Deploying Navigator installs has been pretty easy so far. Using the MSI installer Wizard in Kace with the vendor provided .msi is all that is needed for the base install. Standard msi command line flags work nicely. To get a bit more out of a deployment, you can also copy configurations to the target machines. I also deploy shortcuts to go along with the install.

STEP 1: Test Install

To start with, install Navigator on a test PC. Once installed, configure STAR it for your environment. In our environment, this includes setting up a session with a name, server and font setup.

STEP 2: Kace Inventory

Once you have the install/configure done, make Kace run an inventory on the PC so that it picks it up into the software inventory. Next, associate the installer (.mse) with the software in the softare inventory.

STEP 3: Gather Configuration Files

Next, you need to collect the configuration files. Grab the below files and drop them in a zip file.

Needed files: HBOWEM32.ini, WEMSessions.ini

On Win7, the files are located at "c:\ProgramData\McKessonSTAR\Common"

On WinXP, the files are located at "c:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\McKessonSTAR\Common"

STEP 4: Shortcuts (Optional)

If you need to deploy shortcuts for the application, you can either script the creation of new shortcuts or make shortcuts for each OS type (x86 and/or x64) that you will need to deploy to and zip them up.

NOTE: Creating a script (vbs was easiest) will allow you to create new shortcuts per PC that have the correct icons. Copying the shortcuts as described above will not carry over the actual icon image.

STEP 5: Kace Script Build

Now that you have all of the needed files, it is time to build the script. You can either start from scratch and set up the entire thing, or you can let Kace help you out. I will cover using the MSI Installer Wizard located in the Configuration Policy area.

PART 1: Use the MSI Installer Wizard to create the base script

If you have used the MSI Installer Wizard, you know that it is pretty simple. Since we started with a test intall and an associated installer file, our job here is easy. Simply pick to software you want to install, STAR in this case. Choose all of your install options and hit create.

PART 2: Add Configuration and Shortcut deployment to the script

Once inside the script, its time to add some additional functionality. At the bottom of the page, click the link to edit the policy using this editor.

Task 1 should be the actual install of STAR created by the MSI Wizard. 

Depending on what you are deploying, you will need several more tasks. I personally ended up with 4 tasks:

Task 1 - Install

Task 2, 3 and 4 - Deploy config and shortcut files.

Each of the configuration tasks accomplishes the same goal, just for different OS and OS types.

Simply create a tast like the one below for each OS/Architecture you need to deploy to.

"Verify" - Test for OS and Architecture

1. Use the ""HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion!Current Version" value to test for the OS. 6.0+ is Win7, while 5.1-5.2 is WinXP.
2. Verify that the STAR executable exists. This will also be a good way to test x86 vs x64, as the executable will be in "c:\program files" on x86 and in "c:\program files (x86)" on x64 machines

"On Success"

1. Unzip Config files from the dependency directory to the target directory: "c:\ProgramData\McKessonSTAR\Common" (Win7) or "c:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\McKessonSTAR\Common" (WinXP)
2. Unzip or create shorcuts
3. (Optional) Log a message to indicate success on a specific OS