[sims] Deployment of SIMs

[MkII]

I think that's what the Capita guy was on about when he said that you need to run infrastructure setup locally, because the .net component wont run.

 

I've been running a few power users for a while and not noticed any problem. Look forward to your fix tho' AJ - thanks for that.

[pmassingham]

I have created a package with WinInstall LE and tried to deploy with GPO in Windows Server 2003 R2. RSOP returns a fatal error with a message that an ini file in a windows sub folder cannot be updated. Of course SIMS does not install. Any one come across this and successfully rolled out with WinInstall?

[ajbritton]

I would strongly advise against repackaging SIMS for the following reasons;

 

1 - It's a .NET app, which makes it more complicated.

 

2 - SIMS update it every other week which means your package will soon be out of date.

 

3 - The SIMS automatic update mechanism might be defeated by Windows Installer self repair.

 

If you need to deplpoy by GPO, use wrap the silent install commands in an MSI (using something like Windows Installer Wrapper Wizard - mentioned in the WiKi)

[pmassingham]

Thanks for the advice. I tried to use WIWW but when I run it, there is an error message relating to missing components. All I am trying to do is to deploy SIMS quickly onto 150 staff desktops/laptops. Looking at the earlier posts, it seems that a batch file would do this. I'll give each a try, or else it is back to manual installs on all of these!

[ajbritton]

@pmassingham: Yep, I've had that with WIWW before now. What OS are you running on? I find it's OK on XP SP2. Yes, a batch file will do it, but you'll have to visit every machine, log in and run the batch file. I've not reviewed the thread, but it may be possible to run it remotely using PSEXEC (from sysinternals.com). I'm working on an AutoIt script (which compiles to .EXE). When I've tested it a bit more, I'll post it.

[MkII]

My batch file is run from GPO and seems to work.

 

I run all the app installs seperately as documented here, add simsusers to the local machine Power Users group, run simsperm, then finally copy the shortcut to the Default User profile.

 

I'm holding off for AJBs question on the Power User issue before final rollout across the whole site.

[pmassingham]

Hi - it was a missing comctl32.ocx file. Downloaded and now WIWW OK. Will try the script route first as I am not fully up to speed with WIWW. I am going to run the batch file as a login script using a new domain admins username. If I can do this, I don't need to worry short term about deployment. Thanks again.

 

PS - will your compiled .exe allow paths and other 'local' variables to be changed?

[ITWombat]

Nein! Nein!

 

Have a the script in the startup scripts section of the GPO.

It will then run in the system context and so have administrative access to the destination computer(s).

 

You will probably have to put the computer accounts in a group with access to the SIMS share so that they can download the setup executables.

[ajbritton]

Interesting. I thought that the system context was denied access to the network.

[pmassingham]

R U sure you waited long enough? When I do this via an MSI and GP, the install takes yonks. Have you tried watching the process list for cpu activity?

 

Are you saying that either script, referred to above your post, can be wrapped into an MSI for deployment through GPO? If so, how did you create the relevant MSI? Or, is the script run as a startup script? Sorry if I am being a bit dim here! By the way, I have been able to run the script whilst logged in as an administrator at the client, but this defeats the object of rolling out at startup! Thanks.

[ajbritton]

Interesting. I thought that the system context was denied access to the network.

 

Not quite. It seems that System has 'anonymous' network access, so as long as 'Everyone' has access by the share and file permissions, then this can be made to work.

[ajbritton]

R U sure you waited long enough? When I do this via an MSI and GP, the install takes yonks. Have you tried watching the process list for cpu activity?

 

Are you saying that either script, referred to above your post, can be wrapped into an MSI for deployment through GPO? If so, how did you create the relevant MSI? Or, is the script run as a startup script? Sorry if I am being a bit dim here! By the way, I have been able to run the script whilst logged in as an administrator at the client, but this defeats the object of rolling out at startup! Thanks.

 

I used WIWW (Windows Installer Wrapper Wizard) to create an MSI which executes the various SIMS installers. I think tweaked the MSI to set some essential INI values for SIMS.INI (or was it CONNECT.INI, I'm not sure now).

[MkII]

Scripted adding the simsuser group to local power users

 

I've noticed a potential problem with this. Some of a access rights granted by SIMSPERM are not available to PowerUsers (something on HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT IIRC). I'm working on an AutoIT script which sequences the installation, including copying SIMSPERM.BAT and SUBINCAL.EXE to a local temp folder then running them with the SIMSUSERS group as a parameter. I'll post this when it's tested.

 

I'm still eagerly awaiting this ajb - any progress to report??

[ajbritton]

I've been out and about for a few weeks doing installations and upgrades in schools so haven't had the chance to get into the office to finish testing. I've got a big SIMS roll-out in a secondary school coming up though so I'll have to get it working. Watch this space...

[MkII]

A document on http://support.capitaes.co.uk named optimisingsimsdotnetstatupspeed-1.pdf says:

Seperating SIMSLoad from Pulsar

 

A step which some network administrators may wish to take is overriding the default SIMS. net behaviour and modifying the SIMS. net shortcut that the user runs. If the shortcut points directly at Puslar.EXE the SIMSLOAD.EXE can be run as part of the user's network logon script. SIMSLOAD will operate without needing to start a subsequent program and can be used in this manner to completely seperate the action of starting SIMS from the checking of upgrades.

 

It is important to note that each time SIMSApplicationSetup is run on a workstation the shortcuts are recreated to include the call to SIMSLOAD. If a customer wishes to adopt this strategy they must establish an alternative set of shortcuts that thier workstation users are trained to use (including potentially restricting the visibility of the 'standard' SIMS. net shortcuts).

 

So you still have the inconvenience of the user slowed down at some point. They're not suggesting this can be done at startup. So a reboot out of hours wouldn't update the machines without a logon.

 

I've just noticed apeos' post from this thread: http://www.edugeek.net/index.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&p=26467#26467 with his startup script. I'll be giving that a try on Monday.

If you wanna do it by startup script still and stop sims from looking for updates before it loads, here is how you do it:

 

Change the teachers shortcut to "C:\program files\sims\sims .net\pulsar.exe"

 

The current shortcut has Simsload.exe before pulsar.exe (simsload is what checks for updates.)

 

To get it to automatically upgrade during computer startup, create a script that will run the following:

 

\\simsserver\sims\sims\setups\simsapplicationsetup.exe /s

\\simsserver\sims\sims\setups\simsmanualsetup.exe /s

\\simsserver\sims\sims\setups\SIMSAMPARKSetup.exe /s

 

The /s switch does a silent install which i found using different switch combination as capita claimed there wasnt a switch.

[ajbritton]

I just ran SIMSLOAD at startup and that seemed to do the trick.

[ajbritton]

I've done my own AutoIt script which I'm hoping to test soon. If it's OK and anyone is interested then I'll post it. It's designed to be used as a GP assigned Startup Script and does the following...

 

- Check for SIMS already installed. If not, then install SIMS (including running SIMSPERM.BAT)

- Modify the SIMS.NET shortcut so that it just calls Pulsar.exe

- Runs SIMSLOAD.EXE

 

All the SIMS components (SIMSInfrastructureSetup, SIMSApplicationSetup & SIMSManualSetup) run silently but a simple progress bar is displayed to show the user that something is happening.

[MkII]

Lovely!

 

Gimme!

 

[erm... yes pleeze - i'd be interested! ]

[Grommit]

I've done my own AutoIt script which I'm hoping to test soon. If it's OK and anyone is interested then I'll post it. It's designed to be used as a GP assigned Startup Script and does the following...

 

- Check for SIMS already installed. If not, then install SIMS (including running SIMSPERM.BAT)

- Modify the SIMS.NET shortcut so that it just calls Pulsar.exe

- Runs SIMSLOAD.EXE

 

All the SIMS components (SIMSInfrastructureSetup, SIMSApplicationSetup & SIMSManualSetup) run silently but a simple progress bar is displayed to show the user that something is happening.

 

What about the SIMS folder Permissions to Domain Users with Modify Rights ?

[ajbritton]

What about the SIMS folder Permissions to Domain Users with Modify Rights ?

 

That's handled by SIMSPERM.BAT

[Gatt]

I think this is something I'm going to look into - thought will need to be via AutoIT since I dont have access rights to edit staff GPO's

[Ravening_Wolf]

Is there any chance someone can document the SIMS MSI creation process for the Wiki please? I've gone through the previous threads but I really don't know which software I should be using, how to run the switches etc etc.

 

I'd really like to make an MSI for deployment via GPO rather than a logon script too. Please....?

[ajbritton]

I don't think it's a good idea to repackage SIMS into an MSI for several reasons.

 

1 - It's .NET app, which can be awkward to repackage

2 - SIMS release regular updates which would be difficult to keep on to of.

3 - If SOLUS ran on a PC which had been installed from a repackaged MSI and it replaced some files, the MSI self repair may kick in and put back older files.

 

For those reasons, I went down the route of wrapping the SIMS installers in and MSI. That appeared to work initially, but I later discovered that SIMSInfrastructureSetup.exe was not installing correctly because it wraps around the Microsoft .NET 1.1 installer, which is also MSI based. Doing a nested MSI install like this appears not to work. The MSI had appeared to work initially because all the PCs I used it on had .NET 1.1 installed anyway.

 

I'm now at the point of doing the install from a startup script. Once I've tested my AutoIt script, I'll post it.

[Grommit]

What about the SIMS folder Permissions to Domain Users with Modify Rights ?

 

That's handled by SIMSPERM.BAT

 

Does the SIMSPERM do folder modify rights ? really ?!?

[ajbritton]

What about the SIMS folder Permissions to Domain Users with Modify Rights ?

 

That's handled by SIMSPERM.BAT

 

Does the SIMSPERM do folder modify rights ? really ?!?

 

Which folder are you referring to? SIMSPERM takes a single command line parameter which should be an NT/2K group (or user I suppose) and grants it the following permssions on the PC on which it is run;

 

Full Control on

%WinDir%\SIMS.INI

%ProgramFiles%\SIMS (including all files/subfolders)

%AllUsersProfile%\Start Menu\Programs\SIMS Applications (including all files/subfolders)

 

Registry permissions on

HKLM\Software\Classes

HKLM\Software\Classes\Interface

HKLM\Software\Classes\CLSID

HKLM\Software\Classes\TypeLib

 

SIMSPERM does this using SubInAcl