Service doesn't start after install

[JeffVandervoort]

The PC Monitor agent does not start automatically after it is installed.

You've agreed elsewhere that PC Monitor installation isn't yet enterprise-friendly, but the impact of this is that even after installing by GPSI, we have to come up with a method to launch the service.

If it's a bug, fixing it would be one step closer to being enterprise-ready.

If this is by design, is there a way to make the service launch with an MST file?

[Marius]

It's not a bug. PC Monitor does not start automatically because it assumes there's no account configured.

net start "PC Monitor" does the job in your script that imports the config as for MST - I will look for a solution.

[Paul]

Hello,

You can create a GPO that will force the PCMonitor service to pass to Automatic startup and to run a configuration script that restores settings from a reg file that's located into a network path trough a gpo.

For creating a GPO please follow this link: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc776678%28WS.10%29.aspx .

For assigning a gpo to some computers use this link: http://www.ucertify.com/article/how-to-link-a-gpo-to-an-ou.html .

The GPO Setting path is: Computer Configuration--Policies--Windows Settings--System Services (Please note that in order to see PC Monitor service in this list you MUST have PC Monitor installed in the AD Controller).

For instructions on how to distribute the registry changes look here: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb727154.aspx .

This could do the job until the unattended install will be completed.

This is how I would approach this problem, if you find any better solution please post it here, you might help me too .

Paul.

[JeffVandervoort]

Actually, Services Policy doesn't work, because the Services CSE runs before the GPSI CSE. This means the PCM service hasn't been installed when GP tries to launch it.

So I used Group Policy Preferences/Services module to launch the service, set it to run only once (in case I want to set PCM agent to Manual start for some reason) and used ILT to target only computers where the program has been installed (I used a file match) so the run once wouldn't be used up before the software was installed.

Incidentally, the PCM Service doesn't need to be installed on a DC to appear in the Services list...it needs to be installed on the computer on which you run GPMC.

I've invested a fair amount of effort (correction: an unfair, large amount of effort!) on deployment in the last few days. Am considering posting a home-brew "PC Monitor Enterprise Installation Kit" to give others a jumping off point until things are smoothed out.

But I can't stress enough to MMSoft that enterprise deployment is a CRITICAL need for the success of your product. It's surprising and disappointing how little attention this has received; while the agent and client are loaded with Enterprise features of little or no interest to SOHOs, it looks kinda like you never expected anyone with any more than the 3 free computers to use it!

BTW, downloading the new Windows Phone PCM client as I type this. (A Mango version? Just got Mango today so I gather that's it.) Looking forward to whatever Mango goodness you've baked in! WP7 rocks. Mango rocks harder. And I'm VERY pleased that PCM supports both, and does it so well.