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Unattended install of .msi (msiexec.exe /qn /i ) hangs if user not logged on - GMetrixSMS 4.1.2.x

GMetrixSMS 4.1.2.x unattended install

I’m running into an install issue that I have not encountered with any other .MSI setup; Installation hangs when trying to deploy the software unattended. 


For example, if I log in and run ‘msiexec.exe /qn /I <file>’, the installation runs fine.

However, If I deploy from Altiris, and I am not logged in, the installation just hangs. If I give msiexec a logfile parameter, no log file is written. If I deploy and I am logged in, installation succeeds.

To successfully push this software, I must be logged into the computer with the same account that I am running the Altiris job as. I’m using the same technique that I have used with hundreds of other application installs. Only this one is having this issue.

Any Ideas on how what might be causing this?


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Answers (4)

Posted by: jcaine 8 years ago
Senior White Belt
1

After the /qn try adding the ALLUSERS=1 flag to your command

It may also require a transform file (.mst) created from using either ORCA or Instedit

example:

start /wait msiexec /qn /i filename.msi TRANSFORMS=filename.mst

Posted by: anonymous_9363 8 years ago
Red Belt
0
ALLUSERS is already set to 1 in the MSI.

I suspect the problem is the Custom Action named 'LUACA_0001'. Using InstEdit, create a transform (MST) with this CA conditioned-out (I typically use '0=1' for that) and alter your command appropriately so that the transform gets applied:

msiexec.exe /i "%~DP0[name_of_MSI]" TRANSFORMS="%~DP0[name_of_MST]" /qn /l*v %SystemRoot%\TEMP\[name_of_log file]

Bypass Altiris for now by using PSExec. See how that works.

Comments:
  • Found another post on making the transform; I made the transform and tried it; Running the Altiris job as an admin account, and logged into the target machine with a non-admin account. Msiexec.exe has triggered an 'Interactive Service Detection' of course I cannot view the message... - amsailer 8 years ago
Posted by: anonymous_9363 8 years ago
Red Belt
0
So the MSi is still trying to pop-up a message. Are you *sure* that the MSI got applied? You can check the log to see if the line with the text "COMMAND LINE" in it contains the string.

Run the command directly on a workstation (you have VMs you can test with, right?). Use the logging option and, as soon as you see the pop-up message, open the log in a decent text editor (i.e. anything that's not Notepad...) You'll see what action is currently executing.

Comments:
  • I disabled the "Interactive Services Detection" service, and now I'm getting a log file generated up until the point where msiexec hangs on the install. Here's the last portion of that log file:

    <SNIP>
    MSI (s) (04:F8) [14:28:31:758]: Note: 1: 2205 2: 3: MsiAssembly
    MSI (s) (04:F8) [14:28:31:758]: Note: 1: 2228 2: 3: MsiAssembly 4: SELECT `MsiAssembly`.`Attributes`, `MsiAssembly`.`File_Application`, `MsiAssembly`.`File_Manifest`, `Component`.`KeyPath` FROM `MsiAssembly`, `Component` WHERE `MsiAssembly`.`Component_` = `Component`.`Component` AND `MsiAssembly`.`Component_` = ?
    Action start 14:28:31: CostFinalize.
    MSI (s) (04:F8) [14:28:31:779]: Doing action: LUACA_0001
    Action ended 14:28:31: CostFinalize. Return value 1.
    MSI (s) (04:F8) [14:28:31:779]: PROPERTY CHANGE: Adding RUNLUAFILE property. Its value is 'GmxDeleteFolder.lua'.
    Action start 14:28:31: LUACA_0001.
    MSI (s) (04:F8) [14:28:31:779]: Doing action: UNINSTALLAPPLICATION
    Action ended 14:28:31: LUACA_0001. Return value 1.
    <INSTALL HANGS HERE>

    Here's the relevant portion of a log file from a successful manual install:

    <SNIP>
    MSI (s) (A8:28) [14:26:49:663]: Note: 1: 2205 2: 3: MsiAssembly
    MSI (s) (A8:28) [14:26:49:663]: Note: 1: 2228 2: 3: MsiAssembly 4: SELECT `MsiAssembly`.`Attributes`, `MsiAssembly`.`File_Application`, `MsiAssembly`.`File_Manifest`, `Component`.`KeyPath` FROM `MsiAssembly`, `Component` WHERE `MsiAssembly`.`Component_` = `Component`.`Component` AND `MsiAssembly`.`Component_` = ?
    Action start 14:26:49: CostFinalize.
    MSI (s) (A8:28) [14:26:49:686]: Doing action: LUACA_0001
    Action ended 14:26:49: CostFinalize. Return value 1.
    MSI (s) (A8:28) [14:26:49:686]: PROPERTY CHANGE: Adding RUNLUAFILE property. Its value is 'GmxDeleteFolder.lua'.
    Action start 14:26:49: LUACA_0001.
    MSI (s) (A8:28) [14:26:49:686]: Doing action: UNINSTALLAPPLICATION
    Action ended 14:26:49: LUACA_0001. Return value 1.
    MSI (s) (A8:38) [14:26:49:711]: Invoking remote custom action. DLL: C:\Windows\Installer\MSIB882.tmp, Entrypoint: RunLuaScript
    MSI (s) (A8:84) [14:26:49:711]: Generating random cookie.
    MSI (s) (A8:84) [14:26:49:713]: Created Custom Action Server with PID 6028 (0x178C).
    MSI (s) (A8:3C) [14:26:49:851]: Running as a service.
    MSI (s) (A8:3C) [14:26:49:852]: Hello, I'm your 32bit Impersonated custom action server.
    Action start 14:26:49: UNINSTALLAPPLICATION.
    MSI (s) (A8:28) [14:26:49:883]: Doing action: InstallValidate
    Action ended 14:26:49: UNINSTALLAPPLICATION. Return value 1.
    Action start 14:26:49: InstallValidate.
    MSI (s) (A8:28) [14:26:49:884]: PROPERTY CHANGE: Deleting MsiRestartManagerSessionKey property. Its current value is 'a3ecdb6cf7a29749bb378815d8b2d7af'.
    MSI (s) (A8:28) [14:26:49:884]: Feature: CoreFiles; Installed: Absent; Request: Local; Action: Local
    MSI (s) (A8:28) [14:26:49:884]: Component: RegValAdd_0001; Installed: Absent; Request: Local; Action: Local
    <SNIP> - amsailer 8 years ago
Posted by: anonymous_9363 8 years ago
Red Belt
0
The first log clearly shows that the custom action 'LUA[whatever]' is being executed so either you haven't conditioned it out or the transform isn't being applied.

Comments:
  • Success!

    Two things of note; I may have not created my transform correctly the first time. Also, I had to modify two items under 'InstallExecuteSequence' - 'LUACA_001' set to '0=1' and 'UNINSTALLAPPLICATION' set to '0=1'

    These were task sequence 1001 and 1002, respectively.

    Thanks for the help! - amsailer 8 years ago
 
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