Job with SW delivery task that reboots PC then next task fails

[Iskyfly]

Hello,

I have a job that installs DeepFreeze. This application automatically reboots the PC after installation which causes the next task in the job to fail. The next task is a command script that maps a drive and copies down the respective configuration file (.RDX) (points to 1 of 3 deepfreeze servers and 1 of 2 ports and other settings) and applies it to the PC. Sometimes the next task works but most of the time it fails. I suspect that the SMA client picks up the next task in the seconds before / during the reboot of the PC.

What would be the best way to construct this job so that the job works in its entirety?

Also- is there any documentation / best practices on how to use "Create Folder" when creating a Package? Everything I have read says to use a zip file but nothing else.


Thank you!

 

------------------------------
Giles
------------------------------

[Igor Perevozchikov]

Hello Iskyfly!

1. Try to disable "Allow other tasks to run while running  this task" option for first Package delivery task  

2. Try to add a condition to make sure that first task is successfully completed, then 2nd task will be started in this Client job.

3. If SW library is configured, then on attempt to import a SW package using library source, user can create own required folder(s) structure to place required files for new SW package.
Example

Best regards,
IP.

[Iskyfly]

Hello Igor!

Thank you for your reply, screenshots and suggestions!

I took some time to try a variety of ways, including your suggestions. The checkbox for "Allow other tasks to run..." has always been unchecked. But I did double check just to make sure.

I did add the condition but the results are still not consistent. I think it is because the installer exe is badly coded as far as the reboot after installation. Sometimes it will report a return code 0 even though it didnt install. I do see that the Altiris client will pick up the next task but sometimes that happens just as the reboot takes place. Sometimes I get this as a return code;

1073807364 (which I have defined as a success code for the PD command line).

Other times I will get this;

Exiting task as either SWD Agent stop or task stop is requested. As program was already running it was allowed to continue asynchroneously after agent stop.
 
Output Properties    

Failure message:     Exiting task as either SWD Agent stop or task stop is requested. As program was already running it was allowed to continue asynchroneously after agent stop. Collect inventory (or check manually) to verify program is successfully finished.
Package download status:     Package already downloaded on 6/6/2023 2:46:47 PM
Task run status:     launched successfully

I'm not sure I fully understand the message. It seems to be informational rather than a failure type?

I contacted the vendor and they said there is an undocumented switch /noreboot which doesnt force the reboot after install. I created a new job;

-Install exe no reboot

-CMD script - Apply configuration settings file (.rdx)

I also added the .rdx to each client exe package and specified the destination directory. However, the script that runs to associate / apply the configuration settings file fails with a return code of 5. I looked that up and it seems to indicate access forbidden. I tried adding a pause using "timeout" and "ping -n 10 localhost" in a cmd script after the exe runs but still get access forbidden. I think the job process has ownership of the file.

The CMD script that assigns the setting config file is as follows. This is the one that returns an error code of 5. If I add a power control - restart in between the exe install and the script it will work. However it does add time to job (rebooting, waiting for altiris client service to start).

C:\Windows\SysWOW64\DFC.exe /CFG="C:\Program Files\Altiris\Altiris Agent\Agents\SoftwareManagement\Software Delivery\Faronics\DFClient\ACGTDF_Nightly_Maint.rdx"

------------------------------
Giles
------------------------------