remotely install software in Windows Server 2003

**rodrigo7x** · December 23rd, 2008, 01:56 PM

HI,

I have recently been learning about server 2003. I was hoping someone could diagnose what I have done wrong in setting up group objects and policies to install software on chosen users. I followed the tutorial on: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/816102

It seems pretty straight forward and easy to follow. But after I finished the tutorial I was unable to get the software installed on the client computers. Here's some details:

I chose the assign software method. I was able to successfully create a distribution point at \\Apache\Distribute\Auto I set permissions for full control on sharing and security for the test user.

I created a group policy object name auto distribution and went to properties and selected the test user to have full permissions.

I also installed the .msi file in the above location using the /a (administrative install). and assigned this package Computer Configuration, Software Settings, software installation, and typed the correct path (I did not browse to it).

I chose assign, the tutorial says that when the user logs in his client computer the software will be installed automatically, it did not in my case. I also tried to publish it and redeploy it many times but it wouldn't install using assign or could not be found in add programs in control panel with publish.

If I simply share the setup.exe file using a share folder path, the test user is able to download the setup and install the file (if he runs it as administrator of that local computer). If you see an error in what I have done I would greatly appreciate your help and response. Thank you.

**NooNoo** · December 24th, 2008, 02:24 AM

Is the client machine running virtually?

**rodrigo7x** · December 24th, 2008, 07:09 AM

Yes, it is. Is there extra steps I need to take?

**NooNoo** · December 24th, 2008, 07:33 AM

Not sure... but there are a few problems running anything in VM - which vm are you using? Does the software appear in add programs from network if you publish it?

**rodrigo7x** · December 24th, 2008, 08:25 AM

I have a macbook pro 10.5.6 running VMfusion and have installed two xp pro Virtual machines. The software does not appear even when I use the publish method. However, if I make a share folder in the server and put the setup.exe in that folder then the client can go to that share folder copy and paste the setup.exe and run that from the clients desktop. It then asks to be run under administrator of the local client machine so that it installs properly, so I choose run under administrator and it will install fine. Could the software not be installing because the test user is a limited user on the client machine? But I have set full permissions for the test user in the server machine. Thanks.

**NooNoo** · December 24th, 2008, 10:49 AM

I am not familiar with the limitations of VMfusion, but if it's not working, I would say it is the VM causing the problem.

**rodrigo7x** · December 25th, 2008, 01:27 PM

HI,

I was reading more on this software installation. I found out I need to have wmi service running on the client pc and windows installer (which says if it is not running then software won't be deployed). I saw It was off and couldn't get it to start under the test user account because it is a limited user and I tried to go to log on tab and change to adminstrator user but it won't let me run the service under admin (when I am logged in as test user).

I also recreated the test account as an administrator account and re copied it to the server. In the server I also assigned test user account to the administrators. but I'm still not able to start the windows installer service in the test roaming account. I get the error "unable to open the MSIServer for writing in the local computer: access denied".

If I log in using the local computer administrator I can turn the windows installer service on but once I log off it will turn off because upon logging back in the service is off again. Thanks for any help on this.

**NooNoo** · December 25th, 2008, 03:04 PM

These problems happen in the VM?

**rodrigo7x** · December 25th, 2008, 10:31 PM

I tried all I could with the vmware but I agree I do believe it is a vmware issue. So, I moved on to booting up into windows through bootcamp on my mac to see if I can get software deployed on the bootcamp side. As I was joining the domain I encountered a slight problem and couldn't join the domain (I was in the wrong subnet mask because my wireless automatically join an outside open network).

Well, I just finished joining my windows domain. I got in my netmask and then was able to join a domain just like my virtual machines do. I also was able to change tcp/ip to the correct DNS server.

Another good thing is that in the bootcamp installation I am able to start or stop the windows installer service at will, the wmi and the rcp services which I understand are needed for software deployment to work. My windows installer is set to manual. I read in Microsoft support that when the software is deployed it will turn on.

The bad news is that software is still not getting deployed. Thanks again for your efforts.

**rodrigo7x** · December 26th, 2008, 10:32 AM

HI, I found some errors which I don't understand:
event ID 1517
Windows saved user CASAMERICAREALT\test registry while an application or service was still using the registry during log off. The memory used by the user's registry has not been freed. The registry will be unloaded when it is no longer in use.

This is often caused by services running as a user account, try configuring the services to run in either the LocalService or NetworkService account.

that was a warning, then seconds later this error: event id 1503

Windows cannot determine the user or computer name. (The RPC server is unavailable. ). Group Policy processing aborted.

But the RPC service is running on the server and on the client pc.

I also have this error in the system in event viewer: event id 18 when I did gpupdate command

The time provider NtpClient failed to establish a trust relationship between this computer and the casamericarealty.com domain in order to securely synchronize time. NtpClient will try again in 60 minutes. The error was: The trust relationship between this workstation and the primary domain failed. (0x800706FD)

and seconds later: event id 29

The time provider NtpClient is configured to acquire time from one or more time sources, however none of the sources are currently accessible. No attempt to contact a source will be made for 59 minutes. NtpClient has no source of accurate time.

thanks for any help or advice.

**NooNoo** · December 26th, 2008, 04:26 PM

Restart the RPC service - it has a few dependencies, one of them may have quit - then see if you get an error when the service starts again.

As to the first error, that's pretty common, you get the fix here

**rodrigo7x** · December 26th, 2008, 06:16 PM

thanks, I had been reading some more I installed the certificate service and set the server self and GP to automatic. After that I didn't get any errors except the 1053 one about the rpc not working. I have been following the troubleshooting forums.
I have this error in event viewer in the server:

The DNS server was unable to complete directory service enumeration of zone casamericarealty.com. This DNS server is configured to use information obtained from Active Directory for this zone and is unable to load the zone without it. Check that the Active Directory is functioning properly and repeat enumeration of the zone. The extended error debug information (which may be empty) is "". The event data contains the error.

I found this out:
when I type nslookup in my server I get :
127.0.0.1

and the domain name is casamericarealty.com but the dns name is casarealestate.com
If I lookup casarealestate.com I get

Microsoft Windows [Version 5.2.3790]
(C) Copyright 1985-2003 Microsoft Corp.

D:\Documents and Settings\Administrator>nslookup
Default Server: localhost
Address: 127.0.0.1

> nslookup casarealestate.com
Server: casarealestate.com.casarealestate.com
Address: 208.73.210.121

*** casarealestate.com can't find nslookup: No response from server
>

So I do believe dns is configured wrong but I followed the tutorial and saw other tutorial who say about the same thing for configuring dns. I see some troubleshooting tools but they don't work in my server like netdiag dcdiag etc. I downloaded resourcetoolkit for server 2003 and that's suppose to have them but it doesn't, any help??? Thanks

**NooNoo** · December 26th, 2008, 06:27 PM

The domain is hosted elsewhere, the problem is that you are using a domain name that exists on the internet that you are not hosting.

**rodrigo7x** · December 26th, 2008, 06:51 PM

Okay, I made that name up, so if I changed it to something else it should work right? If so then how do I know what I make up is not in the internet also. I just want something to experiment with within my LAN.

**rodrigo7x** · December 26th, 2008, 07:28 PM

Okay, maybe what Im trying to do is not possible. I don't want to host a web site or register a domain name. I just wanted to see if you one could install w2k3 server on a LAN and use it to distribute software to say 5 computers in your network; so that one wouldn't have to install the software in each computer one at a time. I thought this could be done by just setting a distribute share folder and applying GPO policies to a user, and setting doing an admin install on the software on the distribute share folder.

Is this possible without bothering with this domain name settings??? Thanks.