HOW TO: Distribution of SwyxIt! via group policies of Active Directory

Summary

The installation or update of SwyxIt! can be either done manually or it can be automated by the administrator in one of the following ways:

• Distribution of SwyxIt! via Logon Script
• Distribution via group policies of Active Directory
• Distribution of SwyxIt! via System Management Server

This articles describes how to distribute SwyxIt! via group policies of Active Directory.

We recommend to assign an automated SwyxIt! installation only to a computer object, but not to a user object, when using group policies of Active Directory. 

Information

First time installation

To distribute SwyxIt! on Windows systems the first time, step through the following instructions:

1. Start Active Directory User and Computer Snap-in.
2. Select the Active Directory container (site, domain or organisational unit), where you want to configure / modify a policy for software installation. Right-click this folder and select Properties.
   
   

   KB 2197-1 - start configuration

3. Change to the Group policies tab.
4. Choose an existing policy or create a new one and click the Edit button. 
   
   

   KB 2197-2 - choose policy

5. Select Computer configuration | Software settings | Software installation.
6. Right-click in the detail pane and select New | Package …
   
   

   KB 2197-3 - new SW install

7. Enter a UNC-path (e. g. \\<server name>\<directory name>\SwyxIt!EnglishUK_Setup.msi) to the SwyxIt!-Setup, when it is provided by a share. If the Setup is stored locally on each client system, enter the local path. In both cases the system account needs access to the setup. Then click Open.
   
   

   KB 2197-4 - select setup

8. Choose Assigned as deployment method and click OK. 
   
   

   KB 2197-5 - deploy method

9. After these steps, the Group policy dialog will look like this:
   
   

   KB 2197-6 - gpedit with SW package

10. Close all opened windows, selecting OK / exit. 

The next time a Windows 2000 / Windows XP client system reboots, SwyxIt will be automatically installed on this system.

Update

In order to update a via group policy and Active Directory distributed SwyxIt! installation, step through the following instructions:

1. Configure a new software installation with the new SwyxIt!-Setup (like mentioned above).
2. Continue configuration, when both packages are displayed in detail pane.
3. Right-click the software installation packet, which should update the older version and select Properties. 
   
   

   KB 2197-7 - configure an update

4. Change to the Upgrades tab. 
   
   

   KB 2197-8 - select old package

5. Click Add and select the application, which will be replaced. 
   
   

   KB 2197-9 - select update method

6. Select upgrade method: uninstall existing package.
7. Select OK | Apply | OK. 
   
   

   KB 2197-10 - update properties

8. After this additional configuration, a green arrow will be displayed in front of the installation package, in the group policy editor .
   
   

   KB 2197-11 - end of config

9. Close all opened windows, selecting OK / exit. 

The next time a Windows 2000 / Windows XP client system logs onto the domain, SwyxIt! will be automatically updated.

Troubleshooting and Tools:

• use the tool Resultant Set Of Policies on server site, to verify, that there is no misconfiguration in your policy. Rightklick on your GPO, where the policy is specifid (site, domain or OU) and choose All tasks | Resultant Set Of Policies (Planning) …
• Check Active Domain Replication (e. g. with tool replmon, addiag, dcdiag)
• Check for errors of Distributed File System or File Replication Service (e. g. with Eventlog, FRSdiag, ntFRSutl).
• Try ro access the Group Policy Template file GPT.INI, stored at \\<domain>\SYSVOL\<domainname>\Policies\{Policy-GID}.
• Initiate an update of policies with the command line tool gpupdate.exe.
• Check for received policy changes on the client systems, using Resultant Set Of Policies (rsop.msc) and command line tool gpresult.exe.
• Enable logging for userenv.log (details in knowledgebase article KB221833 from Microsoft, see references). 

References

• Group Policy Collection
  http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/windowsserver2003/library/TechRef/6d7cb788-b31d-4d17-9f1e-b5ddaa6deecd.mspx
• Implementing Common Desktop Management Scenarios with the Group Policy Management Console
  http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/windowsserver2003/technologies/management/csws2003.mspx
• KB article 221833 - enable logging for userenv.log
  http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;221833
• What is group policy management console?
  http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/windowsserver2003/library/TechRef/be2c2744-15f4-4495-9ae7-19ee3c9da70d.mspx
• Windows Server 2003 Technical Reference
  http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/windowsserver2003/library/TechRef/7cb7e9f7-2090-4c88-8d14-270c749fddb5.mspx

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