k0r54

Hi, this is my first post here so i take its the same rules as everywhere else.

Anyway, I am just set up my domain controller on a windows 2003 server.

Anyway i need some advice on something.

When i log into the domain (via a workstation) there are no applications on there (i.e office or anything). Do the application run from the server or do i have to install them on the pc workstation?

Thanks in advance for any help offered.

crazijoe

You would need to install the programs on each workstation. You can do this but either going to each workstation or pushing the program down through group policy.

k0r54

how do i do it through group policy?

Thank you :)

Squashman

For office you can create an administrative install point on the server.

k0r54

Thank you for your help,

Is that just for office, I dont quite understand how it works.

I have 3 different user groups and each group has a different selection of programs they can have. Not just including office, but games, ftp stuff, development stuff.

What would be the best way to do this.

Thanks
k0r54

crazijoe

This might help a little.

http://www.computerperformance.co.uk...y_software.htm
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/pro...4efd8925d.mspx

k0r54

Hello,

Thanks for them links, that is really useful. I do have another question though (sorry about them all). What if i do not have the MSI file. What if it is just an exe or a standard exe install?

Thanks for all the help given
k0r54

crazijoe

Most Microsoft programs already have an MSI file. If you have a program that does not, you can create one with a third party software like this:
http://www.emco.is/msi_package_builder/features.html

k0r54

Thanks for all your help,

I may have more questions if thats ok but i will try all these out.

Thanks
k0r54

crazijoe

sounds good

k0r54

Hi,

I have office on a cd, do I copy the contents of the cd over to a shared drive and then link to the msi file? or erm...

Thanks
k0r54

crazijoe

http://www.windowsdevcenter.com/pub/...ng_office.html

k0r54

can i do an administrive installation on any program?

What would i do with a normal application?

thanks so much
k0r54

crazijoe

Please elaborate a little more on what you want to accomplish.

Normally the application does not get installed on the workstation untill the user tries to open, say, a word document. when he clicks on the word document then the program installs. This would be the senario for an Office app.
Most other programs would be installed through add and remove programs by the user when needed.

k0r54

well i am only playing round at home but what i am after is that if i log onto a pc that has never been used before and has no programs installed, it will install my programs which could be msn, absolute ftp, dreamweaver, vb, office or anything else. I dont want to have to install them manually. It can be when i go to click on them, but i want the icon there even if the program is not installed but when i go to click on the icon it will install the program. Once it is installed though, i dont have to again. If some1 else goes to use the computer that does not have some of the programs i have they do not get access, well hopefully dont even know they exist.

I am not sure on the limits of server 2003 but that is what i ultimatly want.

I do have roaming profiles on, dont know wat use it has.

Thanks alot for all your help, i have learnt alot
k0r54

crazijoe

As far as I know only Office programs will install when you try and open an Office app. However all the other programs will have to be installed manually. Think of the startup time if all these programs were to install themselves at bootup. The only way I know that you could have a PC set up with all the programs is to image it and push it down with ghost or RIS. Ghost would cost you a pretty penny because you would need the corporate version to be able to use AD to push down the image. Plus you would have to go and change the SIDs of all the machines. RIS is a better way to go because it uses AD and it is part of Win2K3 server, so it's free. Remember that when you use Ghost or RIS, all workstations will have to be the same (hardware).
http://www.computerperformance.co.uk/w2k3/W2K3_RIS.htm

k0r54

Hi, thanks for your response.

So there is no way i can just have the icons on the machine (even if the program is not installed) and it installs it when i click the icon (only if it is not installed). So it wouldn't install anything at boot, only when i click the icon.

Thanks for all your help!

k0r54

crazijoe

correct.

k0r54

ok, :) i will have a play and get something that i can do :)

Thanks very much

Squashman

Sounds like you need ZenWorks. Very easily done with this.