Deploying Remote Server Administration Tools for Windows 8 with ConfigMgr 2012

SerManTilThis week I want to devote a post to deploying the Remote Server Administration Tools (RSAT) for Windows 8 using ConfigMgr 2012. Even though the installer is only available as a Windows Update Standalone Installer, in my opinion it should be deployed using the application model in ConfigMgr 2012. This gives me the possibility to show some basics about the manual applications in ConfigMgr 2012 and more specifically, about the Detection Rules and the Requirements.

In a step-by-step way I will go through the wizards of creating and deploying an application. During this I will give some extra explanation with the step about the Detection Rule, as it has to be manually created and there are many options for that. RSAT for Windows 8 can be downloaded here: http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=28972

Create Application

  • In the Configuration Manager Console, navigate to Software Library > Overview > Application Management > Applications, click Create > Create Application and the Create Application Wizard will show.
  • On the General page, select Manually specify the application information and click Next.
  • On the General page, fill in the information about the application and click Next.
    • Note: Check the box Allow this application to be installed from the Install Application task sequence action instead of deploying it manually to make it possible to use it in a task sequence.
  • On the Application Catalog page, fill in the information about the application and click Next.
  • On the Deployment Types page, click Add and the Create Deployment Type Wizard will show.
    • On the General page, select Manually specify the deployment type information and click Next.
    • On the General Information page, fill in the information about the deployment type and click Next.
    • On the Content page, browse to the Content location, use as Installation program wusa.exe Windows6.2-KB2693643-x64.msu /quiet /norestart, use as Uninstall Program wusa.exe /uninstall Windows6.2-KB2693643-x64.msu /quiet /norestart and click Next.
    • On the Detection Method page there are multiple option to check for the installation. the most important thing to remember for detection rules is to find something unique for that specific installation. Here I will give two good options for detecting RSAT for Windows 8:
      1. DetRuleRSATSelect Add Clause… and the Detection Rule popup will show (see picture). On the Detection Rule Popup, select as Setting Type File System, fill in as Path %WinDir%\System32\, fill in as File or folder name ServerManager.exe, select The file system setting must satisfy the following rule to indicate the presence of this application, select as Property Version, select as Operator Equals, fill in as Value 6.2.9200.16384 and click Ok.
      2. Select Use a custom script to detect the presence of this deployment type, ScrEdiVbsclick Edit and the Script Editor popup will show (see picture). On the Script Editor popup select as Script Type VBScript, use the follow script as Script Contents and click Ok.

        strComputer = “.”
        Set objWMIService = GetObject(“winmgmts:\\” & strComputer & “\root\CIMV2”)
        Set colItems = objWMIService.ExecQuery(“SELECT * FROM Win32_QuickFixEngineering WHERE HotFixID = ‘KB2693643′”)
        If colItems.Count = 0 Then
            Wscript.Quit(1)
        Else
            Wscript.StdOut.Write “The application is installed”
            Wscript.Quit(0)
        End If

    • Back on the Detection Method page click Next.
    • On the User Experience page, select the wanted experience settings and click Next.
      • Note: Select as Installation behavior Install for system if resource is device; otherwise install for user and select as Logon requirements Whether or not a user is logged on to make it possible to use it in a task sequence.
    • ReqRSATOn the Requirements page, click Add and the Create Requirement popup will show (see picture).
      • On the Create Requirement popup select as Categorie Device, select as Condition Operating System, select as Rule Type Value, select as Operator One of, select All Windows 8 (64-bit) and click Ok.
    • Back on the Requirements page click Next.
    • On the Dependencies page click Next.
    • On the Summery page click Next.
    • On the Completion page click Close.
  • Back on the Deployment Types page click Next.
    • Note: To also deploy the 32-bit version of the Remote Server Administration Tools repeat the Deployment Type steps and only change the logical things on the Content page and the Requirements page.
  • On the Summary page click Next.
  • On the Completion page click Close.

Deploy Application

  • In the Configuration Manager Console, navigate to Software Library > Overview > Application Management > Applications, select the new application, select Deployment > Deploy and the Deploy Software Wizard will show.
  • On the General page, Browse to a Collection and click Next.
  • On the Content page, Add a Distribution Point (Group) and click Next.
  • On the Deployment Settings page, select the needed deployment settings and click Next.
    • Note: Select as Purpose Optional to let the user decide and select as Purpose Required to make it mandatory.
  • On the Scheduling page, select the wanted schedule setting and click Next.
  • On the User Experience page, select the wanted experience settings and click Next.
  • On the Alerts Settings page, select the wanted alert settings and click Next.
  • On the Summary page click Next.
  • On the Completion page click Close.

10 thoughts on “Deploying Remote Server Administration Tools for Windows 8 with ConfigMgr 2012”

  1. Hi Peter,

    Do get Windows 8 as a requirement, do I have to be running ConfigMgr 2012 SP1? We are using RTM and don’t have Windows 8 as an OS item requirement.

    Thanks,
    Casey

    Reply
  2. Hi, Peter
    FYI
    Both detection Methods don’t work for Windows 7/ RSAT (Windows 7 x64 + KB958830)
    I found another very simple detection method this file must be present C:\Windows\System32\rsatclient.dll

    Bye
    Michael

    Reply
  3. I was wondering if you knew if the win32_QuickFixEngineering class could be used in a global condition without specifying the HotFixID so it could be specified in the app requirements tab? This would make a single global condition. For example, Internet Explorer currently requires 6 updates. Add 6 requirements to the IE Application each specifying the global condition with the required KB number. Maybe even better to specify all 6 update KB numbers in a single string but I don’t even know if that’s possible.

    http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2847882

    Reply
    • I think you could simply create a global condition with the HotfixId property, but then don’t specify a where-clause. When adding it as a requirement to an application simply add the required hotfix as a value to the rule and I think you should be fine.

      Reply
  4. Neater script detection method would be to use Powershell – 1 line;
    Get-Hotfix | Where-Object {$_.HotfixID -eq ‘KB2693643’}

    But need to watch execution policy WRT to signing etc. By default, Client Agent is set to “All Signed” for Configmgr Powershell scripts. Change to Bypass to run Powershell, not a problem for VBS.

    And finally, I had a problem with timeout on a (very busy) and slow machine, where the above took over 60 seconds to run. Re-ran when less busy, and all OK. Something to watch for, although there are ‘cures’ out there!

    Otherwise, found your post VERY helpful in getting RSAT deployed! Many thanks!

    Reply
  5. Another way to check it from powershell – via Get-WindowsOptionalFeature:
    Get-WindowsOptionalFeature -online | Where-Object {$_.FeatureName -eq ‘RemoteServerAdministrationTools’ -and $_.State -eq ‘Enabled’ }

    Reply

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