Deploying 4Matrix

[SavedZelda]

Note to admins: At the moment I'm not sure if this is a 4Matrix issue or Group Policy, please feel free to move the post if needed.

 

Hi all,

 

Long story short I can't get 4Matrix deployed across the network and can't find an error/reason why. I've spent 65 minutes chatting to their support team and they can't help, so hopefully there's a clever clogs here who might be able to help.

 

4Matrix Network Manager is installed on a server, and the MSI files folder is shared and users have the correct permissions on the files. The MSIs are stored in the same shared area as other software packages we have which deployed with no issues (to the same OU and users/PCs in AD). The 'settings' file generated by 4MNM is also in the folder. The MSI can be run by the user manually and the 4Matrix install wizard appears just fine.

 

RSOP gives a small warning icon on the 4Matrix MSI but none of the others, I've checked Event Viewer and the properties of the software package and can't find any error information.

 

 

I'm not really sure where to look next, any help would be greatly appreciated, thank you!

[SavedZelda]

Note to admins: At the moment I'm not sure if this is a 4Matrix issue or Group Policy, please feel free to move the post if needed.

 

Hi all,

 

Long story short I can't get 4Matrix deployed across the network and can't find an error/reason why. I've spent 65 minutes chatting to their support team and they can't help, so hopefully there's a clever clogs here who might be able to help.

 

4Matrix Network Manager is installed on a server, and the MSI files folder is shared and users have the correct permissions on the files. The MSIs are stored in the same shared area as other software packages we have which deployed with no issues (to the same OU and users/PCs in AD). The 'settings' file generated by 4MNM is also in the folder. The MSI can be run by the user manually and the 4Matrix install wizard appears just fine.

 

RSOP gives a small warning icon on the 4Matrix MSI but none of the others, I've checked Event Viewer and the properties of the software package and can't find any error information.

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]50170[/ATTACH]

 

I'm not really sure where to look next, any help would be greatly appreciated, thank you!

 

SOLVED

 

Turns out it was unrelated to 4Matrix itself but a Group Policy setting I needed to enable.

 

Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > System > Group Policy > Specify startup policy processing wait time - Set to 120.

 

By making the delay, the software finally installed.

[DSapseid]

You dont have to have 4Matrix installed on every machine. I have it on the 4Matrix server, then i have it installed to a folder on my staff shared area (on the staff file server). I have then pointed shortcuts for all staff in the W10 start menu to the file on the staff shared area and it works fine. I have been running it this way since we got 4Matrix 5+ years i think now!

 

Whenever there is an update for it i just have to logon to the 2 servers and manually run the upgrade. I have added myself to the 4matrix mailing list that notifies me when an update is available.

[SavedZelda]

You dont have to have 4Matrix installed on every machine. I have it on the 4Matrix server, then i have it installed to a folder on my staff shared area (on the staff file server). I have then pointed shortcuts for all staff in the W10 start menu to the file on the staff shared area and it works fine. I have been running it this way since we got 4Matrix 5+ years i think now!

 

Whenever there is an update for it i just have to logon to the 2 servers and manually run the upgrade. I have added myself to the 4matrix mailing list that notifies me when an update is available.

 

Thank you, I'm going to give this a try today - seems like the best way to do things! Does it perform well enough?

[DSapseid]

Yes it performs fine. I would make the shortcut to the 4matrix.exe rather than the launcher.exe and also create the launchersettings.xml file so you can stop it updating unless you tell it to.

 

There are instructions on the 4matrix website and i think the new 4matrix network manager created the launcher settings for you.

 

I have the AD groups setup as well so it auto logs the staff in and have no issues for the head/exams officer side or the standard staff member.

 

Only problem i have had over the years is .net framework going loopy in the users profile and needing a new profile to fix it. But that is 2 staff members in 5 years so not really a real problem.

 

let me know if you want any more help

[SavedZelda]

Yes it performs fine. I would make the shortcut to the 4matrix.exe rather than the launcher.exe and also create the launchersettings.xml file so you can stop it updating unless you tell it to.

 

There are instructions on the 4matrix website and i think the new 4matrix network manager created the launcher settings for you.

 

I have the AD groups setup as well so it auto logs the staff in and have no issues for the head/exams officer side or the standard staff member.

 

Only problem i have had over the years is .net framework going loopy in the users profile and needing a new profile to fix it. But that is 2 staff members in 5 years so not really a real problem.

 

let me know if you want any more help

 

 

I ended up installing it to a network share, I can see why it is the preferred option, so much easier! Thanks for your help bud.

[jonnykewell1]

Did anybody experience problems updating to the latest version this week? Ours won't upgrade and i've had two different sets of instructions on how to fix it, both full of conflicting information. It didn't help that this occurred when we were performing some changes to our web filter so I thought it was that causing the problem.

[DSapseid]

My upgrade went through fine. Is it the server you had issues with the upgrade or the clients?

[jonnykewell1]

I didn't update the server, the clients just usually go out and update themselves but are failing in an update look. Was I supposed to update the 4matrix manager aswell to a new version?

[DSapseid]

I always update 4matrix itself on the server. I dont update the 4Matrix manager just the application.

 

Are you running the client on each machine individually? Or on a network share as i mentioned above?

 

If on a share you need to make sure that no one has it open when it upgrades as otherwise it has a meltdown and you have to reinstall the client. When ive run the upgrade on my one file server where the network share is sometimes it fails, i just reinstall the client from the 4matrix server and then it does lots of updates to get to the latest and is fine.

[CAM]

I always update 4matrix itself on the server. I dont update the 4Matrix manager just the application.

 

Are you running the client on each machine individually? Or on a network share as i mentioned above?

 

If on a share you need to make sure that no one has it open when it upgrades as otherwise it has a meltdown and you have to reinstall the client. When ive run the upgrade on my one file server where the network share is sometimes it fails, i just reinstall the client from the 4matrix server and then it does lots of updates to get to the latest and is fine.

 

This is why I don't like the network share version as it does this every single time with files in the folder vanishing and not being replaced. 4Matrix is down right now as a result of it.

[DSapseid]

I try and do the updates out of hours if i can or i do it at a time that i know most people wont be using it and after speaking the head & data office (being the 2 people who mainly use it here). I kick everybody else off it by closing the files from the shared folders mmc - there was a proper link for this on Server 12 but cant find it on Server 16 but adding the snap-in works. Seems to work ok 99% of the time.

[DODICT]

I'm sure you can embed credentials into the msi or something when you deploy so the updates can be ran by users. I've never had a prob with users applying the updates when properly set up ? And means its a transparent process to IT and data teams can get their updates as soon as their available. Been a while since I did it though . . .

[Meldrew]

Whenever there is an update for it i just have to logon to the 2 servers and manually run the upgrade. I have added myself to the 4matrix mailing list that notifies me when an update is available.

 

I also upgrade manually, but I'm often on the back foot as I sometimes miss that an upgrade is available - how do you get yourself onto the mailing list?

 

Many thanks,

 

Meldrew

[jonnykewell1]

Thanks for all help. I managed to get through to support who remoted in, downloaded a new version, installed it on my test client and then had to trick it into running as an older version? They've changed the way the software updates in the latest version by the sounds of it and that's why we've had to do this. I've had to redeploy the MSI in group policy with a new launcher file and the settings file so that it overwrites on next boot. I think it's time I looked into running it from a network location by the sounds of it.

[markwilfan]

I'm sure you can embed credentials into the msi or something when you deploy so the updates can be ran by users. I've never had a prob with users applying the updates when properly set up ? And means its a transparent process to IT and data teams can get their updates as soon as their available. Been a while since I did it though . . .

You can do this. Downside is the upgrade runs as specified user and then opens 4matrix as that user ergo the end user gets no printers or shared drives. Simple fix is to close and reopen but some users just don't get it lol

[psydii]

There is a problem with launcher.exe

 

It is open during the update, so never gets updated itself. For client that have been around a few years leaves you with a version that has limitations that are causing future updates to fail in some cases. 4matrix mentioned this is passing a few months ago, but we didn’t have a problem until this week. Redeploying the latest msi from their support site seems to fix it.

 

If you never update the manager, your msi will be an old version.