How to use the Distribute Software Updates Wizard and the OHotFix program to silently deploy Office updates to Systems Management Server 2003 client computers (888743)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Systems Management Server 2003

INTRODUCTION

To silently deploy a Microsoft Office update on Microsoft Systems Management Server 2003 client computers, you can use the SMS Distribute Software Updates Wizard in combination with the OHotFix program (Ohotfix.exe). OHotFix is a software program that is designed to help administrators deploy update files in their organizations. The program works by implementing a series of update deployment instructions that are contained in an .ini file. The OHotFix program can also check programs on the computer to determine which updates must be applied. To optimize installation, the OHotFix program can also arrange the order of a group of update files.

When you use the Distribute Software Updates Wizard in combination with the OHotFix program, you experience the following benefits:
  • It is easy to deploy and authorize software updates because you do not have to provide specific command-line options for individual updates.
  • You have more detailed options available. For example, you can run a silent install of a single Office update.
Note Regardless of what software you use to silently deploy Office updates to SMS client computers, you must first run the Microsoft Office Inventory Scan Tool for Updates (O_scan.exe) on each computer to obtain the current update status.

MORE INFORMATION

Assume that you want to silently deploy Microsoft Office updates to SMS clients without using the Distribute Software Updates Wizard. In this case, you typically use the /QN or /-QN command-line options. For example, at a command prompt, type exc1001.exe /QN, where Exc1001.exe is the name of the Office update file. These options suppress all dialog boxes that would typically appear during the Office update installation.

You can also use the Distribute Software Updates Wizard by itself to silently deploy an Office update to SMS clients. In this case, you do not have to specify any command-line options. However, this procedure may cause a status dialog box or a status bar graph to appear when the update is deployed. You may also receive a Setup is complete dialog box after the update installation is completed.

Using the Distribute Software Updates Wizard and the OHotFix program to silently deploy Office updates

To silently deploy an Office update and prevent any dialog boxes or status bars from appearing on the SMS client computer, use the SMS Distribute Software Updates Wizard in combination with the OHotFix program.

To download the OHotFix program, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://www.microsoft.com/office/orkarchive/XPddl.htm

During installation, the OHotFix Setup program prompts you to specify a folder for the following three files that are associated with the program:
  • Ohotfix.exe
    The core program file that contains the user interface and the code for detecting and for applying the updates.
  • Ohotfixr.dll
    A library file that contains text strings, such as errors and messages, that are used in the OHotFix program. The file is language-specific and must be localized as appropriate.
  • Ohotfix.ini
    A settings file that is used to control how the OHotFix program runs.

    Note Complete information about the settings in the Ohotfix.ini file is contained in the file. To view the information, open the file with a text editor such as Notepad. For example, many administrators modify the ohotfix.ini ShowSuccessDialog INI entry. This final dialog can be displayed to indicate that the update was applied successfully.


The OHotFix files must be installed in a single folder. This same folder must also contain all the Windows Installer update files (.msp files) to be installed.

To use the SMS 2003 Distribute Software Updates Wizard in combination with the OHotFix program, follow these steps:
  1. Use the Office Inventory Scan Tool for Updates (O_scan.exe) to scan your client computers. This tool is located in the OfficePatch_ENU.exe file in the SMS2003ScanTools_ENU.exe file. You automatically create the Office Inventory Updates Package and Advertisement when you double-click the OfficePatch_ENU.exe file.

    Note The Office Inventory Scan Tool for Updates will report the software update status for each SMS client as part of the hardware inventory cycle. Therefore, after the next hardware inventory cycle occurs, you can determine the update status on each SMS client computer.
  2. Click Start, point to Programs, point to Systems Management Server, and then click SMS Administrator Console.
  3. In the SMS Administrator console, expand Site Database (SiteCode-SiteName), right-click Collections, click All Tasks, and then click Distribute Software Updates.
  4. On the Add and Remove Updates page, choose from a list of updates that apply to the SMS client computers in your site.
  5. On the Specify a Source Directory for Files page, click to enable the I will download the source files myself option under SMS can automatically download the source files for some updates from the Internet to the package source directory.
  6. If the software updates have a Ready status of No on the Software Update Status page, you must download the source files, and then configure the command-line options before the software update has a Ready status of Yes. To do this, follow these steps:
    1. Locate the Web site that is listed in the binary path, and then download the file that is specified. Save the downloaded file to a folder.
    2. After you have downloaded the file, extract the .msp files that are contained inside the software update executable. You can use the /c and /t: options to extract the .msp files. For example, type exc1001.exe /c /t:c:\patches\office.

      This command extracts the .msp files for the Microsoft Excel software update (Exc1001.exe) and also the OHotFix files to the C:\Patches\Office folder.
      • 09/17/2001 11:28 AM 2,543,476 EUROTOOL.msp
      • 09/17/2001 08:51 AM 10,350,912 EXCEL.msp
      • 08/29/2001 06:08 PM 106,496 ohotfix.exe
      • 09/11/2001 07:40 PM 6,821 ohotfix.ini
      • 08/29/2001 05:59 PM 7,168 ohotfixr.dll
  7. When you have finished extracting files from the executable, rerun the Distribute Software Updates Wizard to create a new package and advertisement. Use the extracted files as the source files.
  8. On the Specify a Software Update Type page, click Select an update type, select Office Updates from the list, and then click Next.
  9. On the Create an SMS Package or modify Packages and Updates page, click New, and then click Next.
  10. On the Identify the SMS Package page, type a descriptive name in the Package name box, and then click Next,
  11. In the Specify a Source Directory for Files page, type the path you want to use as a source folder for the software update. Select the I will download the source files myself option, and then click Next.
  12. On the Software Update Status page, click the software update that you want, and then click Properties to authorize the update.
  13. In the Distribute Software Updates Wizard, click Import next to the Program box.
  14. In the Open dialog box, locate the folder that contains the software update source files, select Ohotfix.exe, click Open, and then click OK.
  15. Click Next until the Advertise Updates page appears.
  16. On the Advertise Updates page, make sure that the Advertise check box is enabled, and then click Browse. In the Browse Collection dialog box, click the collection that you want, click OK, click Next, and then click Finish.
For more information about the OHotFix program, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/assistance/HA011364081033.aspx

Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:6/13/2005
Keywords:kbinfo kbhowto KB888743 kbAudITPRO
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