How to you perform a silent gui installation, whilst server is logged off

automated-installgraphical-user-interfacesilentwindows-server-2003

I create silent software installation packages for customers. This is pretty straight forward if the installation is a simple file dump, or add service and start; but a lot more difficult if customer instructions (and payload media), are gui based – 'run setup.exe, click next, enter text…'etc…

So I have been investigating the use of the autoit utility, which enables the installation to proceed as a gui (i.e. exactly as instructed by customer installation instructions), but with all actions performed automatically. However, as far as I can tell, in order to run the gui autoit script, someone with appropriate permissions needs to be logged on to the server.

I need a method to enable the gui script above to run, without any user actually being logged onto the server – similar to the script running as a service. Developing the installation package, delivering the media and installation scripts, then making the call isn't an issue. Getting the script to run through to completion without a user logging onto the server and starting the whole thing off, is.

To more closely look at the issue, I created a simple script to open notepad, enter some text, then save and close…

I have tried: running the script as a service which can 'interact with desktop' – notepad is displayed, but no keystrokes can be sent and the script hangs.

I am investigating to see if it is possible to raise a vncserver session, then export display (similar to unix varients), when I came across this excellent site…

Does anyone know of a method where interactive gui scripts may be raised on a server (e.g. win 2003), where no users are currently logged on at the time?

Thanks

Best Answer

Just an idea, but maybe a batch script in a scheduled task to automagically login as a maintenance user to run the install?

Write the login credentials to the Registry (see KB315231)
Add another script to Startup to clear out the credentials and launch the AutoIt enhanced install
Reboot
Profit!

It's crazy enough that it just might work.

Silent Installation of CC7.1 on Unix

(Community Wiki answer: feel free to edit and improve)

Prerequisite

on Unix or Linux, the installation requires root privileges.
you must have a way to copy the proper installation files on the server (like a sftp access)
your VOBs must be accessible either locally or through a UFS path

Getting the right files

To install the latest CC7.1 (7.1.0.2), you must first install 7.1, then upgrade.
That means you will need:

a compatible system.
a full CC7.1 installation file (through your Passport Advantage account: click on "Customer sign in", then log in, click on "Software download & media access", "I agree", "Download finder", select "IBM Rational ClearCase", then the right platform and language).
It is recommended to load the setup files with Download Director, which supports resume interrupted downloads and perform downloads through firewalls (see here for usage and FAQ).
You will need for:
- Linux x86: IBM Rational ClearCase Linux x86 V7.1 Multilingual(C1SQ8ML.zip, 1.8Go)
- Solaris (Sun): IBM Rational ClearCase Sun5 V7.1 Multilingual(C1SQ9ML.zip, 1.5Go)
- Solaris (x86): IBM Rational ClearCase Solaris-x86 V7.1 Multilingual(CZ0R6ML.zip, 1.1Go)
  Note: if you have Solaris10 on a Sun server, take the Sun5 distro, not the "Solaris-x86" one!
a response file adapted to your platform: you can find a list here.
Choose clearcase_response_sun5.xml or clearcase_response_linux_x86.xml to see an example, but one is actually already included in your Cxxx.zip file.
the latest IM you can get: see this ftp server
the last CC Fix Pack you can get: those are cumulative patches, so you only need the latest one. See this "Available iFixes and Fix Packs for ClearCase Family 7.x" article.
For now, this is the 7.1.0.2 fix pack.
the latest IFix you can get: those are incremental patches, so you need to get all of them since the last Fix pack (see same article).
For now, this is the 7.1.0.2-IFix01.

Copy those 3 or 4 files (Cxxx.zip, latest IM, latest FixPack, [latest IFix]) in any release area you want. Note that you will need around 7Go for the installation files and the complete installation.
For Solaris10 system, 2 installation will be required: - one on the global zone, the release area must be accessible from the ngz (non-global zone) - one in a ngz, with access to the gz release area (read-only access)

Install the main ClearCase Release

unzip all zip files directly in your release area, except for IM: create a sub-directory first (like "IM1.3.1") before unzipping it there.
the main setup zip file Cxxxx.zip will have created a disk1 directory
copy the response file in disk1 to the release area (the parent directory of disk1)
edit your response file and modify the following lines:

If you agree to the license agreement, change the value for the acceptLicense key to true.

<agent-input acceptLicense='true'>

3 repository locations (for CC7.0, latestCC - 7.1.0.2 for instance - and latest IM --1.3 for instance)

<repository location='/my/release/area/disk1/InstallerImage_xxx' />
<repository location='/my/release/area/disk1/IM...' /> <!-- ignored: IM1.2 bundle with CC7.0 -->
<repository location='/my/release/area/im13...' /> <!-- latest IM -->
<repository location='/my/release/area/7.1.0.2...' /> <!-- latest CC -->

example:

<repository location='/usr/scm/ccase_rls/disk1/diskTag.inf' />
<repository location='/usr/scm/ccase_rls/disk1/InstallerImage_solaris' />
<repository location='/usr/scm/ccase_rls/7.1.0.2-RATL-RCC.sun5/repository.config' />
<repository location='/usr/scm/ccase_rls/im13' />

hostname, region and smtp

<data key="user.CC_RegSvrHostName,com.ibm.rational.clearcase.linux_x86" value="mycomputername"/>
<data key="user.CC_RegUNIXRegionName,com.ibm.rational.clearcase.linux_x86" value="unix_region"/>
<data key="user.CC_RegSMTPHostName,com.ibm.rational.clearcase.linux_x86" value="mymailserver.mydomain.com"/>

Atria or Flexm settings

<data key="user.CC_LICENSE_MANAGER,com.ibm.rational.clearcase.linux_x86" value="ATRIA"/>
<data key="user.ATRIA_HOST_IS_REMOTE,com.ibm.rational.clearcase.linux_x86" value="true"/>
<data key="user.ATRIA_REMOTE_HOSTNAME,com.ibm.rational.clearcase.linux_x86" value="atria_hostname"/>
<data key="user.ATRIA_LOCAL_KEY,com.ibm.rational.clearcase.linux_x86" value=""/>
<data key="user.RCL_PortAtHost" value="27000@ss1"/>

For Linux only, I would recommend installing prebuilt MVFS modules, hence the value "0" to the user.CC_MVFSModuleRebuild key. Just make sure you have the source of the kernel at hand with some commands like (all return values can change depending on your context):

$ rpm -q -f /lib/modules/`uname -r`/build/Makefile 
  kernel-devel-2.6.18-92.el5
$ rpm -q -f /lib/modules/`uname -r`/build/Module.symvers 
  kernel-devel-2.6.18-92.el5

or, simpler:

$echo /lib/modules/`uname -r`/build
/lib/modules/2.6.18-128.el5/build

To install the sources of the kernel:

$ cd /usr/src
$ sudo yum install kernel-devel
$ sudo ln -s kernels/2.6.18-128.el5-x86_64 linux

You will see:

$l /lib/modules/2.6.18-128.el5
 lrwxrwxrwx  1 root root     46 Aug 21 17:01 build -> ../../../usr/src/kernels/2.6.18-128.el5-x86_64/

then (still for Linux only):

<data key="user.CC_MVFSModuleRebuild,com.ibm.rational.clearcase.linux_x86" value="0"/>
<data key="user.CC_MVFSModuleKernelPath,com.ibm.rational.clearcase.linux_x86" value="your_kernel_source_directory"/>

A typical default value for the kernel source directory, for Linux, if you have made the slink mentioned above:

<data key="user.CC_MVFSModuleKernelPath,com.ibm.rational.clearcase.linux_x86" value="/usr/src/linux"/>

Select the features you want to install for Rational SDLC, and install also the com.ibm.cic.agent offering feature:

<install>
        <offering id='com.ibm.rational.clearcase....'
        <offering id='com.ibm.cici.agent'

Set the latest versions of CC and IM. You will find their id in:

7.1.0.2-RATL-RCC.linux_x86/repository.config: UPDATES_com.ibm.rational.clearcase.linux_x86~7.1.2.0000-7-1-0-02-00-2009BD090617= com.ibm.rational.clearcase.linux_x86~7.1.0.00-7-1-081110~7.1
im13/configuration/config.ini: im.internal.version=1.3.1000.20090618_1714
To run the installation, from your release area

Command:

 sudo ./im13/install --launcher.ini ./im13/silent-install.ini -silent -ShowVerboseProgress -input ./clearcase_response.xml > & install_7.1.0.0.log

Principles:

if no CC is installed, it will install 7.0, then upgrade 7.1.0.2 in one step.
do not use the IM bundled with CC (disk1/InstallerImage_xxx): it is a 1.2 one, too low to install latest CC. Use directly the latest IM.
always redirect stdout and stderr in a custom ad-hoc log file
if any error message (even a problem during one 'mount vob'), there would be a complete rollback. If so, your ad-hoc log file is useful, but you can also find the IM log files at

IM log files:

/var/ibm/InstallationManager/logs/native

Un-installation

In case of problem or uncompleted installation, you can always un-install the product but:

it removes everything
save /var/adm/atria first (your registry settings)
just replace the element by an <uninstall modify='false'> element
the command remains the same
If you un-install an offerring version 7.1.0.2, it un-installs all ClearCase, not just the patch put on 7.1.0.0

Ubuntu – How to install GUI with Ubuntu Server

i installed Ubuntu Server 9.04, and logged in at the text based login prompt. i was hoping the GUI would then launch so i can configure the server.

I stand by my answer on the question you linked to.

I don't know how much value enabling a GUI will actually give you. Most of the things that you need to do to manage a server you are going to have to do in a terminal anyway. A GUI on a server doesn't really do much for you. There isn't many server services that are configurable from any of the GUIs.

As for how to do install a GUI install on the server. As part of the base install you could choose to install in expert mode. One of the steps will give you the option to choose which tasks, and you can choose to install additional things like the a GUI. It would probably be easier to simply add a GUI after the base-install is complete though. The command you would need to use is sudo apt-get install ubuntu-desktop.