Working with Server 2008

[Gamingphreek]

I'm still learning my way around working in a Domain and Group Policy managed environment and I had a few questions.

1. I just recently learned how to create a GPO and tell it to install a piece of software on select computers throughout the Domain. As of this point, it requires a restart to install the software.

First off, I have not found a way to install to the entire Domain outside of selecting each and every computer-- am I missing something? Is there any way to install the software without a restart? Additionally, is there a way to tell all domain computers that are not logged on to restart?

Additionally, is this really the best way to push/pull software to computers? The only software I can install/uninstall remotely is that which I have installed via the GPO. For instance, if I wanted to uninstall software already on the computer, or do a 1 time install, is this really the best way?

2. I need to push some files out to every computer on the domain, is there any way to push some files out to a set directory? (Nothing needs to be installed, it just needs to be copied to the appropriate directory on all the systems).

(If anyone can recommend a very good Windows Server 2008 book I can read through and use as reference, that would be amazing!)

Thanks,
-Kevin

 

[imagoon]

1) You need to put the computers in a group policy object and assign the software from there.

2) Yes, if you want it done at the "computer" level you use: Computer Configuration > preferences >> Windows Settings >> Files (or folders) and tell it to copy the files. "Domain Computers" must have access rights for this to work correctly. At the user level you would do the same thing but under "User Configuration"

 

[Gamingphreek]

1) You need to put the computers in a group policy object and assign the software from there.

2) Yes, if you want it done at the "computer" level you use: Computer Configuration > preferences >> Windows Settings >> Files (or folders) and tell it to copy the files. "Domain Computers" must have access rights for this to work correctly. At the user level you would do the same thing but under "User Configuration"

What I don't understand is when I select Windows Settings >> Files it asks for a source and destination file no matter what (Unless I am deleting).

My source file is the file I want to copy, but it wants me to select a destination file as well. If I am copying (I guess creating in that case) a file, why am I selecting a destination file?

-Kevin

 

[seepy83]

What I don't understand is when I select Windows Settings >> Files it asks for a source and destination file no matter what (Unless I am deleting).

My source file is the file I want to copy, but it wants me to select a destination file as well. If I am copying (I guess creating in that case) a file, why am I selecting a destination file?

-Kevin

I haven't used these GPO settings before, but from the documentation it looks like Destination is the location you want to place the file on the computer that is applying the GPO. So your source might be \\Server01\Share\File.xxx, and the desintation might be %userprofile%\desktop\File.xxx. Obviously test this before putting it in production, but that is what I get from the help docs.

 

[Gamingphreek]

I haven't used these GPO settings before, but from the documentation it looks like Destination is the location you want to place the file on the computer that is applying the GPO. So your source might be \\Server01\Share\File.xxx, and the desintation might be %userprofile%\desktop\File.xxx. Obviously test this before putting it in production, but that is what I get from the help docs.

Oh you are saying to format it similarly to how you would rename files in a *nix based environment.

cp File.a OLD_File.a

That is renaming on a *nix Environment, so the Destination is expecting what I want to name the files when they are copied there. Gotcha - I'll give that a shot and let you know what I find.

Thanks
-Kevin

 

[Nothinman]

Oh you are saying to format it similarly to how you would rename files in a *nix based environment.

cp File.a OLD_File.a

That is renaming on a *nix Environment, so the Destination is expecting what I want to name the files when they are copied there. Gotcha - I'll give that a shot and let you know what I find.

Thanks
-Kevin

Actually that's copying a file in unix, renaming would use the mv command. And the syntax is virtually the same as the Windows cli equivalents.

 

[imagoon]

The GPO file copies work like seepy83 mentioned. It is incredibly handy for doing stuff that is user independent like dropping an icon/shortcut in to "all users" etc on a locked down machine because the copy happens as "System" when run as a "computer configuration" task.

The newer 2008 style of GPO is light years ahead of the old stock 2003 versions. Granted 2003 can manage those GPO's as long as you have a Vista / Windows 7 machine to manage from.