Various Questions about Server 2003

[Eleo]

Please take the time to help out a complete newbie regarding Windows Server 2003.

I recently installed it with the hopes of managing a domain. I've had a few successes at what I've tried, but otherwise a lot of failures.

I have pretty much just one problem as of late:

I'm simply managing a network at my house. One of the biggest problems I ran into, being the only person here remotely computer literate, is to manage the other three computers. It is simply a chore to go from PC to PC installing the same software over and over again. I had a feeling, there must be an easier way to do this. The networked computers at high school and college all had the same software on them, so I asked myself, how do I do that? Someone suggested Windows Server 2003 to "deploy" certain programs across the domain. The problem I ran into was that Server 2003 used only msi files, and programs like Firefox, Thunderbird, WinRAR/WinZip, a BitTorrent Client, WinAmp (and special codecs like FLAC and MAC and ogg and mpc), Ad-Aware, some kind of virus software, Registry Mechanic--the simple programs that everyone here needs to be happy (and some I insist they use from time to time), Microsoft Office 2003--aren't distributed as msi files.

After doing some research, I thought getting InstallShield 10.5 would make things better. It apparently had the ability to make .msi files. I tested the software, downloading Firefox as a .zip and creating an .msi installer, then setting it up in Groupe Policy Object Editor -> User Configuration -> Software Settings -> Software Installation.

This, at first, appeared to be effective. When I logged onto a client computer I noticed that the .msi was installing before I logged in. I then clicked on Firefox to see if all had went well, but instead of the program launching, an installer launched. This isn't how I planned things...

I had downloaded someone else's Firefox .msi installer and I guess it did what is called a "silent install?" Meaning when it installed while I was logging in, the program installed entirely and I could open it as soon as I was done logging in. Obviously, my limited knowledge of everything, Windows Servere 2003, InstallShield 10.5, .msi in general, is keeping me from doing what I want.

Ultimately I'd like to be able to deploy software without having other people make it for me, so I'd like to know where to go from here...

I see a lot of "silent install" threads in the Application Switches forum, but when I look at what's posted, nothing there makes sense to me -- like I'm missing some fundamental knowledge everyone else who browses there has.

So the questions are:

• How do I do a silent install to client computers on the domain?
  
• If creating .msi files is involved, how do I create them properly, so that they install silently?
  
• What do I make of all the info I see on the Application Switches forum?
  
• Another problem is that such software is ending up installed on the Server -- is there anyway to make software only get installed on client computers, or to certain users?
  
• An unrelated question: is there anyway to remotely control what themes/wallpapers/etc client computers on the domain use? I tried settings this via group policies, but again, all the restrictions I created affected my computer (the domain controller) as well. I couldn't even access my display settings... Is there some way to apply such rules only to certain users?
  

This post was pretty big. I hope someone helps me out. Thanks in advance.

[rion]

Uhm, Ill try to answer a few of your question.. as far as i know the answers.

There are two ways to use the Windows 2003 deployment of software, one is where you force an installation of the software and the other one is where the clients manualy go to add/remove programs and choose Add new Programs.

In both cases the client checks on the Domain Controller to see what software is published and so on.

Since Im a microsoft nerd I can only speak for myself so I have no other knowledge of other types of programs.

When It comes to the "Slient installations" you were refering to I think you are thinking about Administrative installations.

This can be created either by running the setup program with the /a switch.

In the office question you have a Office Resource Kit, ORK that you can use to customize the complete installation.

When your talking about software like adaware it depends on what install engine and what options that install engine has wheter you can make an administrate installation that you later on publish out to the clients using gpo's.

I hope that this helps you and if someone has any comments on my thought and general belife about this, comment this

[Eleo]

Okay, I ran Alcohol 120% install with the /a switch. It asks me to choose a network installation point. Where should this be? How does this somehow install the software for all members of the domain?

[andrewpayne]

My penny's worth..

I have designed and installed many networks throughout London. I would not advocate using RIS or SMS on your Server 2003 - I use Unattended CDROM's and then join the domain - use Roaming Profiles - and a common shared folder for things like Office 2003 and others that won't fit on a CDROM.

Roaming Profiles are great for when one of your users buggers up their PC - they can log onto another whilst you insert CD and wham - 40 minutes later and then they're back up and running.

That's for starters B)

[andrewpayne]

In order to 'practice' Group Policy settings - create a users Organisation Unit in Active Directory and then set the policies on this - NOT the Global organisation.

Then by moving Computers and/or Users into this OU you can avoid inadvertantly applying settings to the Domain Admins and Domain Servers

This is also useful if you want certain settings or msi's to be rolled out to certain users.

You can have as many OU's as you like - but Users and/or Computers can only reside in 1.