Distributed install problems

[Tiny_Clanger]

Hello people,

I was wondering whether any of you may be able to help me .... I'm currently encountering problems with the deployment of applications (and updates) where no user interaction is required through Microsoft SMS Server 2003.

I have written a couple of AutoIt scripts to bypass response dialog boxes (usually next, ok etc.) and they work absolutely fine when the deployment is made mandatory (or where a user can say - yes I'd like that application installing please .... the script goes off and does exactly what it should do). When it comes to the quiet distributed deployment (with no user interaction at all) ... the scripts start to run - but then hang until any user logs in to the computer and then they complete ....

I'm sure there is probably something really simple that I'm missing .... but any help anyone may be able to offer would save some of my hair!

Thanks.

[DaveF]

Sounds like problems arising because the installer wants to display some graphic element but can't until login, so AutoIt just hangs out until then.

Any modern installer should be silence-able, but sometimes it's a chore to figure out whose install packager was used to build it, and thus how to silence it.

Generally you can right-click the setup EXE and view the properties to see what packager the installation was built with, e.g. InstallShield, Wise, Inno, NullSoft... Armed with that, you can Google that name plus silent install switch to get the method you need for a no-user-interaction install.

At its simplest it's something like:

install.exe /s

...for a silent install.

[seandisanti]

Sounds like problems arising because the installer wants to display some graphic element but can't until login, so AutoIt just hangs out until then.

Any modern installer should be silence-able, but sometimes it's a chore to figure out whose install packager was used to build it, and thus how to silence it.

Generally you can right-click the setup EXE and view the properties to see what packager the installation was built with, e.g. InstallShield, Wise, Inno, NullSoft... Armed with that, you can Google that name plus silent install switch to get the method you need for a no-user-interaction install.

At its simplest it's something like:

install.exe /s

...for a silent install.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Actually i think that may not be the issue at all... just the line where it says:

but then hang until any user logs in to the computer and then they complete

makes me tend to think that this is an issue because he's trying to run a script without having a user logged into the computer...like at the 'press ctrl alt delete to login' screen. Am i totally off base there Tiny?

[DaveF]

Actually i think that may not be the issue at all... just the line where it says:

makes me tend to think that this is an issue because he's trying to run a script without having a user logged into the computer...like at the 'press ctrl alt delete to login' screen.  Am i totally off base there Tiny?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

*shrug* As I understand it, SMS runs deployed installs with the credentials of the System user, which would be logged in, but has no Desktop, thus my guess about being unable to display a dialog box.

[Tiny_Clanger]

he's trying to run a script without having a user logged into the computer...like at the 'press ctrl alt delete to login' screen. Am i totally off base there Tiny?

Yes, you are right here - I am trying to get the application to install without user interaction / login.

The application in question is Adobe Photoshop CS - it installs fine after supplying the details into an abcopy.ini file - where the license information etc. is stored - it uses this file during installation and would only ask one question - which regards to the copying of a read-only file - this can be sorted by altering the attributes of the file before installation.

The problems arise with the uninstallation - where there are a couple of dialog boxes that require interaction with - ie. confirm delete & do you want to delete all user profiles.

*shrug* As I understand it, SMS runs deployed installs with the credentials of the System user, which would be logged in, but has no Desktop, thus my guess about being unable to display a dialog box.

Dave, I believe that you may have drawn my attention to something that I've forgotten about - SMS utilises graphic drivers, but has no physical desktop - this would explain why it works when the user logs in, but not beforehand.

I will have a route around with applying switches to the uninstaller located on the local computer within the InstallShield Information directory.

Many thanks for both of your help - I will endeavour with this - and you have saved my hair ....

[JerryD]

Yes, you are right here - I am trying to get the application to install without user interaction / login.

The application in question is Adobe Photoshop CS - it installs fine after supplying the details into an abcopy.ini file - where the license information etc. is stored - it uses this file during installation and would only ask one question - which regards to the copying of a read-only file - this can be sorted by altering the attributes of the file before installation.

The problems arise with the uninstallation - where there are a couple of dialog boxes that require interaction with - ie. confirm delete & do you want to delete all user profiles.

Dave, I believe that you may have drawn my attention to something that I've forgotten about - SMS utilises graphic drivers, but has no physical desktop - this would explain why it works when the user logs in, but not beforehand.

I will have a route around with applying switches to the uninstaller located on the local computer within the InstallShield Information directory.

Many thanks for both of your help - I will endeavour with this - and you have saved my hair ....

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Something to keep in mind. "user" macros like @username and @DesktopDir aren't available until the user logs in. In fact, the @TempDir probably won't either. Also, I'd add lines to log the actions the script is taking to see exactly where it's hanging until the user logs in.

[Tiny_Clanger]

Jerry, thanks for the advise about the user macros - this now rings true as one of the problems that I was having when I let things run there course (or as far as they would get) ... when I was trying to receive the screen resolution in order to ensure that earlier work with the mouse information brought up the error message - where it falls over looks for the size[2] and size[3] elements - width and height ... these were the only two that were being used at the time.

I then moved over to try responding with the keyboard - but still encountered problems.

Once more, you've brought something to my attention that I'll bear in mind in the future.

Thanks.

[DaveF]

@Tiny, have you looked at Appdeploy for this app?

I don't know if you have any MSI editor tools, but the Tuner program may be available from Adobe for Photoshop CS (it is for Acrobat...)

[Tiny_Clanger]

Dave, unfortunately AppDeploy have no information for Photoshop CS - although they do for the brand new Photoshop CS2 (and by the sounds of it - CS2 may comes with an msi - which makes things a lot easier anyway ...) I am currently sidetracked by another application that is a little more pressing at the moment, but I'll be back with Photoshop within the next day or so ...

Thanks