Installing SP2 via VNC - will I cut myself off?

[jimwillsher]

Hi all,

I look after a remote site running 20 XP desktops. I administer the server (2000 SBS) via Remote Desktop, and then access the PCs via VNC.

If I install XP SP2 via VNC, when the machine restarts will I be unable to reconnect via VNC (port 5800/5900) due to the firewall?

If so, is there any way around this? Obviously I have Remote Registry access and can start/stop services. I'm also running Software Update Services, but I think I'll have the same problem.

All advice welcome!

Jim

[XtremeMaC]

i've actually done this yesterday via ultra vnc

i've used overwrite & do not back up files & do not restart switches along with it.

it installed correctly and then I've restarted it.

u can also use the shutdown.exe to remotely restart all those machines..

and yes at first the security center pops up asking for virus progams and firewall etc.

so yes it blocked the vnc access.

2 things u can do.

1st completely disable the firewall via .reg file either right after installing sp2 or add it to runonce.

2nd enable those ports after the install of sp2. (i don't know how u'd manage this.)

but to stop the security center and firewall u can just use reg tweaks.

i've to get going now. don't have time to grab those regs for u but they're asked billions of times in the board.

good luck..

[jimwillsher]

Many thanks XtremeMaC, appreciated. The most useful posting I found was:

;Firewall OFF
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\SharedAccess\Parameters\FirewallPolicy\StandardProfile]
"EnableFirewall"=dword:00000000

which looks like it might do the trick. I could do a normal SP2 install, then restart, the remote-reg in and add the key, then restart again. Sounds plausible?

Jim

[XtremeMaC]

u could also put that firewall off registry into runonce this way u'd not need to remote reg in and restart

just save the reg file and make a .bat file to call and merge the reg file. either by using reg command or regedit /s command

so something like this

SET KEY=HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnceEx

REG ADD %KEY% /V TITLE /D "Sp2 firewall update" /f

REG ADD %KEY%\abc001 /VE /D "merging reg" /f

REG ADD %KEY%\abc001 /V 1 /D "c:\runonce.bat" /f

exit

regedit /s firewalloff.reg

exit

of course u can make this prettier. this is my lame work...

ow and u'd need to copy the sp2.bat and runonce.bat ..

u can put them into 1 bat file but i'm too lazy right now....

Edited August 11, 2004 by XtremeMaC

[Bachus]

No. Restarting after installing SP2 would cut your remote access (the firewall will be active...). Install SP2, apply the registry tweak and then you should be able to reboot and retain access. I'm not speaking from any personal experience, though, so I'd wait for someone else to post before doing anything.

[jimwillsher]

This looks like the solution here !

[XtremeMaC]

ow yes of course just edit the firewall.inf and u won't even have to install it.

[jimwillsher]

I've just had a go at that, and have read the MS docs. The problem I have now is that you need to re-sign the modified file (netwf.in_). But I can't find any way of doing that! The alternative is to install it and then copy across the modified file, but I'd rather it installed the SP with the modified file already in place. Any ideas?

Jim