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Admin Image and copysettings

Question asked by Todd Blacksher on Feb 9, 2014
Latest reply on May 13, 2014 by Matt Johnson

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We are getting ready to roll out 2014 SP2

As usual, I am planning on using an Admin Image

Now for the major "wrench in the works" -

We are moving EVERYTHING to a new server (SNL Manager, Image, Templates, etc.)

My plan of attack is as follows:

Back everything up

Transfer License/install SNL Manager on new server/activate license/update server on all computers (which will still be running SWX2013)

Perform Toolbox upgrade

Create Admin Image

(Was going to manually deploy, may need to automatically deploy due to new IT policy.)

Normally I would push it out to my computer to verify that everything works, and update any necessary settings.

This time around I will need to reconfigure the settings to reflect the network changes.

In the past I would get everything set up, save the settings, and push them out to the other computers along with the Admin Image.

A small hiccup that I have encountered before is that some of the Autorecover/Backup settings would point back to my computer instead of the user's computer.

My questions are:

1) Do you see anything missing?

2) Did you run into any issues with your Admin Image for 2014?

3) Do you have any recommendations to help make this process smoother?

4) Do you have any ideas for pushing out updated settings?

Thanks everyone!

todd

Scott Baugh Feb 17, 2014 9:59 AM

Correct Answer

"Transfer License"

Well I would send an email out, with instructions on how they change it, give a due date for them to complete it by and they shut the other one down. When they cannot get a license and call you, point or resend the email. That's how I would handle that. I cannot hold their hand for everything is the way I look at it.... I know I am ruthless .

"Create Admin Image"

So do you have knowledge of pushing the install out over the network or SQL? This is something I have been wanting to learn better. During my tests of this, our machines would get to the Group Policies in Windows and hang... I am not saying it crashed, but it seemed like it was. Turns out when the Group Policies were running, one was to install SW. So it was hanging there until SW finished installing. That won't work here! People want into their PC, to check Email, etc...not wait on an install... hope yours goes better. If you don't mind sharing what all is involved I would love to know what you had to do to push it. - Thanks!

Settings file

Here is a link to a post I posted a few months ago. It contains all the System Option Settings for SW 2013:

https://forum.solidworks.com/message/389192#389192

See the reply in context

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Scott Baugh Feb 14, 2014 5:11 PM

"Back everything up" - Good choice!

"Transfer License/install SNL Manager on new server/activate license/update server on all computers (which will still be running SWX2013)" - When you install SW 2014 it will update the SNL manager to the local machine. Is IT not going to allow you to keep the old server running until you get 2014 installed?

"Perform Toolbox upgrade" - Allows a pain here... I don't know if there is a right answer for this... but I usually backup the TB and upgrade the original TB, the night before the new release.

"Create Admin Image

(Was going to manually deploy, may need to automatically deploy due to new IT policy.)" - I always send the HTA file. Reason for that is because some times users are in the middle of a design of a part or an assembly. LAst thing they need is a new version that could completely foul up the assembly or design. Allowing them to install as they need to is good, but if they need to use the TB they will have no choice but to upgrade.

"Normally I would push it out to my computer to verify that everything works, and update any necessary settings.

This time around I will need to reconfigure the settings to reflect the network changes." - Not sure what settings you really need to change, outside of the SNL servers if you use them... the installation of SW 2014 to the new PC's will fix all the network server locations.... but then again I have never pushed an install and have no plans to do so, maybe that is what your describing.

"In the past I would get everything set up, save the settings, and push them out to the other computers along with the Admin Image. A small hiccup that I have encountered before is that some of the Autorecover/Backup settings would point back to my computer instead of the user's computer." - I setup my settings file to a default folder and when the settings file is delivered to the user they get the same folder, but its on their HDD... for example here is my setup for the AutoBackup:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\SolidWorks\SolidWorks 2014\General]

"EnableBackups"=dword:00000001

"AutoRecover Directory"="C:\\solidworks backup\\Auto Recover"

"Backup directory"="C:\\solidworks backup"

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Todd Blacksher @ Scott Baugh on Feb 14, 2014 5:59 PM

Thank you Thank you Thank you!

"Transfer License ..." - Bad wording on my part, I meant to say "point computers to the new server" (25734@newserver)

The short version is: As soon as the SNL is running on the new server, everyone will still be running 2013 until 2014 gets pushed/installed. We really won't need the old server as soon as everyone can get licenses from the new server (which is a whole new bag of worms - i'll spare you the gory details.) I think they are wanting to take down the old server fairly soon.

"Perform Toolbox upgrade" - I'm following your thread in the forum for my battle plan on this one - thanks again for that.

"Create Admin Image" - I would rather manually deploy, but IT has mentioned a new policy in which NO ONE will have administrative rights on their own computer, and will not be able to install any programs on their own computer. (Got really fun when I said that I thought that the UAC would need to be off for me to automatically deploy the image...)

Normally I would..." - This is just copysettings wizard stuff (new file locations, templates, etc.) - I just need to "re-point" everything in Tools->Options

"In the past..." - I will give this a shot, I just had some weird things happen last year, and I don't really want to deal with that again. (After a while it was somewhat funny "asking" people why they were trying to save their backup files to my computer.)

Still some more research to be done, but this helps a TON!

Thanks again Scott!

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Scott Baugh @ Todd Blacksher on Feb 17, 2014 9:59 AM

"Transfer License"

"Create Admin Image"

Settings file

Here is a link to a post I posted a few months ago. It contains all the System Option Settings for SW 2013:

https://forum.solidworks.com/message/389192#389192

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Todd Blacksher @ Scott Baugh on Feb 17, 2014 4:18 PM

still hoping to manually deploy, but I am going to try taking good notes no matter what happens - as usual, I will share the horror story once the sanity returns . . .

nothing will happen until IT opens these ports for me . . .

thanks again,

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Todd Blacksher @ Scott Baugh on Mar 21, 2014 10:20 AM

Scott,

Thought you would appreciate this one . . .

February was extremely chaotic, so everything went on the back burner for a loooong time (part of the fun when the "CAD Admin" is only about 1% of your job function.)

Went over to IT yesterday, was going to do a "quick" test install on a new computer they were configuring, ran into a few issues:

1) Went for a Manual Deployment - New server was not set up with a mail client, so it could not send the message/link.

2) Went to the new computer to manually point it to the .hta file - The new server has EVERYTHING blocked, can't even "see" folders.

3) Went for an Automatic Deployment - was not able to "connect" to the new computer.

Going to try a few other things here in a little bit, but I thought this was fun enough to share.

Todd

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Matt Johnson May 13, 2014 1:28 PM

This is really something the IT Dept should be involved in entirely.

The issues you are describing as a whole are typically what happens when you leave IT out of the process then they have to come in after the fact to fix it.

For the SNL server all you need to do is have your IT Dept change the DNS pointer to the new server. It would be transparent to the end-users and the clients would continue to function with no input from the user.

1. Servers are rarely loaded with mail clients (network security thing). If you really want to do the e-mail deploy, you can open the SLDOption Editor from any computer as long as you have access to the network share.

2. Sounds like there was no "Share" created on the server. This does not happen by itself, typically requires some kind of a request to IT.

3. Auto deploy requires that you have admin rights to the target machine. You must also make sure you enter the credentials correctly in the autodeploy options.

Again, I would recommend working with IT to get these very basic issues taken care of.

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6 Replies

Scott Baugh Feb 14, 2014 5:11 PM
Mark Correct
Correct Answer
"Back everything up" - Good choice!

"Transfer License/install SNL Manager on new server/activate license/update server on all computers (which will still be running SWX2013)" - When you install SW 2014 it will update the SNL manager to the local machine. Is IT not going to allow you to keep the old server running until you get 2014 installed?

"Perform Toolbox upgrade" - Allows a pain here... I don't know if there is a right answer for this... but I usually backup the TB and upgrade the original TB, the night before the new release.

"Create Admin Image
(Was going to manually deploy, may need to automatically deploy due to new IT policy.)" - I always send the HTA file. Reason for that is because some times users are in the middle of a design of a part or an assembly. LAst thing they need is a new version that could completely foul up the assembly or design. Allowing them to install as they need to is good, but if they need to use the TB they will have no choice but to upgrade.

"Normally I would push it out to my computer to verify that everything works, and update any necessary settings.
This time around I will need to reconfigure the settings to reflect the network changes." - Not sure what settings you really need to change, outside of the SNL servers if you use them... the installation of SW 2014 to the new PC's will fix all the network server locations.... but then again I have never pushed an install and have no plans to do so, maybe that is what your describing.

"In the past I would get everything set up, save the settings, and push them out to the other computers along with the Admin Image. A small hiccup that I have encountered before is that some of the Autorecover/Backup settings would point back to my computer instead of the user's computer." - I setup my settings file to a default folder and when the settings file is delivered to the user they get the same folder, but its on their HDD... for example here is my setup for the AutoBackup:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\SolidWorks\SolidWorks 2014\General]
"EnableBackups"=dword:00000001
"AutoRecover Directory"="C:\\solidworks backup\\Auto Recover"
"Backup directory"="C:\\solidworks backup"
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- Todd Blacksher @ Scott Baugh on Feb 14, 2014 5:59 PM
  Mark Correct
  Correct Answer
  Thank you Thank you Thank you!
  
  "Transfer License ..." - Bad wording on my part, I meant to say "point computers to the new server" (25734@newserver)
  The short version is: As soon as the SNL is running on the new server, everyone will still be running 2013 until 2014 gets pushed/installed. We really won't need the old server as soon as everyone can get licenses from the new server (which is a whole new bag of worms - i'll spare you the gory details.) I think they are wanting to take down the old server fairly soon.
  
  "Perform Toolbox upgrade" - I'm following your thread in the forum for my battle plan on this one - thanks again for that.
  
  "Create Admin Image" - I would rather manually deploy, but IT has mentioned a new policy in which NO ONE will have administrative rights on their own computer, and will not be able to install any programs on their own computer. (Got really fun when I said that I thought that the UAC would need to be off for me to automatically deploy the image...)
  
  Normally I would..." - This is just copysettings wizard stuff (new file locations, templates, etc.) - I just need to "re-point" everything in Tools->Options
  
  "In the past..." - I will give this a shot, I just had some weird things happen last year, and I don't really want to deal with that again. (After a while it was somewhat funny "asking" people why they were trying to save their backup files to my computer.)
  
  Still some more research to be done, but this helps a TON!
  Thanks again Scott!
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  - Scott Baugh @ Todd Blacksher on Feb 17, 2014 9:59 AM
    Unmark Correct
    Correct Answer
    "Transfer License"
    
    Well I would send an email out, with instructions on how they change it, give a due date for them to complete it by and they shut the other one down. When they cannot get a license and call you, point or resend the email. That's how I would handle that. I cannot hold their hand for everything is the way I look at it.... I know I am ruthless .
    
    "Create Admin Image"
    So do you have knowledge of pushing the install out over the network or SQL? This is something I have been wanting to learn better. During my tests of this, our machines would get to the Group Policies in Windows and hang... I am not saying it crashed, but it seemed like it was. Turns out when the Group Policies were running, one was to install SW. So it was hanging there until SW finished installing. That won't work here! People want into their PC, to check Email, etc...not wait on an install... hope yours goes better. If you don't mind sharing what all is involved I would love to know what you had to do to push it. - Thanks!
    
    Settings file
    Here is a link to a post I posted a few months ago. It contains all the System Option Settings for SW 2013:
    https://forum.solidworks.com/message/389192#389192
    Like • Show 0 Likes0
    Actions
    - Todd Blacksher @ Scott Baugh on Feb 17, 2014 4:18 PM
      Mark Correct
      Correct Answer
      still hoping to manually deploy, but I am going to try taking good notes no matter what happens - as usual, I will share the horror story once the sanity returns . . .
      
      nothing will happen until IT opens these ports for me . . .
      
      thanks again,
      t
      Like • Show 0 Likes0
      Actions
    - Todd Blacksher @ Scott Baugh on Mar 21, 2014 10:20 AM
      Mark Correct
      Correct Answer
      Scott,
      
      Thought you would appreciate this one . . .
      February was extremely chaotic, so everything went on the back burner for a loooong time (part of the fun when the "CAD Admin" is only about 1% of your job function.)
      
      Went over to IT yesterday, was going to do a "quick" test install on a new computer they were configuring, ran into a few issues:
      1) Went for a Manual Deployment - New server was not set up with a mail client, so it could not send the message/link.
      2) Went to the new computer to manually point it to the .hta file - The new server has EVERYTHING blocked, can't even "see" folders.
      3) Went for an Automatic Deployment - was not able to "connect" to the new computer.
      
      Going to try a few other things here in a little bit, but I thought this was fun enough to share.
      
      Todd
      Like • Show 0 Likes0
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Matt Johnson May 13, 2014 1:28 PM
Mark Correct
Correct Answer
This is really something the IT Dept should be involved in entirely.

The issues you are describing as a whole are typically what happens when you leave IT out of the process then they have to come in after the fact to fix it.

For the SNL server all you need to do is have your IT Dept change the DNS pointer to the new server. It would be transparent to the end-users and the clients would continue to function with no input from the user.

1. Servers are rarely loaded with mail clients (network security thing). If you really want to do the e-mail deploy, you can open the SLDOption Editor from any computer as long as you have access to the network share.

2. Sounds like there was no "Share" created on the server. This does not happen by itself, typically requires some kind of a request to IT.

3. Auto deploy requires that you have admin rights to the target machine. You must also make sure you enter the credentials correctly in the autodeploy options.

Again, I would recommend working with IT to get these very basic issues taken care of.
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Admin Image and copysettings

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