Assigning Package to Machine

[Vadim Rapp]

Hello,

I have an installation package, which can be installed per-machine. The
package has advertised shortcuts.

If I assign the package in GPO under User Configuration, without "install
this on logon", then advertised icons are installed for the user, but full
installation occurs only on demand, when the user clicks advertised
shortcut.

But if I assign this package under machine configuration, then the whole
package is installed automatically.

Can somebody explain why is this, and/or provide a reference where this is
described? I was expecting advertised icons to be placed under All Users.

Thanks,
Vadim Rapp

 

[Florian Frommherz [MVP]]

Howdie!

If I assign the package in GPO under User Configuration, without "install
this on logon", then advertised icons are installed for the user, but full
installation occurs only on demand, when the user clicks advertised
shortcut.

This behavior is by design. On logon, the user will see all those icons
and shortcuts related to the application. As soon as the user tries to
launch the application for the first time, it gets fully installed.
Think of the case of the roaming users. Like this, applications only get
installed when users explicitly start them. That saves disk space most
of the time.

But if I assign this package under machine configuration, then the whole
package is installed automatically.

That's default behavior also ;-)

Can somebody explain why is this, and/or provide a reference where this is
described? I was expecting advertised icons to be placed under All Users.

The first paragraphs of this whitepaper are about that issue:
http://technet2.microsoft.com/windo...207e-4089-8490-0d002daf8b6c1033.mspx?mfr=true

cheers,

Florian

 

[Vadim Rapp]

Thanks for the response Florian. I'm curious, what's the rationale for not
allowing advertising-only when it's assigned to the machine? The advertised
shortcuts would be installed on "all users" profile, so the user who clicked
the link first, would have it installed. Why prohibit install-on-demand for
assigned to machine application, if this, seemingly, can be done? If the
administrator wanted the package to be installed, then that's what the
checkbox "install this application during logon" is for. Why the
restriction?

Vadim

Howdie!

If I assign the package in GPO under User Configuration, without
"install this on logon", then advertised icons are installed for the
user, but full installation occurs only on demand, when the user clicks
advertised shortcut.

This behavior is by design. On logon, the user will see all those icons
and shortcuts related to the application. As soon as the user tries to
launch the application for the first time, it gets fully installed. Think
of the case of the roaming users. Like this, applications only get
installed when users explicitly start them. That saves disk space most of
the time.

But if I assign this package under machine configuration, then the whole
package is installed automatically.

That's default behavior also ;-)

Can somebody explain why is this, and/or provide a reference where this
is described? I was expecting advertised icons to be placed under All
Users.

The first paragraphs of this whitepaper are about that issue:
http://technet2.microsoft.com/windo...207e-4089-8490-0d002daf8b6c1033.mspx?mfr=true

cheers,

Florian
--
Microsoft MVP - Windows Server - Group Policy.
eMail: prename [at] frickelsoft [dot] net.
blog: http://www.frickelsoft.net/blog.
Use a newsreader! http://www.frickelsoft.net/news.html

Howdie!

If I assign the package in GPO under User Configuration, without "install
this on logon", then advertised icons are installed for the user, but
full installation occurs only on demand, when the user clicks advertised
shortcut.

This behavior is by design. On logon, the user will see all those icons
and shortcuts related to the application. As soon as the user tries to
launch the application for the first time, it gets fully installed. Think
of the case of the roaming users. Like this, applications only get
installed when users explicitly start them. That saves disk space most of
the time.

But if I assign this package under machine configuration, then the whole
package is installed automatically.

That's default behavior also ;-)

Can somebody explain why is this, and/or provide a reference where this
is described? I was expecting advertised icons to be placed under All
Users.

The first paragraphs of this whitepaper are about that issue:
http://technet2.microsoft.com/windo...207e-4089-8490-0d002daf8b6c1033.mspx?mfr=true

cheers,

Florian
--
Microsoft MVP - Windows Server - Group Policy.
eMail: prename [at] frickelsoft [dot] net.
blog: http://www.frickelsoft.net/blog.
Use a newsreader! http://www.frickelsoft.net/news.html

 

[Florian Frommherz [MVP]]

Howdie!

Thanks for the response Florian. I'm curious, what's the rationale for not
allowing advertising-only when it's assigned to the machine? The advertised
shortcuts would be installed on "all users" profile, so the user who clicked
the link first, would have it installed. Why prohibit install-on-demand for
assigned to machine application, if this, seemingly, can be done? If the
administrator wanted the package to be installed, then that's what the
checkbox "install this application during logon" is for. Why the
restriction?

To be honest: I don't have a real technical explaination for this. Might
be a good question to ask at the Summit two weeks from now. I sometimes
talk about that with some real words of wisdom saying: "Publishing to
computers makes no sense, as they have no strong will to install
software themselves, anyway."

I guess the true reason is somewhat philosophic. Assigning software to
machines actually makes sense, as you as the administration want that
software to be there, no matter who logs in.

Publishing software to users makes sense, too. If people wish to install
some piece of software, they might choose between to products you
publish (think of zip/unzip products or something).

Assigning applications to users is cool, they have those desktop
shortcuts all over the place and can install it as soon as they need the
app. Has two benetifs: the app is present after a short installation (as
long as connected to the network) and when people roam, they not
necessarily install the software on every workstation they are.

For the last one you were asking about, publishing apps to machines, I
guess there was actually no reason for implementing this. People sharing
a machine that need a certain kind of software will most likely use the
assigning method for machines, as the software is installed there
right-away. No need to wait until someone clicks the app and
installation takes place. I guess there was no use-case "in between".

cheers,

Florian

 

[Vadim Rapp]

For the last one you were asking about, publishing apps to machines, I

guess there was actually no reason for implementing this. People sharing a
machine that need a certain kind of software will most likely use the
assigning method for machines, as the software is installed there
right-away.

For example, in my environment every machine is assigned to a user, who is
using it practically all the time. But once in a while, the employee gets
sick or on vacation, while there's an intern with 1-2 days' assignment, and
she needs this application. So that's when the assigned installation would
actually kick in and get installed. Other scenarios involve giving the
machine to someone else when the previous "owner" leaves the company, for
example.

This is not so much about the shortcuts, but more about file extensions. In
the particular case that triggered my question it is Access Runtime. It does
not have any shortcuts, only the ability to handle certain file extensions.
The best would be to make it available to everyone, so whoever ever has the
need to open an MDB file, would be able to. But there are many workstations,
on production floor etc., which are not very powerful and won't ever have
the need to open MDB files, so why putting the whole package on them. Of
course I can carefully assign the package to OU's, but it would be so much
easier to assign it to all, knowing that it would be installed only when
really needed. I can assign to users, but it would be even more logical to
assign to machines.

I think this restriction is based not on the lack of need to do something,
but rather on some need to make an exception - it appears that implementing
it required more effort than just leaving it as it was, .i.e. putting in
place only advertised pieces, which is already implemented for the user.

I have another question, if you don't mind. If you click on "advanced"
button of the package in GPO, there's checkbox "include OLE class and
product information". I never saw this working, did you? I tried to enable
this checkbox, assign the product, and then run vbscript that would try to
CreateObject from the package. This never worked.

Vadim Rapp


No need to wait until someone clicks the app and

installation takes place. I guess there was no use-case "in between".

cheers,

Florian
--
Microsoft MVP - Windows Server - Group Policy.
eMail: prename [at] frickelsoft [dot] net.
blog: http://www.frickelsoft.net/blog.
Use a newsreader! http://www.frickelsoft.net/news.html