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).
20 July 2005
How to install Deployment Server on Microsoft Cluster Server.
How to install Deployment Server on Microsoft Cluster Server.
Article #: AKB7197
Author: 3108
Date: 3/11/2005 9:19:28 AM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Question:
How to install Deployment Server on Microsoft Cluster Server?
Answer:
1. There must be two servers clustered and working.
2. Install the enterprise version of SQL from the primary node onto the virtual server. SQL will not let you install onto the virtual server that Microsoft Cluster Service created so you have to make a new virtual server. To run the Deployment Server (DS) on a cluster, a cluster virtual IP needs to be established.
3. Install the DS with the same settings from each cluster node but use the cluster IP address anywhere you enter an IP. From the Primary node in the cluster (the node that owns the storage) install an instance of the DS using the shared storage for the DS database and the Client Access Files. The DS should be installed to the local drive.
4. Fail the cluster over to the Secondary node and do the install the exact same way.
5. With all the files pointing to the exact same location, install the DS to the local drive. When both machines are rebooted, they should both be running the Altiris Express Service in Services Manager.
7. Now open Cluster Manager and create a new Generic Service; name the service the same name as the one running in Services Manager. Make it part of the Cluster Group that all the other services are running in.
8. Now it should be possible to fail over the service and it should start the Altiris Express Service on the inactive node.
Because the DS is not cluster aware, anytime there is an active node transfer it will be as if the axengine died and restarted. That means Aclient will probably become orphaned until it attempts a reconnect.
Article #: AKB7197
Author: 3108
Date: 3/11/2005 9:19:28 AM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Question:
How to install Deployment Server on Microsoft Cluster Server?
Answer:
1. There must be two servers clustered and working.
2. Install the enterprise version of SQL from the primary node onto the virtual server. SQL will not let you install onto the virtual server that Microsoft Cluster Service created so you have to make a new virtual server. To run the Deployment Server (DS) on a cluster, a cluster virtual IP needs to be established.
3. Install the DS with the same settings from each cluster node but use the cluster IP address anywhere you enter an IP. From the Primary node in the cluster (the node that owns the storage) install an instance of the DS using the shared storage for the DS database and the Client Access Files. The DS should be installed to the local drive.
4. Fail the cluster over to the Secondary node and do the install the exact same way.
5. With all the files pointing to the exact same location, install the DS to the local drive. When both machines are rebooted, they should both be running the Altiris Express Service in Services Manager.
7. Now open Cluster Manager and create a new Generic Service; name the service the same name as the one running in Services Manager. Make it part of the Cluster Group that all the other services are running in.
8. Now it should be possible to fail over the service and it should start the Altiris Express Service on the inactive node.
Because the DS is not cluster aware, anytime there is an active node transfer it will be as if the axengine died and restarted. That means Aclient will probably become orphaned until it attempts a reconnect.
22 June 2005
Windows Installer Exit codes
Here, you can find al lot of exit codes for Windows Installer : Windows Exit codes
14 June 2005
06 June 2005
Activate the Diagnostics without showing the NSCLient Icon
'vbscript
dim client
set client = CreateObject ( "Altiris.AeXClient" )
dim sessmgr
set sessmgr = client.SessionManager
'Client Diagnostics
sessmgr.ActivateObject ( "{E8B8B9D4-A461-4E19-9F14-B72E5110F631}" )
'Network Diagnostics
sessmgr.ActivateObject ( "{1D588FDC-D1DA-40DD-99F7-D43D161F043E}" )
'Power Management
sessmgr.ActivateObject ( "{2C71C589-25C8-4D5B-8FD2-68B376566601}" )
dim client
set client = CreateObject ( "Altiris.AeXClient" )
dim sessmgr
set sessmgr = client.SessionManager
'Client Diagnostics
sessmgr.ActivateObject ( "{E8B8B9D4-A461-4E19-9F14-B72E5110F631}" )
'Network Diagnostics
sessmgr.ActivateObject ( "{1D588FDC-D1DA-40DD-99F7-D43D161F043E}" )
'Power Management
sessmgr.ActivateObject ( "{2C71C589-25C8-4D5B-8FD2-68B376566601}" )
05 June 2005
Ports and Protocls
Want to find out more about the ports and protocols for DS 6.X?
Check out this Altiris White Paper AKB5447
03 June 2005
Batch file which will reconnect inactive Deployment Agent for Windows
KB Article : AKB5705
Question:
Sometimes administrators are not sure why aclient machines are not connected to the deployment server. Often times this is because the user has shut down the service. What can an administrator do?
Answer:
Run this Sql Query on against the database:
This batch file will need to be modified to stop and then start the service to reconnect the clients that think they are connected but are not actually connected.
Note: this must be run as a domain administrator to allow proper authentication to restart the aclient service.
Also note the OSQL statement may need to be modified if a remote SQL server exits or use SQL authentication to access the express database.
Example Batch file:
rem This will query the eXpress database for computers that are not connected and for each one will attempt to connect to the computer and start the aclient service.
for /f %%i in ('osql -E -d eXpress -h-1 -Q "set nocount on;select name from computer where computer_id not in (select computer_id from sessions)"') do sc \\%%i start aclient
This batch file will need to be modified to stop and then start the service to reconnect the clients that think they are connected but are not actually connected.
Note: this must be run as a domain administrator to allow proper authentication to restart the aclient service.
Also note the OSQL statement may need to be modified if a remote SQL server exits or use SQL authentication to access the express database.
Example Batch file:
rem This will query the eXpress database for computers that are not connected and for each one will attempt to connect to the computer and start the aclient service.
for /f %%i in ('osql -E -d eXpress -h-1 -Q "set nocount on;select name from computer where computer_id not in (select computer_id from sessions)"') do sc \\%%i start aclient
Change IP Address for PXE
In this White Paper you can find the way to change the IP Address for a PXE Server.
Or try this:
Change Altiris Deployment/PXE IP adress.
Stop All Altiris DS services.
Change IP i these Files:
C:\Program Files\Altiris\eXpress\Deployment Server\default.cfg
C:\Program Files\Altiris\eXpress\Deployment Server\PXE\PXE.ini
C:\Program Files\Altiris\eXpress\Deployment Server\aclient.inp
and the %name%\%name%.bdc Files under
C:\Program Files\Altiris\eXpress\Deployment Server\Bootwiz\config\
Start Altiris DS Services.
Change Bootdisks IP
Start DS Console (Not Webconsole)
Open PXE Configurator
Mark The Bootdisk you want to change
Select Make Boot Files
Change The line (set CONIP=-ip192.168.0.1) in autoexec.bat and startnet.bat
Right click on Th Bootdisk an select Make Boot File
Close and Repeat For all Bootdisks
Just an add-on to this excellent article.As I installed PXE Server after changing IP, there were no \PXE\PXE.INI to change in, and the PXE Server Service refused to start after the installation. I sorted it out by changing adress in \PXE\RPC.ini as well. Then PXE.ini gets created automatically, and the service started as it should.
20 May 2005
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