Windows installer product information
I have an issue with an SMS package where the application is trying to repair itself from the installation point but it's showing the source path as a drive letter then the package ID for the SMS package (ex: Z\(SMS Package ID). Now I read that if you import the windows installer information (the product GUID and the .msi name) into the program portion of the package it will be able to run a repair from the DP the package was run from. But apparently that's not the case. I also thought .msi's require a full UNC path to the installation source? Any best practices for this approach?
-Dan
-Dan
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Posted by:
dunnpy
16 years ago
dan429,
At first glance it looks as though some helpful person may have mapped a drive to the DP \\<servername>\smspkg<drive letter>$ and installed the software manually.
SMS should always refer back to the UNC - as you've said.
What happens if you manually install your package and initiate a repair? - it should throw an error about the Z:\ drive if it is inherent in your package, unless of course you've specified the path as a Search Location (within the package).
You didn't say in your post if this was affecting mulitple machines - if so it may be that one of your support guys (or a knowledgable user) has taken it upon themselves to install software in this way - rather than waiting for SMS to poll and deploy.
Hope this helps - can't think of anything else off the top of my head.. but I'll let you know if I have any further thoughts.
Dunnpy
At first glance it looks as though some helpful person may have mapped a drive to the DP \\<servername>\smspkg<drive letter>$ and installed the software manually.
SMS should always refer back to the UNC - as you've said.
What happens if you manually install your package and initiate a repair? - it should throw an error about the Z:\ drive if it is inherent in your package, unless of course you've specified the path as a Search Location (within the package).
You didn't say in your post if this was affecting mulitple machines - if so it may be that one of your support guys (or a knowledgable user) has taken it upon themselves to install software in this way - rather than waiting for SMS to poll and deploy.
Hope this helps - can't think of anything else off the top of my head.. but I'll let you know if I have any further thoughts.
Dunnpy
Posted by:
danr29
16 years ago
Dunnpy;
Verified the system receieved the package by looking at ccmexec.log and it did recieve the SMS package. Let me know if you find anything out and I'll do some of my own research and post back if I find anything out.
Verified the system receieved the package by looking at ccmexec.log and it did recieve the SMS package. Let me know if you find anything out and I'll do some of my own research and post back if I find anything out.
Posted by:
dunnpy
16 years ago
Danr29,
I've just come in this morning and realised that you can - in the Program Properties , Environment tab - configure the Drive Mode, where you can specify whether the program:
Runs with UNC name
Requires drive letter
Requires specific drive letter
Could it be that whoever configured the program set it to run from a drive letter - Z: ?
I thought I'd be able to think of something else - but this still might not be a solution for you [:)]
Thanks,
Dunnpy
I've just come in this morning and realised that you can - in the Program Properties , Environment tab - configure the Drive Mode, where you can specify whether the program:
Runs with UNC name
Requires drive letter
Requires specific drive letter
Could it be that whoever configured the program set it to run from a drive letter - Z: ?
I thought I'd be able to think of something else - but this still might not be a solution for you [:)]
Thanks,
Dunnpy
Posted by:
danr29
16 years ago
Yeah that particular (as well as all of the ones we do) are set to UNC path. Which you would think it would set the source path as a UNC. Still racking my brain on this one.
Posted by:
Tone
16 years ago
ORIGINAL: danr29
Now I read that if you import the windows installer information (the product GUID and the .msi name) into the program portion of the package it will be able to run a repair from the DP the package was run from.
That should sort it for you..
The source list agent on the SMS client will find a source path for your package (not necessarily the original DP and no need to specify a UNC), if it is not working you will probably have to re-advertise it.
I think best practise is to use the Windows Installer Source Location Manager..
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=32f40db4-6706-4e62-b867-aa1d332b6403&displaylang=en
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