THE OFFICIAL BLOG OF THE SBS DIVA

So is scripting "secret sauce" that only a few should know?  Or is it something that more of us need to understand and use more of?  
Is powershell something only for the "Joe's" of this world? 

Windows PowerShell: 
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/technologies/management/powershell/default.mspx

And is this stuff something that we should share more of because certainly the bad guys are sharing knowledge and information quite effectively.

Take a look at this KB from Adobe: 

*msiexec /p Ac705PrP_efgj.msp REINSTALLMODE=omus REINSTALL=all 
REBOOT=REALLYSUPPRESS /qn*

Using the msiexec installing they are using the /p flag which is indicating the patch package (the AC705PrP_efgi.msp in this case)

http://helpnet.installshield.com/robo/projects/helplibdevstudio9/IHelpPatchApply.htm

"omus" is four different flags as shown below:

•
/p applies an update.
•
Hotfix_Name.msp is the name of the hotfix file and the location where you downloaded the file. 
•
REINSTALL=ALL reinstalls features that are already installed. Use this command together with REINSTALLMODE to indicate the type of reinstallation. REINSTALL uses all uppercase letters.
•
REINSTALLMODE=omus is used with REINSTALL to specify the kind of reinstallation. REINSTALLMODE uses all uppercase letters. The omus option indicates the following: 
•
o reinstalls a file if it is missing or if it is an older version.
•
m rewrites registry entries in the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE registry hive or in the HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT registry hive.
•
u rewrites registry entries in the HKEY_CURRENT_USER registry hive or in the HKEY_USERS registry hive.
•
s reinstalls all shortcuts and re-caches all icons.
•
/l turns on logging.
•
*vx indicates a wildcard character that logs all information by using verbose output. 
•
Logfile_Name.log is the name of the log file.

If you want to suppress the reboot from an unattended installation, use this command: 

msiexec /i <CDImagePath> /q REBOOT="ReallySuppress"

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/297478/en-us

See how those all work together to send a message to the computer to install the software?

So really..if all of this is "secret sauce" how come it's so googlable?

---------------------------

Install and remove Acrobat products using the command line (7.0 on 
Windows):
http://kb.adobe.com/selfservice/viewContent.do?externalId=330817&sliceId=1

The command line syntax is part of the Windows Installer and was not 
invented by Adobe. Microsoft Installer (MSI) technology is based on 
Microsoft Windows Installer technology.

To patch an already existing installation of Acrobat 7.0- 7.0.8:

*msiexec /p Ac705PrP_efgj.msp REINSTALLMODE=omus REINSTALL=all 
REBOOT=REALLYSUPPRESS /qn*

*msiexec /p Acro707.msp REINSTALLMODE=omus REINSTALL=all 
REBOOT=REALLYSUPPRESS /qn*

*msiexec /p Acro708.msp REINSTALLMODE=omus REINSTALL=all 
REBOOT=REALLYSUPPRESS /qn
*

For more information on Command Line Options for Msiexec.exe, see the 
following websites:

http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa367988.aspx    

http://helpnet.installshield.com/robo/projects/helplibdevstudio9/IHelpCmdLineMSI.htm

www.microsoft.com/technet//prodtechnol/windowsserver2003/proddocs/standard/msiexec.asp