Unattended installation

[colinnwwtr]

Does anyone have a simply solution for pushing packages to workstations pre-logon. I simply want to push packages to required stations, reboot the PCs and my created MSIs install without user intervention.

Without using SMS/RAS type scenario, we've found it unreliable.

Any other utils, programs that people have used let me know.
Thanks.

 

[ReddLefty]

With Windows 2000/2003 and Active Directory, you can use the Group Policies to push MSI packages. With tools like WinInstall LE 2003, you can create snapshots and packages and then assign them to computers via the Software Installation in the Group Policies.

Be warned, packaging software is alot of work and a whole new set of headaches, but I find it worth the effort.

My budget is of exactly 0$ for my software deployement project, so everything I do has to be with existing software or with freeware with a cost of nothing.

SMS is too big for the amount of installations we have and we obviously don't have the budge for the licenses and an SQL server on top of that.

You can try by using WinInstall LE. In this forum, we can then try to help you with different packages.

Check out sites like Appdeploy:

http://www.appdeploy.com/

"In space, nobody can hear you click..."

 

[colinnwwtr]

I'm familiar with creating MSI and can assign or publish an application to a workstation or user with a GPO however they only seem to either make the package available in add/remove programs or install when selected by the user. Is this right or should it be pushing the package out pre-logon?

I really want it installed pre-logon......our budget varies can go from £0 to ££££ at present its £££

 

[ReddLefty]

You must assign it to the COMPUTER if you want it to deploy upon boot-up.

I sounds like your assigning them to the USER.

If you want it to follow the user around, then I'm afraid that W2K+AD+GPO is not the best solution for that.

You may want to look into other solutions, like ZenWorks(McAfee) or One-Vision (

http://www.1-vision.com).

There are other solutions out there also, price and size and all varies.



"In space, nobody can hear you click..."