Troubleshooting Systems Management Server Workstation Package Installations

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Package Created and Distributed but Item Never Appears in Pending Folder

The workstation package has been created and distributed with no errors but the item never shows up in the pending folder of the destination system's Package Command Manager (PCM).

1. Check the package workstation properties and confirm that the Supported Platforms list has the destination systems platform selected. Using the Systems Management Server Administrator program, check the PC Properties for the destination system and confirm that Systems Management Server has the correct platform type listed for the target system.
2. Get the CurrentLogonServer location and the Unique SMSID from the hidden C:\Sms.ini file. Using these, check the <Logonserver>\Sms_Shr\Pcmins.box directory for a file with the name <Unique SMSID>.ins. If this file does not exist, the instruction file for this system is missing from that logon server. The Systems Management Server Maintenance Manager is responsible for placing these files on the logon servers. Check the Sms\Logs\Maintman.log file for errors that may have occurred when this file was replicated from the site server to the logon server. Also check Appendix C of the "Microsoft Systems Management Server Administrator's Guide" for details.
3. If the <Smsid>.ins file exists on the logon server, use PCMDUMP to display its contents. Careful examination of the Display Date and Expiration Date fields may indicate why the package has not been displayed on the destination system. NOTE: Pcmdump.exe can be copied from the Support\Debug\<Platform> Directory on the Systems Management Server CD.

Mandatory Package Does Not Execute on Time or Does Not Execute at All

1. Use PCMDUMP to check the value of the Install By Date field. Compare this date/time stamp with the destination system current date/time The system time must be on or after the Install By Date before PCM will run the package.
2. If the package is supposed to run unattended on a Windows NT system that has no user logged on locally, ensure that all the follow conditions are met:
   • The package must not use console I/O. This means that nothing can print to the screen or require keyboard or mouse input. The PCMSVC service is responsible for executing System Background installation tasks and has no access to the local console for I/O. Any console I/O in this type of package will fail.
     
     
   • Confirm that both Automated Command Line and System (Background) Task are selected in the package's workstation properties.
     
     
   • Confirm that the PCM service user account for the Windows NT client has sufficient rights to execute the job on the system. On a Windows NT system in a secure environment, it is possible to keep the PCM service from accessing particular directories or other Windows NT system objects, causing the installation to fail.

Package Fails to Execute Properly or Does Not Execute at All

1. Ensure that the package source directory and the package command line have been configured correctly:
   1. Ensure that the command line points to a valid executable.
   2. Ensure that all directory path references are relative to the package source directory and are not absolute directory references. For example, to execute Setup.exe in the Install directory of a package, use a relative path in the command line (Install\Setup.exe). Do not use an absolute directory path reference such as Smssvr\D$\Package1\Install\Setup.exe, for example.
2. Manually run the package command line using PCMDUMP to determine what distribution servers contain the package. Connect to one of the listed server shares and change to the directory listed for the package. Run the package's command line from this directory. Look for errors that reference incorrect paths or missing files.
3. Confirm that the package directory contains a mirrored image of the original source directory specified when the package was created. Except for the top level directory name, both directory trees should be identical. If they are not, check the Despool.log file for any errors that may have occurred while the directory structure was being created on the distribution server.
4. If the distribution directory does not exist on the servers, check the Sms\Logs\Despool.log file on the Systems Management Server site server for errors referring to the creation and file population of this directory.

Package Instruction Files Never Arrive or Never Get Updated

The package instruction files never arrive or never get updated in the <Logon Server>\Sms_Shr\Pcmins.box directory.

1. Check the Systems Management Server site server directory Sms\Site.srv\Maincfg.box\Pcmdom.box\<Clients Domain>. Confirm that an instruction file exists for the client and that it has been updated since the package was distributed. Use PCMDUMP if you are unsure of the status or contents of this file.
2. If this file exists and has been updated, check the Sms\Logs\Maintman.log file for any errors that may have been logged when Systems Management Server attempted to transfer this file to the logon servers. The Systems Management Server Maintenance Manager will replicate these files at a regular watchdog interval. Use the log file to confirm that this watchdog cycle has actually taken place and that the logon server in question was one of its targets.
3. If this file does not exist, or has not been updated with the current package, check the Despool.log file for any error referring to the creation or distribution of instruction files.