Systems Management

GP replication: http://www.lmgtfy.com/?q=domain+controller+force+group+policy+replication

Remember, though, that workstations don't pick up GP until they restart so a GPUPDATE /FORCE /BOOT is the only way to apply a policy "right now", other than following a forced DC replication with a command-line reboot.

As for logging, there's a policy which will turn that on. Logs get stored in %SystemRoot%\TEMP, prefixed "MSI", followed by 4-6 random alphanumeric characters and with a .LOG extension. That isn't the best way to determine installation state, however. You could use the WindowsInstaller.Installer object's ProductState property or simply interrogate the registry looking for the ProductCode. The location for machine-based installs is 'HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Installer\Managed\<UserSID>\Installer\Products\<Packed_ProductCode>

To save time, here's some code to convert packed GUIDs back and forth:'strCode = "{DF160407-881B-4AE1-B75C-730BD77C424B}"
strMungedCode = "704061FDB1881EA47BC537B07DC724B4"

Call UnMungeProductCode(strMungedCode, strCode)
WScript.Echo strMungedCode & " unmunged becomes " & strCode


strCode = "{7699B723-9718-41DE-8C18-549F341C02CE}"
Call MungeProductCode(strCode, strMungedCode)
WScript.Echo strCode & " munged becomes " & strMungedCode


Sub MungeProductCode(ByVal strProductCode, ByRef strMungedCode)
'// This routine munges the ProductCode into the munged format
'// used by various registry entries for Windows Installer
'// For example: {D650B8A9-C547-42D3-A7DF-0FAD0AC6E9ED}
'// becomes
'// 9A8B056D745C3D247AFDF0DAA06C9EDE

Dim arrSortOrder
Dim strNewCode
Dim intIndex

arrSortOrder = Array(9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,14,13,12,11,19,18,17,16,22,21,24,23,27,26,29,28,31,30,33,32,35,34,37,36)

'// Generate the munged code
For intIndex = 0 To UBound(arrSortOrder)
strNewCode = strNewCode & Mid(strProductCode,arrSortOrder(intIndex),1)
Next

strMungedCode = strNewCode
End Sub

Sub UnMungeProductCode(ByVal strMungedCode, ByRef strProductCode)
'// This routine reconstructs a ProductCode from the munged format
'// used by various registry entries for Windows Installer
'// For example: 9A8B056D745C3D247AFDF0DAA06C9EDE
'// becomes
'// {D650B8A9-C547-42D3-A7DF-0FAD0AC6E9ED}

Dim arrSortOrder
Dim intIndex
Dim strPartTemp
Dim strPart1
Dim strPart2
Dim strPart3
Dim strPart4
Dim strPart5

'// Part 1
strPartTemp = Left(strMungedCode, 8)
strPart1 = StrReverse(strPartTemp)

'// Part 2
strPartTemp = Mid(strMungedCode, 9, 4)
strPart2 = StrReverse(strPartTemp)

'// Part 3
strPartTemp = Mid(strMungedCode, 13, 4)
'// Excuse me! May I borrow these variables for a moment?
strPart3 = Left(strPartTemp, 2)
strPart4 = Right(strPartTemp, 2)
strPart3 = StrReverse(strPart4) & StrReverse(strPart3)

'// Now deal with part 4 properly
strPartTemp = Mid(strMungedCode, 17, 2)
strPart4 = Mid(strMungedCode, 19, 2)
strPart4 = StrReverse(strPartTemp) & StrReverse(strPart4)

strPartTemp = Mid(strMungedCode, 21, 12)

arrSortOrder = Array(2,1,4,3,6,5,8,7,10,9,12,11)

'// Generate the product code
For intIndex = 0 To UBound(arrSortOrder)
strPart5 = strPart5 & Mid(strPartTemp,arrSortOrder(intIndex),1)
Next

strProductCode = ""
strProductCode = strProductCode & "{"
strProductCode = strProductCode & strPart1
strProductCode = strProductCode & "-"
strProductCode = strProductCode & strPart2
strProductCode = strProductCode & "-"
strProductCode = strProductCode & strPart3
strProductCode = strProductCode & "-"
strProductCode = strProductCode & strPart4
strProductCode = strProductCode & "-"
strProductCode = strProductCode & strPart5
strProductCode = strProductCode & "}"
End Sub