Patch Management Solution

Hi, recently few users reported that there is a pop up windows in the middle of the day. Eventually, I came across one on my own computer.

I review the log at approximately the time when the pop up appear, I found a event like this (log file attached).

<event date='04/19/2017 13:00:55.5710000 +08:00' severity='4' hostName='LHKRHO45CCDT' source='ProgramExec' module='smfagent.dll' process='AeXNSAgent.exe' pid='7452' thread='29368' tickCount='673691331' >
  <![CDATA[Starting SWD task: 'Windows-KB890830-x64-V5.46.exe for HK RHO - Microsoft Patch Update for Sep 2015 - II' command line='"C:\Program Files\Altiris\Altiris Agent\Agents\SoftwareManagement\Software Delivery\{8CA1BDF1-21E7-7F78-A2BE-60354F6BCB68}\cache\swuenv.bat" && call "%InstallToolsPath_832C527C-B9C9-46FB-B1F1-2F35434FF90D%\AeXPatchDeployment.exe" -DeploymentId=000053db-0000-0000-0000-000000000000 -LanguageGroup=0']]>
</event>
 

I found that it is related to MSRT-001. Then I looked up the policy "Advanced" tab, I found the command line..

Command Line

I suspect the pop up is due to the "call" function.

I used to think all the patching work should be in silent mode, anyone have similar experience?

Attachment(s)

Agent61.txt   1.95 MB 1 version

https://support.symantec.com/en_US/article.TECH240397.html

The problem mentioned in this article is supposed to be fixed, but we still experience the problems with the command line window opening. Is there anything else we have to do, additional to the solution in the article? Because this did not solve our problem.

Please review TECH246575 and post if there are any remaining questions or concerns. 

hi,

I've reported this issue to Symantec Enterprise Support quoting this forum thread two days before Joshua's post above and TECH article has been published. 

Based on my findings, applying pointfix only as per instructions in INFO3457 suggested in TECH246575 article does not resolve the problem. Software Update policy must be recreated from scratch after the pointfix is applied.

Hi,

As we still use 7.5 in one of our environments, and maybe others do, too, there won't be a hotfix to that issue in 7.5. That's what support said. Also, in our environment (not the latest hotfix of 7.5) I cannot change the setting via console. So I had to find a workaround that is:

1. Export package to xml
2. Find the 'startWindow' parameter in the SoftwareProgramItem object and replace 'Normal' with 'Hidden'
3. Import the xml file with the changed value

We cannot upgrade that system before October, so I'll script some ASDK foo doing that for me for all patches incoming next time. I can post it here when I'm done, if somebody's interested.

Deploying patches through Patch Management causes command windows (Dos prompts) to appear on client computers. The window appears to be caused by swuenv.bat running in "Normal" rather than "Hidden" mode.

Please see Tech240167 to assist:

http://www.symantec.com/docs/TECH240167

In our case this happened when we had to delte a policy and recreate one when we accidentally made it with too many packages (over 50).  I see the fix in the link posted by Christina http://www.symantec.com/docs/TECH240167

My quesiton is that once the change is made in the database how will the clients get the change?

As darkdantepl said before, I think you have to recreate the policy.

By the way, thanks to Christina for the helpful information.

Hi Christina,

I ran the query from the database, it doesn't seem it is running in normal mode but my user still getting dos prompts.