software deployment

[imageroc]

hello everyone on msfn.

I'm a total newb to win2003 and I'm trying to get software deployment to work in my network.

I setup a small network in my house to learn win2003 with a win2003 server and about 8 clients

I have AD alreadly setup on win2003

I tried to setup software deployment by

1: creating a share on my win2003 server

2: going into AD user an Computer and adding a OU container=(name)software deployment test

3: creating new users in the container

4:then right clicking container software deployment an going to Group policy NEW

5:editing My Group policy

6:selecting user configuration>software setting>software installation

7:right click new package

8:then finding my msi file or zap file depending on what program I trying through the network path.

9:then click open

additionally I goto computer configuration>software settings>software installation for msi files

but when I goto my clients Pc and try any of the user names I added to the software deployment test container nothing shows up in the start menu or in add remove progams>add new programs >

o and by the way the programs I tried were M$ office and 7 zip

I pretty stuck at this piont, But like I said above I'm a total newbie so if there's anything I should have done different or extra like maybe a security setting or having some M$service running I would appreciate the knowledge

[chilifrei64]

CHeck the event logs on the client PC, this will normally lead you in the right direction.

Secondly.. double check who and where you are applying this too.

Also... try deploying software to the computer and not the user.. you wouldnt practically install MS Office to the user.

Make sure your package has an MST file to it. If the msi requires input, the install will fail. you need to create a transform file to answer the programs questions during install

[eyeball]

also with office i think it has to be the enterprise edition to be deployed via group policy, which needs to have (as chilli said) a .mst to answer the questions...

try something small first and see if you can get that working, also from experience i think software deployment via computer configuration works slightly better, but thats just my opinion