Java Remote Install via GPO and Permissions

Alright, so we had some training that needed the latest Java(6u14) to work.  I extracted the .msi and pushed it out by GPO by doing the following:

Download the version you want from: http://java.com/en/download/manual.jsp

Install Java to the machine you are using.  Once done, go to

C:\documents and settings\<your username>\application data\sun\java\jre<version> folder.

In this folder, there is an msi and a file called data1.cab.  Copy this to a file share accessible by the clients.

Go to GPMC and add  a new GPO, go to Computer Settings>Software Settings>Software Installation>Right click and add new.  Put in the UNC to the msi file(the cab must be in the same directory as the msi btw).  Then set any permissions you want by going to the properties after it is added.

This is the basic way to get Java to install via GPO.  We had one issue, where the training application needed users to have admin rights to the Java folder for the training to run.  Here is what I did for that.

First, make sure you have PSExec installed on the machine you ware working on.

Run a command psexec \\<remote machine name> echo y| cacls “c:\program files\java” /g “<domain>\domain users”:f

This grants any domain users on the machine have /f(full access) to the java folder.  The echo y| is piped in because, cacls command doesnt have a switch to automatically answer y/n to confirm.  this pipes in the y after you run the command.

There is a great program out there for modifying settings in MSI files.  It’s called orca.  you can get it here. Once installed you can do a ctrl+f to find settings and change them.  Some googling may be needed to find what values things need to be set to, but this is one that I do with Java to make it not prompt users for updates constantly.

In orcca, open the jre<version> msi and go to Property table(left column) and find AutoUpdateCheck in the right side.  Change the value to 0(zero).  Then save the msi.  For more options, you can find info on sun’s website and just by looking through the msi in orca.  A lot of the options are selfexplanatory, but there is the ability to go way more in depth than I currently know how, as well.

~ by chriswebb18 on June 29, 2009.