opsi Version 3.3.1 - opsi Download - uib

4. Localboot products: automatic software distribution with opsi
As an additional option the module 'loginblocker' can be installed to prevent a user login
before the end of the installation process is reached.
Before software packets can be installed with the 'wInst' program, they have to be
prepared as opsi packets. The 'wInst' executable supports the opsi wInst script
processing language and and provides different ways of installation:
• Existing setup programs from the original software manufacturer can be executed
from within a wInst script in 'silent' or 'unattended' mode. It depends on the setup
program whether silent installation mode is supported
• The standard setup can be analyzed and 'recorded' to do the installation tasks
directly by the 'wInst' program. Usually that is something like file installation to the
local file system and patching the registry
• The interactive answers required by the original setup program can be given
automatically by using the free tool 'autoiIt' (www.hiddensoft.com/autoit/). That means
providing an autoIt script for unattended installation
Usually a combination of all different ways in one script does the job best. Like doing
the basic installation by the original setup if available and then do some customizing by
patching registry or file based configuration.
4.1.2. Integration of the software installation with the opsi preLoginLoader
The primary objective of software distribution is to accomplish automatic software
installation without user interaction. Software installation and user activity should be
strictly separated. In most cases the installation process requires administrative
privileges which the user usually doesn't have. So the installation process has to be
done independently from the user. In that way neither the user can interfere with nor the
user is affected by a software installation process.
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