Run Deployment from local resource; InstallSource regkey is remote.

[mdhutchinson]

Scenerio... we are getting all new CAD computers for all our detialers in two offices several hundred miles apart. All the computers will be completely setup from our IT deptment here at my office.

Software is Building Design Suite Ultimate, Navis Simulate, and Navis Freedom

As I understand and have experienced... Service Packs, Installations in repair mode or Add Remove features many times require that the original media/InstallSource is accessible... so...

I'd like to run installations from a deployment locally \\dm-autodesk01\cadapps$

but somehow make the computer think it was ran from \\om-navisworks01\cadapps$

Excepting for the computer name, identical deployments exist in both places.

How might I do this?  The only thing I could think of is a carefull, but flat-out and complete seach and replace in the registry after each installation. Would this method work... or might I have issues?  Is there a better method?

[asburyj]

In theary you should be able to do this but I haven't actually tested you scenerio. Look in the registry folder HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Installer\Products and search for the product  (Autocad 2014 or whatever you installed). You should find one or two folders for the product. Two folders if the product includes a langauge pack and 1 if not. The folder will have a log hex string like the one below. The example below is for Revit 2013

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Installer\Products\0A4B643700310150409007C5D0680240

In each folder will be a subfolder called Sourcelist and inside of that is a key called Lastusedsource which will have a value like "n;1;C:\Filesource"  where "C:\filesouce is the location of the install image. If that location is wrong than manualy correcting it may allow you to run the patch. I beleive the sorunce is is prefecased with n;1 when the source was a network or local hard drive soruce and m;1 if it was an install media like a USB or a DVD. 

There's some info on how to write a VB script to update install source reg keys for microsoft installers at the below link that might be helpful

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/297168 

[david.lau]

Please also check out this blog post:

http://upandready.typepad.com/up_and_ready/2013/09/quick-start-suite-deployment-tips.html

1 - don't delete deployment/media files.

2 - moving deployments.

7 - mapped drives.

I would move the deployment files to a local location.  Be prepared to re-create the deployment at the local location because copied files can get corrupted.

http://upandready.typepad.com/up_and_ready/2013/01/tip-browser-downloaded-files-vs-extracted-files.h...

http://upandready.typepad.com/up_and_ready/2013/07/the-installation-that-will-never-complete.html