Dynamically Installing ‘Computer Specific’ Applications Using Configuration Manager with MDT

re: Dynamically Installing ‘Computer Specific’ Applications Using Configuration Manager with MDT

Kaare Bering — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 13:30:11 GMT

Thank you for this great article, I have a single package that contains multiple programs I have modified the stored procedure to return multiple entries referencing the same package but i get a error that I don't understand. Do you know where I can get help

This is what my stored procedure returns:

Adobe Acrobat 9 Pro - English, Français, Deutsch EBJ00005:Per-system unattended

Microsoft Project Professional 2010 EBJ00086:Per System - Install

WorkPoint Express EBJ000A3:Vstor 2010

WorkPoint Express EBJ000A3:PIA for Office 2007

WorkPoint Express EBJ000A3:PIA for Office 2010

WorkPoint Express EBJ000A3:Workpoint Express 4

the first two installs fine but the rest gives me these errors:

Installing pkg 'EBJ000A3', program 'Vstor 2010' InstallSoftware 21-02-2012 14:07:44 2704 (0x0A90)

GetExecRequestMgrInterface successful InstallSoftware 21-02-2012 14:07:44 2704 (0x0A90)

Retrieving value from TSEnv for '_SMSTSPolicyEBJ000A3_Vstor 2010' InstallSoftware 21-02-2012 14:07:44 2704 (0x0A90)

sPolicy.empty() == false, HRESULT=80004005 (e:\nts_sms_fre\sms\client\osdeployment\installsoftware\installsoftware.cpp,117) InstallSoftware 21-02-2012 14:07:44 2704 (0x0A90)

Policy not stored in TaskSequence Environement InstallSoftware 21-02-2012 14:07:44 2704 (0x0A90)

GetPolicyFromTSEnv(m_sPackageID, m_sProgramName, sPolicy), HRESULT=80004005 (e:\nts_sms_fre\sms\client\osdeployment\installsoftware\installsoftware.cpp,991) InstallSoftware 21-02-2012 14:07:44 2704 (0x0A90)

GetPolicy(), HRESULT=80004005 (e:\nts_sms_fre\sms\client\osdeployment\installsoftware\installsoftware.cpp,667) InstallSoftware 21-02-2012 14:07:44 2704 (0x0A90)

Step 4 out of 7 complete InstallSoftware 21-02-2012 14:07:44 2704 (0x0A90)

Install Dynamic software action failed to install packageID: 'EBJ000A3', programID: 'Vstor 2010'. Error Code 0x80004005 InstallSoftware 21-02-2012 14:07:44 2704 (0x0A90)

Cheers

Kaare

re: Dynamically Installing ‘Computer Specific’ Applications Using Configuration Manager with MDT

Brad Tucker — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 14:41:56 GMT

John,

Thanks for the comment.

First, I must point out the blog entry was more of an introduction to a built-in feature that I don’t see used enough. With that said, you are correct there are some scenarios that will cause some problems.

I was actually going to follow up with some of these, but now it looks like I may not have to.

I do see the replace scenario issue come up a bit, but the others not quite so often.

Some thoughts on other potential problems…

In my entry, I stated that I like to use the DisplayName0 instead of ProdID0. This is OK for smaller environments without a large number of applications. Larger environments mean the possibility of duplication of this entry is there, thus ProdID0 is probably a better approach. For most OEMs, the ProdID0 will be unique for each version and architecture. This is not always the case, however. Also, the ProdID0 is determined by the packager. I have been in many customers that package everything in a unique installer package (think Wise) and the created package file may be APP1.EXE. The ProdID0 for this application was also called APP1.EXE. This would be repeated across versions/architectures.

I have actually had a customer create a unique view that tracked information about the application packages that were installed on the devices via SCCM, among other things. It would use the name of the package as the mapped item. This approach, again, was not without some problems, but it did scale down the data quite a bit.

The key thing to take away from this is this tool is very customizable and will need to be molded to fit each unique environment.

I may at a later time put together a blog post on all known/potential pitfalls to be aware of when using this approach.

Thanks again.

re: Dynamically Installing ‘Computer Specific’ Applications Using Configuration Manager with MDT

John Quirk — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 10:37:55 GMT

Hi Brad,

Good explanation of Package Mapping! There are a few problems with this approach, which I wrote about here:

blog.quirkshop.co.uk/.../some-minor-package-mapping-improvements

Essentially we have problems with historical data being referenced by the stored procedure, so out-of-date entries are re-populated.

We have also found that this approach doesn't perform well now that x64 OSs are common as the ARP entries are split on architecture. We now reference the InstalledSoftware table instead as this spans architecture. We also have some logic we add to interrogate a computer association to provide for package mapping in the replace computer scenario. Also on my blog.