Trying to install Spark to a number of workstations on an Active Directory managed domain via group policy, but for the life of me, I can’t get it to work. Maybe someone can fill me in on what’s wrong.
I’ve created an OU, placed all the computers (and users) in the OU, and created a group policy object on it. Under software settings, I told it the msi package to install (which is in a network share that everyone has access to), etc. etc
However, if I set it up under Computer configuration, nothing happens. If I set it up under User configuration, it… well, it shows up in add/remove programs without any disk space number, and with only a “remove” option (when clicked on), but it’s not installed, and there are no icons or start menu items created.
I don’t know if this has something to do with the fact that installing the msi raw isn’t fully automated/unattended… but I’m guessing that has something to do with it. Note that I’m a “newbie” at pushing software via GP.
any advice would be appreciated. thank you for your time.
Unless your users have permission to install applications, the install should be run from the Computer Configuration (not User).
The path to the msi must be understood at the machine level (not always the same as user).
I have a the GPO (“Spark” in my case) defined at the domain level (inherited by the OUs). The security on the GPO is restricted to a Security Group (“Spark” in my case) that lists the PCs and Groups containing users that I want to use Spark. The only reason I have the users is because I run a user script that copies the config files to the user’s profile Spark folder.
I would then test the GPO configuration using Group Policy Modeling to make sure it shows the user/machine gets the install.
Hope this helps.
To clarify this a little more:
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Place the MSI file in the netlogon folder of a domain controller server.
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Add the MSI for install under a computer policy
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either from the domain controller (
server.domain.com\netlogon\spark.msi) or from the domain (
domain.com\netlogon\spark.msi)
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From the domain is best if you have several domain controllers. The user’s computer will authenticate to nearest DC and get the file from it.
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Make sure deployment state is Assigned
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If you want to preconfigure spark for users you need to:
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create a script to run at user login
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copy a configured spark.properties from your profile folder\Spark to netlogon folder of DC
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script needs to creat a folder called Spark in the root of the user’s profile folder
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script then must copy spark.properties to the newly created spark folder (with overwrite privledges if you do not want users to alter)
Could you post an example of your logon script that copies the config file for users over? Also, does this script edit their details dynamically based on their Active Directoy username and password? As we all know users can’t be trusted to do anything right so I’d like to automate the roll-out as much as possible.
Thanks, Josh
don’t trust your users to enter info, then use sso.
The way I deploy spark is to edit the msi and add my customizations. I then add a bat file and my custom spark.properties to this msi. then I change the desktop shortcut to point to the bat file instead of the exe. the bat file verifies if its ran for this user or not and copies over an sso config if it hasn’t been ran. that way it works for any user on a machine and not just one user. so everytime the user clicks the spark icon on their desktop its running the bat file and helps insure its setup for sso. then no username and password needed and log right in