Active Setup to deploy HKCU key at logon SCCM 2012
looking for some guidence on how to use Active Setup in Conjunction With SCCM 2012 to deploy a registry key to existing machines and machines to be imaged in the future.
i have a working Application that will execute a .REG file on a target machine useing the command:
regedit /s GuiFontSizeHKLM.reg
the key that applies is a HKLM key and installs for the machine. my problem is that i need to push a HKCU key to each user on any given machine includeing future users that do not yet have a profile on the machine in question. to do this i would need the SCCM application to run the .reg file in the context of the system. it would also need to work for any new user that logs into the machine.
i understand that i can use active setup to accomplish this, im just not sure how to do it with an application deployment.
Answers (2)
Make it easy on yourself and use a GPO.
Active Setup isn't really something used in SCCM; it pretty much replaces the function of the RunOnce keys.
If you really want to use SCCM to distribute the keys, you'll have to do one of two things;
(1) create an MSI. Since you won't have anything in the MSI except for the REG keys, you'll also have to add Active Setup keys to repair the MSI. Honestly, it's a pain to do this for a few REG keys.
(2) Use the same REGEDIT command used for HKLM but when you define the application in SCCM, you'll have to specify a user context instead of System, mark it Required instead of Available, and make sure you specify the key as the criteria to see if it's been installed. Honestly, it's also a pain to do this for a few REG keys.
If the keys are a part of an application, they should be incorporated into the package and deployed via GPO for existing machines. If they're part of the OS config, update your image and/or use a GPO.
Comments:
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I was afraid of that. I got an application that installs the keys to work while running in the users context, but I don't really want an active deployment to all users for the lifespan of this application.
if I knew how to package this application in the first place I would probably do it the right way from the start like you suggest.
I also thought about patching the default user registry on a new captured image, so that all new users would have the keys. I didn't think it would work very well before you sysprep the machine though.
all because an application defaults a font size because it detects a higher resolution......
Reply - pmac@ball 10 years ago
Active setup is not always the answer. It is something that is quite easy to put into an MSI at creation time, it can be a pain if you release the MSI then realise you need something via ActiveSetup.
Do you definitely need HKCU & HKLM settings??
Why dont you just create a deployment per user that creates the HKCU keys??
Doing it in an MSI would be very easy. If it was really just one HKCU key, I agree with vjaneczko, a bit of pain, but for an MSI guy, easy.
If it was one reg key, then you could get the ActiveSetup stubpath to run RegAdd. More than likely its more than one reg key, so would be better in a script or a reg file, so you then have to get the script or reg file somewhere that it can be run by the user.
Again, very easy in an MSI, as they handle files and reg keys very well.
All you would have to do with your current HKLM reg key is add extra HKLM activesetup keys. Ensure the stub path is there to create the HKCU keys.
The way Active setup works is it checks the HKLM activesetup against HKCU activesetup. If its not in HKCU, it process's it, running the stubpath, which in your case would add the HKCU keys you need.
Comments:
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that was how I figured it works. add active setup key to HKLM that points to the MSI that would run the .reg file if the HKCU registry settings were not detected.
here are the values I am trying to deploy:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\SAP\SAPGUI Front\SAP Frontend Server\Customize]
"ActivePageSapLogonNaviTreeID"="N01L102"
"I18nModeActive"=dword:00000001
"Font.Mode"=dword:00000003
"CustomFont.Facename"="Courier New"
"CustomProp.Facename"="Tahoma"
"Font.CharSet"=dword:00000000
"Font.Pitch"=dword:00000031
"Font.Facename"="Courier New"
"Prop.CharSet"=dword:00000000
"Prop.Pitch"=dword:00000022
"Prop.Facename"="Tahoma"
"Font.Height"=dword:00000016
"Font.Width"=dword:00000000
"Font.Bold"=dword:00000000
"Prop.Height"=dword:ffffffee
"Prop.HeightShow"=dword:00000016
"Prop.Width"=dword:00000000
"Prop.Bold"=dword:00000000
"KanjiFontDialogProp"=dword:00000000
"KanjiFontDialogScript"=dword:00000000
I would need to know how to set up an active setup key for this. I would also need to know how to package this .REG file into an MSI.
is anyone aware of any simple tutorials that I could run through to teach myself how to do the two things above?
Thank you, - pmac@ball 10 years ago
