Installation using MSI package and Active Directory/Group Policy: how to create MST package for setting up pre-defined settings (group name, administrator password etc.); how to install MSI package with MST package.

This article describes the procedure for creation of a custom MSI package, with pre-configured parameters: Group name, password etc; and instructions for deployment of this package using Active Directory / Group Policies tool.

The article consists in the following parts:
A. How to create MST transformation package for applying custom settings.
B. How to deploy MSI package with transformation file.
B1. For Windows Server 2008.
B2. For Windows Server 2003.
C. How to uninstall the software.

Requirements:
MSI package (available by request);
Orca tool (required to create MST package);
Windows Server 2003 or Windows Server 2008 with Active Directory services installed.

 

A. HOW TO CREATE MST TRANSFORMATION PACKAGE FOR CUSTOM SETTINGS

1. Download and install Microsoft ORCA tool.

ORCA MSI Editor is a part of Microsoft Windows Installer SDK, which is available from Microsoft for free of charge.

Alternatively, Orca package without other Windows Installer SDK components often may be found and downloaded from download archives, for example:
http://www.softpedia.com/progDownload/Orca-Download-79861.html

If the link is broken or obsolete, please search Microsoft's site for actual Windows Installer SDK package.

 

2. When the package is installed, find and run Orca tool from Start -> All Programs menu

 

3. Open Net Control 2 MSI Package, using File -> Open menu command.

4. Create new MSI transform, using menu command Tools -> New Transform

5. Apply changes:

On right pane, select Registry group; right click within left pane area:

then select Add Row menu command:

add custom parameters as found in the table below (p.4).
For example, to pre-configure some custom group name "MYGROUP", in Add Row dialog window:

in Registry field, specify some unique name for the row name, for example KEY1, KEY2 etc.

in Root field specify value 2

in Key field, specify the following value:
Software\Net Control 2\Server\Config\Global

in Name field, specify WorkgroupName parameter;

in Value field, specify name of your Group.

in Component_ field specify name of some existing component, for example:
SetPath_Required

Click OK button to add new row.

New row will appear in the database as follows:

 

6. Add/configure other parameters, when necessary, according to the following table:

Option	Root	Key	Name	Value
Set up custom administrator password	2	Software\Net Control 2\Server\Config\Global	AdminPassword	encoded password*
Set up custom group name	2	Software\Net Control 2\Server\Config\Global	WorkgroupName	group name
Set up custom group ID	2	Software\Net Control 2\Server\Config\Global	WorkgroupID	encoded group id*
Custom NC2 Common Files folder path	2	Software\Net Control 2\Server\Config\Global	FileFolder	Path to the folder
Broadcast Desktop Channel No.	2	Software\Net Control 2\Server\Config\Global	BDPort	a value, calculated as follows: 2023+(ChannelNo x 2). For example, for channel No. 2, specify 2027

Component_ field  field of Add Row dialog window for all parameters may be set as SetPath_Required .

* administrator password and group ID are stored in the software's settings in special encoded format, and should be added to the package in such encoded form. To find this encoded value for a password or group id, please request us for special conversion utility:

 

7. When all new parameters were added to the MSI package, save changes as a MST transformation file,
clicking menu command  Transform -> Generate Transform.

 

B. HOW TO DEPLOY MSI PACKAGE WITH TRANSFORMATION FILE

B.1 FOR WINDOWS SERVER 2008:

1. in Start menu, click Administrative Tools -> Group Policy Management

in a list of domains at left pane, select your domain and right click it. Then select Create a GPO in this domain and link it menu command to create new policy:

2. Specify some name for new policy:

 

3. Right click new policy and then click Edit menu command:

 

4. In Group Policy Management Editor:
at left pane, open Computer Configuration -> Policies -> Software Settings -> Software Installation policy
right click within right pane, and click New -> Package menu command:

 

5. Copy original MSI package and new MST package to some shared network folder, available and accessible from student computers.

 

6. Open original Net Control 2 MSI package. Use only network paths! (e.g. \\SERVER\FILES\ns8.msi )
Because your local files are not accessible for users from other computers of the network, you need to open MSI file from network shared folder only:

 

Select "Advanced" option, when policy editor prompts for package deployment method:

 

 

7. Open Modifications tab:

click Add button and open MST package prepared in the chapter A above. Use network paths only!

8. Click OK in MSI package window to close it.

 

9. In the same Group Policy window, select the following category on left pane:
Computer Configuration -> Policies -> Administrative Templates -> System -> Logon

In right pane, select and double click "Always wait for the network at computer startup and logon" policy:

10. Enable it:

Click OK and close all Group Policies windows.

The package will be installed automatically after restart of the client computer.

 

B2. WINDOWS SERVER 2003

For Windows Server 2003, the procedure is similar, but to open Group Policy Editor (p.1), click:
Start menu -> Administrative Tools -> Active Directory Users and Computers. Then right click your domain name at left pane and select Properties menu command:

on Group Policies tab, create new policy or edit any existing one:

click Edit button to edit the policy. Assign new installation package as specified in p.p. 4-10 of the installation guide for Windows Server 2008 (please see above).

 

C. HOW TO REMOVE THE SOFTWARE.

To uninstall or update the software, follow steps 1-4 of the installation guide. In the list of installed packages, select Net Control 2 version 8 package and delete it from a group policy. The software will be uninstalled automatically after restart of client computer: