[Unattended] installshield installs w/ system account

[Trask L. R. <tr...@cc...>]

Got a question for any list watchers...

Using the silent install option for an InstallShield setup file (or
PackagefortheWeb in this case) does not work for me in a specific case.  I
want to know if anyone else has any experience with this.

As a test, I am using the latest Acrobat Reader PFtW file
(AcroReader51_ENU_full.exe).  I use a batch file with the single line:

c:\tmp\acroread\AcroReader51_EN_full.exe /s /a /s /SMS /f1c:\tmp\foo.iss
/f2c:\tmp\log.txt

(I did a recording install earlier to get my "foo.iss" file).


Lets call the batch file "blah.bat".  If I execute this file manually (as
admin) the install works fine and the software is fully functional.
Now...  If you set this batch file to run as a startup script through
group policy, it does not work.  Not only does it not work, but it holds
the system until the "startup scripts timeout" is reached (defaults to 10
minutes, but I change it to 2).  It will hold the system at this point
even if you remove the "/SMS" argument.


So, does anyone know whats going on?  Perhaps a window is being popped up
that can't be seen...  But nothing comes up during a manually started
install.

Below are some instructions on changing the group policy quickly if anyone
wants to try this themselves.


Thanks for your help,


trask


-----------------------------------
Local group policy setting -- instructions


to make a startup script
 - (be admin)
 - Start->Run->gpedit.msc
 - "Windows Settings"
 - "Scripts(Startup/Shutdown)"
 - "Startup"
 - "add"
 - "browse"
 - Find the batch file you made and point to it... or create a new one here.


to change the login script timeout
 - (be admin again)
 - (back in gpedit.msc)
 - "Administrative Templates"
 - "System"
 - "Logon"
 - change "Maximum wait time for Group Policy scripts" to whatever


(unrelated to this, but for .MSIs - turn on Windows Installer logging)
 - (be admin still)
 - (again in gpedit.msc)
 - "Administrative Templates"
 - "Windows Installer"
 - click "Logging" and enable.