SMS: Unpredictable Behavior of "Only When No User Logged On" Advertisements (297522)

SYMPTOMS

Advertisements for packages that specify that programs can run "only when no user is logged on" may run at unpredictable times on Systems Management Server (SMS) client computers. The programs can run when a user is logging on or when the computer is shutting down:

• When logging on:
  
  After an advertisement for a "only when no user is logged on" program can be run, no subsequent checks are made to determine whether a user is still logged off. Consequently, if multiple advertisements for "logged off" programs are made available to a client and the first of these advertisements runs correctly while in a "logged off" state, each of the subsequent advertisements are incorrectly run if a user logs back on when the first program is running.
• When shutting down:
  
  Advertisements for "logged off" programs may also be inadvertently run while a client is in the process of shutting down. Advertised Programs Manager (APM) checks to see if the Launch32.exe process is running to verify whether a user is logged off. If Launch32.exe process is not running (as a result of being stopped during shutdown), one of the prerequisites to start a "logged off" program advertisement is met.

Under most circumstances the client shutdown procedure proceeds and is finished before an advertisement starts. However, if other processes and programs stop responding (hang), the advertisement may start before the client shuts down.