Symantec™ Workspace Virtualization 6.1 MP1 & MP1 HF1 Release Notes

Symantec Workspace Virtualization is a revolutionary approach to software management. It lets you put applications and data into managed units called Virtual Software Packages (VSPs). When you put an application into a VSP, you completely avoid conflicts between the application and other applications installed on a computer. You can also instantly activate, deactivate, or reset the application. If an application is broken, you can reset it to return it to its original state

Symantec Workspace Virtualization is available in two versions:

The commercial version lets you create and distribute Virtual Software Packages.
The free version for personal use lets you create and use your own virtual layers on your home or personal computer. For more information, see Symantec Connect.

Features in this Release

Changes from 6.1 MP1 (6.1.4108) to 6.1 MP1 HF1 (6.1.4113)

6.1 MP1 HF1 includes the fix describes in KB# 48396, Driver problems on systems with disk management software (such as Diskeeper) installed.

Layer Isolation and Visibility

Isolation lets you control and isolate layers by turning off visibility between layers and the base. Isolating layers makes it easier to use separate versions of the same program to open associated files.

Layer Patch Files

Layer patching provides a mechanism to make small, incremental updates to an existing application layer without requiring that an entirely new layer be created, updated, and then imported to provide an application update.

Dependent Layers

Dependent layers let you specify an association between layers. Dependent layers are checked for files and services before the base or other layers are checked.

Multiple concurrent user support

Individual users on shared systems, such as Citrix and Terminal Server, now have their individual settings stored with a layer. Previously, all changes made by any user on the system were stored in the same location.
Start Automatically in Layer

You can set a program to automatically activate a layer and run from it. When run from the layer, the program's processes will be run from the layer instead of the base. Any files created or changes made to existing files will be saved in the layer, rather than the base.

Deactivate on Last Process Exit

Deactivate on last process exit allows you to have a layer automatically deactivate itself after the last process running from the layer has closed.

Run From Layer

Run from layer allows you to execute a non-virtualized program and its processes from a layer.

Keep in Layer

Keep file changes in layer enables you to always save changes made to the files in a layer, regardless of how the changes were made.

Clone Layer

Cloning a layer allows you to create an identical copy of an existing layer with a new GUID.

Keep in Layer

Keep file changes in layer enables you to always save changes made to the files in a layer, regardless of how the changes were made.

Supported Platforms

Access to the application setup files that you intend to virtualize.

One of the following client operating systems:

Microsoft Windows Vista SP1 32-bit
Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional SP4 or later
Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server SP4 or later when used as a client
Microsoft Windows XP Professional SP2 or Home Edition SP2 or later
Microsoft Windows Server 2003 or later when used as a client
Microsoft Windows Server 2008 when used as a client

Prerequisites for Symantec Workspace Virtualization with Notification Server 6.x platform (Client Management Suite)

Altiris Notification Server 6.0 SP3 R4 or later with the Altiris Agent 6.0 or later installed on client computers. Notification Server is the foundational component of Symantec Client Mangement Suite, see http://www.symantec.com/business/client-management-suite. On Notification Server 7.0, the Software Management component of CMS provides support to distribute virtual software along with traditional software installations.

Prerequisites for Symantec Workspace Virtualization with the Deployment Server Platform

Altiris Deployment Solution 6.8 or later with the Deployment Agent installed on client computers. See http://www.symantec.com/business/deployment-solution

Installation

Symantec Workspace Virtualization trialware is available at http://www.symantec.com/business/endpoint-virtualization-suite

Complete installation instructions are included in the Symantec Workspace Virtualization 6.1 User's Guide. This guide is available with the product download.

Upgrade

Upgrading from Altiris Software Virtualization Solution 2.x Agent

Workspace Virtualization 6.1 supports upgrading directly from the following releases:

2.1.3071 - Software Virtualization Solution 2.1 Service Pack 2 Maintenance Pack 2 Hotfix 46118
2.1.3066 - Software Virtualization Solution 2.1 Service Pack 2 Maintenance Pack 2
2.1.2095 - Software Virtualization Solution 2.1 Service Pack 1 Hotfix 39225
2.1.2084 - Software Virtualization Solution 2.1 Hotfix 36647
2.1.2081 - Software Virtualization Solution 2.1 Hotfix 35879
2.0.1407 - Software Virtualization Solution 2.0 Hotfix 26292
2.0.1404 - Software Virtualization Solution 2.0 Hotfix 19893
2.0.1403 - Software Virtualization Solution 2.0 Hotfix 24102

Click Help > About in Software Virtualization Solution Admin to see the version that is currently installed.

Existing layers are upgraded to the 6.1 layer format the first time a layer is activated. After a layer is upgraded, it cannot be used in previous versions.

To Upgrade the SVS 2.x Agent:

Back up any existing layers. After a 2.x layer is activated in 6.1, it cannot be used in previous versions.
(optional) To prevent a possible slow restart after upgrade, deselect the Start Layer Automatically option from installed layers. After upgrading, layers with this option are converted when the operating system loads, which can delay startup.
Run the Workspace Virtualization 6.1 Agent installation. Any previous versions installed are detected automatically and removed.
After the installation completes and the computer restarts, activate existing layers to upgrade them to 6.1 format.

Altiris Management Platform 6.x SVS Solution

To upgrade to the Workspace Virtualization 6.x Solution, uninstall the previous version and then install the new version.

Known Issues in this Release

The following are unresolved issues in this release. For additional information regarding an issue, click the Article ID link.

Known Issue	Article ID
Certain apps installs don't cause capture mode to automatically end.	45907
GUI should allow user to optionally re-GUID a layer whens omething is merged into it.	45700
When KeepLayerFilesInLayer is enabled, copying a layer file with a base process creates the copy in the base.	45699
Visio 2007, when captured in SWV, will not run on a different PC if running Vista (failed initialize)	46048
Upgrading from 2.1 to 6.1 causes the new version to not install properly.	46378
Upgrading NS6 Solution (2.1.2062) adds Everyone group to every SWV package in software delivery portal.	46377
FSL2GetFullNonLayerPath() returns path with SID of currently logged on user rather than of user specified in path.	45651
Patch files created with SWV 6.1 must be recreated for use with SWV 6.1 SP1.	47886
Simultaneously running Trend Micro and SWV causes significant system slowdown.
SWV's WMI provider not registered after an upgrade from 2x to 6.1	47893
When using SVSCMD if a space exists in the path during capture it would fail if it was a MSI.	47994
Adobe Photoshop CS3 doesn't capture correctly on Vista.	47949
Launching Word 2007 on Vista gives multiple error messages.	47950
Unable to run multiple instances of FireFox at the same time.	47951
Cloned layers do not inherit the layer attributes set for the main layer.	47987
Uninstall of upgraded SVS agent and installed streaming agent throws fatal error during uninstallation.	47988
Dependent layers are not getting activated when rebooting the machine.	47997
Only apply patch files to deactivated layers. Not doing so can cause the patch to not be applied properly.
Using the "Run from my computer" installation option while creating an Office 2007 layer for a Vista machine avoids receiving error 1606.	48162
Capturing programs that require a reboot during installation can be confusing or problematic.	48536
Properly accessing synced offline files in Windows 7 or Vista requires adding a global exclude.	49415
Transactions Software Virtualization Solution 2.1 SP2 does not support applications using transactions during the installation on Vista. Office 2007 and Adobe 8 both run transactions during capture. The current work-around is to create the Virtual Software Package on a different operating system.	33508
Creating a string value in a registry during capture on Vista If you create a registry string value when you capture a layer, two values are created and the string data is put in the second registry value. The current work-around is to create the Virtual Software Package on a different operating system.	34123
Elevation issue with dragging and dropping files into the Edit Layer dialog box When logged onto a Windows Vista computer, dragging and dropping files in the Edit Layer dialog box fails. This issue occurs only on Windows Vista computers when elevated rights are required. This problem does not occur when you run Symantec Software Virtualization Solution Admin on a Windows Vista computer as an elevated administrator.	34118
SVSCMD requires the administrator token You must run SVSCMD in a process that uses the Administrator token.	34119
Office launches repair When you launch Microsoft Office 2003 or 2007 for the first time as a limited user, Microsoft Word performs a repair. This repair does not affect operation.	33510
Variables not available on Windows Vista computers The Variables COMMONFAVORITES and LOCALSETTINGS are not included in Windows Vista so they are not used.	35349
Short file names do not resolve properly Programs that store path information in the registry that use short file names (for example, C:\progr~1 instead of C:\Program Files) might not function correctly when virtualized. This is an issue only if the base or a program in another layer uses the same short name abbreviation for a similar but different path. To resolve this issue, install the program to a directory where the first six characters of the folder name are unique.	30877
Files saved to a non-system drive may not be visible when a layer is exported If a file is saved into a layer on a drive other than the system drive (the C drive on most computers), the file may not appear when the layer is exported and imported onto another computer.	33511
Fonts in a layer are not available to the application When using an application that is in a layer, some of the application's fonts may not display correctly. The work-around is to move the fonts to the base. A utility has been developed to move a layer's fonts to the base. See http://juice.altiris.com/tech-tip/270/problems-with-svs-and-fonts-try-this.	20884
Altiris Recovery Solution cannot complete a full snapshot Altiris Recovery Solution cannot complete a full snapshot on computers running Software Virtualization Solution. To resolve this issue, add an exclusion to the ProgramIgnoreList value in the registry for the Recovery Solution agent.	20863
Registry permissions not checked in priority order When Software Virtualization Solution checks registry permissions, it does not do it in priority order. It checks the base first.
Shortcuts created by explorer.exe are not saved in layers If you create a shortcut that references an application in a layer after the creation of the layer, the shortcut is not saved in the layer. The shortcut still appears when the layer is deactivated.	32716
A blue screen sometimes appears when a computer is restarted after the installation of the Software Virtualization Agent On computers that use a non-English Windows operating system and that have Symantec AntiVirus for Windows installed, a blue screen may appear after the Software Virtualization Agent is installed and the computer is restarted. To resolve this problem, install the SAVCE9_KStackMinFree.reg file. This reg file creates a KStackMinFree registry value of 2200 that resolves the problem. You can download this registry file at http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/ent-security.nsf/docid/2002071208532048
Delete Layer from Software Virtualization Solution does not report the event to Notification Server When a layer is deleted on a client computer, the event is not reported to Notification Server. This issue causes the Notification Server database to be out of sync with what is actually on the client computer and causes errors when trying to perform other actions on the layer.	34125
Broken links to task icons If you upgrade or repair Task Server on a Notification Server 6.x, any links to the icons of existing Tasks are broken. The tasks are still functional but the icons do not appear. To repair the links to the icons, run a repair of Altiris SVS Task in Add Remove Programs.
SWV on a computer with UPHClean causes log off lock up If a computer has Microsoft's User Profile Hive Cleanup service (UPHClean) running, the computer tends to freeze at "Saving your settings ..." if Software Virtualization is installed. This problem occurs even when no layers are active.

Things To Know

Fortress filter driver and running Windows in Safe Mode
The Fortress filter driver is not loaded when a computer is started in Windows Safe Mode. Therefore, any diagnostic or recovery utilities that run in safe mode should not be installed in a layer.

Restart required after the installation of the Software Virtualization Agent
After the Software Virtualization Agent is deployed and installed, the client computer must be restarted for the agent to become active.

Clean machine captures
We recommend that you build your virtual software archive files on a clean machine. This ensures that all required files and registry settings are captured in the package.

How Altiris Recovery Solution backs up Virtual Software Packages
Because Symantec Workspace Virtualization redirects files in Virtual Software Packages, program and data files that are in layers are not backed up in the regular file system. Consequently, you cannot view them in the Recovery utilities. However, the redirect files in the C:\fslrdr directory are backed up.
For example, if you have Microsoft Office in an active layer, the C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office directory appears. These files are actually redirected to C:\fslrdr. When you do a snapshot or recovery, the C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office folder is not recognized.

Third Party Legal Notices

This Symantec product may contain third party software for which Symantec is required to provide attribution (“Third Party Programs”). Some of the Third Party Programs are available under open source or free software licenses. The License Agreement accompanying the Software does not alter any rights or obligations you may have under those open source or free software licenses. This section contains proprietary notices for the Third Party Programs and the licenses for the Third Party Programs, where applicable.

XDelta Copyright (c) 2001, 2003-2008 Joshua P. MacDonald The XDelta program has been provided to Symantec under a negotiated license agreement. However, XDelta 3.x may also be obtained separately under the GPL or General Public License from Joshua P. Macdonald.

Legacy ID

45645

Article URL http://www.symantec.com/docs/DOC1758

Symantec™ Workspace Virtualization 6.1 MP1 & MP1 HF1 Release Notes

Description

Introduction