Scripting

Wrote a book about it: kixtartbook.com (out of print now)

I've been working with Kix scripts for several years, what do you need to know?

First of all I just want to tell you about the Environment we have here:

Users dont have the admin rights to execute any activity(Add,Modify or delete) either on the Directories or Registries.

I wrote a normal VB script to uninstall the left over Folders and Registries after the package uninstall but since user doesnt have the admin or power user rights, this script doesn't run.

We in our environment use the Kix scripts as the login scripts so I was wondering if you could help me with the Kix script for uninstall on the PC not having the admin rights.

Please help as I am stuck on this particular step.

Would this, by some slim chance, be connected with your question about uninstalling Adobe products? http://itninja.com/question/gnu,-freeware-and-shareware-programs-to-cloning7583

Switching scripting technology won't magically assign rights to the user. VBScript, Kix, WinBatch, EXE, whatever...if the user executing the uninstaller doesn't have rights, they simply don't - and won't - have them. The login script works because it's running under the local System account. Either stick with uninstalling using the MSI (as per my response in the 'Package Development' forum) or run the script (or whatever) using an appropriately-permissioned account. You can do the latter using RunAs or PSExec (another brilliant SysInternals tool) or, presumably, via your deployment tool.

I'm sure you meant login script runs under the user's context whom is currently logging in.
Startup script would run under the local system account which should have the permissions to do whatever it likes.

However, things like orphan resources should be noticed during test-phase to be handled before the packages is deployed.

LOL...good catch, Kim. Note to self: concentrate!

Hi

The Agent service is running as a local system account but the scripts are not running as the stram gets closed.please see the logs below:


#run script: DelFolder redirection: true
#ExeScript, redirect is true
#[23/Apr/2009:15:37:32 +0100]
#stream closed
#stream closed
#[23/Apr/2009:15:37:34 +0100]
#ret = 0
[23/Apr/2009:15:37:35 +0100] - audit 9031 Script completed: DelFolder
#run script: DelReg redirection: true
#ExeScript, redirect is true
#Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
#(C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.
#
#C:\program files\marimba\tuner\.marimba\EndPoint\ch.10\data\scripts>stream closed
#stream closed
#[23/Apr/2009:15:37:38 +0100]
#ret = 0

23/Apr/2009:15:37:38 +0100] - audit 9031 Script completed: DelReg
[23/Apr/2009:15:37:38 +0100] - audit 9506 Uninstall Mode succeeded:
[23/Apr/2009:15:37:38 +0100] - audit 9056 Adapter info: System will now be rebooted.
[23/Apr/2009:15:38:08 +0100] - major SYSTEM 9027 Adapter cancelled
[23/Apr/2009:15:38:08 +0100] - major SYSTEM 9001 Operation failed:
[23/Apr/2009:15:38:08 +0100] - audit SYSTEM 1152 Channel instance stopped

This response makes no sense whatsoever, I'm afraid.

Your target is to uninstall an Adobe product, right? Use the Windows Installer. That's what it does, its entire raison d'etre.

As Duncan Ballantyne (Dragon's Den, BBC TV) might say, "I'm out."

Well well...you have got me wrong.The acrobat package is uninstalled already but leaves the folder structure behind.I wanted to delete that structure with the help of the scripts.

The acrobat package is uninstalled already but leaves the folder structure behind...most likely because the transform doesn't account for those files. It could also be because they contain files which the installer didn't put there or which the user updated (are they in the user profile?) Add them to the RemoveFile table in the transform.

Hi

Is there way to encrypt the password in Runas with the Kix scripting?

Any good? http://myitforum.com/cs2/blogs/tmintner/archive/2005/06/16/8989.aspx

TQCRunas cost money, CPAU doesn't :)

http://www.joeware.net/freetools/tools/cpau/index.htm

Try looking at AutoIt, link below, it is basically a scripting tool that compiles the script as an 'exe' program that can then be called from a Kix script. It has a 'RunAs' command that allows you to run a routine with different user credentials (in this case administrator). Passwords are embedded in the .exe and are invisible to the user.

http://www.autoitscript.com/autoit3/downloads.shtml

For added security create an admin account specifically for use with AutoIt that has a complex password. Have it's startup script point to a batch file that contains the one line:

SHUTDOWN -L -T 0 -F

If the password is compromised it will prevent users from logging on as it will immediately log them out again.

SysMan,if you know the commands for the script to run,it would be appreciated.

I got this piece of code from the microsoft site :

strComputer = "atl-fs-01"
strNamespace = "root\cimv2"
strUser = "kenmyer"
strPassword = "password"
Set objWbemLocator = CreateObject("WbemScripting.SWbemLocator")
Set objWMIService = objwbemLocator.ConnectServer _
(strComputer, strNamespace, strUser, strPassword)

would it execute on all the PC or jus one?I need to know the meaning of this code..please help?

All that code is doing is making a remote WMI connection to a machine called 'atl-fs-01'. After that, it does.....nothing.

If you were planning to use WMI to uninstall this product, you're barking up another wrong tree, I'm afraid since, ultimately, WMI uses the Windows Installer APIs so you'd be no better off than using "MSIExec /x..."

Star, if you your only issue is rights issue, why don't you just use the same deployment tool/method you used for install/uninstall the application to run your script like it was suggested somewhere above? Sounds like you may be complicating yourself for no apparent reason.

- J

I do understand Msiexec /x will take care of the uninstall but since its leaving behind some of the registry keys and files behind,so want to use a script for clean uninstall.......In our environment normal user doesn't have the rights to execute the scripts,so wanted to use the Runas command.And since I would be pushing the package on the remote PC,it should not prompt for a password on the cmd window.This is why I was asking for help....

But these same users have rights to install and uninstall applications? What deployment tool do you use, if any?

Ya they do...I am using Marimba for the deployment.

I embedded the script inside the Application Packager itself but when it tries to execute on the PC,it gives me an error "Stream Closed"....Which I confirmed with our windows team team,that users dont have right 2 run th script.But its very confusing,the Agent on the PC have the system account rights and doesnt allow the scripts to run....Strange!!!!

Do u have any idea what could be stopping it?

I'm not familiar with Marimba at all. All deployment tools should let you run installations under some elevated context, whether System Account or a predefined admin account. The idea being that on a locked down environment, you can deploy installations, scripts, etc. The tools people are mentioning here are all helpful when you have no other way to run something with elevated rights, but in your case, you should. Maybe one of the guys here has experience with Marimba and can assist you. I would pursue figuring out why I can't run scripts via Marimba instead of putting efforts on a workaround, but that's just a personal choice.

Good luck,
J

[sound of penny dropping] Why not build a simple 'uninstall' MSI? Populate the RemoveFile and RemoveRegistry tables with the relevant details and deploy it? Add the 'ARPSYSTEMCOMPONENT' property so that the package doesn't appear in the 'Add/Remove Programs' list.

ORIGINAL: VBScab

[sound of penny dropping]


[echo]...starting to become a pet peeve, lol.