IE 5.5 SP1 SMS Distribution Notes From The Field
by Dana Daugherty
This
document is meant to describe the process of package creation
and software distribution of Internet Explorer 5.5 SP1.
Packages:
Win98:
The "core"
package was created using the Internet Explorer Administration
Kit called IE5setup.exe. IE5setup.exe reboots after displaying
a dialog box called by VB code. A Failure Mif file named
IE55.mif was included in the program to be copied at the
beginning of the install to C:\windows. A Success Mif file
with the name IE55.mif is copied over the Failure Mif at the
end of a successful install.
Win
NT:
We created
a new IEAK "core" package that did not copy any .mif files and
did not call the dialog above before rebooting.
I wrapped
the IEAK core package with an SMS Installer program called
IE55Ntsetup.exe. This program tests for NT server and fails if
the install is being run on one. It creates .mif files. It
also prompts for a reboot using the SMS Installer restart
dialog box.
I
configured SMS to run this program in an administrative
context even though the users may not have admin priviledges.
The Admin context is required to run this program. I
experienced a lot of trouble with the NT package; eventually I
had to have the wrapper call ie5setup.exe using the /Q /R:N
switches. This performed a quiet install and suppressed the
reboot. The wrapper restarted the machine. Also, I had the
program run only if someone was logged on (when run with users
logged off caused multiple .dll errors as did having SMS
reboot the PC). The IEAK package seemed to be pretty flaky.
Once I used the recipe above it was completely
successful.
SMS
Testing:
Using a
Dell Latitude CS, Dell Latitude C600 and a Dell Optiplex GX1 I
tested the following scenarios. When testing failed on an
install I simply turned off the machine in the middle of the
install.
- Successful installation to a
machine with a previous version of IE
- All went smoothly, status .mif
copied correctly.
- All went smoothly, status .mif
copied correctly.
- Failed Installation to a machine
with a previous version of IE
- Failed Installation to a machine
with the same version as we are pushing out (IE 5.5
SP1)
- Successful installation to a
machine with the same version as we are pushing out (IE 5.5
SP1)
- A minimal install occurs. IE
configuration settings are changed to match the IEAK
package settings. The package checks for existing
components and only copies those that are missing, the
install completes much faster.
- A minimal install occurs. IE
configuration settings are changed to match the IEAK
package settings. The package checks for existing
components and only copies those that are missing, the
install completes much faster.
Testing
Results:
Each
scenario maps with the scenarios in the SMS Testing section
above.
- Successful installation to a
machine with a previous version of IE
'
All went
smoothly, status .mif copied correctly.
- Failed Installation to a machine
with a previous version of IE
'
If the machine
shuts off near the beginning of the install, the install
rolled back. IE works properly. If the machine shuts off near
the end of the install, IE send the user a notice to down load
the component based on first use.
- Failed Installation to a machine
with the same version as we are pushing out (IE 5.5
SP1)
'
Install does a
rollback with no error messages.
- Successful installation to a
machine with the same version as we are pushing out (IE 5.5
SP1)
'
IE
configuration settings are changed to match the IEAK package
settings. The package checks for existing components and only
copies those that are missing, the install completes much
faster.
To download the .ipf for the Installer script used to wrap the NT install click here
