Windows 2000 server & software deployment

[iSteve]

Hello,

 

We are running a Windows 2000 AD server with XP Pro clients. I'd like to set up the software installation part of Group Policy so that I can deploy software at login etc remotely. Does anyone know of a how-to on how to do this? I've had a fiddle around and tried testing it on a machine but my MSI doesn't get installed. I've also tried the setting where you open a file associated with the software you wish to install to trigger installation, and the Windows installer appears for a second then vanishes! Incase it matters, I'm trying to install Filemaker Pro 8. I have copied the CD to a share that everyone can read on my server.

 

Any advice would be great.

 

Thanks,

 

Stephen

[plexer]

This M$ page may give you some insight:

 

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/windows2000serv/maintain/featusability/inmnwp.mspx

 

Where did you create the gpo to deploy the software in relation to the ou that the target computer is in?

 

There a 2 ways of I've used to target specific pc's one is to create a group, then create the gpo to deploy the software and assign it only to that group. Now any computers you wish to install that piece of software you assign them to the group.

 

The other way is to create the gpo on the ou that the target computers actually reside in this way anything within that ou would install the software.

 

Ben

[iSteve]

At the moment I have a couple of PCs in an OU which has a policy set on it just for testing it out.

 

I'll read that document you linked me to.

[Ric_]

@iSteve: I have always had more success with assigning software per computer rather than per user - the software will then install at startup.

 

One you create the OU, make sure you run 'gpupdate /force /boot' to make sure that it takes.

[ajbritton]

You could also try doing an 'admin' install rather than copying the CD. This is done using either the setup 'SETUP.EXE /A' or directly with the MSI 'MSIEXEC /a (path to MSI file)'.

 

You will be prompted for a location to install to (which must begin with a drive letter, but it can be a mapped drive) - eg d:\install\appname.

 

Some clever MSI installations (eg Office) will prompt for licensing info during an admin install so that end users do not need to enter it.

 

I would also agree with Ric_. Always 'assign' to PCs rather than 'advertise' or 'assign' to users.

[iSteve]

Thanks for your advice. I've been doing the assign to PCs rather than users. I decided to try a Citrix client MSI rather than FileMaker Pro and that worked straight away. I'll have ago with the MSIEXEC /a option with FileMaker again to see if that works.

 

Thanks!