Using Symantec Packager and pcAnywhere, Part 7 of Using pcAnywhere

Symantec Packager

Symantec Packager is a tool to use in conjunction with pcAnywhere to build a custom install that includes all settings and customizations so that you can deploy to an end user with no user intervention if you choose.

Symantec Packager Installation

1. Symantec Packager is no longer included on the pcAnywhere install CD. To download the packager files run the setup.exe located on the root of the pcAnywhere installation CD.
2. Click View Other Installation Options.

   

3. Click Download Symantec Packager.

   

4. A prompt to run or save the file will appear select Save

   

5. A prompt to pick a location will open select your desktop and click Save.

   

6. Once the packager is downloaded go to your desktop and double click the Packager_ENG.exe icon.

   

7. Click Run if a Security Warning comes up.

   

8. A prompt You are about to install Symantec packager, Do you want to Continue? Select Yes.

   

9. The Symantec pcAnywhere - InstallShield Wizard will open and select Next >

   

10. After the packager extracts itself a Symantec Packager 1.4 - InstallShield Wizard screen will come up click Next >

    

11. Enter User Name: and Organization: appropriately.

    

12. Select the I agree radio button and click Next.

    

13. Select the destination default is fine click Next >

    

14. Click Install

    

15. Live update will run. Because these lab machines don't have internet access click Cancel

    

16. Click Finish

    

17. The latest build of pcAnywhere will then be imported into Symantec Packager.

    

18. Once the import is finished the wizard will close.

Gathering Packager files

Packager can be used to build any combination of customized installations. For this How To we will be building a host only installation that will auto launch with windows and have a passive installation.

Packager can include preconfigured Host , Remote, Caller, Option sets, Security Identifiers and Command Queues, these files can be harvested from following folders of a machine that has pcAnywhere installed and configured the way you want it to be.

For this How To we are interested in the host files (.bhf) and caller files (.cif). Be familiar with the remote files (.chf), option sets (.opt), security Identifiers (.sid) and Command Queues (.cqf) configuration files.

The location of these files varies by operating system:

• Windows 2000: C:\Documents and Settings\All Users.WINNT\Application Data\Symantec\pcAnywhere
• Windows XP: C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Symantec\pcAnywhere
• Windows 2003: C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Symantec\pcAnywhere
• Windows Vista: C:\ProgramData\Symantec\pcAnywhere
• Windows Server 2008: C:\ProgramData\Symantec\pcAnywhere

1. For this How to you will need to have a Host and Caller configured. If you are new to pcAnywhere you can refer to the How to install and configure a host.
2. Open Windows Explorer and locate the Hosts folder in the appropriate location based on your OS. If you are working with a default install on windows XP the path will be the following. C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Symantec\pcAnywhere\Hosts

   

   Note: If you are not able to locate the Application data folder the machine may be configured to not show hidden files and folders.

3. To configure windows to show hidden files and folders from within the Windows Explorer select Tools > Folder Options

   

4. From the Folder Options menu select the View tab and then select the radio button for Show hidden files and folders.

   

5. Click OK.
6. Now you should be able to see the hidden Application Data folder

   

7. Navigate to the C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Symantec\pcAnywhere\Hosts

   

   Note: The following Host on MachineOne .BHF and PCA.pca.CIF were built in an earlier How To and that your files may have different names.

These files are what make up the host and the caller file that was created to allow the host to run and accept a caller of pca or whatever caller you have made. Note that if your packager program is installed on the same machine as your host you don't need to do anything with these files. If your host is configured on a different machine you will need to copy them to the machine with packager installed on it.

Creating a custom product

Packager has four phases to be able to build a custom install. The first is automatically taken care of when you install it. That is the importing of the product files (.pmi). The second is to customize a product.

1. From your desk top double click the Symantec Packager icon.

   

2. Select the Configure Products tab

   

3. Select File > New Product Configuration

   

4. Select the version of the product that you will be configuring and click OK (by default you will only have one choice but if you imported multiple versions of pcAnywhere then you may have more than one version to choose from.)

   

5. The product editor page opens.

   

6. Uncheck the Remote option as we will be making a host only package.

   

7. Select the Configuration Files tab

   

8. Highlight and remove all of the files that were default in this product. See screen shot to follow.

   

9. Highlight the Host Files (*.BHF) line and click Add

   

10. Browse to the folder noted in Gathering Packager Files section C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Symantec\pcAnywhere\Hosts and select the appropriate .BHF file and click Open

    

11. Highlight the Caller Files (*.CIF) line and click Add

    

12. Brows to the folder noted in Gathering Packager Files section and select the appropriate .CIF file and click Open.

    

13. Click the Installation Options tab.

    

14. Select the Host Object to Launch After Install click Modify

    

15. From the Value drop down menu select your host .BHF click OK.

    

16. Select the Host object to start with Windows click Modify

    

17. From the Value drop down menu select your host .BHF click OK.

    

18. Click OK

    

19. At the Save As dialog name this file My_Host_Only_Product.pcg and select Save.

    

    Note: The default location for packager files is C:\Documents and Settings\%user profile%\My Documents\Packager

Creating a Custom Package

The third step to building a custom install is to configure a package that includes your custom product. Once the package is created it can be selected and built into a deployable installation file.

1. Select the Configure Packages tab

   

2. Select File > New Package Definition

   

3. Click Add

   

4. Locate C:\Documents and Settings\%user profile%\My Documents\Packager and select the My_Host_Only_Product.pcg and click OK.

   

5. Select the Installation Options tab

   

6. Select the Default installation mode and click Modify

   

7. Select the Passive radio button and click OK

   

8. Select the Product Selection Tab and review the properties of the package. Click OK

   

9. In the Save as dialog name this file My_Host_Only_Package.pkg and select Save.

   

10. Right click the My_Host_Only_Package and select build.

    

11. Once the package is done building and the Close button is available click Close

    

Note: There is a know defect with Packager when a package is built. The windows what shows the status does not have enough a large enough buffer to hold all of the lines of information that pcAnywhere 12.5 has. You won't fully know if the package was a success or a failure until it is deployed. In all of my testing the packages that I have built that had failures failed soon enough that the failure was displayed in the status window. Additionally you can only determine that the package is done being built by when the cancel button changes to a close button.

For more information see KB# 2008111313124860

http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/on-technology...

Package Deployment

Once a package is built it can be deployed using the package deployment tool available in the Symantec Packager product.

1. Select the Deploy Package tab.

   

2. Select the My_Host_Only_Package and right click and select Deploy.

   

3. On the Package Deployment page.
   a. Enter the Computer name or IP address:
   b. Click Add
   c. Click Deploy

   

4. Enter the appropriate Administrative credentials
   a. Domain\Username:
   b. Password:
   c. Click OK

   

5. If no errors occur then click Close. And you are ready to connect to you host only install.

If you do receive an error try to determine why and resolve the error. (The most common is simple file sharing and you will need to disable simple file sharing on your destination to complete this How To) See steps below to disable simple file sharing on your destination computer.

1. To disable simple file sharing open My Computer and select Tools > Folder Options...

   

2. Select the View tab and scroll to the bottom of the Advanced settings box. Look for the Use simple file sharing (Recommended) option and then uncheck it.

   

   For more information on what simple file sharing is and what it is used for see Microsoft KB http://support.microsoft.com/kb/304040

Now that the simple file sharing is disabled test that you have connectivity from the computer with Packager installed to the administrative share on the machine you are deploying to.

1. From the Start menu on the packager machine go to the Run Line and type \\thedeploytocomputername\c$
2. You may be prompted for credentials to the s$ share. Use an administrative user name and password.
3. If you can successfully get to this share then restart the package deployment section of this lab. If you can't then check the status of the firewall and try to resolve further.

A PDF Version of this article is attached below.

Review Part 6 here: Using Thin Host from pcAnywhere 12.5, Part 6 of Using pcAnywhere

See Part 8 here: Installing and Configuring pcAnywhere Gateway, Part 8 of Using pcAnywhere