Software Distribution

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SMS programs windows may appear in background on computers running Windows Vista

Changes implemented in Windows Vista cause newly opened windows to appear in the background and not automatically receive focus. A program can request focus, but typically will not. The associated task bar button on the Windows taskbar will flash to indicate that the window has not yet been viewed.

WORKAROUND:   None.

Advanced Client Windows Installer-based Installations Might Fail When Network Access Account Is Used

If you use the Advanced Client Network Access account, you must install an updated version of Windows Installer on all computers running Advanced Clients for Windows Installer-based installations in order to work correctly when running the program from a distribution point. This hotfix is not required if you are using Download and Execute.

WORKAROUND:   Before you deploy this hotfix, you must also deploy Windows hotfix Q325804. For details about deploying this required hotfix, see the release note "Advanced Client Requires Hotfix (Q325804) to Use Network Access Accounts."

This hotfix corrects an issue related to deploying some Windows Installer applications that use custom actions to perform tasks that require a connection from the computer. Microsoft Office is affected by this issue. To deploy Microsoft Office using the Advanced Client, apply this hotfix, or perform the workaround steps below.

Note

You do not have to apply this hotfix if your client computers run Windows XP Professional SP2, Windows 2000 Professional SP4, or a Windows 2000 Server operating system with SP4.

To deploy the hotfix to computers running Windows 2000

  1. Create a package with the required files for this hotfix. The files are located on the Systems Management Server 2003 product CD in the \WinQFE\MSIQFE\Win2K\ folder.

  2. Create a program by using the following command line to perform a silent unattended installation of the hotfix.

    instmsiw.exe /q /c:"msiinst /delayrebootq"

    If you want to perform an attended install, remove the /q from the command line.

  3. Create a collection of the computers that should receive this hotfix.

  4. Create an advertisement for the package and program, as appropriate, by using the collection you created in the previous step.

To deploy the hotfix to computers that are running Windows XP Professional

  1. Create a package with the required files for this hotfix. The files are located on the Systems Management Server 2003 product CD in the \WinQFE\MSIQFE\WinXP\I386 folder.

  2. Create a program by using the following command line to perform a silent unattended install of the hotfix. This command line is for the English version.

    Q814076_WXP_SP2_x86_ENU.exe -q -u -z

    • -q: for quiet installs

    • -u: for unattended mode

    • -z: if specified, does not restart the computer; you must manually restart the computer, if required. You should specify SMS Restarts Machine in this case.

    • All the other hotfix command-line options are also applicable.

    • If you want to perform an attended install, remove the -q and -u from the command line.

  3. Create a collection of the computers that should receive this hotfix.

  4. Create an advertisement for the package and program as appropriate by using the collection you created in the previous step.

Note

The hotfix does not take effect on client computers until you restart them. If you want the computer to restart immediately after the hotfix is applied, select SMS Restarts Computer in the After Running dialog box.

How to Deploy Microsoft Office in the Absence of This Hotfix

If you do not deploy this hotfix to computers that are running Windows 2000 or Windows XP Professional, there are two suggested approaches to deployment that are based on whether you want to advertise the program as an optional installation, or as mandatory installation.

To deploy for optional installation

  • Target the program to a collection that contains either users or computers. The program used in the deployment must be created or modified so that the following properties are set as shown below:

    • Program can run: Only when a user is logged on

    • Run Mode: Run with user's rights

When the setup program for Microsoft Office runs, it runs under the user's context, but it uses the SMS 2003 Advertised Programs Client Agent's ability to perform per-user elevated Windows Installer installations. The Microsoft Office programs are available to all users on a computer after they have been installed for one user.

Deploy for mandatory installation (or optional installation if the above is not wanted)

  • Target the program to a collection with user objects or computer objects. Configure the program with the following properties set:

    • Program can run: Whether or not a user is logged on

    • Run Mode: Run with administrative rights

Additionally, you must configure the advertisement for the program to specify which application is downloaded to the cache before running.

Windows Installer Source Paths Might Not Update First Time Program Is Created

When you first create a new program and configure the source path management functionality on the Windows Installer tab, Advanced Clients might not immediately update the Windows Installer source paths.

This occurs if the SMS policy containing the Windows Installer source path information arrives at clients before the package has been distributed to distribution points at the client's site. In this case, the SMS policy arrives, and the Advanced Client attempts to update Windows Installer source paths, but the client cannot locate any distribution points for the package.

After the package is transferred to the distribution points, the Advanced Client updates source path information the next time the source path update cycle is completed.

The following events initiate the cycle:

  • 30 days have passed since the computer last ran a source path update.

  • A management point change event (the computer roams to a different site that has a local or proxy management point).

  • The computer changes IP subnet for a period longer than eight hours.

  • A new user logs on to the computer.

  • The client receives a new SMS policy with Windows Installer source path information for the package.

  • An update cycle is manually triggered through the SMS SDK API.

WORKAROUND:   Add Windows Installer source path information to a program after the corresponding package has been transferred to distribution points.

User Might Not Receive Advertisement under Certain Conditions When Active Directory Is Operating In Mixed Mode

Users will not receive SMS advertisements under the following conditions:

  • The Windows domain is operating in Active Directory mixed mode

  • The user account is a member of a nested Global Security Group which is a member of a Domain Local Group

  • The advertisement is targeted to a Domain Local Group

WORKAROUND:   None, because this functionality is "by design" in Active Directory.

When Active Directory is operating in native mode, all advertisements work as expected. However, if Active Directory is operating in mixed mode and the user logs on to a non-domain controller system, for example a Windows 2000 member server or a Windows XP workstation, the token that is generated for the logged on user will not have Domain Local Security Group in TOKEN_GROUPS. Therefore, the SMS client will not receive the SMS advertisement policy.