Difference between revisions of "Test Area"

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Self Service advertisements in Microsoft's SCCM allow us to provide users on Microsoft Windows PCs with the ability to install software at their own convenience.  In nearly all cases, these installs will be completely automated and so will require no user input or interaction aside from starting the software install.  This guide is intended to walk a user through the steps of locating and utilizing Self Service advertisements on their machine.
+
Self Service advertisements in Microsoft's SCCM allow us to provide users on Microsoft Windows PCs with the ability to install software at their own convenience.  In nearly all cases, these installs will be completely automated and so will require no user input or interaction aside from starting the software install.  This guide is intended to walk a user through the steps of locating and running Self Service advertisements on their machine with the Software Center.
  
  
 
'''NOTES:'''
 
'''NOTES:'''
 
* Administrator access is '''not''' required to run Self Service advertised installs.
 
* Administrator access is '''not''' required to run Self Service advertised installs.
−
* Additionally, advertised installs can be performed while off-campus.  However, installs will be the most reliable when your machine is connected to the on-campus network.
+
* Many of these installs have been set to run completely silent in order to reduce unnecessary interruption of your work.  Please note, you will likely receive no alert or notification when an install finishes.  Please be sure to confirm that your install has finished before logging out or restarting your machine.
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* If your machine does not have the Control Panel applets described on this page, or never lists or provides notifications of advertisements, there may be an issue with the SCCM client on your machine.  Contact your department or college computer support department for assistance, and be sure to provide the name of your machine.
+
* Advertised installs can be performed while off-campus.  However, downloads and installs will be the most reliable when your machine is connected to the on-campus network.
−
* All screen images on this page are from Windows 7, but text and options should be the same for Windows XP.  However, we cannot guarantee that all advertised programs will work properly with Windows XP.
+
* If your machine does not have the SCCM applets described on this page, or never lists or provides notifications of advertisements, there may be an issue with the SCCM client on your machine.  Contact your department or college computer support department for assistance, and be sure to provide the name of your machine.
−
* At this time, Windows 7 and XP are the only versions of Windows supported for Self Service advertisements.
+
* All screen images on this page are from Windows 7, but text and options should be the same for Windows 8 and Windows XP.
 +
* At this time, Windows 7 is the only version of Windows that is fully supported for Self Service advertisements.  Windows 8 should be fully supported in early 2013.  We cannot guarantee that all advertised programs will work properly with Windows XP.
  
  
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==Receiving and Locating Self Service Advertisements==
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==<span style="color:blue">Starting the SCCM Software Center==
 +
 
 +
* To open the Software Center, open the Start Menu, and go to All Programs > Microsoft System Center 2012 > Configuration Manager, then click on Software Center.
 +
* After the Software Center finishes loading, you should see the list of applications that have been advertised to your machine.  An example view of the Software Center is provided in ''Figure 1'' below.
 +
 
 +
<table align="center">
 +
<TR><TD>[[Image:SC_offer1.jpg|thumb|500px|'''Figure 1 - Software Center''']]</TD></TR>
 +
</table>
  
 
* Whether or not a program is advertised to your machine is the decision of your college or department computer support.  Some softwares may not be available due to licensing restrictions or other reasons.  You should contact your support personnel if you have questions or a request for a particular software to be advertised.
 
* Whether or not a program is advertised to your machine is the decision of your college or department computer support.  Some softwares may not be available due to licensing restrictions or other reasons.  You should contact your support personnel if you have questions or a request for a particular software to be advertised.
 
* Please also note that you are not required to install a software that is advertised to your machine.  Just as some softwares may not be advertised for varying reasons, others may be advertised that you do not need.
 
* Please also note that you are not required to install a software that is advertised to your machine.  Just as some softwares may not be advertised for varying reasons, others may be advertised that you do not need.
−
* You will receive automatic notifications whenever your machine receives an advertisement.  The notification will look like the image in ''Figure 1''.
 
  
−
<table>  
+
 
−
<TR><TD>[[Image:Sccm_offer1.jpg|thumb|300px|'''Figure 1 - Notification balloon''']]</TD></TR>
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==<span style="color:blue">Searching for Advertisements==
 +
 
 +
===Search and the Top Section===
 +
 
 +
* The new Software Center contains a very useful Search field in the top right.  The search will look for matches in the Name, Publisher, and Description fields, and in any Keywords set for an advertised package.
 +
** To use it, simply type in the Search field.  You can type in a software or manufacturer name, or even a version number.
 +
** The search is not case-sensitive.  So "microsoft" will work the same as "Microsoft".
 +
* The search bar is highlighted in ''Figure 2'' below, which shows the top section of the Software Center.
 +
 
 +
<table align="center">  
 +
<TR><TD>[[Image:SC_offer2.jpg|thumb|600px|'''Figure 2 - Top Section - Provides a search field''']]</TD></TR>
 
</table>
 
</table>
  
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* Currently these notifications cannot be disabled, but you may ignore them if you wish.  If you click on the notification, it will bring up a list of all the software installs that are advertised to your machine. You can also bring up this list manually from Control Panel.
+
* We '''strongly''' recommend that you make use of the Search to locate advertisements you wish to run.
 +
* The other options and tabs in this top section can be safely ignored at this time.
  
−
====Finding advertisements in Control Panel====
 
  
−
* To locate the list of software installs that have been advertised to your machine, navigate to Control Panel > Programs > Run Advertised Programs.  That will open the window shown in ''Figure 2''.  From here you can select a program and choose to install it.  It will also give details on the last time an install was run and whether it was considered successful.
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===The Software List===
  
−
<table>  
+
* The middle section of the Software Center lists the available advertisements on your machine.  If you have utilized the Search field, it will display any advertisements that match your search.
−
<TR><TD>[[Image:Sccm_offer3.jpg|thumb|500px|'''Figure 2 - Run Advertised Programs''']]</TD></TR>
+
* ''Figure 3'' below shows an example of the software list.
 +
** Note that a Mozilla Firefox advertisement has been selected in this image.
 +
 
 +
<table align="center">  
 +
<TR><TD>[[Image:SC_offer3.jpg|thumb|600px|'''Figure 3 - Middle Section - The list of available software''']]</TD></TR>
 
</table>
 
</table>
  
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* Please note, if this list is empty, most likely your machine has not yet updated and received its assignments.  To resolve this, wait 10-15 minutes and then check again.  If necessary, you can force an update manually.  To do so, go to Control Panel > System and Security > Configuration Manager, click on the Actions Tab, and initiate the "Machine Policy Retrieval and Evaluation Cycle" action.
+
* The "Name" and "Status" columns are the most important in this section.
 +
** All advertisement names should include the software name, the manufacturer of the software, and the software version.  Any other details are for internal use.
 +
** The status for an advertisement will change when downloading, installing, and after completion.  A finished advertisement should show either "Installed" if successful, or "Failed" if not.
  
  
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==Understanding and Running an Advertisement==
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==<span style="color:blue">Understanding and Running an Advertisement==
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====Advertisement Details====
 
  
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* Before you start any install, we '''strongly recommend''' that you review any details provided about the software install.  It's important to understand how long an install may potentially take and the necessary free disk space required for the full installation.  This is especially true considering many installs may be completely silent, and so you will not receive any indication that it has succeeded or failed.
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===Advertisement Details===
  
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* To view the details of an install, highlight an advertised install in the list and click the '''Details''' button to view the window shown in ''Figure 3'' and ''Figure 4''.
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* The bottom section provides additional information about the advertisement you have selected.
 +
* ''Figure 4'' below provides a view of this section.
 +
** Note that this view is displaying information about the Mozilla Firefox advertisement selected in Figure 3.
  
−
<table>  
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<table align="center">  
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<TR><TD>[[Image:Sccm_offer6.jpg|thumb|300px|'''Figure 3 - Details - General Tab''']]</TD><TD>[[Image:Sccm_offer7.jpg|thumb|300px|'''Figure 3 - Details - Advanced Tab''']]</TD></TR>
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<TR><TD>[[Image:SC_offer4.jpg|thumb|600px|'''Figure 4 - Bottom Section - Details about the selected advertisement''']]</TD></TR>
 
</table>
 
</table>
  
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* What to look for:
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* The important information to look for is:
−
*# '''Package Name:'''  All package names should include the software name, the manufacturer of the software, and the software version.  Any other details are for internal use.
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*# '''Package Name:'''  Again, all package names should include the software name, the manufacturer of the software, and the software version.
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*# '''Comments:'''  Important details regarding the package will be placed here. There is limited space in this section, but at the least we will try to include the maximum length of time a package should take to install, whether or not the package is completely silent, and if a restart is required before using the software.
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*# '''Status:'''  Will start as ''Available'', and will update as an advertisement is downloading, installing, and when finished.
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*# ''Top Section''
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*#* When an advertisement is installing, you will see ''Installing''.
−
*#* '''User Input required:'''  If this is "No", then the install is completely silent.  If it is "Yes", then you may see progress on the install, but you will not necessarily be prompted for any input.
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*#* If an advertisement succeeds, it will change to ''Installed''.
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*#* '''Estimated disk space:'''  The necessary free disk space required on your hard drive for the install.  Please note, all software packages will install to your C drive.
+
*#* If it fails, it will change to ''Failed''.  You will then be able to click on it to get additional details about the failure.
−
*# ''Middle Section''
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*# ''Requirements Section''
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*#* '''After program runs:'''  This can be ignored.
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*#* '''Restart required:'''  Unfortunately, this field is unreliable.  Most advertisements should not require a restart.  If one does, you *should* receive a notification of a required restart in your taskbar.
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*#* '''This program must run first:''' Some softwares may require small scripts or prerequisite installers to run first.  These will almost always be silent.
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*#* '''Download size:'''  This is the size of the downloaded install files.  It is not the amount of space required to install the program.  Contact your college or departmental IT support if you are unsure if you have enough disk space.
−
*# '''Additional requirements:''' Any additional required information that cannot be fit in comments may go here. An example may be the name of a companion software that is required
+
*#* '''Estimated time:'''  The time required to install the program.  This does not include the time required to download the install files.  Older advertisements do not properly fill out this field.  You can safely assume 1 hour for most installations.
 +
*# '''Description:''' Additional details about the installation will go here, if provided by the administrator who creates the advertisement.  Please note, not all advertisements will have any information here.
 +
*# '''INSTALL:'''  Click this button to run the advertisement.  Your machine will begin downloading the installation files and will immediately start the installation once the download is finished.
 +
*#* If an install succeeds, this button will change to either '''REINSTALL''' or '''UNINSTALL'''.  Please do not
 +
*#* If an install fails, this will change to '''RETRY'''.
 +
 
  
−
====Running an Advertised Install====
+
===Running an Advertised Install===
  
 
* Again, please note that you do not have to be an Administrator on the machine to run an advertised install.  ''However'', once installed, a software may require administrator privileges in order to use certain features.
 
* Again, please note that you do not have to be an Administrator on the machine to run an advertised install.  ''However'', once installed, a software may require administrator privileges in order to use certain features.
−
* Advertised installs can be performed from off-campus as well.  However, additional testing is required to determine how being off-campus affects download and install times.
+
* Advertised installs can be performed from off-campus as well.  However, downloading the installation files may take longer while off-campus, so please allow for extra time.
−
* Select a software from the list and click '''Run'''.  The window in ''Figure 5'' will appear:
+
* Select a software from the list and click '''INSTALL''' in the bottom right.  Your computer will begin downloading the install media and will immediately begin the installation once the download is finished.
−
 
+
* '''Do not''' log out or restart your machine while an advertised install is running.
−
<table>
+
* If an install prompts you to restart as part of the process, please note that after Windows restarts, you must log back in for the advertised install to continue.
−
<TR><TD>[[Image:Sccm_offer8.jpg|thumb|300px|'''Figure 5 - Program Download''']]</TD><TD valign="top">
+
* Again, '''please note''' that most installs may be completely silent.  We recommend that you keep the Software Center open and periodically check the status of your selected install.
−
<br>
 
−
* Clicking '''Properties''' here will bring up the package details. Again, we recommend you read all details on a package before installing.<br><br>
 
−
* The "Program size" listed here is the size of the download, ''not'' the size of the finished install.<br><br>
 
−
* The "Estimated time to download" will always be wrong because it is estimated for a 56K connection.
 
−
** For a rough estimate while on-campus, assume the value for hours is actually for minutes.  For example, in ''Figure 5'', you can assume the download will take ~7 minutes instead of 7 hours.<br><br>
 
−
* You may click the checkbox at the bottom to have the install begin as soon as the download is completed.
 
−
</TD></TR>
 
−
</table>
 
−
 
 
−
* Once you are ready, click the '''Download''' button.  Your computer will begin downloading the install media.  Once it is finished, it will prompt you to begin the install, or will begin it automatically if you checked that option earlier.
 
−
* Again, '''please note''' that some installs may be completely silent.  For those installs, you should allow the maximum allowed time to pass before attempting to use the software.
 
  
  
−
==Additional details and troubleshooting==
+
==<span style="color:blue">Additional details and troubleshooting==
  
−
* If a program fails to download or install, check the amount of free disk space on your C drive.  It is good practice to keep at least 10% free disk space for Microsoft Windows.
+
* If the Software Center shows no advertisements available, your machine may not yet have checked in and received its assignments.  To resolve this, wait 10-15 minutes and then check again. 
−
* If a silent install appears to have failed, restart your computer.  If it is still missing, attempt the install again.
+
* If necessary, you can manually force your machine to check in (requires administrator privileges).  To do so, go to Control Panel > System and Security > Configuration Manager, click on the Actions Tab, and initiate the "Machine Policy Retrieval and Evaluation Cycle" action.
 +
* The Software Center sometimes does not properly load the list of advertisements if you are running it while connected by Remote Desktop Connection.  If you encounter issues while connected remotely, restart the machine and connect again, or wait until you are locally at the machine.
 +
* If a program fails to download or install, check the amount of free disk space on your C drive.  It is good practice to keep at least 10-15% free disk space for Microsoft Windows.
 +
* If a silent install appears to have failed, restart your computer.  If it is still missing, attempt the install one more time.  If after that it still fails, click on the Failed status and note the error code.  Then notify your computer support for assistance and provide them that error code along with any other useful information.
 
* If you receive an error message either from the install or during the download process, or a software appears to have installed properly but is missing features or licensing information, contact your department or college computer support for assistance.
 
* If you receive an error message either from the install or during the download process, or a software appears to have installed properly but is missing features or licensing information, contact your department or college computer support for assistance.

Latest revision as of 15:46, 19 December 2012

Self Service advertisements in Microsoft's SCCM allow us to provide users on Microsoft Windows PCs with the ability to install software at their own convenience. In nearly all cases, these installs will be completely automated and so will require no user input or interaction aside from starting the software install. This guide is intended to walk a user through the steps of locating and running Self Service advertisements on their machine with the Software Center.


NOTES:

  • Administrator access is not required to run Self Service advertised installs.
  • Many of these installs have been set to run completely silent in order to reduce unnecessary interruption of your work. Please note, you will likely receive no alert or notification when an install finishes. Please be sure to confirm that your install has finished before logging out or restarting your machine.
  • Advertised installs can be performed while off-campus. However, downloads and installs will be the most reliable when your machine is connected to the on-campus network.
  • If your machine does not have the SCCM applets described on this page, or never lists or provides notifications of advertisements, there may be an issue with the SCCM client on your machine. Contact your department or college computer support department for assistance, and be sure to provide the name of your machine.
  • All screen images on this page are from Windows 7, but text and options should be the same for Windows 8 and Windows XP.
  • At this time, Windows 7 is the only version of Windows that is fully supported for Self Service advertisements. Windows 8 should be fully supported in early 2013. We cannot guarantee that all advertised programs will work properly with Windows XP.


Starting the SCCM Software Center

  • To open the Software Center, open the Start Menu, and go to All Programs > Microsoft System Center 2012 > Configuration Manager, then click on Software Center.
  • After the Software Center finishes loading, you should see the list of applications that have been advertised to your machine. An example view of the Software Center is provided in Figure 1 below.
Figure 1 - Software Center
  • Whether or not a program is advertised to your machine is the decision of your college or department computer support. Some softwares may not be available due to licensing restrictions or other reasons. You should contact your support personnel if you have questions or a request for a particular software to be advertised.
  • Please also note that you are not required to install a software that is advertised to your machine. Just as some softwares may not be advertised for varying reasons, others may be advertised that you do not need.


Searching for Advertisements

Search and the Top Section

  • The new Software Center contains a very useful Search field in the top right. The search will look for matches in the Name, Publisher, and Description fields, and in any Keywords set for an advertised package.
    • To use it, simply type in the Search field. You can type in a software or manufacturer name, or even a version number.
    • The search is not case-sensitive. So "microsoft" will work the same as "Microsoft".
  • The search bar is highlighted in Figure 2 below, which shows the top section of the Software Center.
Figure 2 - Top Section - Provides a search field
  • We strongly recommend that you make use of the Search to locate advertisements you wish to run.
  • The other options and tabs in this top section can be safely ignored at this time.


The Software List

  • The middle section of the Software Center lists the available advertisements on your machine. If you have utilized the Search field, it will display any advertisements that match your search.
  • Figure 3 below shows an example of the software list.
    • Note that a Mozilla Firefox advertisement has been selected in this image.
Figure 3 - Middle Section - The list of available software
  • The "Name" and "Status" columns are the most important in this section.
    • All advertisement names should include the software name, the manufacturer of the software, and the software version. Any other details are for internal use.
    • The status for an advertisement will change when downloading, installing, and after completion. A finished advertisement should show either "Installed" if successful, or "Failed" if not.


Understanding and Running an Advertisement

  • The bottom section provides additional information about the advertisement you have selected.
  • Figure 4 below provides a view of this section.
    • Note that this view is displaying information about the Mozilla Firefox advertisement selected in Figure 3.
Figure 4 - Bottom Section - Details about the selected advertisement
  • The important information to look for is:
    1. Package Name: Again, all package names should include the software name, the manufacturer of the software, and the software version.
    2. Status: Will start as Available, and will update as an advertisement is downloading, installing, and when finished.
      • When an advertisement is installing, you will see Installing.
      • If an advertisement succeeds, it will change to Installed.
      • If it fails, it will change to Failed. You will then be able to click on it to get additional details about the failure.
    3. Requirements Section
      • Restart required: Unfortunately, this field is unreliable. Most advertisements should not require a restart. If one does, you *should* receive a notification of a required restart in your taskbar.
      • Download size: This is the size of the downloaded install files. It is not the amount of space required to install the program. Contact your college or departmental IT support if you are unsure if you have enough disk space.
      • Estimated time: The time required to install the program. This does not include the time required to download the install files. Older advertisements do not properly fill out this field. You can safely assume 1 hour for most installations.
    4. Description: Additional details about the installation will go here, if provided by the administrator who creates the advertisement. Please note, not all advertisements will have any information here.
    5. INSTALL: Click this button to run the advertisement. Your machine will begin downloading the installation files and will immediately start the installation once the download is finished.
      • If an install succeeds, this button will change to either REINSTALL or UNINSTALL. Please do not
      • If an install fails, this will change to RETRY.


Running an Advertised Install

  • Again, please note that you do not have to be an Administrator on the machine to run an advertised install. However, once installed, a software may require administrator privileges in order to use certain features.
  • Advertised installs can be performed from off-campus as well. However, downloading the installation files may take longer while off-campus, so please allow for extra time.
  • Select a software from the list and click INSTALL in the bottom right. Your computer will begin downloading the install media and will immediately begin the installation once the download is finished.
  • Do not log out or restart your machine while an advertised install is running.
  • If an install prompts you to restart as part of the process, please note that after Windows restarts, you must log back in for the advertised install to continue.
  • Again, please note that most installs may be completely silent. We recommend that you keep the Software Center open and periodically check the status of your selected install.


Additional details and troubleshooting

  • If the Software Center shows no advertisements available, your machine may not yet have checked in and received its assignments. To resolve this, wait 10-15 minutes and then check again.
  • If necessary, you can manually force your machine to check in (requires administrator privileges). To do so, go to Control Panel > System and Security > Configuration Manager, click on the Actions Tab, and initiate the "Machine Policy Retrieval and Evaluation Cycle" action.
  • The Software Center sometimes does not properly load the list of advertisements if you are running it while connected by Remote Desktop Connection. If you encounter issues while connected remotely, restart the machine and connect again, or wait until you are locally at the machine.
  • If a program fails to download or install, check the amount of free disk space on your C drive. It is good practice to keep at least 10-15% free disk space for Microsoft Windows.
  • If a silent install appears to have failed, restart your computer. If it is still missing, attempt the install one more time. If after that it still fails, click on the Failed status and note the error code. Then notify your computer support for assistance and provide them that error code along with any other useful information.
  • If you receive an error message either from the install or during the download process, or a software appears to have installed properly but is missing features or licensing information, contact your department or college computer support for assistance.
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