Page 2 of 3 <123>
Topic Options
#183195 - 2007-12-03 10:50 AM Re: Installing packages via GPO Startup script. [Re: Jochen]
NTDOC Administrator Offline
Administrator
*****

Registered: 2000-07-28
Posts: 11623
Loc: CA
Maybe Benny can help him out
Top
#183201 - 2007-12-03 01:37 PM Re: Installing packages via GPO Startup script. [Re: NTDOC]
Shawn Administrator Offline
Administrator
*****

Registered: 1999-08-13
Posts: 8611
I'm not too worried about user's logging in while the script is running. In fact, all of our workstations perform an automatic reboot at 2am morning. So I would assume thats when this script would run.

Having said that, going to get our GPO guy to set this up in our test domain this morning. So what settings do I give him:

Startup Script: c:\windows\system32\wkix32.exe

Parameters: startup.kix

Will it know to find startup.kix on NETLOGON or does one have to be more specific ?


Top
#183203 - 2007-12-03 01:46 PM Re: Installing packages via GPO Startup script. [Re: Shawn]
Jochen Administrator Offline
KiX Supporter
*****

Registered: 2000-03-17
Posts: 6380
Loc: Stuttgart, Germany
If startup.kix resides in "c:\windows\system32\" you don't have to worry me thinx ;\)

manual quote :

 Quote:
Locating Files

During the logon sequence, KiXtart automatically tries to locate all files that it is asked to open (SPK, WAV, TXT, and so on) by searching for them first on the NETLOGON drive, then on the drive where KiXtart was started from, and finally in the current directory. This behavior can be overridden by prepending the filename with a drive letter or a UNC path.


This is not exactly a logon sequence, it's more a startup sequence...
I can't tell if locating files works likewise in startup scripts.

hth
_________________________



Top
#183207 - 2007-12-03 02:45 PM Re: Installing packages via GPO Startup script. [Re: Jochen]
Shawn Administrator Offline
Administrator
*****

Registered: 1999-08-13
Posts: 8611
Well, you would think that "NETLOGON" would mean nothing to a startup script - its not like a user is logging on. But there must be some way of determining which DC the script came from.
Top
#183209 - 2007-12-03 03:46 PM Re: Installing packages via GPO Startup script. [Re: Shawn]
Jochen Administrator Offline
KiX Supporter
*****

Registered: 2000-03-17
Posts: 6380
Loc: Stuttgart, Germany
If you create the domain policy object in an AD Domain, it will result in a path creation like this : \\domain.name\sysvol\domain.name.again\policies\{Object-GUID}\Machine\Scripts\Startup\

what if you place wkix32 and the script there?

(this is only an assumption from given structures in our domain, sorry, I am not responsible for Policies here )
_________________________



Top
#183211 - 2007-12-03 04:26 PM Re: Installing packages via GPO Startup script. [Re: Jochen]
Shawn Administrator Offline
Administrator
*****

Registered: 1999-08-13
Posts: 8611
hehee, thats exactly what we just tried Cappy. We specified this in the policy:

ScriptName: wkix32.exe
Parameter: startup.kix

You were right about the "windows will find wkix32.exe in system32". Then we put startup.kix in that sysvol\..\{GUID}\.. path - and it works a charm. Right on man.

Now - just about to change this startup.kix script to "dump" all the environment settings to a local file - to see what kind of context we can utilize.

-Shawn

Top
#183213 - 2007-12-03 05:01 PM Re: Installing packages via GPO Startup script. [Re: Shawn]
Shawn Administrator Offline
Administrator
*****

Registered: 1999-08-13
Posts: 8611
Ahhh ok - Interesting...

Windows added the "sysvol\..\{GUID}\.." thingy path to the BEGINNING of your PATH environment variable !

The other interesting setting is this:

USERPROFILE=D:\Documents and Settings\Default User

Having said that - a lot of settings are missing, like USERDOMAIN and USERNAME, HOMEDRIVE, HOMEPATH etc ... not totally un-expected I guess. We are running in the system context.

Top
#183214 - 2007-12-03 06:38 PM Re: Installing packages via GPO Startup script. [Re: Shawn]
Arend_ Moderator Offline
MM club member
*****

Registered: 2005-01-17
Posts: 1894
Loc: Hilversum, The Netherlands
One could also use Zap files to deploy, or use the zap file to call a kix file without having to go trough the sysvol guid stuff. Just to add my contribution to this convo ;\)
Top
#183215 - 2007-12-03 08:22 PM Re: Installing packages via GPO Startup script. [Re: Arend_]
Witto Offline
MM club member
*****

Registered: 2004-09-29
Posts: 1828
Loc: Belgium
True, but IMHO the biggest issue with zap files is documented in the article kb231747 you refer to:
 Quote:

Non-MSI program can be published only to users, and are installed using their existing Setup programs. Because non-MSI programs use their existing Setup programs, these programs cannot:
• Take advantage of elevated privileges for installation.

ZAP files install with the user privileges. In most cases, you would have to make the user a local admin.
It also is only to be used at user level of the GPO, not computer level.

About where to find the kix executable (kix32.exe or wkix32.exe)
I only maintain one copy of the file in \\domain\netlogon (same as \\domain.ext\sysvol\domain.ext\scripts)
The paths I give are:

Script Name
\\domain.ext\sysvol\domain.ext\scripts\wkix32.exe

Script Parameters
\\domain.ext\sysvol\domain.ext\scripts\script.kix $INI="\\domain.ext\sysvol\domain.ext\scripts\script.ini" $Section="Package Name"

IMHO this makes the script and the executable much easier to maintain and you can use it over and over again for other policies. Just ad sections to the INI file per installation. Create a group policy per installation.

Top
#183217 - 2007-12-03 09:25 PM Re: Installing packages via GPO Startup script. [Re: Witto]
NTDOC Administrator Offline
Administrator
*****

Registered: 2000-07-28
Posts: 11623
Loc: CA
Okay Shawn, don't be shy. Bust out your RunNas file and be done with it. LOL \:D
Top
#183221 - 2007-12-03 09:58 PM Re: Installing packages via GPO Startup script. [Re: NTDOC]
Shawn Administrator Offline
Administrator
*****

Registered: 1999-08-13
Posts: 8611
We use runnas in-house (although I renamed the executable to something more ... inconspicuous yeah). But hey - with these startup scripts - no more need for that. So far our testing on this startup stuff has been very positive.
Top
#183227 - 2007-12-03 10:25 PM Re: Installing packages via GPO Startup script. [Re: Shawn]
NTDOC Administrator Offline
Administrator
*****

Registered: 2000-07-28
Posts: 11623
Loc: CA
Yes it does work well. However I think if you do a physical audit of event viewers on local PC I think you will find a small number that are not using the policy for one reason or another often due to minor issues on the system.

We did an audit at Disney once and found that we had around 100 computers out of a few thousand that were not properly processing policies for one reason or another and they had to be updated/repaired to fix.

Top
#183231 - 2007-12-03 10:50 PM Re: Installing packages via GPO Startup script. [Re: NTDOC]
Shawn Administrator Offline
Administrator
*****

Registered: 1999-08-13
Posts: 8611
[Shawn places his hands over his ears]

I can't hear you ... I can't hear you !

;-)

-Shawn

Top
#183270 - 2007-12-04 07:55 PM Re: Installing packages via GPO Startup script. [Re: Shawn]
NTDOC Administrator Offline
Administrator
*****

Registered: 2000-07-28
Posts: 11623
Loc: CA
Well then if you're not using DFS or DFSR then you're looking to shoot yourself in the foot sooner or later using GPO installs.

I have not used or messed with GPO software installs for many years but I knew there was something I didn't like about them and this is why.



IT Pro Magazine has an article on it but since you probably don't subscribe here is a similar link for it.

http://www.activedir.org/article.aspx?aid=105

http://www.windowsdevcenter.com/pub/a/windows/2005/04/05/dfs.html

Top
#183271 - 2007-12-04 08:28 PM Re: Installing packages via GPO Startup script. [Re: NTDOC]
Witto Offline
MM club member
*****

Registered: 2004-09-29
Posts: 1828
Loc: Belgium
That is about GPO Installations.
If you install office 2003 that way, you do not get a C:\MSOCACHE folder.
What I am telling is to use a GPO Computer Startup Script. I am sure that if you would install office 2003 in that way, you do get a C:\MSOCACHE folder (but I would not start deploying Office 2003 via Startup Script).

Top
#183272 - 2007-12-04 08:52 PM Re: Installing packages via GPO Startup script. [Re: Witto]
NTDOC Administrator Offline
Administrator
*****

Registered: 2000-07-28
Posts: 11623
Loc: CA
Can or does a Startup Script understand using a SCRIPTS GUID folder from any DC ?

I know you can point it to one specific one but have not tried to do one with using GUID

Top
#183273 - 2007-12-04 10:48 PM Re: Installing packages via GPO Startup script. [Re: NTDOC]
Les Offline
KiX Master
*****

Registered: 2001-06-11
Posts: 12734
Loc: fortfrances.on.ca
I would never reference the GUID folder directly but rather host what I need in Netlogon. I don't even put the KiX script in the GUID folder, just a BATch file.
_________________________
Give a man a fish and he will be back for more. Slap him with a fish and he will go away forever.

Top
#183274 - 2007-12-04 11:08 PM Re: Installing packages via GPO Startup script. [Re: Les]
NTDOC Administrator Offline
Administrator
*****

Registered: 2000-07-28
Posts: 11623
Loc: CA
Thanks Les.

I suppose I should mess around with this stuff again to confirm how it really does work. Been many years now since I've played with it.

Top
#183277 - 2007-12-04 11:43 PM Re: Installing packages via GPO Startup script. [Re: NTDOC]
Shawn Administrator Offline
Administrator
*****

Registered: 1999-08-13
Posts: 8611
 Quote:

Can or does a Startup Script understand using a SCRIPTS GUID folder from any DC ?


We're facing this "issue" right now. I am currently using @SCRIPTDIR to determine (in a soft way) which GUID folder I am running from.

Throwing another question out there - has anybody installed UHPCLean via startup script ? Telling you right now - its not working too well. Its only half-installing - damn ugly.

-Shawn

Top
#183278 - 2007-12-04 11:56 PM Re: Installing packages via GPO Startup script. [Re: Shawn]
NTDOC Administrator Offline
Administrator
*****

Registered: 2000-07-28
Posts: 11623
Loc: CA
Anything in the event viewer to say what is failing ?


[NTDOC places his hands over his ears]

I can't hear you ... I can't hear you !

Top
Page 2 of 3 <123>


Moderator:  Glenn Barnas, NTDOC, Arend_, Jochen, Radimus, Allen, ShaneEP, Ruud van Velsen, Mart 
Hop to:
Shout Box

Who's Online
2 registered (morganw, mole) and 414 anonymous users online.
Newest Members
gespanntleuchten, DaveatAdvanced, Paulo_Alves, UsTaaa, xxJJxx
17864 Registered Users

Generated in 0.078 seconds in which 0.027 seconds were spent on a total of 13 queries. Zlib compression enabled.

Search the board with:
superb Board Search
or try with google:
Google
Web kixtart.org