Online Demo -- How to use Group Policy to install software (Print Job Agent) remotely

 

Step 1. Modify Print Job Agent.msi

 

Download Print Job Agent.msi ( ZIP ). Modify Print Job Agent.msi package to include the name or IP address of the computer where Print Job Manager is installed, so users don't have to enter it manually when Print Job Agent is run the first time on each workstation.

1.1 Download the orca.msi from https://www.printeradmin.com/download/orca.msi

1.2 Double-click it to install Orca

1.3 Run Orca, click the menu File -> Open to open Print Job Agent.msi

1.4 Click menu Edit -> Find, enter Server_IP,

1.5 click the value of Server_IP, type the name or IP address of the computer where Print Job Manager is installed (for example 192.169.0.3).

If you don’t want to create shortcuts in Windows "Start -> All Programs -> Print Job Agent”, you can remove all shortcuts in “Shortcut” table.

1.6 Click the menu File -> Save, then exit Orca.

Tip: Save the file as original name: Print Job Agent.msi. Otherwise,  it may cause the following Internal Error when you run MSI.

If you get error "Software Installation was unable to read the MSI file \\xxxxx\xxxxx\Print Job Agent.msi. The following error was encountered: SQL query syntax invalid or unsupported" when you deploy the package:

1) Open the MSI file with ORCA 

2) Click on Tables -> add tables and add the Upgrade table. 

3) Save the MSI 

Step 2. Create a Distribution Point

The first step to distributing Print Job Agent across a network is to provide a shared location from which clients can access the Print Job Agent setup files. If there is not already a shared folder set up for this purpose then one can be created in the following manner:

  1. Create a folder in a suitable location with a suitable name

  2. Right-click on the new folder and select Properties
  3. In the properties dialog select the ‘Sharing’ tab and then click on ‘Advanced Sharing…’

  4. Tick ‘Share this folder’ and then click on the ‘Permissions’ button

  5. Add the ‘Read’ permission to 'Shared' folder, then copy Print Job Agent.msi to the 'Shared' folder

 

For Windows 2012 or later

Step 3. Setting up the distribution script

Once the files are in a suitable shared location use the following steps to distribute them across the network:

  1. Open up the ‘Group Policy Management’ window by going to ‘Start Screen’ and locating the Group Policy Management icon.

    Windows Server 2012 Start Menu showing the Group Policy Management shortcut

  2. Expand ‘Forest: [The Forest] > Domains > [The Domain]’. Right-click on ‘Group Policy Objects’ and select ‘New’

  3. Enter a suitable name for the new policy (e.g., Agent Install Policy) and leave ‘Source Starter GPO’ as ‘(none)’

  4. Click on the new policy and then select the ‘Settings’ tab from the right-hand pane. In this tab are 2 configuration headings: ‘Computer Configuration’ and ‘User Configuration’. Right-click anywhere in the panel and select ‘Edit’

  5. Expand ‘User Configuration > Policies > Software Settings’, right-click on ‘Software installation’ and select ‘New > Package’

  6. Select the network location of the Print Job Agent installation files

  7. In the dialog that appears select ‘Assigned’ and click ‘OK’

  8. The selected installer will appear in the ‘Software installation’ panel. (This might take a couple of minutes to happen)

  9. Close the ‘Group Policy Management Editor’ window and return to the ‘Group Policy Management’ window. Right-click on the domain name in the tree and select ‘Link an Existing GPO’ from the drop-down.

  10. Select the new policy from the list and click ‘OK’
  11. Close the Group Policy snap-in, click OK, and then close the Active Directory Users and Computers snap-in.
  12. When the client computer re-starts, the Print Job Agent package is automatically installed.

 

To remove Print Job Agent through Group Policy:

Right Click on the Print Job Agent Package listed in right-pane of the Group Policy window and select Remove.

 

For Windows 2003/Windows 2008

Step 3. Create a Group Policy Object

To create a Group Policy object (GPO) with which to distribute the software package:

1. Start the Active Directory Users and Computers snap-in. To do this, click Start, point to Programs, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Active Directory Users and Computers.
2. In the console tree, right-click your domain, and then click Properties.
3. Click the Group Policy tab, and then click New.
4. Type the name that you want to call this policy (for example, Print Job Agent distribution), and then press ENTER.
5. Click Properties, and then click the Security tab.
6. Click to clear the Apply Group Policy check box for the security groups that you want to prevent from having this policy applied. Click to select the Apply Group Policy check box for the groups to which you want to apply this policy. When you are finished, click OK.

Step 4. Assign a Package

To assign "Print Job Agent" to computers that are running Windows 2000 or later, or to users that are logging on to one of these workstations:

1. Start the Active Directory Users and Computers snap-in. To do this, click Start, point to Programs, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Active Directory Users and Computers.
2. In the console tree, right-click your domain, and then click Properties.
3. Click the Group Policy tab, select the group policy object that you want, and then click Edit.
4. Under Computer Configuration, expand Software Settings.
5. Right-click Software installation, point to New, and then click Package.
6. In the Open dialog box, type the full Universal Naming Convention (UNC) path to the shared folder that contains "Print Job Agent.msi" package that you want. For example, \\file server\share\Print Job Agent.msi

IMPORTANT: Do not browse to the location. Ensure that you use the UNC path to the shared folder.

7. Click Open.
8. Click Assigned, and then click OK. The package is listed in the right pane of the Group Policy window.
9. Close the Group Policy snap-in, click OK, and then quit the Active Directory Users and Computers snap-in. When the client computer starts, the managed software package is automatically installed.

Step 5. Publish a Package

To publish a package to computer users and make it available for installation from the Add/Remove Programs tool in Control Panel:

1. Start the Active Directory Users and Computers snap-in. To do this, click Start, point to Programs, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Active Directory Users and Computers.
2. In the console tree, right-click your domain, and then click Properties.
3. Click the Group Policy tab, select the group policy object that you want, and then click Edit.
4. Under User Configuration, expand Software Settings.
5. Right-click Software installation, point to New, and then click Package.
6. In the Open dialog box, type the full UNC path to the shared folder that contains "Print Job Agent.msi" package that you want. For example, \\file server\share\Print Job Agent.msi

IMPORTANT: Do not browse to the location. Ensure that you use the UNC path to the shared folder.
7. Click Open.
8. Click Published, and then click OK. The package is listed in the right pane of the Group Policy window.
9. Close the Group Policy snap-in, click OK, and then quit the Active Directory Users and Computers snap-in.
10. Test the package:
a. Log on to a workstation that is running Windows 2000 Professional or later by using an account to which you published the package.
b. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel. In Windows, click Start, and then click Control Panel.
c. Double-click Add/Remove Programs or click Add or Remove Programs), and then click Add New Programs.
d. In the Add programs from your network list, click  "Print Job Agent" that you published, and then click Add.  "Print Job Agent" is installed.
e. Click OK, and then click Close.

Redeploy a Package

In some cases, you may want to redeploy a software package. For example, if you upgrade or modify the package. To redeploy a package:

1. Start the Active Directory Users and Computers snap-in. To do this, click Start, point to Programs, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Active Directory Users and Computers.
2. In the console tree, right-click your domain, and then click Properties.
3. Click the Group Policy tab, click the group policy object with which you deployed the package, and then click Edit.
4. Expand the Software Settings container that contains the Software installation item with which you deployed the package.
5. Click the Software installation container that contains the package.
6. In the right pane of the Group Policy window, right-click  "Print Job Agent", point to All Tasks, and then click Redeploy application. The following message is displayed:
Redeploying this application will reinstall the application everywhere it is already installed. Do you want to continue?
7. Click Yes.
8. Quit the Group Policy snap-in, click OK, and then quit the Active Directory Users and Computers snap-in.

Remove a Package

To remove a published or assigned package:

1. Start the Active Directory Users and Computers snap-in. To do this, click Start, point to Programs, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Active Directory Users and Computers.
2. In the console tree, right-click your domain, and then click Properties.
3. Click the Group Policy tab, click the group policy object with which you deployed the package, and then click Edit.
4. Expand the Software Settings container that contains the Software installation item with which you deployed the package.
5. Click the Software installation container that contains the package.
6. In the right pane of the Group Policy window, right-click  "Print Job Agent", point to All Tasks, and then click Remove.
7. Do one of the following:
  Click Immediately uninstall the software from users and computers, and then click OK.
  Click Allow users to continue to use the software, but prevent new installations, and then click OK.
8. Quit the Group Policy snap-in, click OK, and then quit the Active Directory Users and Computers snap-in.

Troubleshooting

Published Packages Displayed on Client Computer After You Use a Group Policy to Remove Them

This situation can occur when a user has installed  "Print Job Agent" but has not used it. When the user first starts the published  "Print Job Agent", the installation is finalized. Group Policy then removes  "Print Job Agent".

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