Unattended Install Issue

[queeg505]

I have an issue with WIndows Group Policy Unattended Installation.

The initial package installed correctly, I created a transform file with Orca and successfully rolled out PC Monitor to the desktop PC's. I noted after a couple of weeks that not all of them seemed to be auto updating correctly,when a new release came out so I downloaded the up to date MSI and in Group Policy selected to redeploy the application (I tested this in a test envirumnet first and it redeployed Ok) however on this domain it appears to have partially uninstalled the application so the files have been removed from c:\program files etc but the PCMonitor still appears as a service although obviously it wont start as there are no files.

If on a workstation I mnually run the msi it now displays an option to either "Repair PC Monitor" or "Remove PC Monitor" this will explain why the silent unattended installation is failing, is there any way I can supply a response to this prompt by adjusting the transform file? or in any other way? other wise it appears I would have to visit each workstation?

Thanks

Mark

[Paul]

Based on what you said it seems that you have somehow deleted all the files and registry settings of PC Monitor on your computers but did not perform a complete uninstall thus the service and installation reference remained. In your situation I would create a batch script that will remove the service and delete the registry entries from uninstall (you need to check if the application class name is the same for all computers then you can script the registry changes) OR just remove the service entry and force a repair install using the new msi.

In order to delete the service from a batch file use:

sc delete "PC Monitor"

Also you could have updated the application by forcing the update using the mobile app and tapping on the PC Monitor version. In order to silently repair an app using the msi consult this article. Basically you just pass the force parameter to the msi:

msiexec.exe /f "UNCPATH\PCMonitor_xXX.msi" /qn

Good luck!

Paul.

[queeg505]

I have managed to resolve this without having to walk round each PC. After testing the only command string that I got to work that removed the program and that ran silently and without any visible presence on the users workstation was to run the following from the server remotely: psexec \\pcname msiexec /x PCMonitor_x86.msi /qf After this on the next reboot the program then reinstalled per the group policy.