admin images and auto updating service packs 2

[jmongan]

OK, I have and admin image created with the admin director. A batch file does the SW install as well as some other utilities, etc.

When I update the admin image with a new service pack, the next time the clients reboot their PC's they do not update to the next service pack automatically. I still have to have everyone run the SP upgrade on their PC.

Does anyone know how and if it is possible to have clients automatically update with the admin image SP, much like PDMWorks does?

Josh

 

[ctopher]

Their PC's have had SolidWorks installed from disc, not from Admin Image. After you have the image created on the server, uninstall SW from their pc's, then browse to the image and dbl-click on it. It will install SW on their pc's and they will get auto updated next time.

Chris
Sr. Mechanical Designer, CAD
SolidWorks 05 SP2.0 / PDMWorks 05
ctopher's home site

 

[PDMAdmin]

Our IT department uses the "msiexec" command in logon scripts to push out the updates from the admin image. Just because you update the admin image does not mean the clients will update automatically. The clients still have to updated either manually or through an automated script.

 

[ctopher]

I have the image on the server. (.msi).
Whenever I do an SP update on the server, the next time our users opens SW, they get a message that SW is updating. It has worked for 2004 and 2005 for us. Works great. I leave IT dept out because they don't understand it, they open the server room for me and in 45 minutes it is updated.

Chris
Sr. Mechanical Designer, CAD
SolidWorks 05 SP2.0 / PDMWorks 05
ctopher's home site

 

[J-C]

Are you using the admin director Chris?

Jason Capriotti
Smith & Nephew, Inc.

 

[jmongan]

Chris,

Can you give me a quick run down of the process you use. I also have the image on the server and do the install from the .msi file, yet I do not get the automated install.

I call out my msi file silently and use and .mst file to pass all my options.

Josh

 

[kcarpenter]

ctopher,

I have 70+ installs of SWX using my admin image, but not once have any of them updated by themselves. I've been using the admin image since it was available, but again not one seat has ever updated itself. I'm curious as to how you're accomplishing this as well.

T.I.A.

Kevin Carpenter
CAD Systems Specialist
Invacare Corp.

 

[jmongan]

Kevin,

Here is something odd. Of the 30 PC's here that have SW installed on them from the same admin image, one of them updates automatically when I update the admin image, the other 29 do not. I can think of nothing I did differently or anything different about the one pc that automatically updates.

Josh

 

[ctopher]

You can not have SolidWorks installed anywhere on the pc's. Do a clean uninstall, then reinstall from the image on the server. When you update to next SP, do it on the server. All users have to have SolidWorks closed (not running) when this happens. The next time they run SW, it will update.

Chris
Sr. Mechanical Designer, CAD
SolidWorks 05 SP2.0 / PDMWorks 05
ctopher's home site

 

[ctopher]

You will need to load SW onto the server and the SW cd's to create the admin image.

Chris
Sr. Mechanical Designer, CAD
SolidWorks 05 SP2.0 / PDMWorks 05
ctopher's home site

 

[jmongan]

Chris,

You must be doing something else that I am not doing. I just did a complete uninstall on a pc, clean out everything dealing with SW from the registry and deleted the install directory.

I then created a new admin image from the CD's, without using the Administrative Director. Just a plain old admin image.

I installed SW on the client machine using the following.

msiexec /i "\\Network path here\english_i386_solidworks.msi" INSTALLDIR="c:\Program Files\SolidWorks2005" TOOLBOXFOLDER="c:\Program Files\SolidWorks2005" SWSPUPGRADE=1 UPGRADESWINSTALL=0 SOLIDWORKSSERIALNUMBER="0010 0038 7140 7101" DIMENSIONINGSTANDARDSELECTION=0 DONGLEDRIVER=0 ENABLEPERFORMANCE=0 UNITSELECTION=3 ADDLOCAL=English,SolidWorksAnimator,SolidWorksTaskScheduler,FeatureWorks,InstantWebsite,PhotoWorksRender,SolidWorksToolbox,SolidWorksUtilities,RealViewGraphicsdisplay OFFICEOPTION=0 SERVERLIST=25734@jhas13 /qb


I then created updated the admin image from sp0 to sp1.1. I did this from a different client to avoid any complications. I then restarted the client machine and launched SW. It did not update to sp1.1.

Can you note any differences in what you are doing and what I am doing.

Josh

 

[kcarpenter]

I'm curious as to why the clients must not be using SWX when you apply the SP to the admin image. The clients don't need anything from the image on the server once it's installed as far as I know. The only thing referencing back to the server is in the registry regarding the installation source location.

I do create the admin images locally then transfer them to the server as it's faster to do this. Is it possible you're creating your image differently, i.e. on the server vs. on a client then moving it to the server?

Kevin Carpenter
CAD Systems Specialist
Invacare Corp.

 

[jmongan]

I create mine locally and copy it to the server as well.

Kevin, how do you distribute SW to the clients. Do you use a batch file with all the settings similar to what I posted above?

Chris, how do you distribute SW to the clients. Do they each launch the msi file manually and follow the on screen directions or do you pass it silently somhow like I mentioned above?

 

[ctopher]

Have everyone close SW. Go to server, create image using CD's on the server (from SW that is installed on the server). Go to each pc, browse to the file: English_i386_SolidWorks.msi, dbl-click on it. SolidWorks will go thru install process on the pc. When updating to next SP, have everyone close SW, go to server, download SP and install. Update admin image. Next time user opens SW, it will update. I hope I made sense.

Chris
Sr. Mechanical Designer, CAD
SolidWorks 05 SP2.0 / PDMWorks 05
ctopher's home site

 

[kcarpenter]

In the past users didn't have admin rigths to their systems, but that has recently changed so we can just send them the batch file.

Here's the batch file I use to do the installs with:

msiexec /i "\\us2ks004\apps$\cad support\programs\SolidWorks 2004\installation\English_i386_SolidWorks.msi" INSTALLDIR="C:\Program Files\SolidWorks" OFFICEOPTION=1 SOLIDWORKSSERIALNUMBER="XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX" DIMENSIONINGSTANDARDSELECTION=0 UNITSELECTION=3 DETAILINGOPTION=1 ENABLEPERFORMANCE=0 ADDLOCAL=ChineseSimplified,PhotoWorksRender,FeatureWorks,SolidWorksAnimator,SolidWorksTaskScheduler,SolidWorksUtilities SERVERLIST=25734@us2ks070 /qb

It's basically the same as Josh's.

So you do not use a batch file or do any kind of silent install Chris?

Kevin Carpenter
CAD Systems Specialist
Invacare Corp.

 

[kcarpenter]

Also, could I/we not just stop the SNL service to make sure nobody is using SW when we upgrade the image?

Kevin Carpenter
CAD Systems Specialist
Invacare Corp.

 

[ctopher]

No batch file. Have it on the server where everyone can get to. I tried a batch file once and not everyone was updated properly.
Do not stop the service to do this just to make sure everone is off. I did this once and SW got corrupted.
Inform all users to stay off during a certain time frame.

Chris
Sr. Mechanical Designer, CAD
SolidWorks 05 SP2.0 / PDMWorks 05
ctopher's home site

 

[kcarpenter]

There must be something that's written to the local registry of the system when installing it this way. Is it possible for you to send me a copy of the registry from one of your systems. I'd really like to get this to work using the SI method. If I can compare your reg vs. my reg I might find something.

I have 70+ installs and some are across the country, doing them the long way is and would be a nightmare. I can't wait 30+ minutes per install, it would take me an entire work week to get them done.

Kevin Carpenter
CAD Systems Specialist
Invacare Corp.

 

[kcarpenter]

I also suppose there might be a file created in the SW program directory that causes SWX do look for an update too.

Kevin Carpenter
CAD Systems Specialist
Invacare Corp.

 

[jmongan]

Kevin I am trying several things on my end. I will let you know what I come up with per this forum. Please do the same.

Josh