How do you roll out patches over a network?

cyborg

cyborg

cyborg

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Im a bit of a novice with networking sorry. Im working at a gaming cafe, and currently if there is an update to a game we have to run around and install the exe onto each machine seperatly.

Is there software so I can install it to all machines at once, or even a group at once?

40 pcs, all XP sp3.
 
Kinda along the same lines that PAz was going, but not specific to Microsoft updates...

It would be massive overkill - and potentially outside your budget - but you could use SMS to deploy the game patches/updates.
 
Are these machines on a domain ?
OR
Do you have a local admin account on each of the machines ?

If you have either of the above a simple batch file along with the freeware program psexec will enable you do install all machines using 1 command line.

Reply back and I will help you out
 
Well the machines were all ghosted from a single harddrive, so each admin account is the same on them.

I can remote launch an application already on the machines with the cafe software we have, called smartlaunch, but I have two problems.
First problem is the tedious next > set directory > next > next > finish.
My second problem is an operating system limitation, as there is no proper 'server' here all we have is another xp machine were all the user files are stored and copied to their accounts on logon. Being xp this has the limiation of 10 connections at one time, which is really less when theres users in the store.

So I can tell 5 machines to execute an exe which is on a network drive (the 'server') but I still have to click the same buttons and set the same directory on each one.

Another question which is a bit seperate, how many connections can a NAS drive accept at any one time, can't see it in the descriptions.
 
Last edited:
1st problem

Do yo know if parameters can be passed to the patch
eg: patch.exe "c:\path to your target directory etc"
Does i t have any other parameters such as /u ( usually for unattended installs of things

to find out try opening a dos window to where the patch is stored and try something like:
patch.exe /?

If it has the abiltity to accept params then it should tell you what they are

2nd problem
see bleeds post
OR
You could buy a copy of windows server ( not so free and a kitten dies everytime someone installs it)
 
cyborg said:
Well the machines were all ghosted from a single harddrive, so each admin account is the same on them.

I can remote launch an application already on the machines with the cafe software we have, called smartlaunch, but I have two problems.
First problem is the tedious next > set directory > next > next > finish.
Click to expand...

What you're after is a 'silent' install. Some programs you can just make a batch file (or use > run) to execute setup.exe /S and the install will quietly install it's with bothering you again. Other's can require different switches of sometimes you can run an installation one on computer, record a results file, and then use that to run the silent install on another computer.

I use psexec to roll out loads of software using methods like this.

Server wise probably the easiest is to buy a NAS or stuff a big harddrive in an old box and put Free Nas or Open Filer on it.
 
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