Using Computer Imaging

You can install the Advanced Client on a client computer master image by installing core SMS client components without specifying an SMS site code for assignment. When the master image is deployed to computers, the Advanced Client is preinstalled on those computers and remains dormant until you assign the client to an SMS site.

Computer Imaging Tips

Install the Advanced Client software on the master computer image using techniques described in the "Using Advanced Client Installer" and "Initiating a Program File at the Client" sections earlier in this chapter.

To complete deployment of the Advanced Client on a computer that has been set up by using a master image, specify a site code in the Systems Management icon in Control Panel.

Each Advanced Client must also have a security certificate for the computer that it is installed on. The Advanced Client generates a valid certificate if the previous one is removed. Remove certificates by extracting and running the CCMdelcert.exe tool from the CCMtools.msi file found on the SMS 2003 CD in the SMSSetup\Tools folder. Delete the certificate on the original computer before the master image is created. If a client refresh cycle runs, such as when the computer reboots, then before the image is created, the certificate must be deleted again.

Registry Modifications

If the logged-on users at the client computers that you deploy the Advanced Client to through software distribution have administrative credentials, you have the option of preconfiguring the client computers with specific Advanced Client options. These options are configurable through the Windows registry:

• Setting the preferred client type

• Assigning the client to an SMS site

Caution

• Incorrectly editing the registry might severely damage your system. Before making changes to the registry, you should back up any valued data on the computer.

These registry entries are valid only if the Advanced Client is installed with the SMSCONFIGURESOURCE switch set to R. The Advanced Client Installer (Ccmsetup.exe) passes these options to Client.msi during Advanced Client installation.

Setting the preferred client type

Use the following registry subkey to set the preferred client type to install:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\CCM\SmsClientConfig\PREFERREDCLIENT

The PREFERREDCLIENT registry value specifies which client type to install on the computer. If this registry value is not available, the default behavior for Client.msi is to install the Advanced Client and remove the Legacy Client if it is already installed.

Table 17.1 summarizes these registry entry values.

Table 17.1 Registry Entry Values

Note:

• The Legacy Client installation methods do not respect the PREFERREDCLIENT registry value. These methods install the Legacy Client even if this registry value is set to REMOTE or NONE, unless the Advanced Client software is already installed.

Assigning the client to an SMS site

Use the following registry subkey to set an SMS site to assign the client to:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\CCM\SmsClientConfig\SITECODE

The SITECODE registry value specifies the SMS site to assign the installed Advanced Client to. Specify either a three-character site code, or the string AUTO. The default action, if this property is not set, is to leave the client unassigned. The client remains dormant until you assign it to an SMS site.

For More Information

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