remotely install software in Windows Server 2003

[NooNoo]

The domain name is the settings. Otherwise if you don't use the domain, it is simply a workgroup.

[rodrigo7x]

I guess I just don't understand what the relation is between the domain name of my LAN and looking up domain names that are routed on the internet. The tutorials say when setting up a domain controller I can pick any name I want it doesn't matter what like asdfs.com or fsdfsd.org. I chose casarealt.com for the dns server. I keep thinking this is only in my LAN so that I can have a domain and use domain controller for services like deploying software in my LAN. Is this correct? Or do I have to host a web site and do something with the ISP so that I can run a dns server correctly???? thank you for your help and please excuse my ignorance in this matter, I appreciate all your help.

[rodrigo7x]

Hi, I read about internal domain names in this tutorial :
http://www.simongibson.com/intranet/dns2003/

It speaks about using a made up name like casarealty.com for my internal service requests but in step 7 the ISP dns ip was entered so that all requests outside the Local Area Network (LAN) go to the internet. I think this is what I'm trying to accomplish since I am not hosting a web site or have a registered domain name.

I am considering starting over by recreating the AD form scratch (I think you just go through the process again and it will erase the previous domain controller). To do this I want to use the tutorial here :

http://www.visualwin.com/AD-Controller/

but when I see this AD tutorial and other tutorials like it they configure DNS as well, I'm not sure that these tutorials configure the "internal" dns I saw in the first tutorial.

Will configuring an internal dns allow me to use my server2003 to deploy software to client computers when I don't have a registered domain name??????????????

I really appreciate it if any one could show me what I need to do to accomplish deploying software to client pcs using server2003. Thanks Noo Noo for all your help.

[NooNoo]

I think it's time your bought a book. This is not an insult but the windows 2003 server for dummies explains basic concepts that you need.

[rodrigo7x]

thanks, I will do that. It should make things easier. LOL.

[rodrigo7x]

Hi,

I first would like to apologize to the readers for the lengthy thread without finding a solution for you and myself, it is my first adventure with a server. Well, I finally got everything to work. I will try to sum everything up in case someone is having the same experience I was.

After I installed server 2003 (w2k3) following the tutorials I mentioned in the beginning of this thread, I was able to create roaming profiles and install the proper drivers with the help of helpful friend Noo Noo. However, trying to deploy software was painful and only after a little prayer was I able to figure this out:

There are many tutorials that will teach about what software deployment is and give some examples. But just about all of them assume we have a registered domain name like microsoft.com. Some tutorial teach about internal dns but don't really show you good examples. The windows 2003 book for dummies has a lot of basics about terms, networking and w2k3 basics. Which are nice but again no real good examples. It does have a good section though on explaining the difference between a real company such as microsoft.com (top level domain name = .com) vs. a internal company (with no real name like thisisatest.local or thisisatest.ad). That was real helpful in my case because I just want to experiment in my own local network.

I believe the best tutorial I found on internal dns is here:
http://www.simongibson.com/intranet/dns2003/
It particularly speaks about using a local domain that is not routing to the internet but in order for the pcs to have internet access the pcs were also assigned the isp dns ip address in the tcp/ip settings on the LAN pcs. (step 7). But this confused me because when I tried it, it didn't work for me. Noo Noo adviced me about my domain name going to the internet. I didn't understand but I guess it was cause I was using .com hence, I rename my domain name.

Renaming the main domain name of the server is painful too. Basically I had to remove the .com name I had created by hitting run typing dcpromo and it guided me into uninstalling my domain controller. I also went ahead and uninstalled dns from the add/remove windows components and the certificate service I had installed. I reinstalled dns service and then created active directory again( because when I used dcpromo on run command this uninstalled the AD). So basically I started over. I named my domain name casarealty.local. In the server and all the pcs in tcp/ip settings (in local area connections) I chose static ips for my dns servers, the first was 192.168.2.7 the ip of the server and the alternate was 192.168.2.1 the router's ip. Then on the server the first dns ip is 127.0.0.1 (loopback onto itself) and the alternate is again the router's ip. On the server I also assign a static ip 192.168.2.7 with a class c subnet mask and default gateway - router's ip.

Well, after I did all that I kept getting an error that my old dns name was not able to dynamically delete and I had to do it manually but I couldn't find it anywhere. So I went ahead and joined all the virtual machines and the home pc I have on my network to the domain again, this time joining to the domain casarealty.local (I typed .local when joining). After that, error was resolved. Then, I still had the error on the server about user logon event id 1054. Forums said it was either dns installed improperly, or some permissions etc. I read somewhere that although you give permissions to the roaming users account you also have to give permissions to the computers the users will be using. So I added the domain computers and gave full access to them.

I also made sure that the software installation package (the .msi in the shared folder ready to be distributed) was assigned both in the computers\software\installation and the user\software\installation and that permissions were both assigned to the roaming user account and the domain computers by right clicking the package installation icon.

Everytime I changed something having to do with group policy or shared folders I made sure I went to command prompt and typed gpupdate ( I believe that if the changes didn't want to take effect they would with this command). Well, after a lot of trial and error I am now able to deploy software to client pcs from my server. Working with both VMware and one real pc plus the server in the network.

However, the account I used to create the roaming account had a customized wallpaper, but when logging into the roaming account the wall paper is not seen although if I right click desktop properties it appears as if it is selected. Well, I can leave without that because the deployment is what I wanted to accomplish.

I hope my trials help any readers in this thread who like me are very beginners and just want real detailed how tos. I believe the tutorials mentioned here, my errors, and w2k3 for dummies book will help out any beginner and if you can get Noo Noo to help you, you'll do better. See ya!!!!!

[NooNoo]

You are very welcome. It is nice to help someone who want to learn.