Unattended installation for .msi

[Marius]

Pulseway msi files support unattended installation.

 

Pulseway_xNN.msi /qn config=FFF configpassword=PPP

 

where:
FFF - The UNC path for the configuration file (required)

PPP - The password for the configuration file

 

or:

 

Pulseway_xNN.msi /qn username=UUU password=PPP group=GGG server=SSS

where:
UUU - account username (required)
PPP - account password (required)
GGG - group name (optional). If not specified it will be "Default"
SSS - dedicated server address - used only if you have a Pulseway Enterprise Server and it's required in this case.

AD Group Policy can now be used to install the software. After the installation the Pulseway service will start automatically and you will be able to see the computer in the computer list.

The next version will add support for Computer Configuration Policy - the Pulseway Agent will contact the server to read and assign the policy assigned for it's specific group or a general policy. 

[dan.lee]

This is awesome! Of course its a couple of weeks after my team manually installed the client on 50+ windows machines using templates, but still its awesome! Thanks for being so responsive Marius.

[Marius]

You're welcome Dan. We'll be adding more improvements in this area over the next couple of weeks - including the ability to define group policies that get applied automatically to all computers on that group.

[Southpaw018]

Hey, guys! I'm preparing a deployment of new PCs for our entire office. I've used Group Policy to install software, but never to install software that also requires command line switches. I tried creating a transform mst for the msi, but it doesn't appeare to be working.

Can anyone offer tips or advice on getting this deployment up and running?

[GalbatoJ1]

1.) Should I use

Pulseway_xNN.msi /qn username=AAA password=BBB group=CCC server=SSS

with msiexec?

2.) If I plan I pushing out the MSI, should I be using GPO for a logon script?

3.) Will UAC have to be disabled?

4.) Will the user have to be an administrator?

[robbinschut]

Guys!

After some testing and searching we found a solution to install Pulseway with a transform MST file for the MSI.
Follow this steps to create a successfull MST file:

1.) Open the Pulseway MSI file in Orca

2.) Click in the menu "Transform" -> "New transform"
3.) Go to the Property table
4.) In the right pane right click -> Add row
5.) Fill in the property name (so username, password, group or server) and the value
     NOTE: Fill in the propery name in UPPER CASE!
6.) After you added all the arguments you want, click in the menu "Transform" -> "Generate transform..."
7.) Save the MST file.


On the command line try:

msiexec /i Pulseway_xNN.msi TRANSFORMS=Pulseway.mst /q

 

In a GPO try:

1. Create a new Software Installation Package in the Computer Settings node of Group Policy Object Editor.

2. Select the Pulseway MSI file, and then click Advanced. (This is the ONLY opportunity you will have to apply a Transform to this Package.)

3. On the Modifications tab, click Add and select the MST file you created.

[LAtechNet]

Hello all,

 

New to PC Monitor and the forum. I need some additional help deploying this tool to about 300+ pcs. I am currently testing with 50, but need to deploy with customized settings.

 

I have done the deployment with a script install, but it installs with default settings. Unfortunately my group policy didn't work well. I have exported a couple of settings templates that I would like to package per deployment. I would love to have these installs packaged and locked for security reasons.

 

Thank you all for all your help.

[Marius]

We will add a new argument to the .msi file 

 

config="<UNC path>"

 

allowing you to deploy the agent and load a configuration file as well.

 

This will be supported in ver. 4.4

[WilliamR]

Do you have a release date on 4.4?

 

Also I saw in previous replies on this thread you said you could do group settings but I am unable to see that anywhere. Did this get implemented? Thanks for your help and a great product

[Marius]

Thank you William,

 

The group policies are supported - if you define a group policy in PC Monitor Manager when a computer is being setup with a specific group name the group policy for that group name will be applied.

[WilliamR]

I found it, perfect! Thanks for the help and I look forward to the future release.

[Marius]

Version 4.3.3 has been released today and the .msi files now support the a UNC configuration file to be loaded.

 

Pulseway_xNN.msi /qn config=FFF configpassword=PPP

where:

FFF - The UNC path for the configuration file (required)

PPP - The password for the configuration file

[affer]

Is there a setting to disable the desktop icon and the start menu installation icon for an example by giving a command like this:

 

 ADDDESKTOPICON=0 ADDSTARTMENU=0 

 

in the command so the visible installation items will be disabled?

 

thanks.

[Chris]

Hi affer,

 

You will need to use Orca MSI Editor to remove the shortcuts. Here is how you should do it:

1. Open the MSI with Orca
2. Go to the Shortcut table and delete the ones you don't want to show
3. Save and close Orca
4. Install the msi and note that the shortcuts are no longer created

Regards,

Chris

Pulseway Support

[mygeeknc]

I'm having some difficulties deploying this package via PDQ Deploy. Using the following custom install line. 

 

msiexec.exe /i "Pulseway_x64_modified.msi"  /qn config=\\unc\shared\modified_config.pcmcfg configpassword=XXXXXX

 

 

Pulseway installs but it does not get the config. Am I missing something?

[Chris]

Hi,

 

Does your file server require NTLM authentication for shared folder access? Keep in mind that the Pulseway service runs as the LOCAL_SYSTEM account.

 

Regards,

Chris

Pulseway Support

[Elliot]

Hi Pulseway,

I'm trying to get the MSI file to install and assign a Computer Name in pulseway. Pulseway defaults to the Computer Properties Name and I need to automate a custom name.
I've tried using bother your suggested commands:

 

1) Pulseway_xNN.msi /qn config=FFF configpassword=PPP" (doesn't work)  

I've yet to successfully get pulseway to import the config file properly. Manully this works great but I need this to work at install or atleast automated from cmd.

2) Pulseway_xNN.msi /qn username=UUU password=PPP group=GGG server=SSS
This works great except, this doesn't provide a Computer Name command.

 

Is there a way to auto assin the Computer name in pulseway other then referencing the Computer Properties Name. Ofcouse I'll like to do this from cmd. Is this posible?

 

p.s. I don't mind doing this at install or from cmd after pulseway is installed. All I need to do is automate Computer Nameing in pulseway to a custom name instead of the Computer Properties Name. auto importing a config file would work great but I need more instruction on how to do this because it hasn't worked yet. Has anyone successfully imported a custom config file from cmd?

 

Any advice would be much appriciated.

[Aaron Trujillo]

When I install this way:

"\\GP1-LAB-FSVR01\Software\Pulseway Agent\Windows\Pulseway_x64.msi" /qn username=my user name password=my password group=Default server=my enterprise server

a folder is created and I can access it, but there is no desktop icon and it does not appear in the programs and features section (when i look to uninstall).  

I am attempting to do a mass deploy of Pulseway across multiple windows machines using Jenkins via batch or powershell.  I need to be able to configure a notifications file but i dont see anything to configure.  

I would appreciate any help with these questions.

Thank you,

Aaron Trujill

Total.care

[Paul]

Hi Aaron,

Try to also add the following argument to the msi:

ALLUSERS=1

When you install the agent silently I believe it's not ran by the same user but by the administrator user which is why you don't see it in the programs and features and also explains why the shortcuts are missing.

For notifications you can either configure a group policy (from Pulseway Manager -> Manage Systems -> Manage Group Policies) or edit the configuration remotely using the Pulseway Dashboard app or import the configuration file like this:

-Paul

[Aaron Trujillo]

Thank you for your quick response,

When I run from the cmd line with the added allusers=1, I see the destop icon appear but then it quickly dissapears.  Again the file is created but no icon or apperance in programs and features...

anyother ideas

thanks,

Aaron

[Paul]

Try running the msi with msiexec and add the following logging arguments:

/Lv* "install.log"

Then PM me the install log.

-Paul

[Aaron Trujillo]

msiexec wont allow Lv* "install.log" as an argument...

Placement of argument?

[Aaron Trujillo]

I have since figured it out.  The program is installing under a different user then the one I'm logged in as.  I can still access the program just fine form here.  However the program only shows in the programs and features list under the installed user... is this normal?  I would think it would show under every user.

Any thoughts.

[Paul]

16 hours ago, Aaron Trujillo said:

msiexec wont allow Lv* "install.log" as an argument...

Placement of argument?

Actually msiexec does allow Lv* as an argument, try this command (note the allusers argument which will install the app for all users):

msiexec /I "\\server\folder\Pulseway_x64.msi" /qb /Lv* "C:\install.log" ALLUSERS=1

-Paul

[Aaron Trujillo]

Thank you Paul for you help I have successfully installed Pulseway via Jenkins onto my VM's.