Software Deployment

Yes, It works great I used the Network Installation Wizard, and it works great. One thing, if you do not have the .Net Framework 1.1 SP1 installed on your machines, the MSI WILL NOT install it automatically as it does with a local install. I suggest deploying the .NET framwork on it's own. Autocad 2005 will fail if it does not detect the .Net framework.

I have a machine that has .NET framework 1.1 which is in a new group all alone.Even then the install fails.I used the latest version of windows installer to do this.Failed with the following event id's:
Event id 1085: The group policy client side extenstion software failed to execute.
Event id 108: Failed to apply changes to software installation settings.

Did you make a msi and mst via the Network Installation Wizard provided on the Autodad 2005 CD?

I did this for Architechtural Desktop 2005 and Inventor 9 with absolutley no issues. Try reading the network admin docs on the CD as well, you may be missing an important step.

You need to start from scratch. it is also important that you use the NIW on a machine equivalent to what you are installing on. For example, I did my original build on an XP machine, and it did not work on Windows 2000. So I re did the NIW install on a clean reference machine then copied the files to my network share. Also, don't try to deploy via Deploy.exe if you are using Active Directory and GPOs. Just use the MSi (acad.msi) and the mst file created by the NIW.

If I were to say mine is standalone installation what are the things that I need to take care of?I successfully installed autocad using standalone and when I rebbot my workstation it would say "Installing Managed Software Autocad 2005" and freeze at that point. Forever.Any help on this is strongly appreciated.

What events in the event log did it generate? Also, you have to make sure you have setup your options correctly. If you forget to give an answer to the EULA, give the serial number or make any other required response the install will hang at which point it is waiting. You muist also be sure to add the transform file (created by the NIW) as modifications to your deplyment. All of your setting changes are stored in this file. More info on this can be found in the Network Admin guide included on the cd.

I am trying to repackage Autocad LT 2005 I have done that successfully but whenever I log on as an ordinary user the app just freezes after launching.

All Autocad 2004/2005 products are MSI based installs already, you should be creating a transform file to apply changes (licensing, etc) to the package. This can be done via the Network Installation Wizard on the CD. Also, always read the documentation, the Network Admin manual that comes with Acad LT 2005 is quite comprehensive. I also suggest looking at the other post that is currently open on this subject.

http://itninja.com/question/how-do-you-roll-out-new-machines?138

We are not doing network based installations but stand alone installations.Can I use the
network admin manual for this. I have already created a transform but whenever an ordinary user logs on the app freezes.Has anybody packaged the stand alone version.

The process of performing the silent install of the software via MSI and transform over the network falls under the Network Installation, so yes this information is covered in the manual I mentioned.

Thanks I must have been blind or something it's all there in the admin manual just as you said. Application is working fine now for all users.

Good to hear.