Update many PCs upon startup - how?

  • Thread starter Thread starter dnoam
  • Start date Start date
D

dnoam

Hi.
I would like to perform an identical batch operation for all the PC
workstations on a customer's site.
The batch should:
1. Add some entries to the IE favorites
2. Add some shortcuts to the desktop
3. Replace some files in specific paths that are known in advance. (The
files already exist - it's an update operation).

Assumptions:
1. I don't want to bother the users. The ideal way would be during the
next re-boot.
2. I don't want to bother the administrator too much.. I'm looking for
a way this wull run
automatically from a shared server.
3. The operation should be done once for each PC.
In the future I might need to create another batch, for other updates,
and also run it once.

How can I achieve the 3 tasks (update favorites/desktops/files) and
also run it with minimum human effort?
TIA
 
I would like to perform an identical batch operation for all the PC
workstations on a customer's site.

The batch should:
1. Add some entries to the IE favorites
2. Add some shortcuts to the desktop
3. Replace some files in specific paths that are known in advance.
(The files already exist - it's an update operation).

Assumptions:
1. I don't want to bother the users. The ideal way would be during
the next re-boot.
Click to expand...

Well - yeah.. But not for the "entries to IE favorites" one - that would be
better during a logon script. Still wouldn't "bother the users", but as IE
Favorites are a "per profile" thing - unless you plan on enumerating
profiles, copying to each one and making sure permissions are correct - it's
just easier with a logon script.

This should be okay for the desktop icons - the "All Users" profile
(desktop) will cover that one nicely.
2. I don't want to bother the administrator too much.. I'm looking
for a way this wull run automatically from a shared server.
Click to expand...

Uhm - you are not the "administrator"? I am unsure it would be smiled upon
if you came into one of my managed areas and started pushing things down
without me being *heavily* involved. heh
3. The operation should be done once for each PC.
Click to expand...

Many ways to accomplish this.. The simplest and most archaic is to create a
file that was not there before (like in the root of the system drive) as the
last thing the script does... and before running anything else in the script
each time, check for the existance of said file. If it is there - don't do
anything else. If it is not - run. Now if these are multi-user systems and
you need to do this for each user of the system, you could still use this
trick - but maybe place the file in some other place or name the file based
off the username or something. Environment variables could be your friend
here.
In the future I might need to create another batch, for other
updates, and also run it once.

How can I achieve the 3 tasks (update favorites/desktops/files) and
also run it with minimum human effort?
Click to expand...

Some of this could "push" things to the computers. PSEXEC could help you
run things on the computers themselves. My logon script thing assumes they
logon to some active directory(domain) or something similar (novell, etc.)
Some more specifics about the layout (and perhaps just asking the actual
system admin) might solve all this for you.
 
Thanks.
1. Clarification - I'm not the admin. I work for an ISV that delivers a
Client/Server SW solution. Whatever updates I wish to perform, it will
be with the admin's approval and help
2. PSEXEC sounds nice. So I understand the desktop (all users) and
updating other files can be done by a batch file and PSEXEC, right?
3. I'm not familiar with logon scripts. How would this help with the IE
Favorites update?
TIA
 
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