SMS Client Version 2.50.4253.3000

[Seanuu]

SMS Client Version 2.50.4253.3000

 

Where does it get it's Temporary Program Download Folder settings from?

Hello all

 

I am having a problem with the Temporary Program Download Folder settings of SMS Client Version 2.50.4253.3000.

 

We are currently testing using SMS in our organization. A couple of weeks ago we moved to testing in a "real world" situation in one of the offices.

 

We tested on 7 machines. 5 worked perfectly.

 

We have traced the problem with the other two machines to the Temporary Program Download Folder settings on the local SMS Client.

 

This is the folder to which SMS downloads the Package before running.

 

I attch a word doc with images of the actual correct and incorrect settings.

 

1.0 Correct Settings

 

On the machines that run OK, the settings point the location of this folder to:

 

C:\WINDOWS\system32\CCM\Cache

 

with the amount of disk space to use as:

 

250 MB

 

 

2.0 Incorrect Settings

 

On the machines that do not run OK, the settings point the location to:

 

C:\WINNT\system32\CCM\Cache

 

with the amount of disk space to use as:

 

0 MB

 

and everything is greyed out with no ability to alter anything.

 

 

Other Details

 

 

All these machines are Windows XP and have C:\Windows as their windir directory.

 

None of the machines have a C:\WINNT directory.

 

Because there is no WINNT directory, SMS cannot download the Package to run it.

 

What we are now trying to find out is where the SMS Client picks up the Temporary Program Download Folder settings from. If we can then alter the details in that location, it should solve our problem.

 

Any help or suggestions would be much appreciated.

 

Sean

SMS Client.doc

[anyweb]

via http://support.microsoft.com/kb/839513

 

Follow these steps to adjust the size of the cache, to modify the location of the cache, or to remove all cache content:

 

1. On the SMS 2003 Advanced Client computer, click Start, click Settings, and then click Control Panel.

2. Double-click System Management.

3. In System Management Properties, click the Advanced tab.

4. Follow one or more of the following steps:

* To adjust the size of the cache, under Temporary Program Download Folder, click the slider bar to change the Amount of disk space to use setting.

* To modify the location of the cache, click Change Location, and then specify a new folder.

* To remove all cache content, click Delete Files.

 

To modify the Advanced Client cache settings for the whole SMS 2003 site, we recommend that you use a script. You can deploy a script by using an advertisement, by using Group Policy, or as part of the logon process. For more information about programmatically modifying these cache settings and for sample scripts, search the SMS 2003 Software Development Kit (SDK) for "CacheInfo." To obtain the SMS 2003 SDK, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

 

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=58833cd1-6dbb-45bb-bb77-163446068ef6&

[Seanuu]

Thanks for this anyweb.

 

1. Changing the settings

 

Our problem with the SMS client is, as mentioned in the original post under "2.0 Incorrect Settings",:

 

"everything is greyed out with no ability to alter anything."

 

and therefore we can't alter the size or location of the cache.

 

We can only get this to work if we run Repair on the client. This ungreys everything, sets the correct directory, and sets the size to 250 MB.

 

The problem then, however, is that when the machine is rebooted all the settings go back to the wrong ones.

 

 

2. Running a script.

 

We have tested running on the PCs a couple of scripts to attempt to set the directory and its size.

 

These, however, will not work.

 

It seems that the SMS Client settings are protected from any changes - which is probably also why they are greyed out.

 

This is even with us logged in as the local administrator account.

 

Once we run Repair on the SMS client, however, and the settings "ungrey", we can then run the scripts and they set the correct directory and size.

 

Again, however, once we reboot, all the settings go back to the wrong ones.

 

What we are trying to do, therefore, is find out where the SMS Client actually picks up these settings. This afternoon I'm also going to start investigating a machine on which SMS works fine to see if I can discover any major difference between it and the "incorrect" machines.

 

Thanks again for the help.

 

Sean

[anyweb]

have you checked if any logon (startup) script or OU policy is doing this ?

[Seanuu]

have you checked if any logon (startup) script or OU policy is doing this ?

 

Thanks for this anyweb.

 

We are currently waiting for word back on this from the people who actaully deal with the Login Scripts and Group Policies.

 

One of the things I am going to try to find when I get more time is a way of querying AD for the scripts and policies that run or have run on one particular machine. I would hope that that would give me some clue.

 

However, one of the tests we have already run is :

 

1. taking the machine completely off the network by removing its network cable, and then rebooting and logging in as local admin

 

2. Uninstalling the client using the Microsoft ccmclean tool, and then rebooting - again with no network cable in.

 

3. Reinstalling the client and then rebooting - again with no network cable in.

 

4. And the client is back to the wrong settings.

 

 

Therefore it seesm to me that these wrong settings are picked up from somewhere on the local machine.

 

From:

 

* a group policy setting stored locally?

 

* a script that runs locally?

 

* from a config file in the install folder?

 

* or from something else on the machine?

 

I have done several full searches on the PC (including in the Registry) for the incorrect Temporary Download Folder string (C:\WINNT\system32\CCM\Cache), but have found nothing.

 

So I am a bit stuck.

 

Thanks for this help anyweb. I've also started posting to the Microsoft Discussion Group on "Discussions in SMS Software Distribution" so perhaps someone there might have some ideas as well.

 

Sean

Sean P.

[anyweb]

how are you doing 3. Reinstalling the client and then rebooting - again with no network cable in. ?

 

any batch file involved ?

[Seanuu]

how are you doing 3. Reinstalling the client and then rebooting - again with no network cable in. ?

 

any batch file involved ?

 

Downloaded the SMS Client install folder from its network drive to the C Drive.

 

Shut down the PC.

 

Removed the cable.

 

Rebooted the PC.

 

Logged into the machine as a local administrator.

 

Ran the install from there.

 

All the settings were OK.

 

Rebooted and logged in with local admin again.

 

And all settings were wrong again.

 

All the above done with no cable in.

[Seanuu]

Anyweb and anyone else who might be interested:

 

We now seem to have a solution to this SMS Client problem.

 

Basically:

 

On the local machine running the Client, the Registry entry for the PATH

details should be REG_EXPAND_SZ and not REG_SZ.

 

This Microsoft Knowledgebase article has the details of the problem and

instructions on how to change the Registry entry type:

 

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/922362

 

The relevant details are:

 

"Method 2: Set the type of the Path registry entry to REG_EXPAND_SZ

 

 

1. Click Start, click Run, type regedit, and then click OK.

 

2. In Registry Editor, locate and then click the following registry subkey:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session

Manager\Environment

 

3. Make sure that the type of the Path entry is REG_EXPAND_SZ and not

REG_SZ. If the type of this entry is REG_SZ, you must copy the path

information, delete the existing Path entry, and then create a new entry of

type REG_EXPAND_SZ."

 

We are now going to look at:

 

1. Trying to find a way to use SMS to query our machines to discover whether

they have the Client problem.

 

2. Trying to find a way to remotely change the Registry entry type on those

machines that have the problem.

 

Thanks for the help anyweb.

 

Sean

[anyweb]

great info, thanks for sharing, keep me in the loop

 

cheers

niall