Change in Software Distribution Path

M

Martin Powell

I am decommissioning a Windows 2000 server that currently
holds the software packages used in GPO's e.g. "\\server1
\packaged apps". I want to move these packages to a new
server e.g. "\\server2\packaged apps" but the path to the
original server is hard-coded into the softare
distribution GPO.

How can I redirect the software path within the GPO to a
different server??

Thanks

Martin Powell
 
B

Brian Desmond [MVP]

Martin-

You need to reassign all the software packages in the GPOs, which will cause
an uninstall/reinstall process on each machine.

--
--
Brian Desmond
Windows Server MVP
(e-mail address removed)12.il.us

Http://www.briandesmond.com
 
K

Ken

Just trying to think 'outside the box'...

Could he try 'fooling' the computers in the domain into
thinking the newer server is the old server, and simply
move the data, and create a DNS entry, i.e. server1 was
1.1.1.1, server2 is 1.1.1.2, just enter a DNS record
server1 1.1.1.2?

Does that make sense, or is that just really fuzzy and
won't work?

Ken
 
M

Martin Powell

What a pain! All must be done manually??

I have played about with DNS (CNAME & A records), NetBIOS
over TCP/IP, WINS and several other solutions in a test
lab environment but no luck so far.

"Ping server1" works OK and directs to server 2, but "net
view \\server1" still directs to server1, so the
installation path cannot be found.

Martin
 
K

Ken

Martin-

You mention that ping server1 directs it to server2 (as
we would want), but that net view \\server1 will show 1,
not 2. Could you (on off hours) pull the network cable
from server1 and try a 'net view \\server1'... hopefully,
it should direct to server2 using different resolution
methods. Also, ensure you don't have an lmhosts file
laying around in system32\drivers\etc that it'll
statically find server1 at 1.1.1.1 instead of 1.1.1.2

HTH

Ken
 
A

Alexander Suhovey

2k+ clients use DNS.
Even if path cpecified is NetBIOS name i.e. \\server2\packaged apps?

Al.
 
A

Alexander Suhovey

Checked that with sniffer.
Typing \\server1\share <Enter> in Explorer window resulted in following
sequence:
1. NetBIOS broadcast name query for SERVER1<20>
(I don't use WINS at home. In case of WINS guess first request would be to
WINS server)
2,3 Two DNS query for A type record server1.<MY DOMAIN>
4. Get negative response from DNS
5,6 Same as 1
7,8 Same as 5
9. Get "Windows cannot find '\\server1\share'"


Al.
 
D

Darren Mar-Elia

I will be curious to see if that works esp. where DNS is the primary path to
name resolution. The path to the MSI is embedded in several places within
the Software Installation package-both in AD and SYSVOL. I'm actually
working on a utility that will let you change the path, but in the meantime,
you may be able to do it manually--though it requires serious hacking! I'm
testing the process right now and will post it on here when I get it
perfected.
 
J

Jeremy

Believe me it does.

You can use a combination of the OptionalNames and
DisableStrictNameChecking registry entries, but they don't work on
Windows 2003 Domain Controllers. NetAlias works perfectly.

It handles the NetBIOS and DNS requests. From memory, you need to add
a DNS entry, but it should register the WINS entry all on its own. It
takes up to 40 minutes to do this.

By the way...I like your gpoguy.com web site.

Cheers,
Jeremy.
 
G

Guest

I have tried to get OptionalNames working on SBS2003 but it does not appear
to work as you say. Is this a design feature or a bug?
 

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