Here i found an interesting TOOL for silent installation!

[amit_talkin]

WPKG

WPKG is an automated software deployment, upgrade and removal program for Windows.

It can be used to push/pull software packages, such as Service Packs, hotfixes, or program installations from a central server (for example, Samba or Active Directory) to a number of workstations.

It can run as a service to install software in the background, without user interaction.

It can install MSI, InstallShield, PackagefortheWeb etc. packages, and all other packages using repackaging or some batch scripting.

WPKG overview

WPKG can add great value to your Samba or Active Directory setup, as it allows to perform software installation, updates, removal etc. on your workstations.

It is also possible to execute custom scripts on your workstations, like synchronizing time, setting printers, changing permissions or adding registry entries (basically, some of the things you would do with Active Directory and Group Policy / GPO).

This is a list that summarizes what WPKG can do for you:

* deploy software in any format - MSI, EXE, etc.

* deploy software to different groups of computers or single workstations

* easily install, upgrade or remove software

* a "pull" psexec equivalent

* run custom scripts to set printers, synchronize time, manipulate permissions, add registry entries, change Windows settings etc.

* work in a domain, in a workgroup, or even over internet or VPN (no domain controller needed)

* work with Linux (Samba), Windows servers, or any other systems supporting Windows Network Neighbourhood

* work with Windows 9x, Me, 2000, XP Pro/Home and 2003 clients

* extremely small footprint on the client: no additional service is started

* extremely small footprint on the server: no additional service/daemon is started

* keep inventory of software installed on your Windows workstations

For Downloading And More Information go to here

http://wpkg.org/index.php/Main_Page

Sorry if this topic is not so interesting OR sorry if u already know about this one!

Regards

AMIT_TALKIN

Edited July 24, 2006 by amit_talkin

[T D]

Arrr... it's still in alpha testing...

[ideas]

good info, Amit, but hav u tried it?

[CoffeeFiend]

Actually, it DID sound kind of interesting. But indeed, GPO works great for this. So does SMS. Or you can even use vbscript/WMI to spawn the processes remotely...

And as some have mentionned, it's seemingly in alpha testing (not something I trust too much), and it's in javascript - a great technology for web pages, but for an install system? It's very limited, I'd much rather use something made with a "real" language honestly. Although the code looks better than I had expected really (thought it wouldn't have a single try/catch block i.e. no error handling and such), uses decent XML files for everything (not cryptic or overly verbose or anything). The only real bad thing I've noticed is that you kinda need to use AD to make it all happen (I thought that was the problem they were trying to solve in the first place...), or otherwise to keep an updated list of computers in XML format by hand (yay!) which would be quite a PITA for everyone still using NT domains and such.

I guess it's just too bad there's already too many ways to accomplish those same tasks (including some apps we've built in-house eh).