Managed Installation stuck in a loop!
I setup an install of ie8 via kace. Associated the install file as listed in the admin guide and the only switches I put on the install were /passive /forcereboot. I applied it to my test machine and chose "Execute anytime" and refreshed the machine's inventory. No problems, works like a champ. So we decided to look at some of the other options. I added a pre-install message to warn users of the update, worked fine, added an "allow snooze" to see if that worked and it did.
So we decided to try changing "execute anytime" to "Execute before logon (at machine bootup)". A couple reboots then it saw it had an action and installed itself. However, after the reboot, I log into the machine and I get this error message:
"Windows cannot find 'c:\windows\temp\ie8-x86-enu.exe'. Make sure you typed the name correctly, and then try again. To search for a file, click the Start button, and then click Search."
So it's looking for the associated install file I have for the ie8 installer, but why? If I click OK and continue, ie8 is installed and working fine. This same issue occured on both test machines I did this way. I do NOT have "Delete
Downloaded Files" checked.
So then we said, maybe if we changed the install type to "Execute after logon (before desktop loads)" then we might not get the error message. But this was a disaster. I rebooted the test machines, Logged in, and the install starts just as it should, it completes the install and does the required reboot. When I go to log in again, it starts UNINSTALLING ie8, then it reboots again. You log in again, it starts installing ie8..... and over and over again. What the heck is going on with that?!?
I'd prefer to do the install "Execute before logon (at machine bootup)" so I can remotely start the machines and have it install ie8. But I can't have the error message I am getting, because that's 100's of calls to the helpdesk just to tell the user to click the "OK" button and it'll be alright. But given my deadline of Friday and need for it to work right I'm looking at an "Execute anytime (next available)" with a snooze option.
Thoughts? Help?
Thanks!
Answers (7)
The logic to realize that the application is installed, should either exist in the IE8 setup or you need to script the logic.
The logic to realize that the package should either exist in the IE8 setup or you need to script the logic. e.g., you can quit triggering the IE8 installer if the workstation already has the updated IE version through a script.
On clarification. If you prefer execution before logon why would you like to give a snooze prompt. It should not be a prompted install if you are doing it before logon.
Plus when the package gets installed does its installation state change to installed, failed or a reboot-required?
It could be that it is upating to a newer version after the install. Then when it comes back up, it sees that it does not have the exact version that the managed install is set to, and installs it again. We ran into the same issue with Adobe Reader. We just had to create a Smart Label for machines without the application we wanted installed and add that label to the managed install. That way after it is installed, it will drop out of the Smart Label.
Not sure if this is your issue or not, but it's worth a shot.
Well I thought my answer posted but it didn't. So i'm sorry if ther eis a double post.
I listed all the steps I took to set up the managed install. It's as much an exercise in learning the product for me as i'm new to it.
You are right that I cannot, that I saw, give a snooze prompt to the "execute before logon". I had given the "execute anytime" an option to snooze before I changed it to "execute before logon."
So what I want to happen is for it to install via "execute before logon." However, when i use this method, it installs after the machine boots, then it reboots as it should, and comes back to the login screen. After you log in, you get the following error message,
"Windows cannot find 'c:\windows\temp\ie8-x86-enu.exe'. Make sure you typed the name correctly, and then try again. To search for a file, click the Start button, and then click Search."
If you click on the OK button, the error message goes away and you can lauch IE8 and it's working fine.
Why am I getting this message? How can I get rid of it?
Thanks!
Jeff, I guess I didn't realize it might try to update itself immediately. I suppose I should try adding the /update-no switch and see if that stops the problem on my "execute before logon"
But in doing that, it doesn't prevent the install of updates via WSUS does it?
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"WGM_Jeff | 05/14/2012 |
It could be that it is upating to a newer version after the install. Then when it comes back up, it sees that it does not have the exact version that the managed install is set to, and installs it again. We ran into the same issue with Adobe Reader. We just had to create a Smart Label for machines without the application we wanted installed and add that label to the managed install. That way after it is installed, it will drop out of the Smart Label.
Not sure if this is your issue or not, but it's worth a shot."
It seems that the package is running under SYSTEM context and trying trigger IE8 setup from SYSTEM temp folder i.e., C:\WINDOWS\TEMP...
Adilirathore, yes I get that. I suppose that's the way it works. But if after it installs, why doesnt it realize it's installed and not continue to install yet again??
I think wgm_jeff has a good point. A dynamic label that drops the unit after it installs.
And yet I find the whole thing isn't intuitive. I want to schedule a push out of the managed install yet there is no scheduling it. Only scripts or wake on LAN have schedules.
Frustrated