Repackage BESClient with client settings to an MSI

Ideas
1

Hi Guys,

I would like to be able to distribute a BESClient MSI with all the client settings baked in. If I edit the MSI or repackage an MSI will that affect the IBM code signing? If i create a MST first can I bake an MST into the MSI? Just wondering what everyone here is doing for custom configured MSIs particularly with the BESClient.

Thanks,

Peter

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2

I’m not aware of anyway to do it directly from the MSI but you can use the setup.exe version of the installer (it will be in the Client folder of the BES Installers folder created on the IEM server complete with your masthead) and you can then add a clientsettings.cfg file that will be processed when the setup runs. Examples on http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21506065

Regs
Rob

3

IBM told us this was not possible, but I do wonder if an MST would work.

4

You can tweak the following task to include whatever settings you would normally put in your clientsettings.cfg file, put it in the master action site, and take it as an open policy action from a master operator:

http://bigfix.me/fixlet/details/5023

It should take affect fairly early on in the process.

Example ClientSettings.cfg:

5

Hi James,

Yes I get that however one of the key client settings is to report into a relay. Our root server is not accessible by any clients.

Thanks,

Peter

6

You can edit an MSI and have it set registry values yourself but its not a simple process. Microsoft provides a tool to do it but we don’t directly support someone doing this. The cfg file as @jgstew mentioned is our way around this but if you want to “pre-populate” registry values you can.

The Orca tool is at https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa370557(v=vs.85).aspx

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7

Hi Alan,

My concern with this is if i modify the MSI will it break the signed code?

Peter

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8

The signature is stripped off I believe by these actions but I’m not 100% sure as I’ve never done it before.

Even the MSI that is produced in the Installation Generator has been modified to include the masthead so there is precedent there.

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9

I could be wrong Alan but I believe the masthead is included but imported by the signed msi so nothing executable is changed.

Peter

10

The masthead is shoved into the MSI as a registry update (its a special type of masthead deployment) and this does alter the MSI

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