PATCH.EXE Fails When Launched by PCMSVC32.EXE (125934)

SYMPTOMS

The Release Notes for Systems Management Server version 1.0 give instructions for using SMS to distribute updated files to Windows NT 3.5 Servers. These instructions include:

Creating a package using PATCH.PDF and PATCH.EXE supplied with SMS.
Setting the command line properties for the Windows NT redirector patch to "System (Background) Task" and "Automated Command Line." NOTE: This implies that the PCM service can execute this.
Creating a "Run Command On Workstation" job to run the executable on the servers.

This procedure works fine when the job is executed by PCMWIN32.EXE. However PATCH.EXE fails if it is executed by the Package Command Manager Service PCMSVC32.EXE. The PACMAN.LOG file will display something similar to the following.

   sleeping 60 minutes
   SMS PCM Service Started
   CWinstService::ReadIniFile
     ReadIniFile:  OK
     ReadIniFile: Parsing the INI file.
   Check current server\share
   Results Location
   \\CSARWEN\SMS_SHR\despoolr.box
   SMS PCM Service Running = TRUE
   working.................................
    SMS PCM Service::Refresh
     Refresh: Getting server name
     Refresh: Looking for file:
   \\CSARWEN\SMS_SHR\pcmins.box\YAO01000.INS
     Refresh: Packages before filter:1
   Begin SetRegData
   Value = YAO000R
   Data  = New
   End SetRegData
     Refresh: Packages after filter: 1
   installing package SMS 1.0 Patch...............
    SMS PCM Service::RunJob
   Process died, cleaning up.
   Begin SetRegData
   Value = YAO000R
   Data  = Executed
   End SetRegData
   Begin WriteCommissarRecord
   Results Location is:
   \\CSARWEN\SMS_SHR\despoolr.box
   ISV MIF is:
   End WriteCommissarRecord
   sleeping 60 minutes

The PCM service is limited to packages that do not require user input and do not display windows on the server. PATCH.EXE does not require user input, but it does write to the screen. If you attempt to get around this by redirecting the output from PATCH.EXE to a file, the PCM service will still report that the process died, and the file will list the following error:

PATCH: the "windir" environment variable was not set

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Below are excerpts from the instructions given by the Release Notes for using SMS to distribute Windows NT Server patches.

   Patching Windows NT Server(TM) on the Site Server

   For the Windows NT update, the files and the utility program PATCH.EXE
   are located in the PATCHES\NT subdirectory of the SMS CD-ROM. For the
   Windows for Workgroups update, the files and the utility program
   PATCH.EXE are located in the PATCHES\WFW subdirectory of the SMS CD-ROM.

   To use the PDF, perform the following steps:

   1. Set up the package source directory:

      a. Create a package source directory.

      b. Create an NT subdirectory and a WFW subdirectory beneath the
         package source directory.

      c. Copy all the files from the PATCHES\NT directory on the SMS CD-ROM
         to the NT subdirectory of the package source directory.

      d. Copy all the files from the PATCHES\WFW directory on the SMS CD-
         ROM to the WFW subdirectory of the package source directory.

   2. Create a package. When you do so, import the PDF by choosing the
      Import button in Package Properties, then choosing PATCHRDR.PDF from
      the list.

   3. Choose the Workstations button.

   4. In the source directory box, type the path to the package source
      directory you created in step 1.

   5. Select Windows NT Patch of Redirector and choose the Properties
      button.

   6. In the Command Line Properties dialog box, select both the Automated
      Command Line and System (Background) Task options.

   7. Choose OK to close all the open dialog boxes.

   8. Create Run Command On Workstation jobs to run the appropriate package
      command on the appropriate computers.

PATCH.EXE Fails When Launched by PCMSVC32.EXE (125934)

SYMPTOMS

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