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

 

[Bouke]

I have it set up for 20 workstations and it works fine. I have the original image on my pc. And when I update I just delete the image from the network location and copy mine in its location. Then next morning all systems update sw-sp as they should.

I have created all the primar-SW-install from the network image using the following command:
\\YournetworkLocation\ swsetup.exe /ini \\YournetworkLocation\ SolidWorks_2005_SP0_client_options.ini

Then the following is in the ini-file:

[Destination Folder Section]
INSTALLDIR=C:\Program Files\SolidWorks 2005\
TOOLBOXFOLDER=C:\Program Files\SolidWorks 2005\
[Upgrade Section]
SWSPUPGRADE=0
UPGRADESWINSTALL=1
[Security Section]
SOLIDWORKSSERIALNUMBER=**** **** **** ****
[Properties Section]
DIMENSIONINGSTANDARDSELECTION=1
DONGLEDRIVER=0
ENABLEPERFORMANCE=1
UNITSELECTION=4
[Features Section]
ADDLOCAL=English,SolidWorksAnimator,SolidWorksTaskScheduler,FeatureWorks,InstantWebsite,PhotoWorksRender,SolidWorksToolbox,SolidWorksUtilities,RealViewGraphicsdisplay
[Extra Options Section]
ADMINMSIPATH=\\Fs_almelo\Softdata\SWImage\2005\English_i386_SolidWorks.msi
BEFORECMD=\\fs_almelo\Softdata\SWImage\startandstop\start.bat
AFTERCMD=\\fs_almelo\Softdata\SWImage\startandstop\stop.bat
REGPATH=\\Mserver\mechdata\Solidworks\Data\SW2005_Standard_Settings\swSettingsCurrent.reg



This is created with the administrative tools. Maybe you can try to use it this way. Btw, dont use the last 3 commands

Regards

Bouke Brouwers
Mechanical Engineer
SW2005 SP1.0

 

[Bouke]

ow, When I reread my post. I think the key maybe in the parameter:

UPGRADESWINSTALL=1

You might also be able to add such a thing to the msiexec.exe parameters.

Bouke Brouwers
Mechanical Engineer
SW2005 SP1.0

 

[Bouke]

FYI, I just did some searching through the help and found the following link:

http://files.solidworks.com/Supportfiles/SW_Installation_Guide/2005/english/install_guide.htm

I dont see at once in the document if it is possible and I have a feeling you will have to install the seats in the way I did.

Regards

Bouke Brouwers
P4 2,8 2Gb RAM, Quadro FX 500
SW2005 SP2.0

 

[SBaugh]

If you use the silent install you can push it out over the network from a single computer to all clients.

Check out silent installs

Regards,

Scott Baugh, CSWP
3DVision Technologies

http://www.3dvisiontech.com

http://www.scottjbaugh.com

faq731-376
faq559-716 - SW Fora Users

 

[jmongan]

Bouke,

I have done the exact same thing that you have done except you use the .exe with a .ini file and I use the .msi with a .mst file. The end result should be the same, a silent install with all options passed in the background.

I will try it with the .exe .ini process and see if it makes a difference.

I have used the UPGRADESWINSTALL=1 option in the past as well and so I dont think that is the trigger to make it work.

I would like to know what the SWSPUPGRADE=0 does but it is not documented in the help guide.

Josh

 

[Bouke]

@Scott, You are always giving us good info and help. But you might also actually read this thread before replying...

@Josh, Do you happen to have a path somewhere in the .mst file that some clients cant reach??

I ask this because I myself made that mistake. I tried to log every-install and made a directory on a network disk that only I can access. Then when I updated to SP1.1 from 0.1 the install only worked on my own pc. Seems the SW-SP-install had crashed somewhere in the process. I tried editing the .ini but it didn't matter.

The cure was to log in on all the systems with my own log-in (I have administrator-rights on all systems). Then, after of course fixing the .ine file, I would start up SW and then they would update as they should.

When I applied SP2.0 there were no problems except complains of people one morning y the network was so slow

Maybe you can post the contents of your .mst file here.

Regards,

Bouke Brouwers
P4 2,8 2Gb RAM, Quadro FX 500
SW2005 SP2.0

 

[SBaugh]

I don't have the time to read every single post when I come into the middle of a thread. My job is to demanding anymore and I had been away all last week.

I know you where wanting to have the clients upgrade automatically.

My suggestion to you is look into using silent install nothing more.


Scott Baugh, CSWP
3DVision Technologies

http://www.3dvisiontech.com

http://www.scottjbaugh.com

faq731-376
faq559-716 - SW Fora Users

 

[jmongan]

Ok here is the solution in a long winded format.....

Initially I was using the .msi file with the .mst to pass properties.

This was not allowing the new service packs to automatically update. I then created a fresh admin image at sp0. Went to a clean PC, installed SW by double clicking on the swsetup.exe file and manually filling out all of the options along the way. I then updated the admin image to sp1.1. Launched SW on the newly installed PC and nothing. It did not update to sp1.1.

Next I tried using the swsetup.exe with an .ini file with the options matching Bouke's above. I didnt think this would make a difference because the options in the .ini file were the same as mine were in the .mst file.

However it made the difference. As soon as I fired up SW after updating the admin image it installed the new SP.

So in short, you have to use the the .exe with a .ini file.

Josh

 

[ctopher]

Did you try my second to last response above? Did it work?

Chris
Sr. Mechanical Designer, CAD
SolidWorks 05 SP2.0 / PDMWorks 05
ctopher's home site
FAQ371-376
FAQ559-1100
FAQ559-1091
FAQ559-716

 

[jmongan]

I did not try manually double clicking on the .msi file. I did try manually double clicking on the .exe file, and I tried using the .msi with a .mst as well as and .exe with a .ini.

Of those last three that I tried only the .exe with .ini worked.

I am not interested in manually double clicking on the .msi because that is to manual. I want a silent install and will need the .ini to pass all my options.

Josh

 

[Bouke]

Ok, so you have your solution

Maybe when U use the msiexec.exe windows uses its own routines to handle it. It might be that the SWsetup.exe does the same but is a little more advanced. Or something like it.

Regards,

Bouke Brouwers
P4 2,8 2Gb RAM, Quadro FX 500
SW2005 SP2.0

 

[PDMAdmin]

I wonder if it has anything to do with the admin image residing on the same machine that serves licenses. We have our admin image on a Unix file server (i.e. not the machine that serves licenses), and none of the clients has ever updated by itself. We have to use batch scripts with the "msiexec" command to push out the updates.

 

[ctopher]

Never thought of that. We do have the license and image on same server. Don't know if it makes a difference.

Chris
Sr. Mechanical Designer, CAD
SolidWorks 05 SP2.0 / PDMWorks 05
ctopher's home site
FAQ371-376
FAQ559-1100
FAQ559-1091
FAQ559-716

 

[Bouke]

I do have those on the same server. But I can hardly imagine that would make much difference.
Regards,

Bouke Brouwers
P4 2,8 2Gb RAM, Quadro FX 500
SW2005 SP2.0

 

[rob3]

I had two issues to resolve that prevented solidworks from auto-installing the service packs from the administraive image.

Fixing both issues caused solidworks to automatically update on the next run.


Problem 1:

I created my admin image using the solidworks administrative director on my LOCAL PC and copied that image to the server share.

This BREAKS the auto updating features.

I did this because the admin director would NOT allow me to install the initial image across a network share (even though you could specify a mapped drive or UNC path during the setup, it kept having problems writing to the network share -- not a permissions problem).

I did NOT want to create/install/run the solidworks setup on the server.

I needed to modify the following files to point to the new server share instead of the local PC share:
SolidWorks_2005_SP0_client_options.ini
StartSWInstall.htm

If this was NOT done or the image was moved after the initial install of solidworks on the client PC's, auto-updating BREAKS.

To FIX auto updating on client machines without uninstalling solidworks, make sure the two files above are updated, and modify the following registry entry on each client to point to the new UNC location of the admin image:

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\SolidWorks\SolidWorks 2005\Setup]
Clients INI location = \\newserver\newshare\solidworks_2005_sp0_client_options.ini

****************
Of course this can break your systems if somthing goes wrong and obviously wouldn't be recommended practice. Remember to backup the registry before making changes to it.
****************


Problem 2:

Solidworks went to update, failed without any messages (you can see the windows installer window pop up briefly before solidworks starts), does not update and loads the currently installed client version.

The log file directory (through the process of copying files) became read-only to normal users.

I restored write permissions for normal users to this directory. I use CREATOR OWNER (full control) and USERS (READ+Special/Advanced WRITE permissions NO modify permissions) but you can use EVERYONE (full control) if you want.

 

[PDMAdmin]

rob3,

Good job. A star for you.