Install Step - Execute package on target for installation

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Cmon Spike

• April 24, 2020 16:33
• Edited

I have an .exe installation package located locally on hundreds of target remote computers at various remote sites. This install package has been previously copied to these computers and MD5 hash verified. How do I execute and install THAT package on each computer rather than a copy located on the PDQ Deploy server using the Install step ???

I have tried something like \\%computername%\c$\PackageDir\package.exe in the install file field which works but all this does is copy the package from the PDQ Deploy server to the target workstation and execute it for install. As mentioned I need to execute the install package previously uploaded and local to the workstation instead.

Btw, \\%computername%\c$\PackageDir\package.exe via script or GPO works just great, but would rather do it using install step instead if possible.

Thanks,

Spike

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  Colby Bouma

  • April 24, 2020 18:52

  You can't use the Install Step for that. You'll have to use a Command or PowerShell Step.

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  Wild Cat

  • August 01, 2020 10:15

  Hello Colby, a relatively new customer here.

  We have recently switched from a competitor product called Specops Deploy, we think PDQ Deploy is a much more interesting product. However, the thing we miss the most from Specops Deploy times is the direct support (that is, NOT a command/PowerShell step) in PDQ Deploy to start installers without enforcing first the copy (download) of all the involved files in a package.
  
  We have packages whose installers total almost 6 GB of disk space, even if the installed footprint is less than that, and it is not wise nor practical to download, via push or pull, all this stuff just to run the install step locally. Yes, we can use the command/PowerShell step as indicated, but why we should when the Install step could easily gives us all the options offered to MSI files (just to make an example) by just using the indicated UNC path?
  
  I can assure you that the competitor product, which is based on a GP extension, works perfectly that way. It just makes sure that the caller environment guarantees that the process' current directory is set to the remote UNC folder where the installer file is located before running it, and you are done. And since the current directory is set at the remote location, pre or post installation scripts can be located there as well and be readily available without, again, the need to copy anything on the local host. Easy, clean, no need to clean up a local cache, and since all the packages are located on a powerful NAS you can have tens of installations running concurrently (we tested up to 80 at once).
  
  I hope PDQ will finally offer one day this possibility. Thank you for the great product.

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  Chris Lambert

  • August 02, 2020 00:35

  Sure you can use a UNC path. For speed for some installs, I have used specific UNC paths. It works fine if folder permissions are set properly

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