The information in this article applies to:
- Microsoft Systems Management Server versions 1.0 and 1.1
SUMMARY
This article describes several SMS workstation package problems, and what
you can do to resolve them.
MORE INFORMATION
The Workstation Package Has Been Created And Distributed With No Errors
But The Item Never Shows Up In The Pending Folder Of The Destination
Systems Package Command Manager
- Check the package workstation properties and confirm that the Supported
Platforms pick list has the destination systems platform selected. Using
SMS Administrator, check the PC Properties for the destination system
and confirm that SMS has the correct platform type listed for the target
system.
- Get the CurrentLogonServer location and the Unique SMS ID from the
hidden C:\SMS.INI file. Using these, check the
\\<logonserver>\SMS_SHR\PCMINS.BOX directory for a file with the name
<Unique SMS ID>.INS. If this file does not exist, the instruction file
for this system is missing from that logon server. The SMS Maintenance
Manager is responsible for placing these files on the logon servers.
Check the \SMS\LOGS\MAINTMAN.LOG file for errors that may have occurred
when this file was replicated from the Site server to the logon server.
Check Appendix C of the "SMS Administrator's Guide" for details.
- If the <SMS ID>.INS file exists on the logon server, use PCMDUMP to
display it's contents. Careful examination of the Display Date and
Expiration Date fields may indicated why the package has not been
displayed on the destination system.
For more information on using PCMDUMP to display the contents of an .INS
file, see Knowledge Base article Q123499.
PCMDUMP can be copied from the \PSSTOOLS directory on the SMS CD.
Mandatory Package Does Not Execute On Time Or Does Not Execute At All
- Use PCMDUMP to check the value of the Install By Date field. Compare
this date/time stamp with the destination system current date/time
The system time must be on or after the Install By Date before PCM will
run the package.
- If the package is supposed to run unattended on a Windows NT system that
has no user logged on locally, ensure that the follow conditions are
met:
- The package must not use console I/O. This means that nothing can
print to the screen or require keyboard or mouse input. The PCMSVC
service is responsible for executing System Background installation
tasks and has no access to the local console for I/O. Any console I/O
in this type of package will fail.
- Confirm that both Automated Command Line and System (Background) Task
are selected in the package's workstation properties.
- Confirm that PCM service user account for the Windows NT client has
sufficient rights to execute the job on the system. On a Windows NT
system in a secure environment, it is possible keep the PCM
service from accessing particular directories or other Windows NT
system objects, causing the installation to fail.
The Package Fails To Execute Properly Or Does Not Execute At All
- Ensure that the package source directory and the package command line
have been configured correctly:
a. Ensure that the command line points to a valid executable.
b. Ensure all directory path references are relative to the package
source directory and are not absolute directory references. For
example, to execute SETUP.EXE in the INSTALL directory of a package,
use a relative path in the command line (INSTALL\SETUP.EXE). Do not
use an absolute directory path reference
(\\SMSSVR\D$\PACKAGE1\INSTALL\SETUP.EXE).
- Manually run the package command line using PCMDUMP to determine what
distribution servers contain the package. Connect to one of the listed
server shares and change to the directory listed for the package. Run
the packages command line from this directory. Look for errors that
reference incorrect paths or missing files.
- Confirm that the package directory contains a mirrored image of the
original source directory specified when the package was created. Except
for the top level directory name, both directory trees should be
identical. If they are not, check the DESPOOL.LOG file for any errors
that may have occurred while the directory structure was being created
on the distribution server.
- If the distribution directory does not exist on the servers, check the
\SMS\LOGS\DESPOOL.LOG file on the SMS Site server for errors referring
to the creation and file population of this directory.
The Package Instruction Files Never Arrive Or Never Get Updated In The
<Logon Server>\Sms_Shr\Pcmins.Box Directory
- Check the SMS Site server \SMS\SITE.SRV\MAINCFG.BOX\PCMDOM.BOX\<clients
domain>\ directory. Confirm that an instruction file exists for the
client and that it has been updated since the package was distributed.
Use PCMDUMP if you are unsure of the status or contents of this file.
- If this file exists and has been updated, check the
\SMS\LOGS\MAINTMAN.LOG file for any errors that may have been logged
when SMS attempted to transfer this file to the logon servers. The SMS
Maintenance Manager will replicate these files at a regular watchdog
interval. Use the log file to confirm that this watchdog cycle has
actually taken place and that the logon server in question was one of
its targets.
- If this file does not exist, or has not been updated with the current
package, check the DESPOOL.LOG file for any error referring to the
creation or distribution of instruction files.
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