Win 2K Network Admin question

[Viztech]

I am working on installing software on remote 2K workstations by using the 'run as' command while the user is logged in. Our user's have local 'Power User' rights, and not all software will install if it needs to write to the registry. I'm using Net Meeting to take control of user's desktops to execute the installation, so I do not need to travel to user's dektops.

I have had success using .exe installation packages, but not .msi or .vbs installers. :|

There is a work-around to installing these .msi and .vbs files by using 'run as' to start the mmc.exe (MS Management Console), giving users local administrator's rights, then having them log on again. User's can literally install the software as themselves at that point, and I can relenquish admin rights before I have them reboot after the install is complete.

I know that there must be an easier way to do this, but I need to be able to protect our administrative passwords as well, so scripts that can be opened to reveal passwords are out.

Anybody have a better method?

viz

 

[Robor]

Here's my method - probably the long way but it works... Log off as the user, log in as the admin, browse to the share (admin access only), copy the files to the local system (normally \program files\data$), run the service setup, log off as the admin, and log back in as the user (so they don't have the admin username from the last login). Entire process takes about 2-3 minutes. I know that isn't easier than doing it remotely but it's still a pretty quick install.

 

[Saltin]

You really should look into using Group Policy to either
1) assign/publish the software to users
2) assign the software to computers.

This assumes you are using Active Directory.

I do this at work all the time and it works like a charm, just yesterday I did 45 client installs of Norton Anti-Virus Enterprise edition in under ten minutes with this method.

No fuss, no muss. All permission problems eliminated. The next time the machines are booted up, BAM, the software is installed.