Package Server root
•
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Altiris\Altiris Agent\Package server]Value Type Default Description
EnableUNC DWORD 1 Package server will publish UNC codebases.
EnableWeb DWORD 1 Package server will publish HTTP/HTTPS codebases.
29 August 2005
16 August 2005
Troubleshooting the Process of an Altiris Agent Push in NS 6.0
Question:
What are the steps to troubleshoot a failed Altiris Agent Push in NS 6.0?
Answer:
The following outlines the process used for an Altiris Agent push, and possible causes for points of failure. When the point of failure has been determined, usually the problem will be apparent either by a log entry or by the location of that failure.
1. Configuration of the Altiris Agent Push
a.View the Installation Settings in order to determine how the push is configured, located in the Altiris Agent push page by clicking the “Installation Settings” button.
b. If the client uses a proxy server, check the option “Use Proxy”.
c. Note the field “Use different Notification Server” and make sure the configuration is correct (or unchecked).
d. *The credential fields are key to the Altiris Agent push. If no credentials are chosen, it will use the account specified as the Application Identity/Application Credentials. If pushing the Agent in a multi-Domain or Workgroup environment, the account used for the push must have local Administrator privileges on the machine(s) being pushing to.
2. Initiating the Push
a. A push can be done to one or more machines at one time. Use the “Install Altiris Agent” to initiate the push.
b. The status section on the Agent push page can be useful. Keep this in mind when walking through the items of a Push installation.
3. Installer Service – AexSWDInstSvc.exe
a. The actual install package for the Altiris Agent does not get pushed to the client machine. The installer service, named AeXSWDInstSvc.exe, is pushed to the client machine.
b. The user account specified on the push page settings, or the Application Identity if no account is supplied, is the account that attempts to access the \\machinename\admin$ share on the destination machine.
c. As soon as the Installer Service reaches the client machine, it begins to log information into the log file AeXSWDInstSvc.log, located at C:\<Windir>\System32. The EXE resides in the Admin$ share (generally the %windir%).
d. It will register the EXE as a service. This service has limited ability for throttling and check-point recovery when downloading the Agent install Package. If a machine is rebooted before it has successfully downloaded the install package, the service will use check-point recovery to pick up where the download was terminated.
e. If a push fails, and this log does not exist, then the Installer Service did not reach the client machine. Troubleshoot access rights being used for the push, and look at the status in the Altiris Agent push page. If the log does exist, review the details.
f. The installer service will download the actual install package, named AeXNSC.exe.
g. Next it executes the install package.
h. Once the install package is executed, the AeXSWDInstSvc.exe removes itself as a Service.
i. Lastly, it removes itself (EXE) from %windir%.
4. Agent Install Package – AeXNSC.exe
a. If the Installer Service fails to download the AeXNSC.exe file, it will be reflected in the AeXSWDInstSvc.log file. Look for authentication or HTTP request errors.
b. If the Installer Service fails to execute the downloaded file, it will also be reflected in the AeXSWDInstSvc.log file. Look for execution errors.
c. If the Install Package is downloaded successfully and executed, it will begin to write to the file AeXNSC.log, located at C:\<Windir>\System32.
d. Any problems with the Package install will be logged in the AeXNSC.log file.
e. When the installation is complete, the agent service will be started, and the Agent will begin logging information into the agent.log and subsequent log files.
5. Communication back to the Server – Agent installed
a. It is possible that while a push it successful, the Agent Communication is unsuccessful. This may result in an erroneous status on the Altiris Agent push page.
1. Configuration of the Altiris Agent Push
a.View the Installation Settings in order to determine how the push is configured, located in the Altiris Agent push page by clicking the “Installation Settings” button.
b. If the client uses a proxy server, check the option “Use Proxy”.
c. Note the field “Use different Notification Server” and make sure the configuration is correct (or unchecked).
d. *The credential fields are key to the Altiris Agent push. If no credentials are chosen, it will use the account specified as the Application Identity/Application Credentials. If pushing the Agent in a multi-Domain or Workgroup environment, the account used for the push must have local Administrator privileges on the machine(s) being pushing to.
2. Initiating the Push
a. A push can be done to one or more machines at one time. Use the “Install Altiris Agent” to initiate the push.
b. The status section on the Agent push page can be useful. Keep this in mind when walking through the items of a Push installation.
3. Installer Service – AexSWDInstSvc.exe
a. The actual install package for the Altiris Agent does not get pushed to the client machine. The installer service, named AeXSWDInstSvc.exe, is pushed to the client machine.
b. The user account specified on the push page settings, or the Application Identity if no account is supplied, is the account that attempts to access the \\machinename\admin$ share on the destination machine.
c. As soon as the Installer Service reaches the client machine, it begins to log information into the log file AeXSWDInstSvc.log, located at C:\<Windir>\System32. The EXE resides in the Admin$ share (generally the %windir%).
d. It will register the EXE as a service. This service has limited ability for throttling and check-point recovery when downloading the Agent install Package. If a machine is rebooted before it has successfully downloaded the install package, the service will use check-point recovery to pick up where the download was terminated.
e. If a push fails, and this log does not exist, then the Installer Service did not reach the client machine. Troubleshoot access rights being used for the push, and look at the status in the Altiris Agent push page. If the log does exist, review the details.
f. The installer service will download the actual install package, named AeXNSC.exe.
g. Next it executes the install package.
h. Once the install package is executed, the AeXSWDInstSvc.exe removes itself as a Service.
i. Lastly, it removes itself (EXE) from %windir%.
4. Agent Install Package – AeXNSC.exe
a. If the Installer Service fails to download the AeXNSC.exe file, it will be reflected in the AeXSWDInstSvc.log file. Look for authentication or HTTP request errors.
b. If the Installer Service fails to execute the downloaded file, it will also be reflected in the AeXSWDInstSvc.log file. Look for execution errors.
c. If the Install Package is downloaded successfully and executed, it will begin to write to the file AeXNSC.log, located at C:\<Windir>\System32.
d. Any problems with the Package install will be logged in the AeXNSC.log file.
e. When the installation is complete, the agent service will be started, and the Agent will begin logging information into the agent.log and subsequent log files.
5. Communication back to the Server – Agent installed
a. It is possible that while a push it successful, the Agent Communication is unsuccessful. This may result in an erroneous status on the Altiris Agent push page.
11 August 2005
Adding other Antivirus in inventory
If you'd like to utilize the built-in report on AntiVirus, you simply need to add the Norton 10.0.1 filename or product name or internal name, etc to the Special Group defined in the SW scan.
Use the AeXAPedit.exe to do this.
NSCap\bin\win32\x86\ AeXAPedit.exe
Run AexAPedit.exe and open the auditpls.ini file located in the Inventory Solution folder.
NSCap\bin\win32\x86\Inventory Solution
Select the Special Groups Tab. Select the AntiVirus Special Group. Notice it already has some internal filenames and product names in there. You can look through your Audit Detail reports to find this information for Norton 10.0.1. OR right click on one of the files that's on all your Norton 10.0.1 clients, and look at the internal name or filename or product name or manufacturer name, etc. This is the unique header info you need to put in the AntiVirus special group.
Add to the special group, save the auditpls.ini and close the AeXAPedit.exe program.
Use the AeXAPedit.exe to do this.
NSCap\bin\win32\x86\ AeXAPedit.exe
Run AexAPedit.exe and open the auditpls.ini file located in the Inventory Solution folder.
NSCap\bin\win32\x86\Inventory Solution
Select the Special Groups Tab. Select the AntiVirus Special Group. Notice it already has some internal filenames and product names in there. You can look through your Audit Detail reports to find this information for Norton 10.0.1. OR right click on one of the files that's on all your Norton 10.0.1 clients, and look at the internal name or filename or product name or manufacturer name, etc. This is the unique header info you need to put in the AntiVirus special group.
Add to the special group, save the auditpls.ini and close the AeXAPedit.exe program.
Force Policy Update script for usage with DS
The following VB Script can be used with an existing AClient to force the Altiris NS Agent to wake up and check for any new configuration / policy updates. This is not an issue with NS 6 since it can now do that, but for everyone with 5.5, this is still valuable.
'vbscript
Option Explicit
' Declare variables
Dim Client
' Create the NS Client object
Set Client = CreateObject("Altiris.AeXNSClient")
' Ask the client's policy manager to refresh the configuration
Client.ClientPolicyMgr.Refresh
' Clean up
Set Client = Nothing
09 August 2005
Permissions on NS client Registry
This is now a well known issue guys.
If you ever have any problems on a computer regarding the registry check first that you are not running the AClient version 6.1.393 or 394 as it has a defect (changing permission on some of the Altiris registry keys).
If you ever have any problems on a computer regarding the registry check first that you are not running the AClient version 6.1.393 or 394 as it has a defect (changing permission on some of the Altiris registry keys).
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