You are trying to install a Desktop Central agent. However, it fails. You are unable to install the agent even after following the resolutions provided. You see either of the following errors on the screen:
Each of the errors mentioned above can be solved using the resolutions provided in the respective knowledge base articles. However, if you cannot solve them you can use a script to install the agent manually.
Desktop Central installs agents remotely using the credentials of the administrator for a domain or that of a common administrator. These credentials are specified while adding a domain or workgroup. The installation may fail if a remote connection cannot be established.
Run a script on a single computer
You are required to run a script required to install an agent on a single computer.
To run the script, follow the steps given below:
- Download the DesktopCentralAgent.msi. Follow the steps given below:
- Click the Admin tab
- In the Global Settings section, click Scope of Management
- Click Download Agent
- Select the required office
Note: This can be a local office or a remote office depending on which computers you want to install agents in.
- Download the script InstallAgent.txt
- Rename it to InstallAgent.vbs
- Run the script in each of the client computers from
the command prompt: CSCRIPT InstallAgent.vbs DesktopCentralAgent.msi
You have run the script required to install an agent on a single computer.
Run the script in multiple computers using startup script of Active
Directory
You can install an agent in your client computers using the startup script of the Active Directory. This is done by running a script in multiple computers adding the start up script of the Active Directory in your client computers.
To install agents in client computers using a GPO, follow the steps given below:
Note: Ensure that you complete the steps given below in a Domain Controller setting. You can map the script to a domain even If you have installed Desktop Central agents in a few client computers. The script will install the agent only in the computers in which the agent is not installed.
- Download the DesktopCentralAgent.msi file. Follow the steps given below:
- Click the Admin tab
- In the Global Settings section, click Scope of Management
- Click Download Agent
- Select the required office
Note: This can be a local office or a remote office depending on which computers you want to install agents in.
- Save the .msi file that in the network share that you created
- Click start>Run
- Enter gpmc.msc
- Click OK
- Right-click the domain and select Create and Link a GPO here
- Specify a name for the GPO
- Select the GPO
- Note: If you want to install the agent in only a few client computers, follow the steps given below. To install the agent in all your client computers skip these steps.
- Click the Scope tab
- In the Security Filtering section, click Add
- In the Select User, Computer, or Group dialog box, click Object Types
- Select specific computer object types
- Click OK
- Specify the computer names
- Click Check Names
- Click OK
- Right-click the GPO and click Edit
- Expand Computer Configuration>Windows Settings>Scripts
- Right-click Startup and click Properties
- Click Show Files
- Drag and drop the InstallAgent.vbs & Desktop Central Agent.msi to this location and Copy the location (\\SysVol\Domain name\Policies\{ID}\Machine\Scripts\Startup) and close.
- In the Startup Properties dialog box, click Add
- Browse and select the InstallAgent.vbs script
- Specify the script parameters as \\SysVol\Domain name\Policies\{ID}\Machine\Scripts\Startup\DesktopCentralAgent.msi.
Note : The copied location is specified in the script parameter.
- Click OK to close the Add a Script dialog box
- Click OK to close the Startup Properties dialog box
- Close the Group Policy Object Editor
- Close the Group Policy Management dialog box
The script will be executed when the client computers reboot next. After the execution of the script, the Desktop Central agents is automatically installed in all the client computers.
Notes
Set the file association properties of .vbs files to Microsoft Windows (r) based script host in all the client computers. This ensures that the script is executed successfully. Do not modify the file association properties to open in a text editor as the execution of the script will fail.
You can leave the Desktop Central GPO object installed indefinitely to ensure that the agent is installed in future client computers.
This will not re-install the agent that is already installed as the script is programmed to ensure that it doesn't re-install agents that are already installed. This will not cause any problems during startup.
You also do not need to update and download the DesktopCentralAgent.msi file everytime Desktop Central releases a new version. The agent is programmed to check for new versions from the server and upgrade itself automatically. When an agent is installed, it updates itself automatically when new versions are released.
You have installed an agent in client computers using a GPO.