Problem:
Release: 3.1 How to install on client machine from a server using the normal CD-ROM.
Resolution:
Introduction to Installing from a Server
As system administrator you have two methods of installing this product on users' machines via a server. They are described in separate topics. This topic introduces and compares the two.
In one, you install onto the server and then users run Setup to install from the server. This is detailed in the topic Server/Client Install Process.
In the other, you copy the product onto the server and then use a third-party software distribution package, such as Microsoft's System Management Server (SMS), to install onto the users' machines. This is detailed in the topic Installing Using a Third-party Software Distribution Package.
Both methods give you control of what options the user can install and mean you do not have to send the installation CD to every user, as they install from the server instead. You also have the option of a Client Lite Installation, installing just minimum files and running the product off the server, or a Client Full Installation, copying all files onto the user's machine. A Client Lite Installation saves disk space on the user's machine.
You can also perform a silent install, for any type of installation. You first record your install, creating an .sss Setup silent script file, then you can play it back silently. This is detailed in the topic Silent Install.
Server/Client Install Process
As system administrator, you can install this product onto a server and then allow your users (clients) to use Setup to install from there instead of from the Installation CD.
Installing onto the Server
To install onto the server, run Setup with /server as a command line parameter. You cannot use Autorun - you must run Setup explicitly. Although you can run Setup on some other machine and install remotely onto the server, it's advisable to run on the server itself.
Setup will run as normal, but with one extra option
, Client install support, that must be installed - it is the Setup that the client users will run.
Apart from this, you can install whichever options you want. If an option has sub-options, remember to install all the sub-options you want your client users to be able to install.
Once installed, the product will run normally on the server or, if you installed remotely onto the server, on the machine where you ran setup /server.
So that your users can install this product, create a share to the installation directory on the server. For example, if you installed to d:\\install-dir, you should share d:\\install-dir.
Running the Client Install Configuration Utility
After running setup /server you should run the Client Install Configuration utility on the server (or the machine where you ran setup /server) to specify how you want the product on your client users' machines configured.
To run this utility, click Start > Programs > Product > Configuration > Client Install.
For details on using this utility and what can be configured, see the utility's own Help.
Users Installing from the Server
Give the following instructions to your client users installing this product from your server:
They should install by running setup.exe in the cinstall subdirectory within the directory where you installed the product. They will need to specify the share where it is. The default is \\\\server\\share. You could instead create another share that points directly to the cinstall subdirectory and install by running setup.exe without specifying this path.
Your client users can install any of the options that you made available when you configured as above.
When they enter the location on the server machine from where the options can be installed they can enter a NET USEd or mapped drive, or a UNC path. With a Client Lite Installation, UNC paths are preferable, as the NET USEd or mapped drive may not be there after a reboot, which means the product would be inaccessible.
