• Configure a reset to occur automatically at a machine’s next reboot (see Reset on Next Reboot, below).

• Use WinINSTALL’s powerful scheduling feature to schedule PXE Client Resets to occur at a set time in the future, or even on a regular, recurring basis!

THE PXE RESET PROCESSWinINSTALL PXE Client Reset involves three components, which are generally configured in this order:

1 PXE Reset Servers

The first step in the process is to select a WinINSTALL server to act as the PXE server for selected clients. The PXE Reset Server Wizard assists in the configuration of the various server options, including automatically copying the necessary operating system files and drivers from the distribution CDs.

2 PXE Reset Templates

The next step is to configure a reset template, which specifies the details of how a particular operating system will be installed on the clients to whom the template is assigned. The PXE Reset Template Wizard is available to assist in entering the desired specifications.

3 PXE Reset Clients

Finally, machines are selected as PXE reset clients, and they are each assigned a reset template. Candidate machines are those with WinINSTALL agents installed or simply those which have been manually registered as PXE reset clients. In addition, administrators have the option of automatically registering unrecognized machines

NOTE: When you invoke an immediate reset or schedule a reset, WinINSTALL's PXE Client Reset feature will automatically employ Wake-on-LAN to execute the reset, if needed. Of course, the success of such a Wake-on-LAN operation depends on having a properly configured Wake-on-LAN capability on the client machine.


. . .

. .P X E C L I E N T R E S E TPXE Client Reset Operations

when they boot up on the network. For details on client configuration, see the section entitled Create Clients, below.

Once these three components have been configured, resetting a client is as simple as selecting the desired client(s) in the client data view of the WinINSTALL Console and selecting Reset Client Now from either the Client menu or the right-click context menu (see Reset a Client, below).

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P X E C L I E N T R E S E T O P E R A T I O N SOnce the PXE network environment is configured, the flow of a reset is as follows:

1 The client machine boots, using the first boot device configured in the BIOS: the “network.”

2 The client machine sends out a DHCP request packet.

3 The DHCP server responds to the client’s request by returning an IP address as well as the name of the PXE server.

4 The client machine contacts the PXE server and downloads the Network Boot Program (NBP).

5 The NBP runs on the client machine and determines if a reset is scheduled.

6 In the event a reset is scheduled, it downloads the operating system files from the PXE server and begins the installation.


P X E C L I E N T R E S E TPXE Client Reset Operations3 1

CLIENT OPERATION

O V E R V I E WWhen the workstation is booted, the PXE-enabled NIC queries the network to determine whether or not a PXE server is present and, if so, whether or not the server has a boot image for that workstation. If so, the boot image is loaded, and it is this code which then queries the PXE server as to whether or not a reset is scheduled for the machine. Once a reset begins, the OS install program is loaded directly over the network.

The administrator can choose to configure PXE reset so that in cases where no reset is scheduled, the client machine will boot normally, with no option to perform a reset. Alternatively, the administrator can specify that a configurable countdown before normal

NOTE: To use PXE startup services, the workstation must have a PXE-capable Network Interface Card (NIC), and the ‘network boot’ option must be enabled in BIOS. Network should be the first boot option, or else it should follow only removable devices in the boot option sequence.


. . .


boot be presented on the screen. At any time during this countdown, the client machine user may press Ctrl-R to initiate a reset using the default template (basic parameters, including operating system are displayed on the countdown screen).

In cases where a reset is scheduled, the administrator can specify no countdown, so that the reset is performed immediately on boot up, with no option to interrupt the reset for a normal boot. Alternatively, the administrator can configure the reset process to present a configurable countdown on the client machine screen. At any time during this countdown, the client machine user may press Esc to boot normally instead of performing the reset. Interrupting a scheduled reset will log the event to the PXE log (viewable in the console). Interrupting a scheduled reset only postpones the reset; it does not cancel it: the reset will be attempted again at the next reboot.

After OS installation completes, the packages and WinINSTALL agents specified in the reset template are installed. Finally, if specified in the template, user data and settings are restored to complete the operation.

CONSOLE OPERATIONThe WinINSTALL console is the location where the administrator performs all the configuration and preparation for PXE client reset operations. The major preparation is done in three areas: PXE reset servers, PXE reset templates, and PXE reset clients. WinINSTALL provides a wizard to guide the administrator through configuring each of these entities, plus an analogous interface to edit existing configurations, a data view enabling management of configured components, and, finally, an assistant to guide the administrator through the sequence of steps necessary to create a working PXE client reset environment.

S E R V E R W I Z A R DThe Server Wizard enables you to add and configure a PXE server, including the following settings and options:

• Select the WinINSTALL Server to configure as a PXE server.

• Specify the credentials to be used by PXE clients during the reset process to access the PXE server.

• Set the options required on the DHCP server to support PXE Client Reset.

• Specify the operating systems to be made available from the PXE server, the license keys to be used when installing these operating systems (and copy the operating system files to the PXE server).

• Specify any needed additional Windows drivers (and copy the necessary files to the PXE server).



• Specify any desired post-install utilities to be run on the client machine at the end of the PXE Client Reset process.

• Specify advanced options, including whether or not to enable reset on unmanaged machines and what time periods to use for network boot program time outs.

T E M P L A T E W I Z A R DThe Template Wizard enables you to add and configure a PXE Client Reset Template, including the following settings and options:

• Specify general template options, including a description, which operating system, licensing option, and language to install, the username and organization to be used for the setup process, and the logging level.

• Specify whether to retain existing partition information or to reformat to a single volume of maximum size, specify the volume label and the name of the Windows directory to be created during the operating system install.

• Choose whether to join a workgroup or domain, the name of the workgroup or domain, and administrator credentials if joining a domain.

• (For server operating systems only) specify the server license option for client machines.

• Specify network settings for TCIP/IP (DNS and WINS) and NetWare.

• Specify display settings and whether or not to install Terminal Services/Remote Desktop and IIS.

• Specify whether or not to enable the Windows firewall and, if so, what port exclusions to configure.

WARNING: Be sure to select the correct licensing option: Volume license option or Regular license option. Volume license versions of Windows differ in significant ways from Regular license versions, so it is important to select the correct option for the version of the operating system which the template will install.

NOTE: Windows XP, Windows 2000 Server, and Windows 2003 Server all permit the installation of terminal services/remote desktop capability (Windows 2000 Professional does not). This feature is called Remote Desktop on Windows XP Professional and Windows Terminal Services on Windows 2000 Server or Windows 2003 Server.


. . .


• Specify accounts information for the client machine, including local administrator password, whether or not to install the WinINSTALL agent, and if so, whether to install the server or workstation agent, what credentials the agent should use, and any additional accounts to create on the client machine.

• Specify applications to install, post operating system install utilities to run, and whether or not to restore previously inventoried applications.

• Optionally select client machines to use this template when they are reset.

CREATE CLIENTSWhen you select the Clients sub-node of the PXE Client Reset node in the Console tree view, the Console data view displays a list of the PXE clients which have been configured, along with the following information for each client machine:

• Assigned template

• Status

• The date and time of the last backup

To add PXE Reset clients, select the Clients node from the PXE Client Reset tree item in the Console and select Create Client from the Clients menu or right-click context menu, or click the Add Clients button from the menu bar.

The Create PXE Clients dialog will appear, displaying a list of machines currently in the WinINSTALL machine list but not yet configured as PXE Reset clients. Place a check beside all desired machines and click OK to add them to the list of PXE Reset client machines.

NOTE: PXE Client Reset requires that the following ports be open on all PXE Reset Servers:

69 (UDP) - TFTP port

4011 (UDP) - BINL (Boot Information Negotiation Layer) port

In addition, PXE servers must also have open the DHCP ports and the Windows File & Print Sharing ports.



CLIENT PROPERTIESTo view client properties, select Properties from the Client menu or the right-click context menu. The Client Properties dialog will appear, with two tabs:

G E N E R A LThe General tab displays the following information for the selected PXE Reset client:

• Machine Properties (name, SMBios ID, WinINSTALL Machine ID, and MAC address).

• Assigned reset template (the selected entry in a drop-down; use the drop-down to change the selected templage on this dialog, if desired).

• Reset status (and date/time when the status was reported).

• Checkbox to cause a reset on the next reboot.

L O GThe log tab displays PXE reset logs for the selected machine, with the last entry at the top of the list.

RESET A CLIENTWinINSTALL PXE reset enables the resetting of client machines in three ways--immediately launching a reboot and reset, resetting on the next machine reboot, whenever it occurs, or scheduling the reset for a specified time in the future.

I M M E D I A T E R E S E TTo reset a client (or clients) immediately, select the desired client(s) in the PXE Reset client data view, and select Reset Client Now from either the Client menu or the right-click context menu.

The Resetting Clients Now dialog will appear, listing the selected machines and asking for confirmation of the reset. Click OK to immediately reboot and launch a PXE Client Reset operation on the selected machine(s).

NOTE: PXE client machines must have at least the Microsoft-recommended minimum amount of RAM for the operating system being installed (Windows 2000: 64MB, Windows XP and 2003: 128MB).


. . .


R E S E T O N N E X T R E B O O TTo reset one or more clients whenever their next reboot occurs, display the Client Properties dialog by selecting the desired machine(s) and then selecting Properties from the Clients menu or from the right-click context menu.

On the General properties tab, check the Reset on next reboot checkbox. Click OK to save your selection.

The next time the machine is rebooted, a PXE client reset operation will begin.

S C H E D U L E A R E S E TYou can schedule the reset of a PXE client machine in either of two ways:

S C H E D U L E F R O M T H E C O N S O L E S C H E D U L E N O D E1 Highlight the Schedule node in the tree pane.

2 On the Schedule tab in the data pane, click the Add button.

3 On the Schedule Task dialog, select Reset PXE Client, give the task a name; define the schedule that will be used for this task; and specify the client machine(s) which are to be reset.

Click OK.

4 The new task will display on the Schedule tab in the data pane and the scheduling criteria will take effect immediately.

S C H E D U L E F R O M T H E C O N S O L E M A C H I N E S N O D E1 Expand the Machines node in the tree pane and select the All Machines sub-node

beneath.

2 Highlight All Machines in the list pane to display all of the machines on the Machines tab in the data pane.

NOTE: In the current release, the immediate reset method does not work for machines that are up and running with Windows 95 or Windows 98 installed. But you can effect an immediate reset by setting these machines to reset on the next reboot, and then distributing a WinINSTALL package that reboots the target machine.

However, if such machines are not running but are in a state from which they can be booted by Wake on LAN, then immediate reset will work.



3 In the data pane, do one of the following:

• Highlight the machine(s) which are to be reset and select Schedule Task... from the Machines menu at the top of the screen.

• Right-click the machine(s) which are to be reset and select Schedule Task... from the popup menu.

4 On the Schedule Task dialog, select Reset PXE Client.

Give the task a name and define the schedule that will be used for this task.

The machine(s) that you selected in the data pane are already selected as the machine(s) which are to be reset.

Click OK.

5 The scheduling criteria will take effect immediately.

D A T A V I E WThe PXE Client Reset node in the tree view of the WinINSTALL Console , enables management of three items; Servers, Templates, and Clients, by providing a separate node under PXE Client Reset for each. When each node is selected, the Data View presents a list of those items. Double-clicking an item displays property pages to edit that item.

Selecting only the top-level PXE Client Reset node in the tree will display a helpful navigation map in the data view. This map can serve as a guide to new users or as a shortcut for more experienced users.

Each of the data view items is discussed below.

N A V I G A T I O N M A PWhen the root PXE Client Reset node is selected, the data view displays a navigation map of all the major areas of PXE Client Reset with arrows indicating which items relate to other items. This navigation map is intended to make the PXE Reset process simple and easy to

NOTE: In the current release, the scheduled reset method does not work for machines with Windows 95 or Windows 98 installed. But you can effect a scheduled reset by setting these machines to reset on the next reboot, and then scheduling the distribution of a WinINSTALL package that reboots the target machine.

However, if such machines are not running at the time of the scheduled reset but are instead in a state from which they can be booted by Wake on LAN, then scheduled reset will work.


. . .


understand. The arrows indicate which tasks must be completed before other tasks. Each step in the process is represented by an icon and a label. Clicking on an icon will produce the appropriate screen or wizard in the Console. After a step is completed, the dependent steps become enabled, allowing a user to move onto the next task. Note that initially, before any servers, templates, or clients have been configured, most of the steps will be disabled.

Once a user has configured all the PXE Reset components and become familiar with the PXE Reset process, all the steps will have been enabled. The user can continue to use the navigation map as a shortcut or go straight to the specific Servers/Templates/Clients views, as needed.

C L I E N T R E S E T A S S I S T A N TThe PXE Client Reset Assistant is provided to help troubleshoot PXE Reset configuration issues. To access the Client Reset Assistant, display the Navigation Map by clicking on the top-level PXE Client Reset tree node. Then click the Client Reset Assistant button in the lower right-hand of the data view.

The Client Reset Assistant dialog will appear, displaying three tabs. The General tab provides an explanation of the Client Reset Assistant.



A list of all configured client machines appears on the PXE Clients tab, along with the DHCP server and PXE server for each machine, plus current PXE status. Double-click a machine for detailed status information.

A list of all configured PXE servers appears on the PXE Servers tab, along with all operating systems configured for delivery from each server. Double-click a server for detailed status information.

S E R V E R SWhen the “Servers” subnode is selected, the data view displays a list of all configured PXE servers and their major properties, including share path, logon account, and status. Editing a Server (either by double-clicking, or by selecting Properties from the Servers menu or context menu) displays property pages with full details of the server configuration. The number and order of these pages as well as the settings available on each page reflects the organization of the PXE Reset Server Wizard.

T E M P L A T E SWhen the “Templates” subnode is selected, the data view displays a list of all PXE Reset Templates along with the operating system, language, and number of client machines assigned to that template. Editing a Template (either by double-clicking, or by selecting Properties from the Templates menu or context menu) displays property pages with full details of the template settings. The number and order of these pages as well as the settings available on each page reflects the organization of the PXE Reset Template Wizard.

C L I E N T SWhen the “Clients” subnode is selected, the data view displays a list of all machines configured as PXE Reset clients, along with the major PXE Reset properties for each such machine, such as current assigned template (if any), status of last or current (in-process) reset, and the date and time of the last backup performed on that client. Editing a Client (either by double-clicking, or by selecting Properties from the Clients menu or context menu) displays property pages containing status as well as current assigned template, log entries and results from the last reset.

REPLICATIONPXE server files, including operating system files, drivers, and utilities, can be replicated from one PXE server to others, so that each PXE client reset template can be used from multiple servers in your environment.

Details on PXE server file replication are found in the Replicating PXE Server Files section of the Replication chapter of this guide.


. . .

. .P X E C L I E N T R E S E TDHCP and PXE Client Reset

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D H C P A N D P X E C L I E N T R E S E TPXE clients rely on DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) to locate the PXE servers and to locate the boot image to load. As a result, DHCP is a basic requirement for any PXE operation, including WinINSTALL PXE Client Reset.

PXE is available in two distinct versions: DHCP-based PXE and RPL (Remote Program Load) PXE. DHCP-based PXE is what is used in most network environments, while RPL is generally used in NetWare environments only. PXE-capable NICs may support either DHCP-based PXE, RPL PXE, or both.

The fact that PXE requires DHCP places additional restrictions on the network setup:

1 Use of PXE is not possible in a static IP environment.

2 Since DHCP does not cross subnets, each subnet containing a DHCP server must have its own PXE server.

For example, a company with offices in both New York City and Los Angeles would typically have a DHCP server at each site. Such a setup would also require a PXE server at each site. Client machines in Los Angeles could not connect to a PXE server in New York.

3 To support PXE, each DHCP server must have options 66 and 67 enabled. See the next section for details.

REQUIRED DHCP OPTIONSDHCP options are usually identified by number, and, as stated above, PXE requires that the DHCP server have options 66 and 67 set. Option 66 is the address of the PXE server, and option 67 is the filename on the PXE server of the image which the PXE client is to load.

WARNING: A PXE-capable NIC that supports only RPL will not work in a Windows environment.

WARNING: Not all DHCP servers support DHCP options. Examples of those which do not include entry level routers and firewalls from companies like LinkSys, NetGear, D-Link, and SonicWall. While these network appliances can be configured as DHCP servers, they do not support DHCP options and therefore cannot be used in a PXE environment.


P X E C L I E N T R E S E TDHCP and PXE Client Reset3 1

WinINSTALL can automatically set these options on Windows servers which are also acting as DHCP servers. Other DHCP servers will need to have these options enabled manually, and the methods for doing so will vary, depending on the device.

DHCP OPTIONS ON UNIX DHCP SERVERSIf your DHCP server is a PC or server machine running a version of the Unix operating system, then setting DHCP options 66 and 67 will vary, depending on the version of Unix involved.

Typically, setting these options involves editing the file dhcp.conf file, usually found in the /etc folder. Setting DHCP options corresponding to numbers 66 and 67 will require both a command and a parameter to be specified in dhcp.conf for each option.

The contents of a typical dhcp.conf file, configured to enable PXE, will look something like the following:

ddns-update-style ad-hoc;

allow booting;

allow bootp;

subnet 192.168.0.0 netmask 255.255.255.0

{

next-server win2000.attachmate.com;

filename "ClientReset\\PXEStart.bin";

option subnet-mask 255.255.255.0;

option domain-name "attachmate.com";

option routers 192.168.0.1;

NOTE: If your PXE Server is the same machine as your DHCP server, WinINSTALL may indicate that it is unable to set the DHCP options. This is a cosmetic issue: the settings are correct, but WinINSTALL is unable to verify that they have been set successfully. Eventually the DHCP server will refresh its cache and the settings will display correctly.


. . .

. .P X E C L I E N T R E S E TAdding Mass Storage Drivers

option domain-name-servers 192.168.0.1;

range dynamic-bootp 192.168.0.100 192.168.0.199;

default-lease-time 3600;

max-lease-time 7200;

host 1 { hardware ethernet 00:0C:29:F3:CA:92; fixed-address 192.168.0.200; }

}

In this example, the commands that enable PXE are the following two lines:

allow booting;

allow bootp;

These commands enable the DHCP server to allow a machine to boot from an image instead of from the hard drive. For these commands to actually work, though, you’ll also need to specify the following two parameters:

next-server [server address];

filename [path to PXEStart.bin];

These parameters correspond to DHCP options 66 and 67. Option 66 is configured through the next-server parameter in the dhcp.conf file, and option 67 is configured by means of the filename parameter.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A D D I N G M A S S S T O R A G E D R I V E R SThe following steps are necessary to add bootable mass storage drivers for devices such as SCSI and SATA (Serial ATA) drives to PXE Client Reset.

NOTE: The use of two backslashes, instead of one, in ClientReset\\PXEStart.bin, is normal practice in Unix, where you must “escape” a backslash character with another backslash in order to produce the correct character.


P X E C L I E N T R E S E TAdding Mass Storage Drivers3 1

Before you can add a bootable mass storage driver, you must first verify that your driver is the correct type. A typical driver will contain a .CAT and a .SYS file, and the driver must contain a .INF file and the file TXTSETUP.OEM. The driver may also contain additional files as well. In addition to the driver files, you also need to know which operating system and language you are going to update, as well as what service pack is currently slipstreamed into those OS files.

ADDING A SINGLE DRIVER:1 Open the appropriate .SIF file in the file SCSI-SATA.zip (located in the

\\server\WinINSTALL\ClientReset\sif folder). Copy the contents into the appropriate .SIF file in the \\server\WinINSTALL\ClientReset\sif folder.

2 Create the folder \\server\WinINSTALL\ClientReset\lang\os\$oem$\textmode.

3 Copy all of the driver files (including TXTSETUP.OEM) into the textmode folder just created.

4 Edit the file \\server\WinINSTALL\ClientReset\lang\os\$oem$\textmode\txtsetup.oem. Locate the [Disks] section. You may need to modify lines in the [Disks] section so that there is a single backslash after the last comma. A properly formatted section will appear similar to this:

d1 = "Adaptec Family Manager Set v4.0a Service Pack 3", \w2kdsk1, \



5 Next locate the [scsi] section in the file \\server\WinINSTALL\ClientReset\lang\os\$oem$\textmode\txtsetup.oem. For each and every entry in the [scsi] section, copy the text from the right side of the equal sign, and paste it into the [MassStorageDrivers] section of the appropriate .SIF file located at \\server\WinINSTALL\ClientReset\sif. (When copying, it is important to copy the quotes around the SCSI device name.) After each new entry in the [MassStorageDrivers] section, place the text =OEM. So if your txtsetup.oem looks like this:

WARNING: Windows XP and Windows 2003 are supplied in both Volume License and Regular License versions. Volume License and Regular License versions of the same operating system are distinct versions. It is very important that you perform the following steps on the correct files. Volume License versions are identified by the letter ‘V’ (e.g. WinXPpV). Please verify the version of files on your server as well as the version specified in your templates.


\\server\WinINSTALL\ClientReset\sif

\\server\WinINSTALL\ClientReset\lang\os\$oem$\textmode

\\serverWinINSTALL\ClientReset\lang\os\$oem$\textmode\txtsetup.oem

\\serverWinINSTALL\ClientReset\lang\os\$oem$\textmode\txtsetup.oem


. . .

. .P X E C L I E N T R E S E TAdding Mass Storage Drivers

[scsi]

a7899NT50 = "Adaptec Ultra160 Family SCSI Controller Win 2000

(29160, 39160, etc.)"

a78u2NT50 = "Adaptec Ultra2 Family SCSI Controller Win 2000

(2940U2W, 3950U2D, etc.)"

a7892NT50 = "Adaptec Ultra160 Family SCSI Controller Win 2000

(19160)"

The corresponding entries created in the .SIF file would be:

[MassStorageDrivers]

"Adaptec Ultra160 Family SCSI Controller Win 2000 (29160, 39160,

etc.)"=OEM

"Adaptec Ultra2 Family SCSI Controller Win 2000 (2940U2W, 3950U2D,

etc.)"=OEM

"Adaptec Ultra160 Family SCSI Controller Win 2000 (19160)"=OEM

6 In the appropriate .SIF file located at \\server\WinINSTALL\ClientReset\sif, locate the [OEMBootFiles] section. Add an entry for each and every file located in the \\server\WinINSTALL\ClientReset\lang\os\$oem$\textmode folder. The following is an example of what this section might look like:

[OEMBootFiles]

txtsetup.oem

aic78xx.inf

aic78xx.cat

aic78xx.sys

ADDING MULTIPLE DRIVERS:To add multiple mass storage drivers to the same operating system, add the first driver using the steps listed above. For each additional driver added after that, follow the steps above except do the following as step 3.

3 Copy all of the driver files except TXTSETUP.OEM into the textmode folder. The TXTSETUP.OEM file contents must be merged with the existing TXTSETUP.OEM file. Below are the steps necessary to merge the two files:

Each TXTSETUP.OEM file contains multiple sections. The sections need to be merged together as follows:

• The [Disks] and [scsi] sections

You can copy all entries in these sections from one file to the other.



\\server\WinINSTALL\ClientReset\lang\os\$oem$\textmode

P X E C L I E N T R E S E TPXE Client Reset Troubleshooting3 1

• The [Defaults] section

You can ignore the Defaults section; you do not need to copy entries from one file to the other.

• All remaining sections

The remaining sections should be unique. Copy all remaining sections including the section header from one file to the other. The remaining sections should be one or more [Files.scsi.xxx] and [Config.xxx]. Your driver may optionally contain one or more [HardwareIds.scsi.xxx] sections.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P X E C L I E N T R E S E T T R O U B L E S H O O T I N GThis section presents solutions to several problems that could be encountered during PXE Client Reset operations.

A CLIENT RESET FAILS WITH TFTP ERRORS (E.G. TFTP TIMEOUTS, TFTP FAILED TO READ, ETC. )

TFTP errors can have a variety of causes. The following is a list of potential solutions to try:

1 Verify your DHCP server options 66 & 67 are correct. Option 66 should be set to your PXE server. Option 67 should be set to the string ClientReset\PXEStart.bin.

2 It is possible for DNS and/or WINS issues to cause TFTP errors. If your network has DNS and/or WINS resolution problems, please resolve those issues and try again. You can also use a different syntax for option 66 to help resolve DNS/WINS issues. If option 66 is a short name (for example, Sisko), replace it, if possible, with a fully qualified domain name (FQDN). For example, Sisko.attachmate.com. Better yet, if the PXE server machine has a static IP address, put the static IP address into option 66 instead of the machine name.

3 Verify the PXE server has the WinINSTALL Server (not Workstation) Master Agent installed.

4 Verify the PXE server is “active.” Double-click on the server in the PXE Servers tree node in the Console, the checkbox for “active” should be checked.

5 Verify the PXE agent is running. Double-click on the PXE server in the Machines List, the agent status list at the bottom displays the running agents and their current status.

6 If there is a firewall on the PXE server machine, verify that UDP ports 69 and 4011 are open. The method of opening ports in the firewall depends on which firewall is installed. The Windows Firewall is configured in Control Panel. Create UDP port openings for 69 and 4011. Please note that some software not listed as featuring a


. . .

. .P X E C L I E N T R E S E TPXE Client Reset Troubleshooting

firewall can nonetheless behave like a firewall. A good example of this is Norton Anti-Virus software.

7 TFTP errors will also be raised if the client NIC does not contain a PXE ROM or the PXE ROM is disabled. If the ROM is disabled, you will need to download a utility provided by the manufacturer and then use that utility to configure the NIC. If the NIC does not contain a PXE ROM, you have three choices:

• You can buy a ROM for the existing NIC.

• You can replace the NIC with one that does have a ROM.

• Or you can try the PXE boot floppy in the Console. Note: the PXE boot floppy does not work with all hardware, but it is worth a try.

8 Stop and restart the Master Agent on the PXE server.

A CLIENT RESET FAILS WITH AN ERROR MESSAGE ABOUT MISSING NETWORK DRIVERS:

Depending on the operating system being installed, setup could fail with an error such as the following:

Windows Setup

------------------

The operating system image you selected does not contain the necessary drivers for your network adapter. Try selecting a different operating system image. If the problem persists, contact your system admininstrator.

Setup cannot continue. Press any key to exit.

To resolve this issue, you will need to add the Windows drivers for the NIC on the client machine to the PXE server.

If you know what network card is in the client machine, download the drivers from the manufacturer and add them on the Drivers property page for the PXE server.

If you do not know what network card is in the client machine, when you view the log for the failed client reset you should see a message resembling the following:

A suitable network card driver was not available for this hardware, please add the appropriate driver. The hardware identification string is 'PCI\VEN_14E4&DEV_1677&SUBSYS_01791028&REV_01'.

The hardware identification string contains the vendor and device IDs. You will need to write these down for use in the next step. In the above example, the vendor and device IDs are 14E4 and 1677, respectively.


P X E C L I E N T R E S E TPXE Client Reset Troubleshooting3 1

Next, visit the web site http://www.pcidatabase.com/ and search for the vender and device IDs. The result of this search will tell you the make and model of your NIC.

Download the drivers from the manufacturer and add them on the Drivers property page for the PXE server.

A CLIENT RESET FAILS WITH AN ERROR MESSAGE SAYING IT WAS UNABLE TO FIND A PREVIOUS VERSION OF WINDOWS TO UPGRADE:

This problem may display slightly different error messages, depending on the operating system being installed:

1 Windows XP

Windows XP Professional Setup

---------------------------------------

Setup cannot find a previous version of Windows installed on your computer. To continue, Setup needs to verify that you qualify to use this upgrade product.

Please insert one of the following Windows product CDs into the CD-ROM driver: Windows XP Home Edition (full version), Windows XP Professional (full version), Windows 2000 Professional, Windows Millennium, Windows 98, Windows NT Workstation 4.0, Windows 95, or Windows NT Workstation 3.51.

* When the CD is in the drive, press ENTER.

* To quit Setup, press F3.

2 Windows Server 2003, Standard Editon

Windows Server 2003, Standard Edition Setup

--------------------------------------------------------


Please insert your Windows NT 3.51, Windows NT 4.0 or Windows 2000 Server CD into your CD-ROM drive.

3 Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition

Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition Setup

----------------------------------------------------------


http://www.pcidatabase.com

. . .

. .P X E C L I E N T R E S E TKnown Microsoft Issues Affecting PXE Client Reset


Please insert your Windows NT 4.0 Server, Windows NT 4.0 Enterprise Edition, Windows 2000 Server, or Windows 2000 Advanced Server CD into your CD-ROM drive.

4 You may also receive an error message saying Windows was unable to format the disk because of insufficient memory.

Windows XP Professional Setup

---------------------------------------

Setup cannot format the partition.

Your computer may not have enough memory to perform this operation, or your Windows XP CD-ROM may contain some corrupted files.

Setup cannot continue. To quit Setup, press F3.

These errors may occur if the operating system files located on the PXE server are the MSDN (Microsoft Developer Network) version.

There are two solutions:

1 Recopy the operating system files to your PXE server using either the Retail or OEM versions.

2 Edit the file server\WinINSTALL\ClientReset\lang\os\i386\txtsetup.sif:

Locate the SetupSourcePath value in the [SetupData] section. Set this value equal to “\”.

[SetupData]

SetupSourcePath = "\"

K N O W N M I C R O S O F T I S S U E S A F F E C T I N G

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P X E C L I E N T R E S E T

PROBLEM: UNATTENDED INSTALLATION OF WINDOWS 2000 MAY FAIL .A bug in Windows 2000 versions causes unattended installs of Windows 2000 to prompt for an existing version of Windows to perform an update.


P X E C L I E N T R E S E TKnown Microsoft Issues Affecting PXE Client Reset3 1

S O L U T I O N :Using the WinINSTALL Console, slipstream Windows 2000 SP3 or greater into your Windows 2000 OS files.

PROBLEM: SLIPSTREAMING XP SP2 MAY RESULT IN A CRASH.Slipstreaming XP SP2 from a WinINSTALL Console running on a Windows 2000 machine may result in a crash in the slipstream process. This is a bug in XP SP2, the crash occurs when manually slipstreaming XP SP2 on a Windows 2000 machine.

S O L U T I O N :There are two solutions to this issue:

1 Use a WinINSTALL Console on a XP machine to slipstream the OS files.

2 Recopy the Windows XP files using a CD that contains XP with SP2 already slipstreamed in.

PROBLEM: UNATTENDED INSTALLATION OF WINDOWS 2003 SERVERS MAY FAIL SAYING IT CANNOT FIND A PREVIOUS COPY OF WINDOWS TO UPGRADE.

There is a bug in the Windows 2003 Standard and Enterprise Server MSDN versions only. This bug causes unattended installs of Windows 2003 Server to prompt for an existing version of Windows to perform an update. Below is the text that is displayed during a Windows 2003 Server Enterprise and Standard installation using the MSDN versions of the OS files.

• For Windows 2003 Server Enterprise Edition:

Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition Setup

===============================================


Please insert your Windows NT 4.0 Server, Windows NT 4.0 Enterprise Edition, Windows 2000 Server, or Windows 2000 Advanced Server CD into your CD-ROM drive.

• For Windows 2003 Server Standard Edition:


. . .

. .P X E C L I E N T R E S E TKnown Microsoft Issues Affecting PXE Client Reset

Windows Server 2003, Standard Edition Setup

=============================================


Please insert your Windows NT 3.51, Windows NT 4.0 or Windows 2000 Server CD into your CD-ROM drive.

S O L U T I O N :There are two solutions to this issue:

1 Slipstream Windows 2003 Service Pack 1 or greater into the OS files using the console.

2 Recopy the Windows 2003 Server files using a retail (not MSDN) version of Windows 2003.


P X E C L I E N T R E S E TKnown Microsoft Issues Affecting PXE Client Reset3 1


. . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .CLIENT RESET 32

ne of WinINSTALL’s most powerful features is the ability to completely reset workstations remotely. This process can begin by formatting the hard drive and continue with installing or reinstalling the operating system, service packs, and

application packages. With the WinINSTALL Desktop Availability Suite, you can use the Personality Transfer feature to add the automatic restoration of user data and settings to this client reset process. With a minimum of effort, you can create a WinINSTALL package that will back up user data and settings, reformat the hard drive, reinstall the operating system and service packs, reinstall either specified applications or the applications which were found on the machine before the reset, maintain the pre-reset machine name, redeploy the WinINSTALL Agent, and, finally, restore the user data and settings that were backed up at the start of the process--a complete and total workstation rebuild, with no manual steps and without ever having to visit the workstation. And within the WinINSTALL Console, this process can be initiated as simply as dragging the WinINSTALL package and dropping it on a workstation (or group of workstations).

WinINSTALL’s client reset feature can be extremely helpful in a variety of situations:

• For disaster recovery

• To solve difficult software problems

• To upgrade the operating system on an existing machine

• To replace a user’s existing machine with a new one

• To build new machines

WinINSTALL’s Client Reset feature lets you address each of these situations - quickly and easily restoring workstations to their original, functional condition, efficiently upgrading workstation operating systems, effortlessly refreshing the operating system and software on existing workstations, and swiftly and consistently configuring new workstations as they are needed.

The five steps in the normal Client Reset workflow are described in the sections below. The description of the final step - resetting the workstation - includes a detailed explanation for each of the three types of Client Reset boot media: hidden reset partition, boot floppy, and boot floppy package.

This chapter also includes sections describing how you can view and modify a Client Reset Template after it has been created, and how you can tailor many aspects of the behavior of the Client Reset process to meet the requirements of your users and environment.

O


C L I E N T R E S E TThe Client Reset Workflow3 2

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . T H E C L I E N T R E S E T W O R K F L O WThe normal workflow for Client Reset is outlined below. Each of the steps will be discussed in detail in this chapter.

1 Configure a Client Reset Share. (A client reset share is created when you install the WinINSTALL share; it is simply a CR folder under the share.)

2 Create a Client Reset Template.

3 Configure additional Client Reset Shares as needed, and replicate Client Reset Templates to these shares for network load-balancing.

4 Create Client Reset boot media (boot floppy, boot floppy package, or hidden reset partition) that will use a specific Client Reset Template to reset a workstation.

5 Use the Client Reset boot medium (boot floppy, boot floppy package, or hidden reset partition) to actually perform the reset on a workstation.

WinINSTALL makes each of these steps very easy, providing wizards to help you with the tasks of creating Client Reset Templates and boot floppies or boot floppy packages.

THE CLIENT RESET SHAREThe term Client Reset Share refers to the CR directory within the WinINSTALL share. It is this folder, created during installation of the WinINSTALL Share, which contains all the files needed to reset client workstations: MS-DOS boot files, network drivers and networking files, and all of the files needed to install the new operating system(s). Because these files need to be accessible from the client workstations during the boot process, they must be made available on network share that is accessible from DOS.

When you select the WinINSTALL share where the Client Reset Templates will be stored, you must make sure that the share has enough space to hold all the files that will be placed there - each operating system in each language you will support, plus the MS-DOS files and drivers required for boot-up.

Configuring a Client Reset Share is the simple process of specifying the credentials which clients will use to connect to the share during their boot process. Once you have specified these credentials, WinINSTALL uses them in all Client Reset boot media, to make the necessary resources on the share available during Client Reset operations.

THE CLIENT RESET TEMPLATEThe key step in resetting a workstation is to create a Client Reset Template for the desired operating system. A Client Reset Template contains all of the information needed to install a single, specific operating system (including service packs, if desired) in a specific language. And the template can also specify software applications to be installed immediately after the operating system is installed.


. . .

. .C L I E N T R E S E TThe Client Reset Workflow

You can use a single Client Reset Template for many workstations, as long as those workstations will all use the settings specified in that template. You can also create multiple templates to install the same operating system with different settings. Templates which install the same operating system share a single copy of the files used for installing that operating system.

CLIENT RESET REPLICATIONIf your environment includes multiple WinINSTALL servers, you will probably want to replicate your Client Reset templates (and their supporting operating system files) to all the WinINSTALL servers. Just as you would want to each WinINSTALL server to distribute application software only to those workstations located nearby, you would also want to have workstations access their local servers for Client Reset purposes. To facilitate local access, WinINSTALL can replicate Client Reset templates from one server to another, using all the bandwidth-saving features of the WinINSTALL replication capability, including multicast replication, scheduling, and recurring updates.

CLIENT RESET BOOT MEDIAAll three types of WinINSTALL Client Reset media are based on the concept of a floppy disk, though only one of the methods actually uses a floppy disk. When you step through the Client Reset Template Wizard, you can select which method to use and the Wizard will handle the details automatically.

B O O T F L O P P YWhen you create a Client reset boot floppy, you build a diskette containing all the files needed for a floppy diskette that boots the workstation under MS-DOS, formats the hard disk, accesses the Client Reset network share, downloads all the files needed to set up the new operating system and then reboots to the hard disk. The other two types of Client Reset media are based on this same set of files and instructions.

If you instruct the Client Reset Boot Floppy Wizard to create a boot floppy, then at the appropriate point, you will be prompted to insert a bootable floppy diskette. The Wizard will copy all the necessary files from the Client Reset Share to the diskette.

One important characteristic of the boot floppy is that, since it involves booting the client system from a physical diskette in a diskette drive, it cannot be accomplished while the workstation is unattended. Someone must insert the floppy diskette for the initial boot up, and someone must remove the diskette when it is time to boot up from the hard disk.

B O O T F L O P P Y P A C K A G EThe boot floppy package is the recommended method of resetting a workstation under WinINSTALL. This method involves using the complete set of files that would make up the


C L I E N T R E S E TThe Client Reset Share3 2

Client Reset boot floppy, but creating a single file diskette image, rather than a physical diskette.

The Wizard then creates a WinINSTALL application package containing this boot floppy image file, and you can distribute this package to workstations you want to reset--using any of WinINSTALL’s many software distribution methods. When this package is installed, the boot floppy image is executed, causing the workstation to boot from the image in a RAM drive instead of from a physical floppy diskette.

An important advantage of this method over the boot floppy is that a boot floppy package can be executed on an unattended workstation since it does not involve a physical floppy diskette.

H I D D E N R E S E T P A R T I T I O NWinINSTALL provides a third mechanism for resetting a workstation: creating a hidden reset partition on the floppy disk. WinINSTALL will write to this hidden partition all of the files that would have been included on the reset floppy. When a client reset is launched on a system with a hidden reset partition, the system is booted to the hidden partition, which then performs all the same steps that the boot floppy would perform, but because there is no floppy disk involved, it is not necessary to have anyone present at the workstation: the process will automatically boot from the main partition at the appropriate point in the process.

While the hidden reset partition does not require anyone present at the workstation for the client reset to take place, it does require a preparatory step on the workstation: the creation and population of the hidden reset partition itself. This step can be automated through a WinINSTALL package, or it can be presented to the end user as a simple shortcut to execute, or it can be created during a floppy (or floppy package)-based reset. Once the hidden partition has been created, the workstation can be reset at any time.

The Client Reset Template settings are stored in the hidden partition. If you make any changes to the template after creating the hidden partition, you will need to re-create the hidden partition on any target workstation(s) before they can use those changes.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . T H E C L I E N T R E S E T S H A R EThe first time that you click the Client Reset node in the tree pane, the Configure Client Reset Share dialog displays. The process of configuring the share consists of supplying credentials for the DOS boot floppies and Hidden Reset Partitions to use to connect to the share to retrieve the necessary operating system files.

Add the logon account credentials and click OK to configure the Client Reset Share.


. . .

. .C L I E N T R E S E TThe Client Reset Template

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . T H E C L I E N T R E S E T T E M P L A T EYou create a Client Reset Template with the Client Reset Template Wizard. You must have your own licensed copies of the MS-DOS files needed for booting up, and you must also have your own copies of the setup files for the specific operating system installed by the Client Reset Template you are creating: none of these files are included with WinINSTALL. Both of these file sets are stored in the WinINSTALL share (beneath the CR folder, also known as the Client Reset share) used by the Console at the time the template is created.

When you are creating the template, you must have access to the setup files for the operating system to be installed by the template.

In addition, the first time that you create a template for a specific operating system in a specific language, you must have access to the following groups of MS-DOS files:

• MS-DOS Boot files

The MS-DOS files must be the same version as the boot diskette you plan to use, either DOS 6.22 or DOS 7.0 (from Windows 9x). These files can be obtained from a variety of sources. If the file system will be FAT32, you must use the Windows 98 MS-DOS files.

• MS-DOS Network Interface Card driver files

The NIC driver files allow the workstation to access the network share, where the rest of the reset files are stored in the distribution server area.

You can obtain individual NIC drivers from a Windows NT 4.0 Server CD, or from an installation of Windows NT 4.0 Server on which the Network Client Administrator is configured to create boot disks. But you can probably find the most recent NIC drivers for your particular card on the manufacturer’s Web site. Microsoft Client NIC drivers have the file name extension .DOS.

You can obtain NetWare Client drivers from the Novell web site or from an installation of NetWare 4.x or 5.x. VLMs are used exclusively for client boot disks to connect to NetWare distribution servers. You should copy these files to a convenient location, either on your Console machine or on the Client Reset Share. NetWare client drivers have the file name extension: .COM.

WARNING: If you are using a NetWare server for your Client Reset server, the client boot disk cannot be based on Windows 95 OSR2.


C L I E N T R E S E TThe Client Reset Template3 2

• MS-DOS network client files

The MS-DOS network client files allow the workstation to connect to the Client Reset Share after booting under MS-DOS.

You can obtain Microsoft Client network drivers for MS-DOS from a Windows NT 4.0 Server CD, or from an installation of Windows NT 4.0 Server on which the Network Client Administrator is configured to create boot disks. But a better source is the Microsoft web site, which you can reach by simply clicking the Download button on the DOS Client Files dialog.

If you have already supplied these files for a specific operating system in a specific language, you will not be prompted for them again when you create additional templates for the same operating system and language. You may also need to supply special MS-DOS files and commands if a workstation needs them to function properly. (For example, a laptop with a PCMCIA card may need additional files.)

• Operating system setup files

You must have access to the operating system setup files and the corresponding license key. If you will be installing a service pack, you will need access to that file as well.

In the Client Reset template, you can specify the following configuration and network information:

• Workstation configuration information - whether to partition the volume, volume label, kind of file system to use, and installation directory name

• Whether Windows NIC drivers will be specified or the installer should detect the network adaptors and install the appropriate drivers

• Network client software to be installed - Microsoft, NetWare, or both - and related information

• Workgroup or domain information and credentials

• Network protocol information

• Windows NIC drivers used by this template (needed only for NICs produced after the release of the operating system and therefore not supported natively by the operating system)

WARNING: WinINSTALL Client Reset does not support NICs configured for Plug & Play. If the NIC in the client computer is configured for Plug & Play, the client will be unable to connect to the distribution server.


. . .

. .C L I E N T R E S E TClient Reset Template Wizard

• Whether the template will support the creation of a hidden Reset Partition

• Whether an installation log file will be created and level of information to be logged

Optionally, if you want a set of applications to be installed on the workstation after it has been reset, you must specify that the template use Dynamic List Files or a specified WinINSTALL list file that holds the desired application packages. You have the alternate option of specifying a different utility to run and a username and password that will give you access to the server where the utility is located.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C L I E N T R E S E T T E M P L A T E W I Z A R DThe Client Reset Template Wizard is designed to step you through the process of creating a Client Reset Template. Once you have selected the Client Reset node in the Console tree pane, you can launch the Client Reset Template Wizard in either of two ways:

• Select Create Template from the Template menu.

• Right-click on the Client Reset Template node in the Console tree pane and select Create Template from the context menu.

Either method will launch the Client Reset Template Wizard, which will present an introductory screen explaining the purpose of the Wizard. The rest of the panels in the Wizard are explained in detail below.

CLIENT RESET TEMPLATE NAMEThe Client Reset Template Name panel asks for a descriptive name for the template, presents a choice of methods to install the operating system and allows you to specify another template on the same share from which to copy some of the settings. The following fields enable you to provide this information:

Later in the Wizard, you will be presented with either the Microsoft Windows Setup Panels or the Image Install Panels, below, depending on the operating system install method specified here.

Template Name • Descriptive name for the template being created.

Operating system installation method

• Radio buttons specifying either Microsoft Windows setup or Third-party image install.

Copy settings from template

• Checkbox enabling copying of settings from other templates on the same share. Checking this box enables a drop-down where you can select from among the existing templates on the current share.


C L I E N T R E S E TClient Reset Template Wizard3 2

OPERATING SYSTEM AND LANGUAGEThe Operating System and Language panel enables selection of the template operating system and language from drop-downs.

MS-DOS BOOT FILESThe MS-DOS Boot Files panel enables you to specify the location of the files necessary to boot MS-DOS on the boot floppy or reset partition before launching the Windows setup to install the selected operating system.

The panel presents a list of the following required MS-DOS files with icons indicating whether or not each file has been located and copied to the share:

COMMAND.COM

EMM386.EXE

HIMEM.SYS

IO.SYS

KEYB.COM

KEYBOARD.SYS

MSDOS.SYS

RAMDRIVE.SYS

SMARTDRV.EXE

SYS.COM

You can click either the Browse for Files or Browse for Folder button to provide the location of these files.

TIP: These boot files can all be found on a Windows 98 CD or on a machine with Windows 98 installed.

TIP: If you locate the needed files and put them into a single folder, you can use the Browse for Folder button to point to that folder, and the Wizard will retrieve all the required files in a single operation.


. . .


MS-DOS NETWORK INTERFACE CARD DRIVERSWhen the reset partition or boot floppy initially starts the reset process, it needs to connect to the WinINSTALL Client Reset Share under MS-DOS. The MS-DOS Network Interface Card Drivers panel enables you to provide the DOS drivers needed for that process. The DOS drivers are specific to the network cards you are using. These drivers are generally available from the NIC manufacturers’ web sites.

This panel presents a list of MS-DOS NIC drivers. The list is empty by default, but you can add as many drivers as you need. For each listed driver, the following information appears in columns on the panel:

Click the Add icon to display the Add MS-DOS NIC Driver dialog, where you enter the necessary information as follows:

• Enter an identifying description of the Network Interface Card in the Card description field.

• Enter or browse to the location of the Driver file (typically a *.dos file).

• Optionally, click the Confirm NIC identification prior to loading driver checkbox and enter the hexadecimal vendor and device IDs. This information will enable the boot disk to select the correct driver from a collection of NIC drivers.

To edit a listed NIC, select the desired entry in the list and click the Edit icon to display the Edit MS-DOS NIC Driver dialog, displaying the same fields and controls as the Add MS-DOS NIC Driver dialog, described above.

To delete a NIC from the list, select the desired entry in the list and click the Delete icon.

MS-DOS NETWORK CLIENT F ILESThe MS-DOS Network Client Files panel enables you to specify the location of the files necessary for the boot floppy or reset partition to connect to the Client Reset Share over the

Once

NOTE: Once you have specified the location of the DOS Boot Files for one template, you will no longer be asked for them when creating additional templates for other operating systems.

Description • Identifying text.

Driver • Driver file (usually *.dos).

Vendor • Hexadecimal ID for the NIC manufacturer.

Device • Hexadecimal ID for the specific NIC.



network using MS-DOS in order to launch the Windows setup to install the selected operating system.

The panel presents the following list of required MS-DOS networking files with icons indicating whether or not each file has been located and copied to the share.

EMSBFR.EXE

HOSTS

IFSHLP.SYS

LMHOSTS

NEMM.DOS

NET.EXE

NET.MSG

NETBIND.COM

NETH.MSG

NETWORKS

NMTSR.EXE

PROTMAN.DOS

PROTMAN.EXE

PROTOCOL

SERVICES

TCPDRV.DOS

TCPTSR.EXE

TCPUTILS.INI

TINYRFC.EXE

UMB.COM

You can click the Browse for Files or Browse for Folder button to provide the location of these files, or you can click the Download button to connect directly to the Microsoft internet site and automatically download the files.


. . .


ADDITIONAL MS-DOS COMMANDS AND DRIVERSOn the Additional MS-DOS Commands and Drivers panel, you can specify lines of text that should be added to the AUTOEXEC.BAT and/or CONFIG.SYS files.

Check the Add lines to AutoExec.bat file checkbox to enable the edit box beneath it, where you can enter text to be added to the AUTOEXEC.BAT file on the boot floppy or reset partition.

Check the Add lines to Config.sys file checkbox to enable the edit box beneath it, where you can enter text to be added to the CONFIG.SYS file on the boot floppy or reset partition.

In addition, the panel presents a list of Additional MS-DOS files to be included on the boot floppy or reset partition. This list is intended for MS-DOS files that might be required by the template. For example, if the template might be used to reset a laptop, you would need to add the appropriate MS-DOS files to support the PCMCIA card.

Clicking the Copy File . . . button displays the Locate and copy additional MS-DOS files dialog, enabling selection of files to be added to the list and copied to the share. Once in the list, each file has a checkbox beside it. If the checkbox is checked, the file will be copied to the boot disk.

TIP: The simplest way to acquire these files is to click the Download button, which instructs WinINSTALL to automatically connect to the Microsoft web site and retrieve them.

TIP: These network client files can all be found on a Windows NT 4 Server CD.

Once

NOTE: Once you have specified the location of the DOS Network Client Files for one template, you will no longer be asked for them when creating additional templates for other operating systems.



MICROSOFT WINDOWS SETUP PANELSIf you specified a Microsoft Windows Setup install on the Client Reset Template Name panel at the start of the Wizard, you will be presented with the following nine panels, instead of the two Image Install Panels, below.

O P E R A T I N G S Y S T E M F I L E SOn the Operating System Files panel, you enter path or browse to the location of the operating system setup files (from the operating system CD), and you provide the desired license key as well.

The operating system files will not be copied to the share until the completion of the Wizard, when the template is actually created.

S E R V I C E P A C KThe Service Pack panel allows you to specify a service pack to install after the operating system, if desired.

If the checkbox to Install service pack is checked, you can browse to or enter the path to the service pack files.

P R E P A R A T I O NThe Preparation panel enables specification of how the client system’s hard disk will be configured prior to installing the operating system. The following settings are available:

NOTE: You must browse to the i386 folder for the Wizard to be able to find the operating system files.

WARNING: If you specify a service pack, it will be installed by all templates which install the specified operating system.

Partition the volume • Whether to partition the system drive on the client machine:

• Never

• Only when necessary

• Always.


. . .


N E T W O R K I N T E R F A C E C A R D D E T E C T I O NThe Network Interface Card Detection panel provides a checkbox to Let the operating system installer pick the network card drivers (recommended). This box is checked by default, but if you uncheck it, you can then enter or browse to the setup .inf file for the desired network card.

You can also click the Copy File . . . button to browse for network card driver files to add to the list, or you can click the Copy Disk . . . button to browse to an entire folder of drivers to copy.

N E T W O R K C L I E N T SOn the Network Clients panel, you select the network client software to be installed on the client system: Microsoft, NetWare, or both.

If you check the Microsoft client checkbox and the template is installing Windows 98, you must also specify the user logon domain.

If you check the NetWare client checkbox, you must specify the preferred server and use the checkbox to specify whether or not to process the NetWare login script.

If you check both the Microsoft and NetWare checkboxes, then you must also select a radio button to specify the primary logon (Microsoft or NetWare).

File system conversion • What file system to use on the client machine system drive:

• FAT

• FAT32

• NTFS.

Partition size • How large to make the system partition on the client machine:

• Use entire disk for main partition.

• Specify maximum size for main partition (in GB).

Volume label • Name for the system volume on the client system.

Installation directory name

• Name for the Windows directory on the client system.

NOTE: The recommended procedure is to allow the installer pick the NIC drivers. However, in some instances the NIC might be newer than the operating system being installed. In such cases, you will need to specify the NIC drivers that should be used.



J O I N D O M A I N O R W O R K G R O U PIf you checked the Microsoft client checkbox on the Network Clients panel, The Join Domain or Workgroups panel offers a choice of joining the client computer to a workgroup or a domain. You must supply the name of the workgroup or domain and, if you have selected to join a domain, you must also supply the username and password of a domain administrator (who can authorize the addition of the client machine to the domain).

N E T W O R K P R O T O C O L SOn the Network Protocols panel, you specify one or more network protocols to be used by the template - TCP/IP, IPX, and/or NetBEUI. (If you are creating a template for Windows NT, 2000, XP, or 2003, you must use TCP/IP.)

If you select TCP/IP, the following additional settings are available:

• IP addresses can be assigned by DHCP or as a static address. If you enter a static IP address, you must also specify a subnet mask.

• You have the option of specifying primary and secondary WINS addresses.

• You have the option of specifying the name of the DNS domain, and the IP address of the DNS server.

NOTE: Windows 98 computers can belong only to workgroups.

NOTE: TCP/IP is required for templates installing operating systems other than Windows 95 and Windows 98.

NOTE: If you specify the use of a static IP address, the template will accept a default IP address and subnet mask on this panel, but it will prompt for these values during the reset to avoid having multiple clients using the same IP address.


. . .


S E R V E R L I C E N S E O P T I O N SThe Server License Options panel appears only if you are installing a server operating system. On this panel, you specify the way in which the software is licensed - per server or per seat - and whether or not to install IIS.

M I S C E L L A N E O U SThe Miscellaneous panel enables specification of the following three items:

IMAGE INSTALL PANELSIf you specified a third-party image install on the Client Reset Template Name panel at the start of the Wizard, you will be presented with the two following panels, instead of the nine Microsoft Windows Setup Panels, above.

O P E R A T I N G S Y S T E M I M A G E I N S T A L L E R P A N E LOn the Operating System Image Installer panel, you can enter or browse to the executable which will actually install the image on the client system.

In addition, you can specify additional supporting files needed by the image installer (such as overlay files, for example), by clicking the Add button and then browsing to or typing in the desired path and filename for each additional file.

O P E R A T I N G S Y S T E M I M A G E F I L E S P A N E LOn the Operating System Image Files panel, you can select from a drop-down the desired image file to install with this template. If the desired image file is not available as a selection in the drop-down, you can click the Add button and browse to or type in the full path and filename.

In addition, this panel provides a text box for any desired command line parameters to pass to the image file installer.

WININSTALL APPLICATION INSTALLATIONThe WinINSTALL Application Installation panel enables specification of whether or not to have WinINSTALL or another application execute at the conclusion of the operating system installation.

Time zone • Select desired zone from drop-down.

Provide default username

• Checkbox, enables addition of default Username for registration.

Organization • Name of organization for registration.



If the Enable post-OS installation software installation checkbox is checked, radio buttons are enabled to allow a choice between running the WinINSTALL Automatic Installer or a custom application.

If the Run WinINSTALL Automatic Installer radio button is selected, you can choose one of two options:

• Use Dynamic List (see the Dynamic List Files section of this chapter for details).

• Enter or browse to the desired WinINSTALL Application list file.

If the Run custom application radio button is selected, you must enter or browse to the UNC path for the application to run, and you can also enter parameters to pass to this application on execution, plus logon credentials (Username and Password) needed to access the custom application file.

MS-DOS NIC DRIVERS AND RESET PARTITION OPTIONOn the MS-DOS NIC Drivers and Reset Partition Option panel, you can specify four categories of information.

N E T W O R K C A R D D R I V E R SThe panel displays a list of all the MS-DOS NIC drivers that were located and copied on the MS-DOS Network Interface Card Drivers panel, earlier in this Wizard. Here you place a checkbox beside those specific drivers that will be needed by workstations to be reset using this template.

H I D D E N R E S E T P A R T I T I O NA checkbox on this panel specifies whether or not this template will support the creation of a hidden reset partition on the workstation. A hidden reset partition will allows a workstation to be reset in the future without any external media - using either the Reset Workstation application on the workstation or by pressing Control-R during workstation boot-up.

If the Support hidden Reset Partitions checkbox is checked, you have the further option of installing shortcuts to create Reset Partitions on the client machine. If you elect to install these shortcuts, they will appear in the user’s Start Menu and allow him to create a Reset Partition simply by executing the shortcut.

TIP: If you use only a few NIC cards in your network, it is a good idea to include all of them on all of your templates.


. . .

. .C L I E N T R E S E TAdditional Client Reset Shares (optional)

L O G G I N G A N D D I A G N O S T I C SThe Client Reset process can log its activities for troubleshooting purposes. To enable this feature, check the Create installation log file checkbox.

For extremely detailed diagnostic information, also check the Log additional diagnostic information checkbox.

D E P L O Y W I N I N S T A L L A G E N TTo deploy the WinINSTALL agent at the end of the Client Reset process, simply check the Deploy WinINSTALL Agent checkbox and enter in the Username and Password fields the credentials needed to deploy the agent to the client machine.

COMPLETION Click the Finish button on the Completion panel to copy the operating system files and complete the creation of the client reset template. It may take several minutes to copy the operating system files to the share from a network drive or CD-ROM.

A D D I T I O N A L C L I E N T R E S E T S H A R E S

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ( O P T I O N A L ) The WinINSTALL replication service can copy Client Reset Templates from one WinINSTALL share (i.e., from one CR folder in a WinINSTALL share) to another. Replication has a number of benefits. Templates can be created at one location and used in another without modification. And the replication service reduces network traffic and minimizes slowdowns during work hours by making use of multicast replication and by allowing you to schedule replication jobs to run during out-of-office hours.

NOTE: The Client Reset log file is stored in the WinINSTALL share at \CR\Distrib\Logs\lgnnnnnn.txt, where nnnnnn is dependent on the date and time.

TIP: You cannot copy one template to another, but you can choose to have the settings from an existing template used to pre-set the values in a new template. (See the Copy Settings from Template option on the Client Reset Template Name panel, above).


C L I E N T R E S E TAdditional Client Reset Shares (optional) 3 2

To create multiple Client Reset Shares, you must have multiple WinINSTALL shares. Refer to the WinINSTALL Installation Guide for instructions on how to create additional WinINSTALL shares.

HOW TO CREATE A CLIENT RESET SHARE1 In the tree pane, select a Client Reset Template under the Client Reset node.

2 In the list pane, select Client Reset Shares.

3 In the data pane, click the Add New icon on the Shares tab.

4 Enter the appropriate information on the Create Client Reset Share dialog and click OK.

HOW TO CONFIGURE A CLIENT RESET SHARE1 In the tree pane, select a Client Reset Template under the Client Reset node.


3 In the data pane, highlight a share on the Shares tab and click the Configure button.

4 On the Configure Client Reset Share dialog, enter the logon account and password to be used by clients to access the share during the Client Reset process. Click OK to configure the Client Reset Share.

HOW TO REPLICATE A CLIENT RESET TEMPLATE:To create and schedule jobs to replicate Client Reset Templates, you use The Replication Job Creation Wizard, described in detail in the Replication chapter of this guide. You can schedule a template replication job in either of two ways:

• When you are creating the replication job, you can add scheduling information on the Schedule panel of the Replication Job Creation Wizard.

• After a template replication job has been created, you can highlight it under the Replication node in the tree pane, click Properties in the list pane, and click the Schedule tab in the data pane.

You can schedule the replication job to recur once a day, once a week, once a month, once a year, at a specified daily interval, or on a specified day of the week. You set the time when the schedule begins and set it to have no end or to end on a specific date or after a specific number of occurrences. For more information on scheduling template replication jobs, refer to the Schedule section of the Replication chapter of this guide. For detailed information on scheduling, including scheduling replication jobs, refer to the Scheduling chapter of this guide.


. . .

. .C L I E N T R E S E TCreating Client Reset Boot Media

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C R E A T I N G C L I E N T R E S E T B O O T M E D I AYou create boot floppies and boot floppy packages with the Boot Floppy Creation Wizard. You create reset partitions with a properly enabled boot floppy or from a link to the Client Reset share provided by the administrator.

BOOT FLOPPY CREATION WIZARDThe Boot Floppy Creation Wizard provides a simple, quick method of producing WinINSTALL a Client Reset Boot Floppy, Boot Floppy image file, or Boot Floppy Package.

To launch the Boot Floppy Creation Wizard, select the desired Client Reset Template and then select Create Boot Floppy, from either the Template menu or the right-click context menu. The Wizard will present a Welcome panel, followed by four additional panels, each of which is described in detail below.

C L I E N T R E S E T S H A R EThe Client Reset Share panel presents a list of configured Client Reset shares. Select the share for the boot floppy to connect to and then click the Next button to proceed.

M S - D O S N E T W O R K I N T E R F A C E C A R D D R I V E R SThe MS-DOS Network Interface Card Drivers panel presents a list of all available MS-DOS Network Interface Card driver files, as configured on the MS-DOS Network Interface Card Drivers, panel of the Client Reset Template Wizard. Place a check next to each driver you want to include on the boot floppy and then click the Next button to proceed.

U N I Q U E S E T T I N G SThree settings are available on the Unique Settings panel:

• If you check the Create a Reset Partition checkbox, then during the reset process, the boot floppy will automatically create a Reset Partition on the client system for use with future resets.

NOTE: Each shortcut (.LNK) file runs the Create Reset Partition application from the particular Client Reset Share on which the selected template exists.


C L I E N T R E S E TCreating Client Reset Boot Media3 2

• If you enter an Optional user name in the provided field, then the user will not be prompted for a user name during the reset process. This entry is critical if you intend to perform an unattended reset.

• If you check the Enter values for unique (one-machine use) boot floppy checkbox, the Computer name field will be enabled, allowing you to enter the desired computer name for the one client to be reset using the boot floppy.

If you do not enter a value for the computer name, WinINSTALL will automatically re-use the pre-reset name when resetting managed machines. See the section of this chapter titled Retaining the machine name after a reset for details.

But if you are resetting an unmanaged machine, for example a brand new PC, you will be prompted for the computer name during the reset unless you enter a value here. Therefore, when resetting an unmanaged machine, this entry is critical if you intend to perform an unattended reset.

C O M P L E T I N G T H E B O O T F L O P P Y C R E A T I O N W I Z A R DThe final panel in the Boot Floppy Creation Wizard presents three radio buttons offering a choice of Boot Floppy Destinations:

NOTE: The option to Create a Reset Partition is available only if the selected template supports the creation of reset partitions. See the Hidden Reset Partition section of this chapter for details on setting this option in the Client Reset Template Wizard.

WARNING: If you enter a name in the Computer name field, the resultant floppy, floppy image, or boot floppy package can be used only with a single client machine. The reason is that the name you specify in this field will be assigned to any machine reset with this floppy. If you use it with more than one client machine, they will have duplicate names.

TIP: If you are resetting a managed machine, you do not need to specify a computer name because WinINSTALL will automatically re-assign the existing name to the client machine after the reset. See the section of this chapter entitled Retaining the machine name after a reset for details.


. . .

. .C L I E N T R E S E TCreating Client Reset Boot Media

C R E A T E A B O O T F L O P P YThe default selection is to create a boot floppy, meaning to write out the necessary files and settings to an actual floppy disk. If you select this option, you will also need to select the target drive from the provided drop-down, which includes all the removable drives on the local system, and you’ll need to insert a floppy disk when you click the Finish button.

C R E A T E A B O O T F L O P P Y I M A G E F I L EA boot floppy image file is a .ima file from which you can create a boot floppy using the utility Ima2Floppy.exe, found in the \Bin directory of the WinINSTALL share.

The creation of an image file, rather than a physical floppy, makes it possible to replicate the image file to remote WinINSTALL shares, where it can be used to create physical floppies as needed.

Selecting this option on the Completing the Boot Floppy Creation Wizard panel requires you to browse to or enter a path and filename for the image file to be created.

C R E A T E A W I N I N S T A L L B O O T F L O P P Y P A C K A G EThe most powerful (and recommended) method of resetting a workstation is through the use of a boot floppy package. This method combines the use of a boot floppy image file (see above) with the flexibility of a WinINSTALL software distribution package. In addition, this method uses an additional technology called a Virtual Floppy, which is essentially a boot floppy image copied to a RAM disk on the client. The client is then rebooted to the RAM disk as though it were a floppy disk. The result is a package that can be distributed to any workstation to perform an unattended reset, without need for a floppy disk or a Reset Partition.

Using a WinINSTALL package to launch the reset adds additional, important advantages. For example, the package can be configured to automatically back up user data and settings before beginning the reset. And the package can be distributed by any of WinINSTALL’s many distribution methods, including scheduling the distribution to occur during off hours.

If you select the Boot Floppy Package option on the Completing the Boot Floppy Creation Wizard panel, you will need to enter or browse to a path and filename for the WinINSTALL package (.nai file) to be created.

In addition, you have the option of checking the Backup files and settings before reset checkbox, which will add to the package a call to the WinINSTALL migration agent to run a backup before launching the reset. In this case, you also have the option of selecting a backup template to use for this backup, or of using the default, which will back up all supported applications and options except networking.


C L I E N T R E S E TReset a Workstation3 2

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . R E S E T A W O R K S T A T I O NA client reset can be accomplished by any of three methods: Hidden Reset Partition, physical Boot Floppy, and Boot Floppy Package. The sequence of events and the options available differ, depending on the method used to perform the reset.

Under ordinary circumstances, the recommended method of performing a client reset is by boot floppy package. But each of the methods has its advantages and disadvantages. No one method is appropriate for all circumstances. Each reset method is described in detail below.

USING A HIDDEN RESET PARTITIONA hidden reset partition can be a convenient method for executing a planned, unattended reset, but it can also provide an effective recovery mechanism if a machine is unable to boot up at all.

You can reset a workstation in two different ways using a hidden reset partition:

• If the workstation is up and running, a reset can be initiated by executing a special WinINSTALL utility from within Windows (the WinINSTALL Reset Workstation application).

• The other method will work even if the machine is unable to boot up. This second method is executed by pressing CTRL-R at a certain point during the boot process.

Both methods require that you first create a client reset template supporting reset partitions and that the workstation has had a hidden reset partition installed.

Depending on the reset method you use, you must specify appropriate settings in the Client Reset Template.

NOTE: Neither of these methods is available on the workstation if a reset partition has not been previously installed. If you need to reset a workstation which has no reset partition, you must use one of the other two reset methods: a physical floppy disk or a boot floppy package.

TIP: A WinINSTALL hidden reset partition provides an excellent disaster recovery safety net because a workstation can be reset from a hidden partition even when the operating system is unable to boot.


. . .

. .C L I E N T R E S E TReset a Workstation

H O W T O R E S E T A W O R K S T A T I O N F R O M A H I D D E N P A R T I T I O N

1 Create a Client Reset Template with the Client Reset Template Wizard. The template must support hidden reset partitions and may optionally put a shortcut to the Reset Workstation application on the client machine’s Start Menu.

On the MS-DOS NIC Drivers and Reset Partition Option panel, you must be sure to check the Support hidden Reset Partitions checkbox to specify that the template support the use of hidden partitions. If desired, you can also check the Install Client Reset shortcuts into Start Menu checkbox to specify that a link to reset the workstation using the hidden reset partition be placed on the Start Menu.

• Optionally, on the MS-DOS NIC Drivers and Reset Partition Option panel, you can also specify that the WinINSTALL Agent should be deployed to the machine after reset. (This setting will put managed machines back into their previous state in the WinINSTALL environment.) To do this, simply check the Deploy WinINSTALL Agent checkbox.

2 Create the hidden reset partition on the machine to be reset. You can do this in any of several ways:

• Create a WinINSTALL package which runs as an external process the WIRPAdd.exe utility, which will automatically create the hidden partition. Distribute this package to the desired client machine(s) by any of the available WinINSTALL package distribution mechanisms. For instructions on how to create the command line for WIRPAdd.exe, see the section Details of WIRPAdd.exe, later in this chapter.

• Provide the workstation user with a shortcut to WIRPAdd.exe, the executable file that creates a hidden reset partition, and instruct the user to run it. The recommended procedure is to provide the user with one of the WIRPAdd.lnk shortcuts that were generated on saving the reset partition-enabled template. These shortcuts appear in the list of Shortcuts to the Create Reset Partition application on the Activation Method tab of the Client Operation section of the Client Reset template. You can copy from this list control to an e-mail message or other method to send the .lnk file to users.

• Run a boot floppy, which has been configured to create a hidden reset partition, on the machine.

To create a boot floppy that will create a hidden reset partition, run the Boot Floppy Creation Wizard, and on the Unique Settings panel, specify that the boot floppy should create a hidden reset partition during the reset. (If you have specified that the template used by the boot floppy supports the creation of hidden reset partitions, this option will have automatically been selected for you).

Optionally, you can also specify a username and a computer name to be automatically used during the reset.


C L I E N T R E S E TReset a Workstation3 2

3 Initiate client reset from the hidden partition. This can be done in several ways:

• Reboot the machine and press Ctrl-R at the appropriate point. (You have a window of ten seconds to do this during the boot process).

• Create a WinINSTALL package which calls as an external process the WinINSTALL reset workstation utility, WIRPWks.exe, and distribute that package to the target machine by any of WinINSTALL’s many package distribution methods.

• On the target machine, browse to the reset workstation utility, WIRPWks.exe, and double-click it.

• Use the shortcut to WIRPWks.exe in the Start Menu. (This shortcut will be present only if you chose the option to create this shortcut when you created the Client Reset Template) and have since used that template to reset the workstation.

USING A PHYSICAL BOOT FLOPPY If you have a reliable person at the physical workstation, you can use an actual floppy disk to reset the workstation. You can simply boot from the floppy drive, using a Client Reset boot floppy, to connect to the network, install the operating system and applications, and bring the new machine into the WinINSTALL environment.

H O W T O R E S E T A W O R K S T A T I O N F R O M A P H Y S I C A L B O O T F L O P P Y

1 Create a Client Reset Template with the Client Reset Template Wizard. There are no special required settings to use a physical boot floppy.

Optionally, on the MS-DOS NIC Drivers and Reset Partition Option panel, you can check the Deploy WinINSTALL Agent checkbox to specify that the WinINSTALL Agent should be deployed to the machine after reset. (This setting will put managed machines back into their previous state in the WinINSTALL environment.)

NOTE: Specifying that a boot floppy create a hidden partition results in a boot floppy which, itself, is configured to reset the workstation. The creation of the reset partition is a feature of the boot floppy reset process, enabling the use of the reset partition if a subsequent reset is desired at some future time.

TIP: The physical boot floppy method is useful for systems with a new hard disk and no operating system installed, or where a system has crashed and cannot be rebooted (and does not have a WinINSTALL hidden partition available).


. . .

. .C L I E N T R E S E TReset a Workstation

2 Create a boot floppy with the Boot Floppy Creation Wizard. On the Completing the Boot Floppy Creation Wizard panel, elect to create a boot floppy.

3 Insert the boot floppy in the floppy drive of the machine that is being reset. The machine boots up from the floppy and connects to the share where the Client Reset Template is stored. The Client Reset Template settings and files are used to format the hard drive, install the operating system, install any specified applications, and deploy the WinINSTALL Agent, if specified. You will be prompted to remove the floppy disk, at the appropriate point during the process, to boot from the newly formatted hard disk.

USING A BOOT FLOPPY PACKAGEA boot floppy package uses a virtual boot floppy to reset the workstation. A virtual boot floppy package consists of a WinINSTALL package containing a file which is an image of an actual boot floppy. When this WinINSTALL package is installed on the target workstation, it uses the image of the boot floppy to populate a RAM disk on the target workstation, which then boots from that RAM disk to begin the reset process.

H O W T O R E S E T A W O R K S T A T I O N U S I N G A B O O T F L O P P Y P A C K A G E

1 Create a Client Reset Template with the Client Reset Template Wizard. No special settings are required to support a boot floppy package.

Optionally, on the MS-DOS NIC Drivers and Reset Partition Option panel, you can check the Deploy WinINSTALL Agent checkbox to specify that the WinINSTALL Agent should be deployed to the machine after reset. (This setting will put managed machines back into their previous state in the WinINSTALL environment.)

2 Create a boot floppy package with the Boot Floppy Creation Wizard. On the Completing the Boot Floppy Creation Wizard panel, elect to create a WinINSTALL boot floppy

NOTE: A boot floppy package requires that Windows be running on the machine to be reset, while a physical boot floppy does not. As a result, a boot floppy is useful for disaster recovery.

The

TIP: The boot floppy package is the recommended method for performing a WinINSTALL client reset. This method requires no preparation of the workstation and can be used on any workstation to which you can distribute a WinINSTALL package, even if that workstation is unattended.


C L I E N T R E S E TView or Modify an Existing Client Reset Template3 2

package. You will need to provide a path and filename for the WinINSTALL package (.nai file) that will be created.

3 You can now add the package to a list file, if desired, and distribute the package you created to any workstation by means of any of the WinINSTALL package distribution methods, including drag and drop, scheduling, e-mail, etc.

V I E W O R M O D I F Y A N E X I S T I N G C L I E N T

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . R E S E T T E M P L A T E After you have run the Client Reset Template Wizard to create a reset template, you can use the Console to review and/or change the settings you entered in the wizard.

To view or modify an existing Client Reset Template, highlight it under the Client Reset node in the tree pane. Five categories display in the list pane:

• Operating System:

• Application Package

• Distribution Files

• Client Operation

• Client Reset Shares

As you click each category, context-sensitive tabs display in the data pane. On these tabs, you can view or modify the settings that govern the actions performed by the Client Reset Template when it is used to reset a workstation.

Each of these settings was originally specified in the Client Reset Template Wizard, discussed in detail above. You can change almost all of them on these tabs, the main exceptions being the operating system and language.

If you modify a Client Reset Template, you must save your changes by clicking the Save icon on the toolbar or choosing File --> Save from the menu bar.

OPERATING SYSTEMWhen you select a specific client reset template beneath the Client Reset node in the tree pane and select Operating System in the list pane, seven tabs display in the data pane - General, Preparation, Windows NIC Driver, Network Clients, Protocols, Licensing, and Region.


. . .

. .C L I E N T R E S E TView or Modify an Existing Client Reset Template

G E N E R A L T A BThe General tab displays read-only summary information for the template: the operating system and language installed by the selected template, the location of the Client Reset Share (i.e., WinINSTALL Share) where the template is stored, the template GUID, and the date and time when the template was last modified.

P R E P A R A T I O N T A BThe Preparation tab contains the template settings concerning the hard disk - whether and how to partition the disk, which file system to use (NTFS, FAT32), an optional label for the volume, and the name of the installation directory. See the Preparation section of this chapter for details.

W I N D O W S N I C D R I V E R The Windows NIC Driver tab presents the settings concerning the Windows network card driver to be used during OS installation - whether to use a specified NIC driver or to let the installer choose the NIC driver. You can enter information on this tab only if the selected template installs Windows NT or greater. See the Network Interface Card Detection section of this chapter for details.

N E T W O R K C L I E N T S T A BThe Network Clients tab specifies settings for the network client software to install on the workstation during client reset and the credentials used for installing it. See the Network Clients and Join Domain or Workgroup sections of this chapter for details.

P R O T O C O L S T A BThe Protocols tab contains settings for the network protocol information - IPX, NetBEUI, and TCP/IP; whether to use a static IP address or have it assigned dynamically; and the TCP/IP configuration settings, including DNS and WINS servers. See the Network Protocols section of this chapter for details.

L I C E N S I N G T A BThe Licensing tab lets displays the name of the organization registered as owner of the operating system installed by the template, and the default user name for the workstation logon after reset.

If the template is installing a server operating system, this tab also displays options for operating system software licensing - per server or per seat - plus whether or not to install IIS.

See the Miscellaneous section of this chapter for details.



R E G I O N T A B The Region tab presents the time zone that will be used on workstations reset by the template. See the Miscellaneous section of this chapter for details.

APPLICATION PACKAGE With a client reset template selected in the tree pane, selecting Application Package in the list pane will display a single tab in the data pane: Software Installation.

All of the settings on the Software Installation tab are optional. These settings instruct the client reset process to use WinINSTALL to install applications on a workstation as soon as the operating system has been installed.

You can specify a particular list file that holds the packages to be installed, you can specify that the dynamic list file be used (this choice will result in the installation of the same set of applications that the workstation had before the reset) or you can instruct the client reset process to run a custom application. In this last case, you can also provide a username and password to use to connect to the UNC where the custom application is located.

See the WinINSTALL Application Installation section of this chapter for details.

DISTRIBUTION FILES With a client reset template selected in the tree pane, selecting Distribution Files in the list pane will display five tabs in the data pane: OS Files, DOS Boot Files, DOS Client Files, DOS NIC Drivers and Additional DOS Files.

O S F I L E S T A B The OS Files tab specifies the location from which the template will copy the operating system files used to reset a workstation, as well as the license key that will be used to install that operating system.

This tab also offers the option of specifying a service pack to be installed with the operating system.

See the Operating System Files section of this chapter for details.

WARNING: Adding or changing a service pack will affect all Client Reset Templates that use this operating system.


. . .


D O S B O O T F I L E S T A B The DOS Boot Files tab lists the MS-DOS boot files to be used with the selected template. You can use the Browse for Files button and/or the Browse for Folder button to locate and copy the needed files.

See the MS-DOS Boot Files section of this chapter for details.

D O S C L I E N T F I L E S T A B The DOS Client Files tab lets you modify the MS-DOS client files to be used with the selected template. You can use both the Browse for Files button and the Browse for Folder button to locate and copy files. This tab also provides a Download button, which will allow you to retrieve the needed files from Microsoft’s web site.

See the MS-DOS Network Client Files section of this chapter for details.

D O S N I C D R I V E R S T A B The DOS NIC Drivers tab lets specifies the MS-DOS NIC drivers for the network interface card (NIC) that will be used to connect the workstation to the network during client reset. All of the NIC drivers in the database display on this tab. See the MS-DOS Network Interface Card Drivers section of this chapter for details.

A D D I T I O N A L D O S F I L E S T A B On the Additional DOS Files tab, you can specify changes to be made to the autoexec.bat or config.sys files during client reset, and you can also specify additional MS-DOS files to be added to the template.

TIP: If individual files are in different locations, use the Browse for Files button to select them individually or a few at a time. If a large number of files reside in a single folder, use the Browse for Folder button to navigate to the folder and copy all appropriate files found there.

TIP: If individual files are in different locations, use the Browse for Files button to select them individually or a few at a time. If a large number of files reside in a single folder, use the Browse for Folder button to navigate to the folder and copy all appropriate files found there. Alternatively, and most conveniently, you can use the Download… button to have the files automatically downloaded and copied from Microsoft’s website.



You would enter information on this tab if some workstations that will be using the template require additional MS-DOS drivers or commands to function properly. A common example is a laptop with a PCMCIA-based NIC.

See the Additional MS-DOS Commands and Drivers section of this chapter for details.

CLIENT OPERATIONWith a client reset template selected in the tree pane, selecting Client Operation in the list pane will reveal two tabs in the data pane: Activation Method and Other Settings.

A C T I V A T I O N M E T H O D T A BThe Activation Method tab lists the MS-DOS Network Interface Card (NIC) driver(s) available to the template and specifies whether or not the template supports the creation of a hidden reset partition.

If the template supports reset partitions, a list of shortcuts to the Create Reset Partition application displays.

See the Network Card Drivers and Hidden Reset Partition sections of this chapter for additional details.

O T H E R S E T T I N G S T A BThe Other Settings tab presents the logging settings for the template and specifies whether or not the WinINSTALL Agent should be deployed to the workstation after reset.

If you elect to create an installation log file, the default setting instructs WinINSTALL to log standard installation events to a log file, but you can check the Log additional diagnostic information checkbox to instruct WinINSTALL to log additional, detailed trouble-shooting information.

NOTE: All specified files must be compatible with the language selected for this template.

NOTE: The shortcuts to the Create Reset Partition application can be used to create Reset Partitions on workstations that are currently operating in your environment. Right-click the link and select Copy from the popup menu. Then just paste the link into an email or text file.


. . .


If you specify that the Agent should be deployed, you must provide credentials with adequate privileges to perform the deployment.

See the Deploy WinINSTALL Agent and Logging and Diagnostics sections of this chapter for details.

CLIENT RESET SHARES With a client reset template selected in the tree pane, selecting Client Reset Shares in the list pane will reveal a single tab in the data pane: Shares.

This tab presents the description and path to the Client Reset Share used by the Console, and it also enables the specification of other Client Reset Shares to which this share can be replicated.

The information on the Shares tab displays in two areas. At the top is description of and path to the Client Reset Share configured for the selected template. The Configure button enables the modification of the description and logon information for this share on the Configure Client Reset Share dialog.

Beneath this area is a list of Client Reset Shares to which the selected template can be replicated.

The following information displays for each replicated Client Reset Share in the list:

• Description

• Location

• Status

• Last Updated

To add a new Client Reset Share to which the selected share will be replicated, click the Add New icon and enter the required information on the Create Client Reset Share dialog and click OK.

To delete a Client Reset Share from the list, highlight the share and click the Delete icon.

To edit a Client Reset Share in the list, highlight the share and click the Edit icon. Make the desired changes on the Configure Client Reset Share dialog and click OK.

See The Client Reset Share section of this chapter for additional details.

NOTE: Client Reset Share refers to the WinINSTALL share where Client Reset Templates are stored in the CR folder.


C L I E N T R E S E TAdvanced Client Reset Operations3 2

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A D V A N C E D C L I E N T R E S E T O P E R A T I O N S

DETAILS OF WIRPADD.EXEThe WIRPAdd.exe utility creates a hidden partition and populates it with the necessary MS-DOS files from the share, making this partition a substitute for a boot floppy.

When a template is configured to support hidden reset partitions, saving the template generates a folder beneath the RPClient sub-directory of the Client Reset Share. The folder name is the GUID for the template, and the folder contains the same files that a boot floppy contains.

In addition, saving the template also generates a list of shortcuts, each of which can be e-mailed to users. These shortcuts contain the appropriate WIRPAdd.exe command line to create the hidden partition on the workstation, as follows.

When WIRPAdd.exe runs, it connects to the distribution site specified on its command line, creates a virtual floppy image and copies the contents of the appropriate RPClient sub-folder to the virtual floppy image. It next boots the workstation from the virtual floppy to create the hidden partition, and it finally copies the contents of the virtual floppy to the new hidden partition. At this point, the hidden partition is complete, so the workstation is returned to its standard boot configuration and restarted back into Windows. The hidden reset partition is now in place and ready to be used at any time in the future as a Client Reset boot mechanism.

RETAINING THE MACHINE NAME AFTER A RESETIf a machine has had its inventory information merged into the WinINSTALL database, the Client Reset process can take advantage of this data to rebuild the machine with the same machine name, the same WinINSTALL machine ID, and, if you like, the same applications that it had before the reset.

With a workstation’s inventory data in the WinINSTALL database, the reset process will, after the reset, automatically assign the same machine name and WinINSTALL machine ID that the workstation had before the reset.

No special configuration or settings are required to enable this feature, other than assuring that an inventory has been run on the target machine at some time in the past. Doing this will avoid creating duplicate machines in the WinINSTALL database.

DYNAMIC L IST F ILESIf your WinINSTALL application lists include packages matching those applications found on the target workstation before the reset—and if the target workstation’s inventory data has been merged into the database at some time before the migration, another helpful client reset feature is automatically available.


. . .

. .C L I E N T R E S E TAdvanced Client Reset Operations

You can have WinINSTALL automatically reinstall these same applications following the reset, simply by selecting the appropriate setting in the client reset template: check Enable post-OS installation software installation, select Run WinINSTALL automatic installer, and check Use Dynamic List.

Each time a Merge sub-agent updates the WinINSTALL database with new application information for any workstation, the Publisher sub-agent builds (or rebuilds) a special WinINSTALL application list file for that workstation only. This list file contains an entry for each inventoried application which matches an application package in a WinINSTALL list file.

For example, if the inventory process detects an application called XXX Application and the WinINSTALL list files contain either a .nai file or .msi file for an application with the same name, then the Publisher sub-agent will add the XXX Application, including a path to its package within the WinINSTALL share, to the dynamic list file for that specific workstation. If you reset this workstation with a template which specifies use of the dynamic list file, then XXX Application will automatically be installed at the end of the reset process (along with any other applications which appear in both the workstation’s inventory and the WinINSTALL list files).

A P P L I C A T I O N M A P P I N GWinINSTALL provides administrators the additional option of making package substitutions during the installation of a dynamic list file. That is, you may tell the Client Reset process “do not install application X—if application X is in the dynamic list, install application Y instead.”

This substitution is accomplished by the Publisher sub-agent, which checks, before writing out a dynamic list file, for the presence of up to two application mapping files, one global and one machine-specific.

These mapping files must be manually created and maintained. WinINSTALL will not create or modify them - but it will use them if it finds them in their specified place and format. To be processed, these mapping files must be in a specific format, must be located in specific share folders, and must have specific names.

M A P P I N G F I L E N A M E S A N D L O C A T I O N SMapping files are processed only if they are located in the WinINSTALL share, in the Packages\DynList\ folder. The global mapping file is named AppMap.txt. The machine-specific mapping file is named machinename.txt, where machinename is the WinINSTALL machine name.



M A P P I N G F I L E F O R M A TEach mapping file contains records in three tab-delimited columns. This format is intended to make creation and maintenance of these files easily accomplished through a tool of the your choice, such as Excel.

The first column must contain the package name of the application to be replaced. The second column must contain the package name of the application to be substituted for the application in the first column. And the third column must contain the share-relative path and filename of the package named in the second column.

The first column of a mapping file may include wildcard characters (* and/or ?) to make substitutions more flexible. Thus, if the first column contained, for example, *Adobe*, then any application with Adobe in its name would be qualified for the substitution specified in columns two and three.

M A P P I N G F I L E P R O C E S S I N GThe Publisher sub-agent creates the dynamic list file by following this procedure:

1 First, the Publisher queries the database for the names and paths of the packages installed on the target node. It then generates a list of applications to be written to the dynamic list file.

2 If the global mapping file does not exist, the Publisher simply writes out the dynamic list file.

3 If the global mapping file exists, the Publisher determines whether any of the applications listed in column one of the global mapping file are found in the target machine’s list.

4 If none of the column one applications are installed on the target node, the Publisher proceeds to Step 5. For each application in column one of the global mapping file that is installed on the target node, the Publisher replaces that application with the application and package listed in columns two and three.

5 If the machine-specific mapping file does not exist, the Publisher writes out the dynamic list file.

6 If the machine-specific mapping file exists, the Publisher determines whether any of the applications listed in column one of the machine-specific mapping file are found in the target list.

7 If none of the applications in column one of the machine-specific mapping file are installed on the target node, the Publisher writes out the dynamic list. For each application in column one of the machine-specific mapping file that is installed on the target node, the Publisher replaces that application with the application and package listed in columns two and three and then writes out the dynamic list.


. . .

. .C L I E N T R E S E TAdvanced Client Reset Operations

USER DATA AND SETTINGSThe Personality Transfer capability included in the WinINSTALL Desktop Availability Suite enables you to back up and restore user data and settings. By combining this back up and restore capability with the other features of Client Reset, you can accomplish a complete reset of a user’s PC, formatting the hard drive, installing the operating system, installing and (even upgrading) applications, and finally restoring the user’s data and settings, all with no need for user intervention of any kind - in fact, you can do all this remotely, while the user’s PC is unattended, and you can even schedule such an operation to take place after hours, when no one is in the office!

To include the backing up and restoring of a user’s data and settings in a Client Reset operation, you must use a boot floppy package to perform an automatic client reset, and the WinINSTALL Agent must be deployed to the machine to be reset before the reset operation begins. (Of course, you can also use a boot floppy package to perform resets that do not include user data and settings or existing application sets).

H O W T O P E R F O R M A C O M P L E T E C L I E N T R E S E T , I N C L U D I N G U S E R D A T A A N D S E T T I N G S :

1 Create a Client Reset Template with the Client Reset Template Wizard and be sure to specify the following settings:

• On the WinINSTALL Application Installation panel of the Client Reset Template Wizard, check the Install Dynamic List File checkbox. This setting ensures that all the installed packages detected by WinINSTALL before the reset will be reinstalled automatically at the end of the reset.

• On the MS-DOS NIC Drivers and Reset Partition Option panel, check the Deploy WinINSTALL Agent checkbox. This setting will put managed machines back into their managed state in the WinINSTALL environment.

2 In the supplied list of WinINSTALL packages, within the WinApps.lst list file, is a Client Reset Samples sub-list. Make sure that the Restore User Data package in that sub-list is enabled for install. Each Dynamic List File includes at the end a reference to this Restore User Data package. If the package is enabled, then WinINSTALL will attempt to restore user data and settings when it reaches this point in the processing of the Dynamic List File.

3 Run theBoot Floppy Creation Wizard to create a Client Reset Boot Floppy Package.

TIP: Installing the WinINSTALL agent is required to enable the restoring of user data and settings at the end of the reset.



On the final page of the Wizard, select Create Boot Floppy Package, and be sure to check the Backup files and settings before reset checkbox to specify that user data and settings be backed up before the reset.

If desired, select a personality transfer template to be used for the back up. If you do not specify a template, the back up will use the default template, which includes all supported settings and data except networking.

4 Finally, to reset the workstation, you simply need to have WinINSTALL install the boot floppy package on the machine to be reset. The boot floppy package can be distributed by any available WinINSTALL distribution method, including drag and drop, schedule, etc. The following actions will be taken when the boot floppy package is installed:

• The data and settings on the machine will first be backed up, using either the specified personality transfer template or the default template, if no template was specified. (The default template extracts all user data and settings, except the network settings)

• The machine will reboot using the virtual floppy contained in the boot floppy package, and it will connect to the share where the Client Reset Template is stored.

• The hard drive will be formatted.

• The operating system specified in the Client Reset template will be installed.

• The newly rebuilt machine will be re-named to its previous machine name.

• Service packs will be installed, if specified in the Client Reset template.

• The WinINSTALL Agent will be deployed to the machine so that the machine will be manageable from the WinINSTALL console, and so that user data and settings can be restored.

• The Dynamic List file will be processed to install the applications which were found on the machine before the reset.

• The Restore User Data and Settings package will be installed as the last application in the Dynamic List File, to restore the user data and settings from the backup taken at the start of the Client Reset process. The most recent data in the backup repository for the target machine is located according to the name of the machine on which the restore is running.

WARNING: When you are performing a client reset including backing up and restoring user data and settings, you cannot use a Windows 9x machine as the target machine. Restoring user data and settings is not supported on Windows 95 or Windows 98.


. . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .REPLICATION 33

inINSTALL Replication can duplicate application list files, WinINSTALL packages, MSI packages, patches and transforms, patch packages, Personality templates and repositories (WinINSTALL Desktop Availability Suite only),

PXE server files (WinINSTALL Desktop Availability Suite only), and Client Reset templates, from one WinINSTALL share to another.

Replicated packages are duplicated in their entirety, including all referenced files. As a result, you can create packages in one location and use them at another location without having to modify them. Using replication enhances package availability, decreases vulnerability to a single point of failure, and provides a measure of load-balancing for installation of applications.

WinINSTALL supports both unicast and multicast replication. You can specify which of these two protocols should be used, or you can allow WinINSTALL to make the determination. Unicast protocols are connection-based. Multicast protocols are connection-less and require network hardware and software that supports multicast protocols.

While you can run replication jobs in real-time, they are usually executed via scheduling. Scheduling lets you choose how frequently the replication job will run as well as the specific days and times for the job to run. Depending on your needs, you can schedule the replication job to run during off-peak hours. This will reduce network traffic and minimize slowdowns during working hours.

WinINSTALL Replication involves two or more machines configured as WinINSTALL servers. While the files are moved between WinINSTALL shares, the actual moving of the files is accomplished by WinINSTALL server agents.

NOTE: WinINSTALL Replication requires each WinINSTALL server to be running one of the following operating systems - Windows NT4 with Service Pack 5 or greater, Windows 2000, Windows XP, or Windows 2003. Replication will not install or run on a Windows 9x machine or Novell server.

TIP: Replication operates only between machines designated as WinINSTALL servers. You assign a role of server or workstation in the Add Machines Wizard, on the Add Machine dialog, or on the Machine Properties dialog.

W


R E P L I C A T I O NThe Replication Job Creation Wizard3 3

Replication in most cases moves data from the source server’s first owned share to all the target server’s owned shares. Exceptions to this rule are Client Reset Templates, which are always replicated to a selected share, and package replication, which can work as other replication jobs do, or can be configured to replicate to an absolute path (either local to the target server or a UNC path).

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . T H E R E P L I C A T I O N J O B C R E A T I O N W I Z A R DTo create or edit a WinINSTALL Replication job, you will run the Replication Job Creation Wizard, which steps you through the process of creating the replication job. You can launch the Replication Job Creation Wizard in a number of ways, but the most direct is probably to select the Replication node in the Console tree pane, then either select Create Job from the Replication menu, or just right-click and select Create Job from the context menu.

Running the Replication Job Creation Wizard involves entering data on the following screens:

REPLICATION JOB NAME AND TYPEAfter an introductory page, the Wizard presents the Name and Type page, where you provide two items of information:

NOTE: Replication moves data from the source server’s first owned share to (in most cases) all the target server’s owned shares.

For information on share ownership and setting a server’s first owned share (in the case of a server owning multiple shares), see Configuring Share Ownership in the Managing Machines chapter of this guide.

Replication Job Name

• Name by which the job will be identified in the list of Replication jobs and in reports.

Job type • Radio buttons allowing selection among the following types of replication jobs:

• Application Package and List replication

• Client Reset Template replication

• Patch replication


. . .

. .R E P L I C A T I O NThe Replication Job Creation Wizard

REPLICATION JOB SETTINGSThe next Wizard page presents selections for the following replication job settings:

REPLICATION DATA SOURCESA job-type-specific page appears next in the Replication Job Wizard, depending on the type of replication job being created. This page allows you to specify the specific data to be replicated in this job. The corresponding data source page for each of the four job types is discussed individually below.

A P P L I C A T I O N P A C K A G E A N D L I S T S O U R C E SThis page of the Wizard appears only if you have selected Application Package and List replication as the job type. The page presents a list of packages and lists to be replicated in this job. For each item in the list, the following information is included in the list:

• Personality replication (available in the WinINSTALL Desktop Availability Suite only)

• PXE server files replication (available in the WinINSTALL Desktop Availability Suite only)

Job server • Select the sending server for the replication job from the drop-down. Target servers are selected on a later page.

Transport mechanism

• WinINSTALL replication can operate by unicast (one-to-one transmission) or multicast (one-to-many transmission). Multicast offers significant bandwidth savings if it’s supported in your network. On this page, you can select either Unicast or Multicast or Automatic (Automatic means use Multicast if possible, Unicast otherwise).

Overwrite setting

• Whether to overwrite all target files or only older target files. Default is only older target files.

Bandwidth throttling

• Whether or not to limit the amount of bandwidth used by the replication job, and, if so, the bandwidth (in KB/sec) to use as the limit.

Package • File name of the package or list.

Path • Full path to the package or list.

Type • NAI, MSI, or LST.



Click the Add icon to display the Source Application Packages dialog, which enables you to browse the file system for packages and lists or to select from a list of all the managed packages and lists on the selected job server.

To remove a package or list from the list of packages and lists to replicate, select the desired package or list and click the Delete icon .

C L I E N T R E S E T T E M P L A T E S O U R C E SThis page of the Wizard appears only if you have selected Client Reset Template replication as the job type. The page presents a list of Client Reset templates to be replicated in this job. For each item in the list, the only included information is the name of the template:

Click the Add icon to display the Source Client Reset Templates dialog, which enables you to select from a list of all the Client Reset templates on the selected job server. Select the desired template(s) and click OK to add them to the list of templates to be included in the replication job.

To delete a template from the list of templates to be replicated, select the desired template(s) and click the Delete icon.

P A T C H S O U R C E SThis page of the Wizard appears only if you have selected Patch replication as the job type. The page presents a list of patch packages and lists to be replicated in this job. For each item in the list, only the filename of the patch or patch list is included in the list:

Preserve Folder

• Whether or not the package specifies replication of the entire folder along with the package (see Copy Package Folder (NAI) or Copy Package Folder (MSI) in the General Package Options chapter of this guide for details).

Name • Descriptive name, but only used if the item is a base list (i.e., directly beneath the Software Distribution node in the Console).

TIP: It is possible that WinINSTALL may be unable to find some of the referenced files, especially those referenced in the external process fields of a .nai file. If so, you will receive a warning during the validation process. If you are certain that those files will be available to the end user at runtime, for example, if you know they are located on the user’s system, then you can safely ignore such a warning.


. . .

. .R E P L I C A T I O NThe Replication Job Creation Wizard

Click the Add icon to display the Source Patches dialog, which enables you to select from a list of all the patch packages and lists on the selected job server.

Click the Delete icon to remove package or list from the list of packages and lists to replicate.

P E R S O N A L I T Y S O U R C E SThis page of the Wizard appears only if you have selected Personality replication as the job type.

The page presents a list of those personalities specified to be replicated in this job. For each personality, the list includes the following information:

Click the Add icon to display the Source Personalities dialog, which presents a list of all the personalities available on the selected job server. For each listed item, the same information is provided as in the above list (Name, Type, Machine, and Date). Select the desired personality(ies) and click OK to add the selection(s) to the list.

To remove a personality from the list of personalities to replicate, select the desired personality and click the Delete icon.

P X E C L I E N T R E S E T S O U R C E SThis page of the Wizard appears only if you have selected PXE server files replication as the job type.

This page presents a read-only display of the selected source PXE server and share. You cannot modify any information on this page.

TARGETSThe next Wizard page presents a list of selected target servers for the replication job.

Pers

NOTE: Personality replication is available only in the WinINSTALL Desktop Availability Suite (DAS). If you are using the WinINSTALL Desktop Management Suite (DMS), contact your Attachmate representative for details on upgrading to DAS.

Name • Personality transfer job name

Type • Backup, Policy, or Migration

Machine • The machine from which it was extracted

Date • The date and time of the extraction.



Click the Add icon to display the Choose Targets dialog, where you can select the target server(s) for this replication job from a list of deployed WinINSTALL servers.

In most cases replicated data will be moved to all the target server’s owned shares. Exceptions to this rule are Client Reset Templates, which are always replicated to a selected share, and package and list replication.

For package and list replication jobs only, you can specify where to have each receiving server place the packages. The following options are available:

• Accept the default (which places the packages in all of the target server’s owned shares)

• Specify an absolute path on the target server

• Specify a UNC path.

To remove a target server from the list, click the Delete icon.

SCHEDULEThe Schedule Wizard page is very similar to the Schedule Tab on The Schedule Task Dialog presented for other WinINSTALL jobs (see the Scheduling chapter of this guide for details on WinINSTALL scheduling).

The one difference between this page and the Schedule tab of the Schedule Task dialog is that this page presents a Do not schedule checkbox, which is checked by default, meaning the job will be executed only on demand, rather than on a schedule.

If you uncheck this checkbox, the rest of the page is enabled, and you can then schedule the replication job in exactly the same way you would any other WinINSTALL job.

COMPLETIONThe final page of the Wizard presents a summary of the selections made on the previous pages.

This page also provides a checkbox to run the replication job immediately after it is created. If the checkbox is checked, when you click the Finish button to complete the Wizard, the job will immediately execute.

NOTE: Replication moves data from the source server’s first owned share to (in most cases) all the target server’s owned shares.

For information on share ownership and setting a server’s first owned share (in the case of a server owning multiple shares), see Configuring Share Ownership in the Managing Machines chapter of this guide.


. . .

. .R E P L I C A T I O NReplication Job Properties

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . R E P L I C A T I O N J O B P R O P E R T I E SYou can view and modify the properties of a replication job in either of two ways:

• When you click on the Replication node in the Console tree pane, the data pane displays a list of all existing replication jobs, including for each the job name, the job type (Package, Template, Patch, Personality, or PXE server files), and the job server (source).

Completed jobs will be marked with a plus sign. Clicking on the plus sign will expand the job to show a listing of all job history entries, including for each the start and end times and status.

Double-clicking any job in the list will display that job’s properties in the tabbed Replication Job Properties dialog.

• When you expand the Replication node in the Console tree pane, all existing replication jobs are listed as sub-nodes. As in the listing of replication jobs in the data pane, each type of job is marked by a distinguishing icon. Clicking on a job in the tree pane displays its properties in a series of five tabs in the data pane. These are the same tabs, displaying the same information, as those on the Replication Job Properties dialog, which appears when you double-click a job in the data pane list.

The Replication Job Properties tabs present for viewing and modification the same information originally entered by means of The Replication Job Creation Wizard (see above for details). This information is arrayed on five tabs, as explained below.

GENERALThe General tab presents a read-only summary of the replication job, including the job description (name), type, server, schedule data, and created and modified dates and times.

SETTINGSThe Settings tab presents the Transport mechanism, Overwrite mode, and Bandwidth throttling settings, as originally entered on the Replication Job Settings panel of the

TIP: If you have scheduled the replication job to execute at a future time, checking the Run Job Immediately checkbox will execute the job immediately--in addition to scheduling it to run at the specified future time(s).


R E P L I C A T I O NReplication Job History3 3

Replication Job Creation Wizard. See that section of this chapter for details of each of these settings.

SOURCESThe Sources tab will be named differently (e.g., Package Sources, Template Sources, Patch Sources, Personality Sources, or PXE Client Reset Sources) and will present slightly different information, depending on the job type. Details on this information and its modification are provided in the Replication Data Sources section of this chapter, above.

TARGETSThe Targets tab presents a list of target servers for the replication job. This tab is functionally equivalent to the Targets panel of the Replication Job Wizard, described in detail above.

SCHEDULEThe Schedule tab presents the specified schedule options for the replication job. This tab is functionally equivalent to the Schedule panel of the Replication Job Wizard, described in detail above.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . R E P L I C A T I O N J O B H I S T O R YYou can display the job history of any replication job in either of two ways:

• When you click on the Replication node in the Console tree pane, the data pane displays a list of all existing replication jobs, with completed jobs marked by a plus sign.

Clicking on the plus sign will expand the job to show a listing of all job history entries, including for each run the start and end times and status.

• When you expand the Replication node in the Console tree pane, all existing replication jobs are listed as sub-nodes. As in the listing of replication jobs in the data pane, each type of job is marked by a distinguishing icon.

Clicking on a job in the tree pane displays both a Properties and a History item in the data view below the tree pane. Clicking on the History item will display a listing of the job history in the data pane, including for each run the start and end times and status.


. . .

. .R E P L I C A T I O NReplicating Application Packages

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . R E P L I C A T I N G A P P L I C A T I O N P A C K A G E SIn environments with multiple servers, the software distribution process is assisted by replicating packages from one WinINSTALL share to another. Replication can be performed at the package level or at the list level. In other words, WinINSTALL can replicate individual packages from one server to another, or it can replicate entire list files and all their contents.

Whenever WinINSTALL replicates packages, it takes into account all dependencies, replicating everything that is needed by the package. For example, when you replicate a WinINSTALL package, both .REG files and the directory structure containing the source files are replicated to the replication destination, together with the package (.NAI) file itself.

In addition, you can mark a package so that when the package is replicated, the replication operation includes all files in the package folder, regardless of whether they are even referenced in the package. (For details, see Copy Package Folder for WinINSTALL packages and Copy Package Folder for MSI packages, in the General Package Options chapter of this guide).

Replication has a number of benefits. Packages can be created at one location and used in another without modification. In addition, you can reduce network traffic and minimize slowdowns during work hours by scheduling replication jobs to run during out-of-office hours. You can schedule a replication job to be run once only, or you can configure it to recur daily, weekly, or monthly. You can also run a replication job directly from the WinINSTALL Console in real-time.

HOW TO CREATE A PACKAGE REPLICATION JOBYou create replication jobs with the Replication Job Creation Wizard. For full instructions on how to create a package replication job, see The Replication Job Creation Wizard section, above. (Select Application Package and List replication as the type of replication job on the second panel of the wizard.)

TIP: You can mark a WinINSTALL package (.nai file) so that the when the package is copied, the operation includes all files in the package folder, even those not explicitly referenced within the package. When you select a WinINSTALL package under the Software Distribution node, select General in the list view and Summary in the data pane. Then check the checkbox in the data pane that instructs WinINSTALL to include all files in the package folder when copying the package.


R E P L I C A T I O NReplicating Client Reset Templates3 3

HOW TO VIEW OR MODIFY A PACKAGE REPLICATION JOB1 Highlight the desired replication job under the Replication node in the tree pane.

2 Click Properties in the list pane.

3 Detailed information displays on the following tabs in the data pane – General, Settings, Package Sources, Targets, and Schedule. View or modify the desired information on the appropriate tabs in the data pane.

4 To save your changes, click the Save icon on the toolbar or choose File --> Save from the menu bar.

HOW TO VIEW THE HISTORY OF A PACKAGE REPLICATION JOB1 Highlight the desired replication job under the Replication node in the tree pane.

2 Click History in the list pane.

3 The History tab in the data pane lists the status of each instance of the selected package replication job.

4 Double-click a specific instance to display the replication log in a Notepad document.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . R E P L I C A T I N G C L I E N T R E S E T T E M P L A T E SReplication allows you to copy Client Reset templates from one Client Reset share (i.e., the CR folder in the root of the WinINSTALL share) to another. To replicate a template from one share to another, you must first configure the additional Client Reset Share before creating the replication job.

HOW TO CONFIGURE A CLIENT RESET SHARE1 In the tree pane, select a Client Reset Template under the Client Reset node.


3 In the data pane, highlight a share on the Shares tab and click the Configure button.

4 On the Configure Client Reset Share dialog, enter the logon account and password to be used by clients to access the share during the Client Reset process. Click OK to configure the Client Reset Share.

HOW TO CREATE A CLIENT RESET TEMPLATE REPLICATION JOBYou create replication jobs with the Replication Job Creation Wizard. For full instructions on how to create a template replication job, see The Replication Job Creation Wizard section, above. (Select Client Reset Template replication as the type of replication job on the second panel of the wizard.)


. . .

. .R E P L I C A T I O NReplicating Patch Packages

HOW TO VIEW OR MODIFY A CLIENT RESET TEMPLATE REPLICATION JOB1 Highlight the desired replication job under the Replication node in the tree pane.


3 Detailed information displays on the following tabs in the data pane – General, Settings, Template Sources, Targets, and Schedule. View or modify the desired information on the appropriate tabs in the data pane.


HOW TO VIEW THE HISTORY OF A CLIENT RESET TEMPLATE REPLICATION JOB

1 Highlight the replication job under the Replication node in the tree pane.


3 The History tab in the data pane lists the status of each instance of the selected Client Reset template replication job.


. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . R E P L I C A T I N G P A T C H P A C K A G E SReplication allows you to copy Microsoft patch packages from one WinINSTALL server to another so the patches can be installed by each workstation from a local server.

HOW TO CREATE A PATCH REPLICATION JOBYou create replication jobs with the Replication Job Creation Wizard. For full instructions on how to create a patch replication job, see The Replication Job Creation Wizard section, above. (Select Patch replication as the type of replication job on the second panel of the wizard.)

HOW TO VIEW OR MODIFY A PATCH REPLICATION JOB1 Highlight the replication job under the Replication node in the tree pane.


3 Detailed information displays on the following tabs in the data pane – General, Settings, Patch Sources, Targets, and Schedule. View or modify the desired information on the appropriate tabs in the data pane.



R E P L I C A T I O NReplicating Personality Files3 3

HOW TO VIEW THE HISTORY OF A PATCH REPLICATION JOB1 Highlight the replication job under the Replication node in the tree pane.


3 The History tab in the data pane lists the status of each instance of the selected patch replication job.


. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . R E P L I C A T I N G P E R S O N A L I T Y F I L E SIn the WinINSTALL Desktop Availability Suite only, Replication allows you to copy personality files from one WinINSTALL server to another.

HOW TO CREATE A PERSONALITY REPLICATION JOBYou create replication jobs with the Replication Job Creation Wizard. For full instructions on how to create a personality replication job, see The Replication Job Creation Wizard section, above. (Select Personality replication as the type of replication job on the second panel of the wizard.)

HOW TO VIEW OR MODIFY A PERSONALITY REPLICATION JOB1 Highlight the desired replication job under the Replication node in the tree pane.


3 Detailed information displays on the following tabs in the data pane – General, Settings, Personality Sources, Targets, and Schedule. View or modify the desired information on the appropriate tabs in the data pane.


HOW TO VIEW THE HISTORY OF A PERSONALITY REPLICATION JOB1 Highlight the replication job under the Replication node in the tree pane.


3 The History tab in the data pane lists the status of each instance of the selected personality replication job.



. . .

. .R E P L I C A T I O NReplicating PXE Server Files

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . R E P L I C A T I N G P X E S E R V E R F I L E SIn the WinINSTALL Desktop Availability Suite only, the replication feature includes the ability to replicate PXE server files (operating system files, drivers, and utililities) from one server to another.

HOW TO CREATE A PXE SERVER FILES REPLICATION JOBYou create replication jobs with the Replication Job Creation Wizard. For full instructions on how to create a PXE server files replication job, see The Replication Job Creation Wizard section, above. (Select PXE server files replication as the type of replication job on the second panel of the wizard.)

HOW TO VIEW OR MODIFY A PXE SERVER FILES REPLICATION JOB1 Highlight the desired replication job under the Replication node in the tree pane.


3 Detailed information displays on the following tabs in the data pane – General, Settings, PXE Client Reset Sources, Targets, and Schedule. View or modify the desired information on the appropriate tabs in the data pane.


HOW TO VIEW THE HISTORY OF A PXE SERVER FILES REPLICATION JOB1 Highlight the replication job under the Replication node in the tree pane.


3 The History tab in the data pane lists the status of each instance of the selected personality replication job.


TIP: Restore jobs will default to the repository created by the original Backup job. In order to perform a Restore operation from a replicated repository, use the WIMigCmd.exe utility and specify on the command line the share-relative path to the local server’s copy of the repository. See the Personality Transfer Command Line Utility (WIMigCmd.exe) section of the Miscellaneous chapter of this guide for details on the WIMigCmd.exe utility.


R E P L I C A T I O NReplicating PXE Server Files3 3


. . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .SCHEDULING 34

nINSTALL allows you to schedule a variety of tasks, including both workstation and server tasks. Each scheduled operation is handled by the Schedule sub-agent, which is present on every WinINSTALL workstation and server. Any

scheduled task can be configured to run once or to run on a recurring basis. The WinINSTALL Console allows you to perform the following tasks by means of a schedule:

• Distribute packages

• Perform inventory

• Perform a backup

• Perform a migration

• Distribute a policy

• Publish data to workstations and servers

• Merge workstation and server data into the WinINSTALL database

• Reset a PXE client machine

• Send a Wake on LAN message to selected machines

• Replicate from one WinINSTALL server to another a variety of WinINSTALL data types: application packages and lists, patch packages, Client Reset templates, Personality Transfer templates and repositories.

The WinINSTALL Console provides a number of different means to schedule these tasks, making it easy to schedule a task from almost anywhere within the Console. The user interface varies slightly, depending on the method you choose to schedule a task, but all have in common three categories of required information: task information, schedule information, and target information.

If you create a new scheduled task from the Schedule node in the tree pane, you will use the Schedule Task dialog, which provides three tabs corresponding to these three categories of information.

NOTE: This release of WinINSTALL does not support scheduling to a container (for example, CN=Computers) in an AD environment. To get around this restriction, simply create an AD security group, put into it machines, users, or both, and schedule to that group.

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S C H E D U L I N GThe Schedule Task Dialog3 4

This chapter will begin with the Schedule Task dialog, explaining the common elements of all scheduled tasks. Next, it will discuss some other aspects of scheduling, including how scheduled jobs are processed at the workstation, how to select target users and machines, and tips on effective scheduling in WinINSTALL. Finally, the chapter will present detailed instructions on using each of the various methods of scheduling WinINSTALL jobs.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . T H E S C H E D U L E T A S K D I A L O GThe Schedule Task dialog has three tabs – Task, Schedule, and Targets. These correspond to three essential elements of any scheduled WinINSTALL job, as mentioned above. The use of each tab is discussed in detail, below.

TASK TABOn the Task tab, you specify the name for the task that you are scheduling and choose the type of task to be performed. The specified name will identify the task in the Console and reports.

To schedule a software distribution task, you must also specify the package or list of packages that will be distributed, and whether the packages will be installed, re-installed, or uninstalled.

You can view, add or modify the following information on the Task tab:

T A S K N A M EThis field holds a brief descriptive label for the task. This name is required. Once the task is scheduled, this name will identify the task in the Console.

T A S K A N D O P T I O N SThe tab provides a list of radio buttons to specify the type of task to be performed. Each type of task is described below, along with associated task options, where applicable.

W A K E U P O P T I O N SFive of the task types include two Wake on LAN options as task parameters. These options are distinct from the Wake machine task, which simply wakes the target machine(s) at a scheduled time. These options provide a means of waking the target machine(s) in order to perform another task: Distribute packages, Perform inventory, Perform backup, Perform migration, and Distribute policy.

• Wake up machine to execute task

The Wake up machine to execute task checkbox schedules transmission of a Wake on LAN packet to a set of target machine(s) from their assigned server(s) at the time when the actual


. . .

. .S C H E D U L I N GThe Schedule Task Dialog

task is scheduled to be performed. On receipt of this packet, each target machine will awaken from a powered-off, sleep, or hibernation state, provided that its hardware supports such an operation, and provided that the hardware has been properly configured to enable it as well. On awakening, the machine will perform its scheduled task (inventory, backup, etc.).

• Wake up machine to receive task request

The actual scheduling of this wake up operation involves the target machines, each of which must register the scheduled wake up with its assigned server. Therefore, in order for this option to succeed, the WinINSTALL agent must be running on the target machine(s) at the time when the job is scheduled. If there is any doubt that the target machine(s) are available at the time when such an option is scheduled, it is recommended that the Wake up machine to receive task request option is also checked. This second checkbox assures that each target machine receives the initial schedule request and enables the (later) scheduled wake up to actually perform the scheduled task.

D I S T R I B U T E P A C K A G E ( S ) T A S KSelecting this type of scheduled task distributes software packages, including patch packages, to a set of target machines. When the scheduled job executes at the appointed time, the Distribution sub-agent on the target machine(s) will launch the WinINSTALL Automatic Installer to install, re-install, or uninstall the specified package or list of packages, as specified in the Options section of this tab, explained below.





D I S T R I B U T E P A C K A G E ( S ) O P T I O N SOptions available for the Distribute Packages task, in addition to the Wake up Options described above, are as follows:

P E R F O R M I N V E N T O R YScheduling an inventory task instructs the WinINSTALL Inventory sub-agent on the target machine to perform an inventory according to the current Inventory Agent settings as specified on the Agent Settings dialog in the Console. Selecting Perform Inventory on the Task tab presents in the Options section only the Wake up Options, described above,.

P E R F O R M B A C K U PScheduling a backup task instructs the WinINSTALL Personality Transfer sub-agent on the target machine(s) to perform a backup, according to parameters specified by clicking the Define Task Parameters . . . button in the Options section of the tab, discussed below.

P E R F O R M B A C K U P O P T I O N SWhen Perform Backup is selected on the task tab, the Options section contains the Wake up Options described above, plus a button labeled Define Task Parameters . . . . Clicking this button brings up the Create Backup Job dialog, with its four tabs (General, Content, Machines, Users), as discussed in the Personality Transfer chapter of this guide.

P E R F O R M M I G R A T I O NScheduling a migration task instructs the WinINSTALL Personality Transfer sub-agent to migrate personalities from all or selected users on the specified source machine(s) to selected destination machine(s), according to parameters specified by clicking the Define Task Parameters . . . button in the Options section of the tab, discussed below.

Install • Install the selected package(s). Installs are carried out only on machines where the selected package is not already installed.

Re-install • Re-install the selected package(s), meaning install whether or not they have been installed previously.

Uninstall • Uninstall the selected package(s).

List/Package • If the specified operation is an install, re-install, or uninstall, then this field will provide the path and filename of the list or package to be installed, re-installed, or uninstalled.

Specify WinINSTALL command line

• If this option is selected instead of Install, Re-install, or Uninstall, then the List/Package field changes to the WinINSTALL Command Line field, where you can specify whatever arguments and parameters you may need passed to the WinINSTALL Automatic Installer.


. . .


P E R F O R M M I G R A T I O N O P T I O N SWhen Perform Migration is selected on the task tab, the Options section contains the Wake up Options described above, plus a button labeled Define Task Parameters . . . . Clicking this button brings up the Create Migration Job dialog, with its five tabs (General, Content, Sources, Users, Destinations), as discussed in the Personality Transfer chapter of this guide.

D I S T R I B U T E P O L I C YScheduling a policy distribution job instructs the WinINSTALL Personality Transfer sub-agent on the target machine(s) to inject a specified policy to all or specified users on the specified destination machines. The policy, users, and machines are all specified by clicking the Define Task Parameters . . . button in the Options section of the tab, discussed below.

D I S T R I B U T E P O L I C Y O P T I O N SWhen Distribute Policy is selected on the task tab, the Options section contains the Wake up Options described above, plus a button labeled Define Task Parameters . . . . Clicking this button brings up the Distribute Policy dialog, with its four tabs (General, Source, Machines, Users), as discussed in the Personality Transfer chapter of this guide.

R E S E T P X E C L I E N TYou can schedule the reset of any machine you have configured as a PXE client, so that the machine can be reset at a specified time, for example during off hours when no one will be using the machine. Details of the reset, including operating system, etc., are as configured for the selected clients in the PXE Client Reset Templates area of the WinINSTALL Console.

W A K E M A C H I N EYou can schedule a machine to be awakened from a powered-off, sleep, or hibernation state, provided that its hardware supports such an operation, and provided that the hardware has been properly configured to enable it as well.

When Wake Machine is selected on the Task tab, the scheduled operation is the transmission of a Wake on LAN packet to a set of target machine(s) from their assigned server(s). Selecting Wake Machine on the Task tab presents an empty Options section, because scheduled Wake on LAN operations have no configurable options, other than the actual schedule and the target machine(s).



R U N P U B L I S H E RScheduling a Run Publisher task causes the server(s) for a set of target machine(s) to publish any pending configuration and job data from the database to all machines assigned to those servers. Selecting Run Publisher on the Task tab presents an empty Options section.

R U N M E R G EScheduling a Run Merge task causes the server(s) for a set of target machines to merge any pending data into the WinINSTALL database from machines assigned to those servers. Selecting Run Merge on the Task tab presents an empty Options section.

SCHEDULE TABOn this tab of the dialog, you set up the schedule for the task.

• You set the time range during which the scheduled task will begin.

• You can set the task to run once or to recur on a specified schedule.

• If the task will run only once, you set the day on which the task will run. If the task will run more than once, you set the following information:

• Whether the task will recur every day, every week, every month, every year, on a particular day or days of the week, or after a specified number of days.

• Whether the schedule for the recurring task will end on a specific date, after a specified number of occurrences, or have no end date.

When you schedule a task, you must use the following conventions:




. . .


• When specifying starting and ending times for your task, make sure that the start and end times for your task are acceptable. The task will be executed only between those two times.

• To set the starting and ending times so that the task can be executed at any time, set the start time at 12:00 AM and the end time at 11:59 PM. With these settings, the only time when the task cannot be executed will be the one minute between 11:59 PM and midnight.

You can view, add or modify some or all of the following information, depending on whether the job is scheduled to run once or to recur:

T I M E

Time • Specify the start time and finish time for the scheduled task.

WARNING: Make sure that the start and finish times for your job are acceptable. The job will only be executed between those two times.

TIP: To set the start and finish times so that the job can be executed at any time, set the start time at 12:00 AM and the finish time at 11:59 PM. These settings will leave as the only time when the task cannot be executed, the one minute between 11:59 PM and midnight.

NOTE: Due to an anomaly in the current release, when a job is scheduled with a start date of today and a time window which has passed for the day, it will never execute. The end date may be many days away, but if the time window has already expired for today (and the start date is today), then the job will not be executed.

A temporary workaround is to schedule the start date for tomorrow, rather than today, if the desired time window has already passed for the current day. This change will assure that the job is executed tomorrow.



P R E V I E WIf you click the Preview button, the schedule that you have set will display visually on the Schedule Preview dialog. You can choose to view the scheduled task in several data ranges - 1-month, 4-month, 6-month, 8-month, and 12-month.

R E C U R R E N C ESpecify whether the task will run only once or will run recurrently on a schedule you set.

R E C U R R E N C E P A T T E R NIf the task will run recurrently, specify the recurrence pattern (i.e., how frequently the scheduled task will recur):

Click OK to accept these values and continue. Click Cancel to abandon these values and return to the previous screen.

TARGETS TABOn the Targets tab, you specify the roles of the machines on which the scheduled task will be executed (Scope), or you can optionally specify specific machines, and/or particular users and/or groups for whom the task will be scheduled.

Run once • If the task will run once, specify the day on which the task will run.

Run recurrently

• If the task will run recurrently, specify the day on which the schedule for the task will begin and select one of the following options:

• Ends by (Specify date)

• No end date

• Ends after n occurrences

Daily • Every n days

• Every weekday

Weekly • Recur every n weeks on Mon/Tues/Wed/Thur/Fri/Sat/Sun

Monthly • Day n of every m months

• The nth day of every m months

• The nth day of every m months plus/minus d days

Yearly • Every Jan/Feb/Mar/Apr/May/Jun/Jul/Aug/Sep/Oct/Nov/Dec nth

• The first/second/last, etc. day/weekday/weekend day, etc. of Jan/Feb/Mar/Apr/May/Jun/Jul/Aug/Sep/Oct/Nov/Dec


. . .


You are able to make up to three selections, which combine to determine the targets for the job: Scope, Machine Restrictions, and User and Group Restrictions.

The Scope and Machine Restrictions together determine the machines that will be candidates for the job. The User and Group Restrictions apply additional conditions to identify the ultimate targets from among the machines selected through the Scope and Machine Restrictions.

So, for example, if you select a scope of All WinINSTALL Servers, the job will execute on all machines configured with the role of WinINSTALL Server.

If you further select a user group in the Users and Groups Restrictions category, the job will execute on only those machines configured with the role of WinINSTALL Server which also contain account profiles for one or more users who are members of the selected group. No other machines will receive this job.

S C O P EThe Scope drop-down offers the following choices, which can be further refined by selecting particular machines and/or users and groups (see below):

NOTE: The Targets tab is disabled for backup, migration, and policy distribution jobs. The targets for these jobs are specified on their respective job creation dialogs.

NOTE: The logged on interactive user is not necessarily the recipient of WinINSTALL scheduled jobs. Scheduled jobs are installed to machines where any of the specified target users have existing account profiles, whether or not they are logged on at the time.

All Machines • Applies globally, to all managed machines, regardless of role.

All WinINSTALL Servers

• Applies globally, to all managed machines with the role of WinINSTALL Server.

All WinINSTALL Workstations

• Applies globally, to all managed machines with the role of WinINSTALL Workstation.

Selected Machines

• Enables machine restrictions UI to selected target machines as desired.


S C H E D U L I N GUsing the Schedule Tab3 4

M A C H I N E R E S T R I C T I O N SMachine restrictions are available only if Selected Machines is chosen in the Scope drop-down described above.

If you restrict the job to specific machines, (by selecting the desired machines in the All Machines list and clicking the Add button), the job will be scheduled for all the machines you have selected.

U S E R A N D G R O U P R E S T R I C T I O N SUser and Group restrictions are applied within the selected scope or, if machine restrictions have been specified, within the specified set of selected machines.

If you apply no machine restrictions, the job will be scheduled for only those machines within the selected scope (All Machines, All WinINSTALL Servers, All WinINSTALL Workstations) which contain profiles for the specified users or groups.

If you restrict the job to specific machines, (by selecting the desired machines in the All Machines list and clicking the Add button), the job will be scheduled for only those selected machines which contain profiles for the specified users or groups.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . U S I N G T H E S C H E D U L E T A BThe Schedule tab displays in the data pane in several instances - when you click the Schedule node in the tree pane, when you select a package or list under the Software Distribution node in the tree pane, and when you select Backups, Migrations, or Policy Distribution in the tree pane.

The Schedule tab presents a list of all currently scheduled tasks and lets you add new scheduled tasks and modify, cancel, or delete existing scheduled tasks.

HOW TO SCHEDULE A NEW TASKTo schedule a new task on the Schedule tab, click the Add button, enter the required information on the Schedule Task dialog and click OK.

HOW TO MODIFY AN EXISTING SCHEDULED TASKTo modify an existing task, highlight the task in the Schedule tab and take one of the following steps:

• Double-click the scheduled task on the data pane.

• Click the Properties button on the data pane.

• Click the Edit icon on the toolbar.


. . .

. .S C H E D U L I N GUsing the Schedule Tab

• Select Edit Scheduled Task from the Schedule menu.

HOW TO SUSPEND A SCHEDULED TASKYou can temporarily halt execution of a scheduled task. Suspending a scheduled task does not cancel the task, nor does it delete it. Instead, it simply suspends, temporarily, the execution of the task. Execution can then be resumed at any time, without re-creating the scheduled task.

To suspend a scheduled job, follow these steps:

1 Expand the Schedule node in the tree pane.

2 In the data pane, select the scheduled job that you want to suspend.


• Click the Suspend button on the data pane.

• Select Suspend Scheduled Task from the Schedule menu.

4 The scheduled job will continue to display on the data pane, but its status will now be listed as Suspended.

HOW TO RESUME A SUSPENDED SCHEDULED TASKYou can resume execution of a suspended scheduled task. A suspended scheduled task has not been canceled or deleted. Instead, its execution has simply been suspended, temporarily. Execution can be resumed at any time, without re-creating the scheduled task.

To resume a scheduled job, follow these steps:

1 Expand the Schedule node in the tree pane.

2 In the data pane, select the suspended scheduled job that you want to resume (its status will be listed as Suspended).


• Click the Resume button on the data pane.

• Select Resume Scheduled Task from the Schedule menu.

4 The status of the scheduled job will again be listed as Scheduled.

HOW TO CANCEL AN EXISTING SCHEDULED TASKTo cancel an existing task, highlight the task on the Schedule tab and do one of the following:

• Click the Cancel button on the data pane.

• Click the Cancel icon on the toolbar.

• Select Cancel Scheduled Task from the Schedule menu.


S C H E D U L I N GScheduling Tasks3 4

The status column will now show the task as Canceled. The next time the publisher runs, the task will be removed from the share, and machines which have not executed this task will not be scheduled to do so.

If desired, you can now delete the task, which will remove it from the database (and from display on the Schedule tab).

HOW TO DELETE A CANCELED SCHEDULED TASKDeleting a task removes it from the WinINSTALL database, but it does not remove the task from the share. Before you can delete a scheduled task, you must first cancel it, to remove it from the share. To delete a canceled task, highlight the task on the Schedule tab and do one of the following:

• Click the Delete button on the data pane.

• Click the Delete icon on the toolbar.

• Select Delete Scheduled Task from the Schedule menu.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . S C H E D U L I N G T A S K SStarting from the Schedule node in the tree pane or from the machine list, you can schedule most of the supported WinINSTALL tasks (all except Replication). Inventory, Merge, Publish, and Wake on LAN operations can all be scheduled by these two methods only. These two methods are detailed below.

Other WinINSTALL tasks can be scheduled from their respective nodes in the tree pane, as described following the Schedule node and Machines node methods.

HOW TO SCHEDULE TASKS FROM THE SCHEDULE NODE1 In the tree pane, highlight the Schedule node.


3 The Schedule Task dialog displays. (See the detailed explanation of this dialog in The Schedule Task Dialog section of this chapter.) You define the scheduled task on the three tabs of this dialog:

To

TIP: It is important to be certain that a task cancellation has been published before deleting the canceled task from the database. To be sure publication has occurred, you can run a Publish task to the relevant server(s) before deleting the canceled task.


. . .

. .S C H E D U L I N GScheduling Tasks

• On the Task tab, you will see a list of radio buttons, one for each available type of task. Select the desired task and enter a descriptive name for the task. If the selected task requires additional parameters, you will need to enter those in the Options area of the tab.

• On the Schedule tab, define the schedule that will be used to process this task.

• On the Targets tab, specify the machines or users, as applicable, to which this task will be applied.

4 Click OK. The new task displays on the Schedule node and the scheduling information takes effect immediately.

HOW TO SCHEDULE TASKS FROM THE MACHINE L IST1 In the tree pane, expand the Machines node.

2 Either select All Machines in the tree pane, or expand the Searches node and select the desired search.

3 Select the desired machine(s) in the data pane.

4 Either right-click and select Schedule Task from the pop-up menu, or select Machine ->Schedule Task from the menu bar.

5 The Schedule Task dialog displays. (See the detailed explanation of this dialog in The Schedule Task Dialog section of this chapter.) You define the scheduled task on the three tabs of this dialog:

• On the Task tab, you will see a list of radio buttons, one for each available type of task. Select the desired task and enter a descriptive name for the task. If the selected task requires additional parameters, you will need to enter those in the Options area of the tab.

• On the Schedule tab, define the schedule that will be used to process this task.

• On the Targets tab, specify the machines or users, as applicable, to which this task will be applied.

6 Click OK. The new task displays on the Schedule node and the scheduling information takes effect immediately.

HOW TO SCHEDULE TASKS FROM WITHIN TASK-SPECIFIC TREE NODESWhile Software Distribution, Backup, Migration, and Policy Distribution operations can be scheduled from the Schedule and Machines tree nodes, as described above, these tasks can also be scheduled from within their own tree nodes. Software Distribution tasks may also be scheduled by dragging a package or list of packages and dropping it on a machine or group of machines. Because Replication jobs require the involvement of multiple servers, they may be scheduled only from within the Replication tree node, not through the Schedule or Machines nodes.



S C H E D U L I N G S O F T W A R E D I S T R I B U T I O NIn addition to scheduling through the Schedule and Machines tree nodes, software distribution tasks can also be scheduled from within the Software Distribution tree node, or by drag and drop.

H O W T O S C H E D U L E S O F T W A R E D I S T R I B U T I O N F R O M W I T H I N T H E T R E E N O D E

1 In the tree pane, expand the Software Distribution node. Navigate down until you select the desired list file, WinINSTALL package, or Windows Installer package .

2 Choose General in the list pane.


4 The Schedule Task dialog displays. (See the detailed explanation of this dialog in The Schedule Task Dialog section of this chapter.) You define the scheduled task on the three tabs of the Schedule Task dialog:

• On the Task tab, Distribute Package(s) is already selected as the task and the path to the selected package or list of packages to be distributed is already entered. Enter a name for the task and specify whether you are scheduling an install, a reinstall, or an uninstall. You also have the option of providing a command line.

• On the Schedule tab, define the schedule for processing this task.

• On the Targets tab, specify the machines or users to which the package(s) will be distributed.

5 Click OK. The scheduling information takes effect immediately.

H O W T O S C H E D U L E S O F T W A R E D I S T R I B U T I O N B Y D R A G A N D D R O P

1 In the tree pane, expand the Software Distribution node and navigate down to the desired list file, WinINSTALL package, or Windows Installer package.

2 In the tree pane, expand the Machines node and do either of the following:

• Select the All Machines node. (All Machines will automatically be selected in the list pane.)

• Expand the Searches node and select a specific search. (The selected search will automatically be highlighted in the list pane.)

3 Using your mouse, drag the desired package or list file and drop it onto a machine in the data pane.

4 The Run Task dialog displays, with Distribute package(s) and Install selected, with the path to the selected list or package entered in the List/Package field, and with the selected machine(s) in the Affected Machines list. Click the Schedule button to continue.


. . .

. .S C H E D U L I N GScheduling Tasks

5 The Schedule Task dialog appears. (See the detailed explanation of this dialog in The Schedule Task Dialog section of this chapter.) You define the scheduled task on the three tabs of this dialog:

• On the Task tab, Distribute Package(s) is already selected as the task and the path to the package or list of packages to be distributed (the one that you dragged and dropped onto the machine) is already entered. Enter a name for the task and specify whether you are scheduling an install, a re-install, or an uninstall. You also have the option of providing a command line.

• On the Schedule tab, define the schedule that will be used for this task.

• On the Targets tab, the machine(s) onto which you dropped the package(s) are already selected.

6 Click OK. The new scheduling information takes effect immediately.

S C H E D U L I N G B A C K U P SYou can schedule a personality backup to be performed from the Backups node in the tree pane, by following these steps:

1 In the tree pane, expand the Personality Transfer node and select the Backups node.



• On the Task tab, Perform Backup is already selected as the task. Enter a name for the task.

• Click the Define Task Parameters button on the Task tab to create the backup job to be scheduled.


• On the Targets tab, specify the machines and users to back up.


S C H E D U L I N G M I G R A T I O N SYou can schedule a personality migration to be performed from the Migrations node in the tree pane, by following these steps:

1 In the tree pane, expand the Personality Transfer node and select the Migrations node.





• On the Task tab, Perform Migration is already selected as the task. Enter a name for the task.

• Click the Define Task Parameters button on the Task tab to create the migration job to be scheduled.


• On the Targets tab, specify the machines and users to migrate.


S C H E D U L I N G P O L I C Y D I S T R I B U T I O N SYou can schedule a policy distribution to be performed from the Policy Distribution node in the tree pane, by following these steps:

1 In the tree pane, expand the Personality Transfer node and select the Policy Distribution node.



• On the Task tab, Distribute Policy is already selected as the task. Enter a name for the task.

• Click the Define Task Parameters button on the Task tab to create the policy distribution job to be scheduled.


• On the Targets tab, specify the machines and users to receive the policy.


S C H E D U L I N G P X E C L I E N T R E S E T SYou can schedule the reset of a PXE client machine to be performed from the PXE Client Reset node in the tree pane, by following these steps:

1 In the tree pane, expand the PXE Client Resetnode and select the Clients node.



• On the Task tab, Reset PXE Client is already selected as the task. Enter a name for the task.



. . .

. .S C H E D U L I N GScheduling Tips

• On the Targets tab, specify the machine(s) to be reset.


S C H E D U L I N G S E R V E R T O S E R V E R R E P L I C A T I O NYou can schedule replication of WinINSTALL data (application packages and lists, patches, Client Reset templates, and personalities) from one server to another. To replicate WinINSTALL data, you must use the Replication node in the tree pane. You can schedule such replication by following these steps:

1 In the tree pane, expand the Replication node and launch the Replication Job Wizard by taking one of the following actions:

• On the Replication tab in the data pane, right-click and select Create Job from the context menu.

• On the Replication menu, select Create Job.

• Click the Replication Job Wizard icon from the tool bar.

2 The Replication Job Wizard will appear to step you through the process of creating a replication job. (See the detailed explanation of this wizard in the Replication chapter of this guide).

3 When the wizard is complete, the scheduling information takes effect immediately.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . S C H E D U L I N G T I P STo get the most out of WinINSTALL scheduling, it’s a good idea to have a basic understanding of the operation of the WinINSTALL workstation agent. The following tips are intended to provide the most important of those details.

PUBLISHING SCHEDULE JOBS AND CONFIGURATION CHANGESWhen a schedule job (or a configuration change) is created, it is written to the database. But this information is not available to the managed machines until it is published, meaning that the Publisher agent has read the data out of the database and written the appropriate file to the WinINSTALL share.

WinINSTALL provides a number of options for publishing. You can publish scheduled tasks and configuration changes from the WinINSTALL database to workstations immediately on saving them; you can publish on demand; or you can wait for publishing to occur at the specified Publisher agent interval.

By default, new scheduled tasks and changes to WinINSTALL Agent settings are automatically published from the database immediately when saved. By unchecking the Immediately publish scheduled tasks and Agent settings changes checkbox in the Console


S C H E D U L I N GScheduling Tips3 4

Options dialog (View menu/Console Options), you can disable this automatic, immediate publishing. In any case, you can always publish settings from the WinINSTALL database to managed machines on demand. And the Publisher agent will check for data to publish at a specified interval--which you can also modify or disable entirely, if desired.

SCHEDULE JOBS AND CONFIGURATION FILE PROCESSING INTERVALSEach master agent picks up schedule jobs at every interval, but it processes a particular schedule job only once a day. This makes sense, since the most frequent recurrence you can set in WinINSTALL is daily.

This behavior means that if, at 10 AM, you schedule and publish a daily recurring inventory to occur between 2 PM and 5 PM, it will occur for the first time later that day (assuming the master agent is configured to check the share at least once before 2 PM).

On the other hand, if at 10 AM you schedule a daily recurring inventory to occur between 8 AM and 10 AM, it will not occur for the first time until the next day, since the window for the current day will have already closed by the time the master agent receives the schedule job.

TARGET MACHINES, GROUPS AND USERSEvery schedule job has one of four possible scopes: All Machines, All WinINSTALL Servers, All WinINSTALL Workstations, or Selected Machines.

If you choose Selected Machines as the scope, you can specify one or more machines in the Machine Restrictions area. The schedule job is then limited to the specific machines you have selected, and the resulting schedule job will be executed only on the selected machines.

If you also specify User and Group Restrictions, then the job will be executed only on the specified machines which also have existing account profiles for one or more of the specified users or groups.

On the other hand, if you schedule a job for All Machines, All WinINSTALL Servers, or All WinINSTALL Workstations, and you specify User and Group Restrictions (no Machine Restrictions), then the job is sent to all machines within the specified scope—though it will actually be executed only on those machines where one or more of the selected users has an existing account profile.

SCHEDULING PUBLISH AND MERGE TASKSPublish and merge tasks are operations carried out by servers, not by workstations. Nevertheless, you may want to run or schedule a publish or merge operation in order to affect a particular workstation or selection of workstations, without knowing the servers


. . .

. .S C H E D U L I N GScheduling Tips

involved. Both the Run Task and the Schedule facilities enable you to do so--without knowing what servers are involved.

You can simply select Publish or Merge as the task to run or schedule, and then select the desired workstations as targets, and WinINSTALL will queue the publish or merge operation to the appropriate servers.

START AND END TIMESSetting appropriate start and end times is critical to getting WinINSTALL scheduled jobs to execute as expected. Note that a scheduled job will execute only between the start and end times.

NOTE: Server-only tasks (i.e., Publish, Merge) may be scheduled to scopes of WinINSTALL servers only or Selected machines. You cannot schedule such operations to a scope of WinINSTALL workstations only or to WinINSTALL workstations and servers.

TIP: To schedule a publish action to or merge action from a specific workstation or group of workstations, select a scope of Selected machines and then select the desired workstations.

WARNING: Make sure that the start and end times for your job are acceptable. The job will only be executed between those two times.

NOTE: Due to an anomaly in the current release, when a job is scheduled with a start date of today and a time window which has passed for the day, it will never execute. The end date may be many days away, but if the time window has already expired for today (and the start date is today), then the job will not be executed.

A temporary workaround is to schedule the start date for tomorrow, rather than today, if the desired time window has already passed for the current day. This change will assure that the job is executed tomorrow.


S C H E D U L I N GScheduling Tips3 4

If you want a scheduled job to execute as soon as it reaches the target node, regardless of the time of day when that may happen, set the start and end times so that there is virtually no time when the task cannot be executed.

TIP: To set the start and end times so that the job can be executed at any time, set the start time at 12:00 AM and the end time at 11:59 PM. These settings will leave as the only time when the task cannot be executed, the one minute between 11:59 PM and midnight.


. . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .REPORTS 35

eports present useful and meaningful views of information in the WinINSTALL database. Reports are organized into the following nine categories, eight of which come with a wide array of ready-to-use reports for a specific functional area of the

product and one (Custom) that is intended for reports you create with Crystal Designer.

• Conflict Assessment

• Inventory

• Console

• Replication

• WinINSTALL Agent

• Software Distribution

• Personality Transfer

• Asset Management

• Custom

The data that displays in the reports is dependent upon the database to which the Console is connected and the actions that have been performed in the console. For example, some Conflict Assessment reports require that Conflict Assessments have been created, while others require that they have also been run. Inventory reports require that inventories have been performed on machines. Console reports require that machines have been added to the Console. Some Replication reports require that Replication jobs have been created and others require that the jobs have been run. WinINSTALL Agent reports reflect settings that have been published.

To manage reports in the console, expand the Reports node in the tree pane and select a specific report category beneath it. All reports in the selected report category are listed on the Reports tab in the data pane.

The following information displays for each report in the list:

On the Reports tab, you can perform the following actions:

• Add a report to the Console.

Name • The title of the report

Description • A brief description of the purpose and content of the report

R


R E P O R T SHow to Add a Report to the Console3 5

• Modify the properties of a report.

• Delete a report.

• Run a report.

• Print a report.

• Launch Crystal Designer.

The following sections describe each of these activities in detail.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . H O W T O A D D A R E P O R T T O T H E C O N S O L ETo add a report to the Console, you must have first created the new report with Crystal Designer or retrieved the report from the Attachmate web site or some other source. If you have a new report to add, follow these steps to cause the new report to appear in the WinINSTALL Console.

1 Expand the Reports node in the tree pane and select a report category beneath it. You can add a new report to any report category.


• Click the Add button on the data pane.

• Click Add Report icon on the toolbar.

• Select Add Report from the Reports menu.

3 Enter the required information on the Report Definition dialog.

4 The new report will now display on the data pane, at the bottom of the list of reports in the selected report category.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . H O W T O M O D I F Y R E P O R T P R O P E R T I E S1 Expand the Reports node in the tree pane and select the report category containing the

report you want to modify.

2 Select the desired report in the data pane.


• Click the Properties button on the data pane.

• Click Edit Report icon on the toolbar.

• Select Edit Report... from the Reports menu.

4 Modify the information on the Report Definition dialog as desired.


. . .

. .R E P O R T SHow to Delete a Report

After modifying a report, if you click the report category containing the modified report, the new title and description will display on the data pane (if you changed this information) and the modified report will display when you click the Run button.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . H O W T O D E L E T E A R E P O R TYou can delete any report that you have added to the Console. You cannot delete the reports which are supplied with WinINSTALL.

1 Expand the Reports node in the tree pane and select the report category that holds the report that you want to remove.



• Click the Delete button on the data pane.

• Click the Delete Report icon on the toolbar.

• Select Delete Report from the Reports menu

The report will no longer be displayed in the list of reports in the data pane. The associated report file will also have been deleted from the Console machine.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . H O W T O R U N A R E P O R T1 Expand the Reports node in the tree pane and select the report category where the

report that you want to run is located.



• Double-click the report.

• Click the Run button on the data pane.

• Click the Run Report icon on the toolbar.

• Select Run... from the Reports menu

NOTE: You can remove only those reports that you added to the Console. You cannot remove a report provided by WinINSTALL.


R E P O R T SHow to Print a Report3 5

The report you selected will appear in the Console. If the report requires parameters, you will be asked to provide these before the report appears. Parameters provide a way for you to filter the data that is returned on the report. If you do not specify a value for a parameter, that parameter will be ignored when filtering the data.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . H O W T O P R I N T A R E P O R TIn order to print a report, a printer must be installed on the Console machine.

1 Expand the Reports node in the tree pane and select the report category that holds the report that you want to print.


3 Click the Print button.

H O W T O L A U N C H C R Y S T A L D E S I G N E R

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F R O M T H E C O N S O L EIf you own Crystal Reports version 9.0 or higher, you can design and modify reports from within the WinINSTALL Console.

1 Expand the Reports node in the tree pane.

2 Click the Designer button on the data pane.

3 If you have already specified the path to Crystal Designer, it opens. If you did not provide the path to Crystal Designer on the Console Options dialog, you will be prompted to do so now on the Crystal Reports Path dialog.

4 When Crystal Designer opens, you can create and modify reports from within WinINSTALL. After you have created and saved a report, you need to add it to the Console (see above, How to Add a Report to the Console).

NOTE: In order for the Designer button to be active, you must own a licensed copy of Crystal Designer, Crystal Designer must be installed on the Console machine, and you must have configured the Console (on the Console Options dialog) to point to the Crystal Reports executable file on the Console machine.


. . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .WININSTALL SCRIPTING EXTENSIONS 36

inINSTALL includes support for user-written scripts to execute Console operations and modify and extend Installer functionality for WinINSTALL (.NAI) packages.

The Installer Scripting section documents the available properties and methods for scripting the installation of WinINSTALL packages.

The section entitled Console Scripting presents the details of the use of scripting to automate WinINSTALL console operations.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I N S T A L L E R S C R I P T I N GScripts can be run before, during or after installation or removal of a package. WinINSTALL supports any script that has an associated script engine installed on the target machine. Common script engines are JavaScript and VBScript. You can instantiate any automation-capable object and invoke its methods and properties.

In addition to built-in language elements, WinINSTALL includes its own unique language features. These language features include built-in objects, constants and functions that allow the script developer to gain access to the state of the installation or removal process and to affect the state of the process.

INSTALLER OBJECT PROPERTIES AND METHODSAt all times, an instance of an Installer object is available. This object, named Installer, is the vehicle for obtaining information about the state of the installer, and for modifying the state where possible. The Installer object cannot be created - you can use only the constant instance.

Through the object model and WinINSTALL scripting extensions, scripts have read access to the full range of WinINSTALL variables (using the SetVar and GetVar methods).

The following properties and methods are defined for the Installer object. For each property or method, the type, description and an example are listed.

Name: • Abort

W


W I N I N S TA L L S C R I P T I N G E X T E N S I O N SInstaller Scripting3 6

Example:

Installer.Abort “Installs of this app not allowed on Fridays.”

Example:

Installer.SetVar “$Company$” “Spaceley Sprockets”

Example:

Dim WinDir As String

WinDir = Installer.GetVar “@Windows”

Example:

Type: • Method

Description: • Aborts the install process. Can optionally include a message, a (long) return code, and a (long) error code.

Name: • SetVar

Type: • Method

Description: • Allows an installer variable to be set. These variables are global to all installs for the life of the installer and can be used in place of any other installer variable.

Name: • GetVar

Type: • Method

Description: • Returns the value of an installer variable.

Name: • NAIFile

Type: • Property (String, Read/Only)

Description: • The current fully-qualified NAI file name.


. . .

. .W I N I N S TA L L S C R I P T I N G E X T E N S I O N SInstaller Scripting

Dim File As String

File = Installer.NAIFile

Example:

Dim File As String

File = Installer.LSTFile

Example:

If Installer.IsQuiet = False Then

MsgBox “The value of @Windows is “+ Installer.GetVar (“@Windows”)

End If

Name: • LSTFile


Description: • The current fully-qualified LST file name. If the current NAI file is in a hierarchy of LST files, this string will include all of the LST files in the hierarchy, separated by “::”, with the topmost LST file first.

Name: • IsQuiet

Type: • Property (Boolean, Read/Only)

Description: • The state of the /Quiet flag, whether explicitly specified on the command line or implied by the operating environment. If this flag is set, you should not issue any message boxes or otherwise indirectly generate any messages to the user interface (which may not exist if you are running as an NT service).

Name: • IsPrompt



Example:

If Installer.IsPrompt = False Then

MsgBox “Are you sure that you want to install this?”

End If

Example:

If Installer.IsNTService = False Then

Shell “SOL.EXE” ' Give the user something to do during install

End If

Example:

If Installer.Operation = OpRemove Then

If MsgBox (“Removing this application will render it unavailable. Continue?”, ebYesNo) = ebNo Then


Description: • The state of the /NoPrompt flag, whether explicitly specified on the command line or implied by the operating environment. If this flag is set, you should not prompt the user for any information (see IsQuiet).

Name: • IsNTService


Description: • The state of the /NTService flag, whether explicitly specified on the command line or implied by the operating environment. This flag implies /Quiet_NoPrompt, but lets the script developer distinguish between the NT service environment and other environments.

Name: • Operation

Type: • Property (Integer, Read/Only)

Description: • The current operation (install or remove). Constants are defined for the return values: OpRemove and OpInstall.


. . .


Installer.Abort “User aborted the remove”

End If

End If

Example:

If Installer.Status = StatPost And Installer.Operation = OpInstall Then

MsgBox “Installation of “+ Installer.AppName + “ successful!”

End If

Example:

If Installer.Status = StatPost And Installer.Operation = OpInstall Then

MsgBox “Installation of “+ Installer.AppName + “ successful!”

End If

Name: • Status


Description: • The current installer status (pre-/running/post-). Constants are defined for the return values: StatPre, StatRunning, StatPost.

Name: • AppName


Description: • The current application name (from the NAI file).

Name: • Reset



Example:

If Installer.Reset = ResetRestart Then

Installer.Reset = ResetReboot

End If

INSTALLER SCRIPT EVENTSScripts can be used in all phases of a package installation or uninstallation, but scripts used during the remove phase or add phase must be event-driven. You can construct scripts to execute at the following specified events:

• OnPreFileCopy

• OnPostFileCopy

• OnPreFileUpdate

• OnPostFileUpdate

• OnPreDirCreate

• OnPostDirCreate

• OnPreDirRemove

• OnPostDirRemove

• OnPreIconInstall

• OnPostIconInstall

• OnPreIconRemove

• OnPostIconRemove

• OnPreTextInstall

• OnPostTextInstall

• OnPreTextRemove

Type: • Property (Integer, Read/Write)

Description: • Allows the current Reset value to be viewed and set. Reset values are defined as: ResetNone (no reset), ResetExit (exit Windows (Win16) or Logoff (Win32)), ResetRestart (restart Windows (Win16) or reboot (Win32), ResetReboot (reboot), ResetShutdown (shutdown, Win32 only), ResetLogoff (logoff, Win32 only).


. . .


• OnPostTextRemove

• OnPreServiceInstall

• OnPostServiceInstall

• OnPreServiceRemove

• OnPostServiceRemove

• OnPreRegInstall

• OnPostRegInstall

• OnPreRegRemove

• OnPostRegRemove

• OnMessageDisplay

• OnPreProgramGroupInstall

• OnPostProgramGroupInstall

• OnPreProgramGroupRemove

• OnPostProgramGroupRemove

Event handlers are functions that take no parameters and return a code. The return codes are the following:

INSTALLER EVENT PROPERTIESEach event is specific to specified data that is available in properties of the Installer object. For example, the OnPreFileCopy and OnPostFileCopy events are specific to the copying of a particular file. The Installer object will contain the data specifying the file being copied (Installer.Source and Installer.Dest), and an event will be triggered when the file being copied matches the one specified in the script. The following Installer properties are defined for these events:

EventContinue • Continue installing or removing

EventSkip • Skip the operation that caused the event

EventDisable • Disable the event for the remainder of the install or removal



Example:

If Installer.Source = “F:\NewDB\DataFile.DB” Then

MsgBox “The file ‘DataFile.DB’ is about to be replaced. Please make sure the file is not open before clicking ‘OK’.”

End If

Example:

If Installer.Dest = “C:\Data\Datafile.DB” Then

MsgBox “The file ‘DataFile.DB’ has been updated. You may now see the latest sales figures.”

End If

Name: • Source

Type: • Property (String, Read/Write)

Description: • Specifies the source string data for an event. For example, in the OnPreFileCopy and OnPostFileCopy events, Installer.Source is the source file in the file to copy operation that either is about to be carried out or has just completed.

Name: • Dest


Description: • Specifies the destination string data for an event. For example, in the OnPreFileCopy and OnPostFileCopy events, Installer.Dest is the destination file in the file to copy operation that either is about to be carried out or has just completed.

Name: • RCode


. . .


Example:

If Installer.RCode <> Rcode_Success Then

MsgBox “Copy of “+ Installer.Source + “ to “+ Installer.Dest + “ was unsuccessful!”

End If

This property is meaningful only during the following operations:



• OnPreIconRemove






Example:

If Installer.IconProcessor = IconProcPgmMgr Then

MsgBox “Using program manager to install icons”


Description: • The return code from the event just completed. For example, in the OnPostFileCopy event, Installer.Rcode would contain the return code for the file copy event just completed. Constants are defined for the return values:

Name: • IconProcessor


Description: • Indicates the facility being used to update icon definitions—either the program manager or the shell link interface. Constants are defined for the return value: IconProcPgmMgr, IconProcLnkFile.



Else

MsgBox “Using shell link interface to install icons”

End If




• OnPreIconRemove


Example:


MsgBox “Installing “+ Installer.IconLabel

End If


Name: • IconLabel


Description: • The label used for an icon being added or removed. This is meaningful only when the program manager is being used to install icons.

Name: • CmdLine


Description: • The command line represented by the icon being installed or removed. This consists of the name of the executable file as well as any arguments to be provided.


. . .




• OnPreIconRemove


Example:

Installer.CmdLine = Installer.CmdLine + “ /DEBUG”




• OnPreIconRemove


Example:

Installer.WorkingDir = “C:\TEMP”

Name: • WorkingDir


Description: • The working directory associated with the icon being installed or removed. If this is an empty string, then no working directory is associated with the icon.

Name: • IconFile


Description: • The name of the file containing the graphic icon to be used for the icon being installed or removed. If this is an empty string, then the executable file (whose name is contained in Installer.CmdLine) will be used.



This property is meaningful only when the program manager is being used to process icons and only during the following operations:



• OnPreIconRemove


Example:


Installer.IconFile = “C:\MYICONS.ICN”

Installer.IconIdx = 0

End If




• OnPreIconRemove


Example:


Installer.IconFile = “C:\MYICONS.ICN”

Installer.IconIdx = 0

Name: • IconIdx


Description: • The index (in the file indicated by Installer.IconFile) of the graphic icon to be used to represent the icon being installed or removed. This is meaningful only when the program manager is being used to process icons and only when Installer.IconFile is not an empty string.


. . .


End If




• OnPreIconRemove


Example:

Installer.WorkingDir = “C:\TEMP”




• OnPreIconRemove


Name: • HotKey


Description: • The key code for the hot key associated with an icon being installed or removed. A value of zero means no hot key.

Name: • ShowCmd


Description: • A show command associated with the icon being installed or removed. This is an integer value that represents the initial state the associated application’s window should have when the application is started using this icon.



Example:

Installer.ShowCmd = 1




• OnPreIconRemove


Example:

Installer.SepMem = False




Name: • SepMem

Type: • Property (Boolean, Read/Write)

Description: • The separate memory flag for the icon being installed or removed. This property is meaningful only on NT machines and meaningful only when the icon represents a 16-bit application. When true, this flag means that the application associated with the icon should be run in a separate memory space when it is started using this icon.

Name: • LinkFile


Description: • The full path name of the .LNK file that will be used to represent the icon. This property is meaningful only when shell link files are being used to represent icons.


. . .


• OnPreIconRemove


Example:

If Installer.IconProcessor = IconProcLnkFile

MsgBox “Installing file: “ + Installer.LinkFile

Else

MsgBox “Installing icon: “ + Installer.IconLabel

End If






Example:

If Installer.GroupName = “Accessories”

Installer.GroupName = “New Accessories”

End If

Name: • GroupName


Description: • The name of the program manager group being installed or removed. This property is meaningful only when the program manager is being used to install icons.

Name: • GroupCommon


W I N I N S TA L L S C R I P T I N G E X T E N S I O N SConsole Scripting3 6






Example:

If Installer.GroupCommon = False

If Installer.GroupName = “Accessories”

Installer.GroupCommon = True

End If

End If

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C O N S O L E S C R I P T I N GThe Console supports two COM objects that can be accessed through Windows Scripting Host (WSH), using any programming language that is supported by WSH (e.g. VB Script and Java Script).

THE MACHINES OBJECT

I M P L E M E N T E D I N :SNAPMACH.DLL

H O W T O C R E A T E :var machines = new ActiveXObject(“WININSTALL.MACHINES”);

Type: • Property (Boolean, Read/Write)

Description: • Flag indicating whether the program group being installed or removed is a common group. This property is meaningful only when the program manager is being used to install icons and only under Windows NT 3.51.


. . .

. .W I N I N S TA L L S C R I P T I N G E X T E N S I O N SConsole Scripting

M E T H O D S :

G E T M A C H I N E

THE MACHINE OBJECT

I M P L E M E N T E D I N : SNAPMACH.DLL

H O W T O C R E A T E :You cannot create the machine object directly. Instead, you should first create a Machines object and then call the GetMachine method.

M E T H O D S :

S T A R T A G E N T

S T O P A G E N T

Prototype • Machine GetMachine(String strMachineName)

Description • GetMachine returns a Machine object which then can be used to issue commands for that particular machine. The return value will be NULL if the machine doesn't exist within the system.

Prototype • BOOL StartAgent()

Description • Starts the agent on the machine. Returns TRUE if successful, FALSE otherwise.

Prototype • BOOL StopAgent()

Description • Stops the agent on the machine. Returns TRUE if successful, FALSE otherwise.



R U N I N V E N T O R Y

R U N M E R G E

R U N P U B L I S H

D I S T R I B U T E

CONSOLE SCRIPTING EXAMPLES

E X A M P L E 1 : I N V E N T O R Yvar WSHShell;

var vbOKCancel = 1; // some helpers

var vbOKOnly = 0

Prototype • BOOL RunInventory()

Description • Runs inventory on the machine. Returns TRUE if successful, FALSE otherwise.

Prototype • BOOL RunMerge()

Description • Runs the merge process on the machine. Returns TRUE if successful, FALSE otherwise.

Prototype • BOOL RunPublish()

Description • Runs the publish process on the machine. Returns TRUE if successful, FALSE otherwise.

Prototype • BOOL Distribute(String strPackagePath,int nInstallType)

Description • Distributes a package on the machine. The strPackagePath parameter indicates the UNC file path for the list (*.lst) or package (*.msi or *.nai). The nInstallType parameter indicates the install type. Possible values include 0 - Install, 1 - Uninstall, and 2 - Re-install. Returns TRUE if successful, FALSE otherwise.


. . .


var vbInformation = 64;

var vbCancel = 2;

// our helper function

function makeInputBox ()

{

// Create our Internet Browser object

var oIE4 = WScript.CreateObject(“InternetExplorer.Application”);

oIE4.left=50; // Windows position

oIE4.top = 100;

oIE4.height = 300; // Windows size

oIE4.width = 600;

oIE4.menubar = 1;

oIE4.toolbar = 1;

oIE4.navigate (“about:blank”); // HTML document with function

oIE4.visible = 0; // keep MSIE invisible

while (oIE4.Busy) {} // wait till MSIE is ready

var doc1 = oIE4.Document; // get the document object

doc1.open; // open it

// write a script

doc1.writeln (“<HTML><HEAD>”);

doc1.writeln (“<Script LANGUAGE=\”VBScript\”>”);

doc1.writeln (“</Script>”);



doc1.writeln (“</HEAD><BODY></BODY></HTML>”);

doc1.close; // close write access

return oIE4;

}

function InputBox (obj, prompt, title, x)

{

var oIE4doc = obj.Document.Script;

var result = oIE4doc.InputBox1(prompt,title,x);

return result;

}

var machines = new ActiveXObject(“WININSTALL.MACHINES”);

var machine;

var result;

WSHShell = WScript.CreateObject(“WScript.Shell”);

var mobj = makeInputBox();

var prompt = “Enter the machine name: “;

var title = “Run Inventory”;

var value = “<enter a machine name>”;

var result = InputBox(mobj, prompt, title, value);

machine = machines.GetMachine(result);

if ( machine == null )

WScript.Echo('Machine not Found');

else

{

WSHShell.Popup(“Running Inventory on \\” + result, 0, “Running Inventory...”, vbOKOnly + vbInformation);


. . .


//WScript.Echo('found');

result = machine.RunInventory();

}

mobj.Quit();

E X A M P L E 2 : M E R G Evar WSHShell;


var vbOKOnly = 0


var vbCancel = 2;



{




oIE4.top = 100;


oIE4.width = 600;

oIE4.menubar = 1;

oIE4.toolbar = 1;








// write a script










return oIE4;

}


{



return result;

}


var machine;

var result;





. . .


var title = “Running Merge”;






else

{

WSHShell.Popup(“Running Merge on \\” + result, 0, “Running Merge...”, vbOKOnly + vbInformation);


result = machine.RunMerge();

}

mobj.Quit();

E X A M P L E 3 : P U B L I S Hvar WSHShell;


var vbOKOnly = 0


var vbCancel = 2;



{






oIE4.top = 100;


oIE4.width = 600;

oIE4.menubar = 1;

oIE4.toolbar = 1;






// write a script










return oIE4;

}


{




. . .


return result;

}


var machine;

var result;




var title = “Running Publish”;






else

{

WSHShell.Popup(“Running Publish on \\” + result, 0, “Running Publish...”, vbOKOnly + vbInformation);


result = machine.RunPublish();



}

mobj.Quit();

E X A M P L E 4 : S T A R T A G E N Tvar WSHShell;


var vbOKOnly = 0


var vbCancel = 2;



{




oIE4.top = 100;


oIE4.width = 600;

oIE4.menubar = 1;

oIE4.toolbar = 1;







. . .


// write a script










return oIE4;

}


{



return result;

}


var machine;

var result;




var title = “Start Agent”;








else

{

WSHShell.Popup(“Started Agent on \\” + result, 0, “Starting Agent...”, vbOKOnly + vbInformation);


result = machine.StartAgent();

}

mobj.Quit();

E X A M P L E 5 : S T O P A G E N Tvar WSHShell;


var vbOKOnly = 0


var vbCancel = 2;




. . .


{




oIE4.top = 100;


oIE4.width = 600;

oIE4.menubar = 1;

oIE4.toolbar = 1;






// write a script










return oIE4;

}




{



return result;

}


var machine;

var result;




var title = “Stop Agent”;






else

{


. . .


WSHShell.Popup(“Stopped Agent on \\” + result, 0, “Stopping Agent...”, vbOKOnly + vbInformation);


result = machine.StopAgent();

}

mobj.Quit();




. . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .MISCELLANEOUS 37

his chapter discusses details of the WinINSTALL product which do not fit neatly into other chapters. The areas covered here include the following:

• WinINSTALL Logging

• WinINSTALL Utility Programs

• Sample Packages

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . W I N I N S T A L L L O G G I N GWinINSTALL logging is carried out in three places - the Console, the WinINSTALL Agent, and the installers. Console logging can have either or both of two targets: the WinINSTALL database and/or the Windows Event Log. The WinINSTALL Agent can log to the database, the event log, and/or to a file, and the WinINSTALL installers can log to any or all of those targets, plus e-mail and/or SNMP traps.

CONSOLE LOGGING Console logging provides an audit trail of console user activity.

The only Console Logging setting (View/Console Options) is whether to log to the WinINSTALL database, the Windows Event Log, both, or neither.

When you click the Console Log node in the tree pane, you can view Console logging on either the Database Log or Windows Event Log tab in the data pane.

W I N I N S T A L L D A T A B A S E L O GWhen the Console Log node is highlighted in the tree pane, a list of all Console user activity that has been logged to the WinINSTALL database displays on the Database Log tab in the data pane.

You have the option of purging this log on demand.

T


M I S C E L L A N E O U SWinINSTALL Logging3 7


Click the Purge button to erase all of the existing entries that have been logged to the WinINSTALL database.

W I N D O W S E V E N T L O GWhen the Console Log node is highlighted in the tree pane, a list of all Console user activity that has been logged to the Windows Event Log on the Console machine displays on the Windows Event Log tab in the data pane.

You have the option of refreshing this view on demand.

Type • Because Console logging simply provides an audit trail of console user activity, all of the entries displayed on this tab are Informational.

Date • The date on which the console user activity was logged to the WinINSTALL database.

Time • The time at which the console user activity was logged to the WinINSTALL database.

Category • For WinINSTALL database logging, only entries in the Console category display.

Description • A brief explanation of the console user activity that was logged to the WinINSTALL database.

Event Code • Each Console activity has a numeric event code that corresponds to a particular activity. Refer to Console Log Event Codes and Descriptions for the meaning of each numeric code.

User • The name of the console user who was logged in when the activity was logged to the WinINSTALL database.

TIP: You configure WinINSTALL to log Console activity to the WinINSTALL database on the Console Options dialog, accessible from the View/Console Options menu item.


. . .

. .M I S C E L L A N E O U SWinINSTALL Logging


Click the Refresh button to refresh this view on demand.

C O N S O L E L O G E V E N T C O D E S A N D D E S C R I P T I O N SThe Event column contains a numeric value which reflects the activity that was logged.

Type • Because Console logging simply provides an audit trail of console user activity, all of the entries displayed on this tab are Informational.

Date • the date on which the console user activity was logged to the Windows Event Log.

Time • This is the time at which the console user activity was logged to the Windows Event Log.

Category • For Windows Event Logging, only Application entries with the source of WinINSTALL for the console machine will display.

Description • This is a brief explanation of the console user activity that was logged to the Windows Event Log.

Event Code • Each Console activity has a numeric event code that corresponds to a particular activity. Refer to Console Log Event Codes and Descriptions for the meaning of each numeric code.

User • This is the name of the console user who was logged in when the activity was logged to the Windows Event Log.

TIP: You configure WinINSTALL to log Console activity to the Windows Event Log on the Console Options dialog, accessible from the View/Console Options menu item.

1 • the *** top-level list has been added.

2 • the *** top-level list has been removed.

3 • the *** list has been added to the +++ list.

4 • the *** list has been modified.

5 • the *** list has been removed from the +++ list.

6 • the *** package has been added to the +++ list.



7 • the *** package has been modified.

8 • the *** package has been removed from the +++ list.

9 • the *** machine has been added.

10 • the *** machine has been modified.

11 • the *** machine has been removed.

12 • the WinINSTALL Agent has been deployed to the *** machine.

13 • the *** scheduled task has been added.

14 • the *** scheduled task has been modified.

15 • the *** scheduled task has been removed.

16 • the *** search has been added.

17 • the *** search has been modified.

18 • the *** search has been removed.

19 • the *** task has been run on the +++ machine.

20 • An error has occurred ***.

21 • the *** machine has been configured.

22 • the following Client Reset Template was added: ***.

23 • the following Client Reset Template was removed: ***.

24 • the following Client Reset Template was edited: ***.

25 • the following Client Reset Share was added: ***.

26 • the following Client Reset Share was removed: ***.

27 • the following Client Reset Share was edited: ***.

28 • A boot floppy was created for the following Client Reset Template: ***.

29 • A user security access violation occurred in Client reset Console.

30 • A database access failure occurred in Client Reset: ***.

31 • A language file is missing in Client Reset: ***.

32 • Failed to create a boot floppy for the following Client Reset Template: ***.

33 • the following Replication Job was added: ***.

34 • the following Replication Job was removed: ***.

35 • the following Replication Job was edited: ***.

36 • the following Client Reset Share Job was added: ***.


. . .

. .M I S C E L L A N E O U SWinINSTALL Logging

WININSTALL AGENT LOGGING WinINSTALL Agent logging occurs on both servers and workstations and is used primarily for diagnostic purposes. The Agent makes entries directly into the machine’s event log and/or produces an event log transaction file, which then gets merged into the WinINSTALL database or written to a file.

If logging to a file is enabled, the WinINSTALL Agent will log to a text file on the local machine. The file is called WInn.tmp (where nn is an incremented number) and is stored in the Windows folder. Each time the WinINSTALL Agent service is stopped and started again, a new .tmp file is generated with an incremented number in the file name. You cannot copy or read the file while the WinINSTALL Agent is running on the local machine.

37 • the following Client Reset Share Job was removed: ***.

38 • the following Client Reset Share Job was edited: ***.

39 • the following Replication Job was run: ***.

40 • the following Replication Job was aborted: ***.

41 • the following Replication Job status history was cleared: ***.

42 • Failed to run the following Replication Job: ***.

43 • Failed to abort the following Replication Job: ***.

44 • Failed to clear status history for the following Replication Job: ***.

45 • A user security access violation occurred in Replication Console.

46 • A database access failure occurred in Replication: ***.

47 • Debug: ***.

NOTE: If logging to a file is enabled, the Agents will log events to a text file in the local Windows directory. The filename will be WInn.tmp, where nn is a numeric value between 00 and 99).

WARNING: When the WinINSTALL Agent logs to a text file, that log file is written in Unicode and therefore cannot be read on a machine with a Windows 9x operating system. However, you can copy it to a Windows NT, 2000, XP, or 2003 machine and read it there.



WinINSTALL Agent logging has three levels, each of which can be directed to a file, to the event log, and/or to the database.

INSTALLER LOGGING Installer logging takes place when the WinINSTALL agent is performing software distribution and obeys the Notification settings for the specific list or package being installed.

Installer logging has six levels, each of which can be directed to any of the traditional logging targets (database, event log, file, e-mail, and SNMP trap).

Standard • Errors, warnings, and successes will be logged.

Verbose • Errors, warnings, successes, and informational messages will be logged.

Diagnostic • Errors, warnings, successes, informational messages, and diagnostic messages will be logged.

WARNING: Diagnostic logging produces an enormous amount of data, which can be very useful for troubleshooting. But after the troubleshooting process is complete, it is important to set the logging level back to a lower level in order to avoid flooding the database or event log with this extra data.

None • No logging will occur.

Errors Only • Only errors will be logged.

Errors + Warnings

• Only errors and warnings will be logged.

Standard • Errors, warnings, and successes will be logged.

Verbose • Errors, warnings, successes, and informational messages will be logged.

Diagnostic • Errors, warnings, successes, informational messages, and diagnostic messages will be logged.


. . .

. .M I S C E L L A N E O U SWinINSTALL Utility Programs

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . W I N I N S T A L L U T I L I T Y P R O G R A M SWinINSTALL includes several special purpose utilities, located in the bin directory of the WinINSTALL share. These utilities are explained below.

NETWORK DETECTION (NONETNOGO.EXE)This utility allows you to specify that a particular action should be executed only if the network is detected. If no network is detected, the specified action simply does not happen. This is very helpful for remote or laptop users who are not always connected to the network. If a specific activity is scheduled to occur during a time when the user is not connected to the network, this utility can make sure that nothing crashes/blows up as a result. For example, you can put NoNetNoGo.exe in a script that runs when the machine boots up.

CREATING A BASELINE FOR CONFLICT ASSESSMENT (WIBASELINEGEN.EXE)This utility creates a “baseline” of a machine which can then be used for conflict assessment. A baseline defines the theoretical initial state of a machine before any packages are installed, such as the state of a machine with only a particular operating system and a service pack installed. You can include a baseline in a conflict assessment to determine if there will be potential conflicts when specific packages are installed on machines with that baseline. You run a conflict assessment baseline on a machine by remotely invoking WIBaselineGen.exe in the bin directory of a WinINSTALL share.

CLIENT LAUNCH (WICLIENT.EXE)This utility allows a user to install software on a workstation using the administrative privileges of the WinINSTALL service. Normally, a user does not have administrative privileges and thus cannot perform software installations. However, there may be instances in which an administrator wants a particular user to be able to install a particular package on a particular machine. On the Distribution tab of the WinINSTALL Agent Settings dialog, the administrator checks the Client Launch checkbox and then specifies the permissions for the appropriate user(s). The administrator must then give the user(s) a link to WIClient.exe or tell them where it can be accessed. WIClient.exe passes the entire command line to the installer via the distribution functionality of the WinINSTALL Agent. The only thing that is

WARNING: Diagnostic logging produces an enormous amount of data, which can be very useful for troubleshooting. But after the troubleshooting process is complete, it is important to set the logging level back to a lower level in order to avoid flooding the log target with this extra data.


M I S C E L L A N E O U SWinINSTALL Utility Programs3 7

not passed is an optional -w, which tells WIClient to wait for the installation to complete. For example, using the following command would pass everything after -w to the installer:

WIClient –w test.lst

SCRIPT TO ADD A DATABASE USER (DBADDUSER.CMD)This script enables an administrator to give permission to other users to use a Microsoft SQL Server 2000 or MSDE 2000 (Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Database Engine) database with NT Authentication. (NT Authentication is the WinINSTALL default for permissions on an MSDE 2000 or SQL Server 2000 database.)

This script must be run from a command prompt on a machine that has the OSQL.exe installed in the path. (OSQL.exe would normally be in the path on a machine where MSDE 2000 or SQL Server 2000 has been installed.) The script requires three parameters - the name of the database server/instance, the name of the database, and the name of the user to whom permission will be granted.

A sample command line is shown below:

dbAddUser.cmd MACHINE\ONDSQL WINSTALL8 MyDomain\MyUser

This script is intended to address situations where a Console user is unable to gain access to the database because of authentication problems.

PROCEDURE TO SET THE DYNAMIC L IST PUBLISHING INTERVALThe 8.70.0201 release adds a column DYNLSTINTCOUNT in the table WIAI_PUBSETTINGS. The value of this column determines the number of publishing intervals that will elapse between publishing processing of dynamic LST files. This processing can be quite time-consuming, so a larger count is desirable.

The default count is 15, meaning that, for example, if the publishing interval is two minutes, dynamic LST file processing will occur every 30 minutes.

The 8.70.0201 database includes three different stored procedures for setting this value in the database, in case you want to use a value other than 15.

NOTE: Versions of WinINSTALL prior to 8.x performed the client launch functionality of WIClient.exe through the NTSVC32.exe and SSWNTSVC.exe utilities.


. . .


P R O C E D U R E T O S E T T H E I N T E R V A L C O U N T F O R A S P E C I F I C S E R V E R

P R O C E D U R E T O S E T T H E I N T E R V A L C O U N T F O R A L L S E R V E R S

Purpose • Sets the interval count for a specific server.

Syntax • Oracle: WI_SETDYNLSTINTCOUNT

• SQL Server: dbo.WI_SETDYNLSTINTCOUNT

Arguments • machine name, desired count.

Example • To change the count for server CENTRALSTATION to 30:

• Oracle: execute WI_SETDYNLSTINTCOUNT('CENTRALSTATION',30);

• SQL Server:dbo.WI_SETDYNLSTINTCOUNT 'CENTRALSTATION',30

Purpose: • Sets the interval count for all servers.

Syntax: • Oracle: WI_SETALLDYNLSTINTCOUNT

• SQL Server: dbo.WI_SETALLDYNLSTINTCOUNT

Argument: • desired count.

Example: • To change the count for all servers to 40:

• Oracle: execute WI_SETALLDYNLSTINTCOUNT(40);

• SQL Server: dbo.WI_SETALLDYNLSTINTCOUNT 40



P R O C E D U R E T O S E T T H E G L O B A L D E F A U L T I N T E R V A L C O U N T ( F O R N E W S E R V E R S )

SPECIAL UTIL ITY FOR MICROSOFT PATCHES (PATCHCATALOG.EXE)The WinINSTALL 8.7 command line utility, PatchCatalog.exe, is designed to overcome limitations of the Microsoft-supplied mssecure.xml file. This utility parses the more comprehensive Microsoft-supplied patch file, wsusscan.cab, to produce a language-specific mssecure.xml file which the WinINSTALL console can read and process, in much the same way that it processes the regular mssecure.xml file. The PatchCatalog-generated XML file does have some differences from the original mssecure.xml file, though, so WinINSTALL will behave slightly differently when using this file—but WinINSTALL’s patch management features basically function in the same way with either file. Differences are itemized below.

The basic steps in using this utility are as follows:

1 Download the latest version of wsusscan.cab.

2 Run PatchCatalog.exe to extract the necessary data and build the special version of mssecure.xml.

3 Make the new mssecure.xml file available to the WinINSTALL console.

4 Perform patch management tasks as desired, using the WinINSTALL product in the usual fashion.

Full details on each of these steps are included below.

G E N E R A T I N G M S S E C U R E F I L E STo use the command line utility, PatchCatalog.exe, perform the following steps:

Purpose: • Sets the global default interval count. This value is used when new servers are established.

Syntax: • Oracle: WI_SETGLOBALDYNLSTINTCOUNT

• SQL Server: dbo.WI_SETGLOBALDYNLSTINTCOUNT

Example: • To change the global default count to 25:

• Oracle: execute WI_SETGLOBALDYNLSTINTCOUNT(25);

• SQL Server: dbo.WI_SETGLOBALDYNLSTINTCOUNT 25


. . .


1 Install WinINSTALL and verify that the Console works properly.

2 Download the file wsusscan.cab from this URL: http://download.windowsupdate.com/microsoftupdate/v6/wsusscan/wsusscan.cab.

Be certain to place this file in a directory to which you have write permission. It is recommended that you create a new directory for this purpose, because this directory will be used to hold the many subdirectories and files extracted from wsusscan.cab and also to hold the generated mssecure.xml file.

3 Run the command line utility by specifying at least the path to the wsusscan.cab file plus a language code for the desired language (the full syntax is given below).

For example, if you downloaded wsusscan.cab to C:\WinINSTALL\wsusscan\wsusscan.cab and chose the Chinese language, you would enter the following at the command prompt:

PatchCatalog C:\WinINSTALL\wsusscan\wsusscan.cab zh-cn

This command will extract all files from wsusscan.cab necessary to generate the mssecure.xml file for the Chinese language.

By default, each file will be extracted only if wsusscan.cab is newer than the existing file of the same name in the target extract directory. The directory structure after the command line utility extracts files from wsusscan.cab for the Chinese language (language code “zh-cn”) will look like this:

wsussscan

core

extended

localized

zh-cn

NOTE: The process of extracting the necessary files and building the language-specific version of mssecure.xml can take a long time, depending on the processing and disk speed of the machine involved. A fast machine may be able to complete this operation in 10 minutes or less; a slower machine could take much longer.

NOTE: PatchCatalog creates three subdirectories to hold extracted files for core, extended and localized update properties. Under the localized directory, PatchCatalog will create subdirectories for each language to contain the extracted localized update files.


http://download.windowsupdate.com/microsoftupdate/v6/wsusscan/wsusscan.cab


4 When the command line utility completes successfully, an mssecure XML file, with a name of the form, mssecure_<language code>.xml, will be contained in the directory holding the specified wsusscan.cab file, where <language code> is the language code specified on the command line. For example, if you specified the language code zh-cn, the resulting mssecure file will be named mssecure_zh-cn.xml.

5 To use this file with the Patch Management feature of the WinINSTALL Console, close the WinINSTALL Console application, copy the generated mssecure XML file to the bin directory of the WinINSTALL share, and rename the file mssecure.xml.

Restart the WinINSTALL Console application and use all the Patch Management features normally.

P A T C H C A T A L O G C O M M A N D S Y N T A XThe syntax of the PatchCatalog command line is as follows:

PatchCatalog [options] <wsusscan file path> <language code>

Where options are the following:

-o <overwrite type> = The overwrite behavior for files extracted from wsusscan.cab.

<overwrite type> is one of the following:

• newer (default) = extract file if wsusscan.cab is newer than existing extracted file of the same name.

• always = always extract files and overwrite existing files of the same name.

• never = don’t extract a file if it will overwrite an existing file of the same name.

-s = Suppress progress messages.

-h or ? = Display help for PatchCatalog command.

<wsusscan file path> = Absolute file path to the wsusscan.cab file (includes the file name, e.g., wsusscan.cab). For example, C:\WinINSTALL\wsusscan\wsusscan.cab

<language code> = Code for the language of the updates (patches) to be extracted from wsusscan.cab and used to create the mssecure XML file. For example, the French language has the code fr. (The full list of the supported language codes appears below).

S U P P O R T E D L A N G U A G E SUltimately, the supported languages depend upon the content of the wsusscan.cab file. However, the PatchCatalog command line utility will recognize the following languages according to the associated language codes shown below.


. . .


P A T C H M A N A G E M E N T B E H A V I O RThe data contained in wssuscan.cab differs somewhat from that provided in mssecure.xml, with the result that Patch Management will operate a little differently with a generated mssecure XML file from the way it will operate with the original file.

Language Language Code

Arabic • “ar”

Czech • “cs”

Danish • “da”

German • “de”

Greek • “el”

English • “en”

Spanish • “es”

Finnish • “fi”

French • “fr”

Hebrew • “he”

Hungarian • “hu”

Italian • “it”

Japanese • “ja”

Korean • “ko”

Dutch • “nl”

Norwegian • “no”

Polish • “pl”

Portuguese • “pt”

Portuguese (Brazil) • “pt-br”

Russian • “ru”

Swedish • “sv”

Turkish • “tr”

Chinese • “zh-cn”

Chinese (Traditional) • “zh-tw”



The following differences should be expected:

1 The wsusscan.cab file contains update (patch) information for a limited number of products.

2 Certain updates (patches) in wsusscan.cab are not associated with any bulletin. Since Patch Management groups patches by bulletin, bulletin IDs had to be automatically generated for these updates. The KB article number is used when available, e.g., KB321884. If two such updates have the same KB article number then an incremental number is appended to make the ID unique, e.g., KB321884-2. If for some reason there is no KB article information for these updates, the bulletin IDs will be incrementally generated as KBUndefined-1, KBUndefined-2, and so on.

3 The patch’s Date posted and Date revised values displayed on the bulletin’s General property page have a different meaning when using a generated file.

• The Date posted value is the earliest creation date of all the updates (patches) associated with the bulletin in wsusscan.cab.

• The Date revised value is the latest creation date of all the updates (patches) associated with the bulletin in wsusscan.cab.

4 Patch file names and folder names are less intelligible with the generated mssecure XML file because they are based on unique IDs found in the wsusscan.cab file. The names are still qualified by the bulletin ID, but as noted above, the bulletin ID may under certain circumstances be generated by the command line utility.

5 Affected service pack information is not available for generated mssecure XML files. Patches are from the generated mssecure.xml are associated only with the affected product and are not differentiated by affected service pack on the bulletin General page Products tab or on the Download Patches and Delete Patches dialogs.

6 Bulletin summary information from wsusscan.cab is not as informative as that from mssecure.xml.

PERSONALITY TRANSFER COMMAND L INE UTILITY (WIMIGCMD.EXE)The Personality Transfer command line utility, WIMigCmd.exe, enables backups and restores to be initiated from the client machine, as opposed to the usual method of initiating such operations from the Console.

As a command line utility, WIMigCmd.exe can easily be called from within a package, making WinINSTALL’s many distribution methods available as mechanisms for launching backups and restores. You can see examples of this in two of the sample packages provided with WinINSTALL (see Sample Packages, in this chapter).

WIMigCmd [options] <operation> [repository path (share-relative)]


. . .

. .M I S C E L L A N E O U SSample Packages

[options] can be any combination of the following:

<operation> can be either Backup or Restore:

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . S A M P L E P A C K A G E SWinINSTALL includes a number of sample packages intended to fulfill two purposes. First, these packages all perform functions which are likely to be immediately useful to many WinINSTALL users. Second, the packages also illustrate a number of useful techniques and are therefore good examples of some of the possibilities available through the range of functionality offered by the WinINSTALL product.

Most of the packages are provided in both WinINSTALL (.nai) and Windows Installer (.msi) format, to encourage comparison of the two package formats and understanding of their relationship. The packages can be used as provided, or modified to work more precisely the way you need them to.

-a • Create new users as local administrators (implies -u).

-k <key> • Key for encrypting/decrypting data.

-o <type> • Overwrite data type: never (default), newer, or always.

-t <path> • Path to the template file (share-relative).

-u • Create new users as needed.

-v • Verbose messages.

-w • Wait for the operation to complete.

-? or -h • Show help.

Backup • Backup user data to the repository.

Restore • Restore user data from the repository.

NOTE: The sample WinINSTALL packages (not the Windows Installer packages) are provided with both install and uninstall disabled to prevent accidental deployments. To enable a package, select it in the tree view, select General in the list view, and then select the Conditions/General tab, where you can allow or deny access to install and/or uninstall.


M I S C E L L A N E O U SSample Packages3 7

INTERACTIVE INSTALLER ICONThis package installs a shortcut to access the WinINSTALL Interactive User's Menu (Interactive Installer). This shortcut specifies no list file, thereby pointing the Installer to the default list file, winapps.lst. You could modify the Target File field to add a list file of your choice as a command line parameter to winstall.exe.

RUN AUTOMATIC INSTALLER AT STARTUPThis package writes an entry to the registry to cause the WinINSTALL Automatic Installer to execute at startup. The entry is written to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run to execute winstala.exe. The package restarts the system to complete the install, thereby invoking the Automatic Installer for the first time at that point.

This entry specifies no list file, thereby pointing the Installer to the default list file, winapps.lst. You could modify the registry entry to add a list file of your choice as a command line parameter to winstala.exe

ENABLE E-MAIL DISTRIBUTIONThis package writes an entry to the registry to enable a double-click on a .nai file e-mail attachment to launch the WinINSTALL Automatic Installer to install the e-mailed .nai file.

The entry is written to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT to register the .nai file type, including a shell open command to execute winstala.exe.

Description • WinINSTALL Interactive User Menu

List File • Distribution Methods

NAI • \Packages\WIMenu\WIMenu.nai

MSI • \Bin\WIMenu.msi

Description • WinINSTALL Automatic


NAI • \Packages\WIAuto\WIAuto.nai

MSI • \Bin\WIAuto.msi


. . .


EVENT VIEWER SUPPORTIt is, of course, possible to successfully run the WinINSTALL Installers on a machine which does not have the WinINSTALL Agent installed. This sample package adds and registers the .DLL necessary for viewing WinINSTALL Installer event log entries on such systems. It is not needed on systems where the WinINSTALL Agent is installed.

This package installs SSWLOGMC.DLL as a system service to enable the viewing of WinINSTALL Installer event log entries in the event log. The package installs one file plus associated registry entries.

SNMP GET NOTIFICATIONThis package installs WinINSTALL support for Installer result reporting through SNMP Get capability. The installation is carried out by having the Installer launch the SNMPCfg.exe executable as an external process (or MSI Custom Action) with a /nt command line switch.

Description • WinINSTALL E-Mail


NAI • \Packages\WIEmail\WIEmail.nai

MSI • \Bin\WIEmail.msi

Description • WinINSTALL NT Event Viewer Support

List File • Notification Methods

NAI • \Packages\NTEvents\NTEvents.nai

MSI • \Packages\NTEvents\NTEvents.nai

Description • WinINSTALL SNMP Support (Get Only)


NAI • \Packages\snmp\snmp.nai

MSI • \Packages\snmp\snmp.msi



SNMP GET AND SET NOTIFICATIONThis package installs WinINSTALL support for Installer result reporting through SNMP Get and Set capabilities. The installation is carried out by having the Installer launch the SNMPCfg.exe executable as an external process (or MSI Custom Action) with /nt and /set command line switches .

BACKUP USER DATA AND INIT IATE RESETThis package demonstrates how to use the Client Reset feature in conjunction with the WinINSTALL Desktop Availability Suite’s Personality Transfer capability to perform a full client reset, beginning with a full backup of user data and settings to the repository on the server.

The package consists of two simple calls to external programs. The first of these is a pre-install execution of the Personality Transfer Command Line Utility (WIMigCmd.exe), using the -w switch to wait for the completion of the operation before returning, and the Backup parameter to specify which operation (backup or restore) to perform. Note that the Do not wait for shell to complete checkbox for this operation is unchecked, instructing the Installer to pause after launching the backup, resuming only after the backup finishes. This selection is essential to prevent the machine reset from beginning before the backup has completed.

Description • WinINSTALL SNMP Support (Get and Set)


NAI • \Packages\snmp\snmps.nai

MSI • \Packages\snmp\snmps.msi

TIP: To create a complete, one-step, full client reset, use this sample package in conjunction with the Restore User Data sample package, described below. See the Client Reset chapter of the Administrator’s Guide for details on the various options available for this comprehensive, remote client reset capability.

TIP: If you create a Boot Floppy Package, you can add this backup command line to that package and perform a full reset without a hidden partition. See the Client Reset chapter of the Administrators Guide for full details on creating a Boot Floppy Package.


. . .


The second external process is a post-install execution of the WIRPWks.exe utility, which reboots a machine to its hidden reset partition. (This file is installed on the local machine when the reset partition is installed.) The /Q command line switch is included to run the utility in quiet mode, meaning that it will display no user interface. Note that the Do not wait for shell to complete checkbox for this operation is checked, instructing the Installer to call the utility and then complete its operation without pausing. This selection enables the Installer to complete its work and shut down so that the machine reset can proceed.

OPEN XP F IREWALL PORTS FOR WININSTALL OPERATIONSThis package opens the ports on the Windows XP SP2 firewall necessary to enable all WinINSTALL operations. The package modifies the registry to open the following ports:

1 File and printer sharing (TCP 139 & 445, plus UDP 137 & 138).

2 WinINSTALL console IPC communications (TCP 3674).

3 WinINSTALL replication agent communications (UDP 3674).

Depending on your environment, you may find that one or more of these ports are not necessary. For example, you may find that you do not need all the file and printer sharing ports open on every workstation, or you may not be using WinINSTALL Replication and therefore do not need to open UDP 3674.

Note that this package has a system prerequisite set. To install this package as supplied, machines must be running Windows XP, SP2 or later.

NOTE: To use the sample client reset package, you must first create a Client Reset template, and you must have installed a reset partition on the target machine (see the Client Reset chapter of the Administrators Guide for details on these items).

Description • Backup User Data & Initiate Reset

List File • Client Reset Samples

NAI • \Packages\ClientReset\Reset.nai

MSI • None

Description • XP SP2 Firewall Settings




RESTORE USER DATAThis package employs the WinINSTALL Desktop Availability Suite’s Personality Transfer feature to restore all user data and settings from the last backup of the same client machine. The package operates by calling a single external process, the Personality Transfer Command Line Utility (WIMigCmd.exe), using the -w switch to wait for the completion of the operation before returning, and the restore parameter to specify which operation (backup or restore) to perform. Note that the Do not wait for shell to complete checkbox for this operation is unchecked, instructing the Installer to pause after launching the restore, resuming only after the backup finishes.

This sample package is located in the \Packages folder of the WinINSTALL share, and it is automatically added as the last package in all Dynamic List Files (see the Client Reset chapter of the Administrator’s Guide for details on Dynamic List Files).

NAI • \Packages\XPSP2FirewallSettings\XPSP2FirewallSettings.nai

MSI • None

WARNING: Restoring user settings and data is not supported on Windows 95 or Windows 98.

Description • Restore User Data


NAI • \Packages\restore.nai

MSI • None


. . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Index

Symbols.cub file 205, 207.pcp file 203, 352/Confirm 285/NoCancel 285/NoMSNet 282, 285/NoNetWare 282, 285/NoNetwork 282, 285/NoPause 285/Prompt 285/Quiet or /Quiet_NoPrompt 285/Quiet_Log = 285/Quiet_Prompt 285/ReInstall 285/Remove 285/RunProg 285/SuppressMSNetErrors 282, 285/SuppressNetWareErrors 282, 285/SuppressNetworkErrors 282, 285/V 286/VA 286/Verify 286/Verify All 286/Verify Files 286/Verify Icons 286/Verify Registry 286/VF 286/VI 286/VR 286/VT 286/WIPL 285

AAccess rights for agent configuration 60Access rights for client reset 60Access rights for inventory/asset management 61Access rights for package management 62Access rights for packaging 61Access rights for personality transfer 62


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Access rights for replication 62Access rights for running tasks 63Access rights for scheduling 63Access rights to the CD Wizard 60Add a Database User 642Add a new ASCII file to the list 417 to 418Add a new ASCII file to the list. 413, 418Add a Report 600Add existing package to Console 154Add list to Console 153Add new shortcut bar 57Add New Shortcut dialog 292, 432Add Phase Tab (Adding Files) 374Add Search 103Add Tab 391, 400Add Tab (Adding INI Files) 415Admin Subtab (Execute and User Interface Subtabs) 338Administrative access rights 59Advanced Agent Settings 127Advanced Options checkbox 169 to 171, 174, 176, 178, 181, 184, 187, 190, 192Advanced Options for Patch Management 308Advanced Tab 323 to 325, 328, 330, 333, 335, 443 to 444Advertise Sub-tab 333, 339Advertise Sub-tab (Execute and User Interface Sub-tabs) 339Advertise Subtab (Execute and User Interface Subtabs) 339Advertising 48, 161, 291 to 293, 326, 339, 431 to 434Advertising Packages for Distribution 292 to 293, 432Agent Database Settings 129Agent Deployment 109 to 110, 112Agent Infrastructure 41Agent Logging 128Agent logging level 128Agent software upgrade 129Agent Status Update 134All Bulletins 45, 49, 53, 303 to 305, 308 to 313All Bulletins node 45, 53All Bulletins sub-node 303 to 304, 309 to 313All Machines 44, 48, 52, 66, 68, 70 to 71, 82 to 83, 110, 118, 132 to 134, 143 to 147, 294, 300, 455, 460 to 462, 592All Machines node 44, 52, 294, 300, 592All Machines sub-node 66, 68, 70 to 71, 82 to 83, 110, 118, 132 to 134, 143 to 147, 455, 460 to 462Allow close from system tray 129Allow specified users and groups to install with elevated privileges 127Alphabetize contents of a list 154Alternative Patch Location dialog 310AppID Tab 438Application Distribution Comparison 472


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Application Package 554Applying Transforms 195AppSearch Sub-tab 333, 340, 444 to 445AppSearch Subtab 340, 445ASCII Files Tab 410, 417Assembly Name Tab 439Assembly Tab 439Asset Management 61, 453, 599Asset Type 453assign additional shares 74assign an additional share 74Assign Role to a Machine 81Assign Server dialog 83Assign Server to a Workstation 82Assigning Multiple Shares 73Automatic Installer 254, 257, 259, 273, 279 to 280, 283 to 285, 288, 290, 317Automatic Installer run at startup (sample package) 650Automating WinINSTALL Agent Deployment 115Autorun.INF 288

BBackup Details dialog 488Backup personalities 475Backup Personality 484Backup user data and initiate reset (sample package) 652Backups node 593Backups sub-node 484, 487Backups tab 487Baseline Security Analyzer 301boot floppy 530Boot Floppy Creation Wizard 547boot floppy package 549Both Subnet Detection and Traffic Analysis 77Build a Package 159Build Windows Installer Package Manually 199Build WinINSTALL Package Manually 199Bulletin tab 303Bulletins tab 304 to 305

CCA File conflict subcategories and messages 214CA INI File conflict subcategories and messages 215CA Registry conflict subcategories and messages 214CA Shortcut conflict subcategories and messages 215Cache and Reuse Agent Credentials 113


I N D E X

Cancel an Existing Scheduled Task 589CD Wizard 60, 288 to 290change a share’s position in the list of assigned shares 74Change an Existing Server’s Assigned Shares 74Change configuration interval 145Change Log 470Change Log setting 457Change processing interval 145Change processing intervals 146change the shares assigned to a server 74Changing default WinINSTALL Agent settings 132Changing Ping Settings 139Check for upgrade at start up 129Classes Tab 435Classic Discover 167Client launch 125Client Operation 49, 554Client Reset 47, 49, 54, 60 to 61, 152, 529 to 530, 533 to 534, 545 to 547, 554, 565, 574, 638 to 639Client Reset node 47, 49, 54, 546, 554, 574Client Reset Shares 49, 530, 546, 554, 574Client Reset workflow 530Clients node 594combined count 451Command Line 293, 317Command Line WinINSTALL Agent Deployment 110Components Sub-tab 333, 336, 444Components Subtab 336Compression Sub-tab 218Compression Subtab 218Conditions Tab 323, 325Config File Processing Interval 122, 145Config file processing interval 127Configure Client Reset Share 532, 546, 574Configure Inventory Settings 455Configure the Behavior of the Agent Status Update Feature 134Configuring Share Merge/Publish Responsibility 80Configuring Share Ownership 79Conflict Assessment 45, 61, 209 to 210, 212 to 213, 599, 641Conflict assessment access rights 61Conflict Assessment node 45, 210, 212 to 213Conflict assessment report 213Conflict Assessment Wizard 209 to 210Conflict Assessments tab 211Connectivity 137Console 36, 39, 42 to 45, 47, 50 to 56, 58 to 59, 66, 71, 81, 83, 88, 103, 109, 133, 143 to 144, 151, 153 to 154, 158 to 160, 168, 199 to 200, 205, 209 to 210, 213, 290, 303, 308 to 309, 318, 371, 385, 421, 432, 455 to 456, 460 to 462, 533, 580, 599


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to 602, 635 to 639Console Deployment of the WinINSTALL Agent 110Console Layout 43Console Log node 47, 635 to 636Console logging 635Console Security 58 to 63Control-R 544CR folder 574Create a PXE Server Files Replication Job 577Create an SMD file 114Create Backup Job dialog 488Create baselines 209Create Boot Floppy 60 to 61Create Client Reset Share 546Create Client Reset Template 533Create Migration Job dialog 491 to 492Create new list 153Create New SMD File 113Create Package Replication Job 573Create Patch Package dialog 310Create Patch Replication Job 575Create Personality Replication Job 576Create personality templates 475Create Personality Transfer Template 480Create Policy 494, 498Create policy 475Create Policy dialog 494, 498Create Reset Partition application 547Create Searches 103Create Template Replication Job 574Crystal Designer 37, 47, 599, 602Custom Action 349Custom Action Sub-tab 343, 445Custom Action Subtab 343, 445Custom Action Wizard 345, 348Custom Actions 333Customizing Migration 500

DData Flow to WinINSTALL Database 122Data Pane 43, 50, 52 to 55Data Source Sub-tab 380Data Source Subtab 380Database 36, 144, 146, 163, 210, 366, 370, 635Database Merging and Publishing 37Database Schema 37


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Database Sub-tab 370Database Tab 370dbAddUser.cmd 642Default WinINSTALL Agent Settings 132Delete a Canceled Scheduled Task 590Delete a Report 601Delete Conflict Assessment 212Delete Downloaded Microsoft Patch 312Delete Microsoft Patch Package 312Delete Patch File dialog 312Delete Patch Package dialog 312Delete Scheduled Task 63Delete Search 104Delete shortcut from shortcut bar 58Delivery Date 453Deploy the WinINSTALL Agent from a Command Line 110Deploy the WinINSTALL Agent from the Console 110Deploy the WinINSTALL Agent Using Secure Manual Deployment 113Deploy WinINSTALL Agent 110Deploy WinINSTALL Agent dialog 110Deployment 112DHCP 517DHCP Options 517Dialogs Sub-tab 333, 341, 444 to 445Dialogs Subtab 341, 445Digital Signature 221Directory Tab 333 to 334, 443, 447disaster recovery 475Discover Advanced Options 171Discover Wizard 151, 157 to 158, 160, 168 to 169, 171, 173, 177, 180, 183 to 184, 186 to 187, 191, 195, 224 to 225, 441Diskspace Sub-tab 264, 274Diskspace Subtab 274Distribute Policy 494, 497 to 499, 583Distribute Policy dialog 497 to 499Distribute Policy Task 583Distributing Packages 280, 288Distributing Packages Interactively 280distributing packages with a script 279Distribution Agent Settings 125Distribution Files 49, 554Download Microsoft Patch 309Download Patch dialo 310 to 311, 313Download Patch dialog 310 to 311, 313drag and drop 51, 287, 564Driver Sub-tab 381Driver Subtab 381


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Dynamic List publishing interval 642

EEdit a Package 161Edit an ASCII file that was added to the list. 413, 418Edit an INI file to be added 409Edit AUTOEXEC.BAT or CONFIG.SYS. 414Edit Conflict Assessment 212Edit name of shortcut bar 58Edit Personality Transfer Template dialog 482E-mail distribution (sample package) 650Email Sub-tab 367Email Tab 367enter the text that will trigger the removal of the section. Click OK. 409Environment Tab 419Event viewer support (sample package) 651Extensions Tab 437External Processing Tab 355 to 356

FFavor Advertising 291 to 292, 433File Install Properties 251, 374File scan 457File Scan Filter 457File Scan Filters 458File scan filters 458file scan filters 93, 124

GGeneral Command-line Switches 285General Information for Installing Windows Installer Component 328General Information for Installing Windows Installer Feature 322General Information for Installing Windows Installer Package 327General Sub-tab 264General Switches 285Generate Baseline 210Generate Conflict Assessment Baseline 210Generating mssecure Files 644Group Sub-tab 264

Hhidden reset partition 530History of Package Replication Job 574History of Patch Replication Job 576History of Personality Replication Job 576


I N D E X

History of PXE Server Files Replication Job 577History of Template Replication Job 575History tab 456, 574 to 577How to Configure the Behavior of the Agent Status Update Feature 134

IICE message 206ICEs 205, 207ICMP Ping 76ICMP ping 76Ignore Tables Sub-tab 446Ignore Tables Subtab 446Immediate publishing 145Inheritance 155inheritance icons 156INI Files Tab 407, 414Install Modes Tab 327, 333 to 334Install Packages 293Install sub-tab 337Install Sub-tab (Execute and User Interface Sub-tabs) 337Install Subtab (Execute and User Interface Subtabs) 337Install with Elevated Privileges 296Installation 163, 317, 335installed count 451Installed Licenses 452Installer logging 640Installer Sub-tab 254, 256, 258Installer Subtab 254, 256, 258Interactive Installer 254, 256, 258, 273, 279 to 281, 288, 317 to 318Interactive Installer icon (sample package) 650Interactive Software Distribution 280Internal consistency evaluators (ICEs) 205Inventory 61, 63, 144, 455 to 457, 460 to 462, 599Inventory Agent Settings 123Inventory Comparisons 471Inventory Log Variables 457Inventory Logging 123, 456Inventory Mode 123Inventory mode 456Inventory Scan 124Inventory tab 460 to 462IPC Ping 76IPC ping 76IPC Port 127


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JJust-in-time installation 292, 431 to 432

LLanguage Sub-tab 264Languages supported for patch download 301language-specific mssecure.xml 644Launch 61, 275 to 276, 294, 333, 335, 337, 444 to 445, 600, 602, 641Launch Condition Sub-tab 333, 337, 444 to 445Launch Condition Subtab 337, 445Launch Crystal Designer 600, 602Launch Interactive Installer with command line 281License Count 452license count 451License Management 451License Term 452licenses remaining 451List Pane 43, 47List pane 47 to 50Lists 59, 151 to 152, 227, 253, 421Log to database 128Log to local log file 128Log to Windows Event Log 128Log Variables 457, 470Logging level 128Logs Sub-tab 366Logs Tab 366

MMAC address 228Machine Connectivity 137Machine Properties dialog 70, 82, 84Machine Restrictions 588, 596Machine role 81 to 82Machine settings 133Machines 44, 48, 52, 59, 66, 68, 70 to 71, 82 to 83, 103, 110, 118 to 119, 132 to 134, 143 to 147, 287, 294, 300, 455, 460 to 462, 487, 497, 592Machines node 44, 48, 52, 66, 68, 70 to 71, 82 to 83, 103, 110, 118, 132 to 134, 143, 145 to 147, 287, 294, 300, 455, 460 to 462, 592Machines Options dialog 135Main CA Conflict Categories 214Menubar 44Merge 37Merge Modules Tab 445Merge Processing Interval 122, 146 to 147


I N D E X

Merge Settings from Database 146Merge settings to database immediately 147Merge/Publish Responsibility 40, 80Merge/Publish Settings 130Merging and Publishing 37Microsoft Bulletins 45, 53, 303Microsoft Patches 644Microsoft TechNet articles 301Migrate Personality 491Migration Details dialog 492, 498 to 499Migrations node 593Migrations sub-node 491 to 492Modify default WinINSTALL Agent settings for machines not yet deployed 132Modify Machine Properties 83Modify Personality Backups 487Modify Personality Migrations 492Modify Personality Restores 488Modify Personality Templates 482Modify Policies 497Modify Policy Distribution 498Modify Search 103Modify WinINSTALL Agent Settings 119Modify WinINSTALL Settings for Selected Machines 133Move shortcut bar 57MS-DOS Boot files 533MS-DOS network client files 534MS-DOS Network Interface Card driver files 533MSI Custom Action 349MSI Custom Action Wizard 344MSI Custom Actions Subtab 343MSI Package Validator dialog 207MSI packages 158, 161, 218, 223 to 226, 253, 263 to 264, 343, 380, 441MSI Table Editor 203, 334, 352MSI Validation and Repair 33mssecure.xml 301, 308, 644Multiple Shares 73

NNetWare information 127Network Detection 641New Personality Transfer Template dialog 480node under Machines in the tree pane and do one of the following 66, 68NoNetNoGo.exe 641Notification Sub-tab 218Novell 533, 565NTSVC 641


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NTSVC32.exe 642number of licenses remaining 451

OOperating System 49, 554

PPackage History 333patch creation package 203, 352Patch Management 45, 49, 53, 62, 302 to 303, 308 to 313Patch Management node 45, 53, 303, 308 to 313Patch Wizard 151, 160, 202 to 203PatchCatalog command syntax 646PatchCatalog supported languages 646PatchCatalog utility 301, 303, 309PatchCatalog.exe 644Patches 45, 48, 151 to 152, 161, 203, 228, 301, 311, 313, 442, 575Patches node 45Perform Backup Task 582Perform Inventory 144, 461, 582Perform Inventory Task 582Perform Migration Task 582Personality Transfer 46, 54, 475 to 477, 480, 482, 484, 486 to 488, 491 to 492, 494, 497 to 498, 593 to 594, 599Personality Transfer node 46, 54, 480, 482, 484, 486 to 488, 491 to 492, 494, 497 to 498, 593 to 594Personality Transfer Workflow 476Ping 137Ping Machines 137Ping Result Details 141Ping Settings 139Plug & Play 534Policies sub-node 494, 497 to 498Policy Distribution node 594Policy Distribution sub-node 497Policy Distribution tab 498policy template 493ports 511Prepare Windows Installer package for just-in-time installation 292Prepare WinINSTALL package for just-in-time installation 292Print a Report 602Privilege elevation 126ProgID Tab 436Properties of Package Replication Job 574 to 575Properties of Patch Replication Job 575Properties of Personality Replication Job 576Properties of PXE Server Files Replication Job 577


I N D E X

Properties Sub-tab 217Publish 37Publish Processing Interval 145Publish Settings from Database 144Publish settings from database immediately 146Publishing 144publishing at configured intervals 145publishing on demand 145Purging Inventory Data 472PXE Client Reset 594PXE Client Reset node 594PXE Client Reset ports 511PXE Client Reset Troubleshooting 522

QQNumber 305

RRead Existing SMD File 113Recommended WinINSTALL Workflow 28Reference Machine 38, 168Reference Machine WinINSTALL Database 168Registry 48 to 49, 161, 164 to 165, 214, 234, 236, 248 to 249, 255 to 258, 267, 281, 286, 306 to 307, 319, 368, 393 to 403Regular Expressions 501remove a share from the list of assigned shares 74Remove list from Console 153Remove Machine from Console 71Remove package from Console 154Remove shortcut bar 57Remove Tab 377, 402Remove the agent 71, 88, 133Remove WinINSTALL Agent 133Rename shortcut 58Reorder contents of a list 155Repairing Validated Windows Installer Package 207Replicating Client Reset Templates 574Replicating Packages 573Replicating Patches 575Replicating Personalities 576Replicating PXE Server Files 577Replication 38, 47, 50, 54, 63, 72, 79, 545 to 546, 565 to 566, 570, 573 to 577, 595, 599, 638 to 639replication 36, 41 to 42, 47, 50, 54, 62 to 63, 107, 117, 119, 143, 545 to 546, 565, 573 to 577Replication Agent Settings 132Replication Job Creation Wizard 573 to 577Replication Job Wizard 595


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Replication node 47, 50, 54, 546, 574 to 577, 595Replication tab 595Report 205 to 206, 213, 600 to 602Reports 47, 55, 59, 213, 462, 599 to 602Reports node 47, 55, 213, 462, 599 to 602Reports tab 462, 599Reserve Cost Tab 329reserved count 451Reserved Licenses 452Reset Workstation 544Reset Workstation application 544Restore Backup Job dialog 487 to 488Restore personalities 475Restore Personality 486Restores sub-node 486, 488Resume a Suspended Scheduled Task 589Run a Report 601Run a Task 143Run Conflict Assessment 212Run Inventory Task 460Run Merge Task 584Run Publisher Task 584Run Task dialog 60, 143 to 144, 146 to 147, 461, 592Runtime Sub-tab 218

SSample Packages 649sample UserMap.xml 501Scan Files 458Schedule 47, 62 to 63, 143 to 144, 279, 287, 299 to 300, 461, 484, 491, 497, 546, 574 to 577, 586, 590 to 594schedule 47, 143, 287, 299, 461, 484, 491, 497, 546, 564 to 565, 573, 579, 584, 586, 591 to 594Schedule a Task 143Schedule a task 143Schedule node 47, 287, 299, 590 to 591Schedule panel 546Schedule tab 287, 299 to 300, 546, 590 to 594Schedule Task dialog 63, 144, 287, 299, 491, 497, 590 to 594Scheduling 286, 299, 565Scheduling Backups 593Scheduling Packages for Distribution 286Schema 37Scope 587SCSI-SATA.zip 520Search Conditions dialog 103Search Definition dialog 103Searches 44, 48, 52, 103 to 104, 287, 300, 592


I N D E X

Searches node 44, 48, 52, 103, 300, 592Searches tab 103 to 104, 287Secure Manual Deployment 113SEH 127Select Directory Dialog 235Sequence Sub-tab 333, 337, 446Sequence Subtab 337, 446Sequential Scan 74 to 75sequential scan 78 to 79Server Agent Settings 129Server role 81, 119Share Merge/Publish Responsibility 80Share Ownership 79Share Proximity Operation 77Share Selection 41, 74Shortcuts Bar 44, 51, 56 to 58Show Agent icon in system tray 129Show/hide the shortcuts bar 56Signing an External Cabinet File 222Simultaneous Machine Status Connections 136SNMP Get and Set notification (sample package) 652SNMP Get notification (sample package) 651SNMP Sub-tab 367SNMP Tab 367SNMPCFG.EXE 367 to 368Software Distribution 44 to 45, 48 to 49, 52, 59, 62 to 63, 151 to 155, 160 to 161, 199 to 200, 206, 239, 253, 287, 289, 292, 300 to 301, 334 to 335, 432 to 434, 441, 592, 599Software Distribution Lists 45, 52, 59, 151 to 152, 160 to 161, 199 to 200, 206, 289, 334 to 335Software Distribution Lists node 45, 52, 59, 289Software Distribution node 44 to 45, 48 to 49, 52, 62, 151 to 155, 160 to 161, 199 to 200, 206, 287, 289, 292, 300, 432 to 433, 592Software Sub-tab 264Specify an INI file to be added 416Specify INI file section to add 416SSWNTSVC.exe 642Standard Exclusions 93, 460Start Page 44Startup list 125Status Update 134Structured Exception Handling 127Subnet Detection 75Subnet detection 78 to 79Subnet detection and traffic analysis 78 to 79Summary Sub-tab 317 to 318Summary Tab 317 to 318, 323, 327 to 328, 443Supported patches 301


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Suspend a Scheduled Task 589System Sub-tab 264SYSTEM.INI 406 to 408

TTargets Tab 586Templates sub-node 480, 482Templates tab 482Testing Machine Connectivity 137Time 636 to 637Timeout Incomplete Status Requests 135Toolbar 44Traffic Analysis 76, 78 to 79Transaction File Processing Interv 147Transaction File Processing Interval 122, 146 to 147Transaction file processing interval 127Translator Sub-tab 382Translator Subtab 382Tree Pane 43 to 47Troubleshoot WinINSTALL Agent Deployment 112Troubleshooting 522Troubleshooting Comparison 471TypeLib Tab 435

UUninstall patch 302Unix DHCP Servers 518Update Machine Status 135Upgrade periodically 129User and Group Restrictions 588, 596UserMap.xml 500 to 502User-mode Agent 129

VValidating Windows Installer Package 206Validation messages 205Variables Sub-tab 218Verify Text 286Verify WinINSTALL Agent Status 134View App/File Relations 457, 467View inventory information on Console 460 to 462View inventory information on report 462View Inventory Results 460 to 461View Microsoft Bulletins 303View Results of Conflict Assessment 213


I N D E X

View TechNet© Article 308View/Edit Tables 352Viewing Ping Result Details 141Virtual Floppy 549

WWake Machine 583Wake on LAN 580, 583Wake on LAN Settings 131Wake up machine to execute task 580Wake up machine to receive task request 581Wake up Options 580What's New 29WIBaselineGen.exe 210, 641WIClient.exe 641WIN.INI 406 to 408Winapps 284, 367WinApps node 45Windows 9x 109, 119, 533, 564 to 565Windows 9x machines 477Windows Installer package 48, 151 to 152, 158 to 161, 202 to 203, 205 to 207, 219, 236, 253, 258, 263, 275, 291 to 292, 300, 318, 322 to 323, 327, 333 to 337, 341, 355, 370 to 371, 375 to 382, 385, 390 to 391, 400, 402, 415, 419, 421, 425, 428 to 429, 431 to 434, 441 to 442, 592Windows Updates/Hot fixes 469WinINSTALL 8 Architecture Overview 39WinINSTALL Agent 41, 60, 71, 81 to 82, 88, 107, 109 to 110, 118 to 119, 122, 132 to 134, 145 to 147, 238, 245, 294 to 295, 297, 455 to 456, 563, 599, 635, 638 to 641WinINSTALL Agent Deployment 110, 112WinINSTALL Agent Infrastructure 41WinINSTALL Agent logging 639 to 640WinINSTALL Agent Settings 119WinINSTALL Agent Settings dialog 60, 132 to 133, 145, 147, 294, 641WinInstall Conflict Assessment Baseline Generator dialog 210WinINSTALL Conflict Assessment Wizard 210WinINSTALL Console 36, 41, 43, 55, 58, 107, 109, 121, 158, 168, 201, 285, 573, 602WinINSTALL Database 36, 122, 635WinINSTALL database 37 to 39, 41 to 42, 47, 81 to 82, 107, 117 to 118, 121 to 122, 145 to 147, 210, 366, 370, 579, 595, 599, 635 to 636, 639WinINSTALL NAI File Split Wizard 163WinINSTALL package 49, 157, 159, 161, 163, 218 to 219, 224, 250 to 251, 253 to 254, 256, 259, 274, 291 to 292, 300 to 301, 306, 317, 333, 355, 369, 371, 373 to 375, 385 to 386, 390, 394 to 395, 398, 400, 407, 411, 414 to 415, 417, 421 to 423, 431 to 432, 573, 592WinINSTALL Product Family 29WinINSTALL Program Launcher (WIPL) 291WinINSTALL Server 37WinINSTALL Share 36, 81, 119, 121 to 122, 280 to 281, 283, 530


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WinINSTALL share 36 to 37, 39, 41 to 42, 81, 145, 168, 209 to 210, 228, 231, 240, 279, 293, 313, 500, 530, 533, 545, 573 to 574, 641WinINSTALL SNMP Support (Get and Set) 367WinINSTALL Workstation 38Winnapps.lst 280WINSTALA.EXE 283WINSTALL.EXE 280Winstall.exe 281WINSTLU32.EXE 283WINSTU32.EXE 280WIPL 285, 291 to 292, 386, 389 to 390, 431, 433Work with Lists 158Work with Windows Installer Packages 158Workstation role 82wsusscan.cab 644

XXP firewall - open ports for WinINSTALL (sample package) 653


I N D E X