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How to Install Clients on Windows-Based Computers in Configuration Manager

 

Updated: April 22, 2016

Applies To: System Center 2012 Configuration Manager, System Center 2012 Configuration Manager SP1, System Center 2012 Configuration Manager SP2, System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager, System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager SP1

You can use different client deployment methods to install the System Center 2012 Configuration Manager client software on computers. To help you decide which deployment method to use, see Determine the Client Installation Method to Use for Windows Computers in Configuration Manager.

Before you install System Center 2012 Configuration Manager clients, ensure that all the prerequisites are in place and that you have completed all required deployment configurations. For more information, see Prerequisites for Windows Client Deployment in Configuration Manager and Configuring Client Deployment in Configuration Manager.

Use the following procedures to install clients in System Center 2012 Configuration Manager.

How to Install Configuration Manager Clients by Using Client Push

Use client push installation to install the System Center 2012 Configuration Manager client software on computers that Configuration Manager discovered. You can configure client push installation for a site, and client installation will automatically run on the computers that are discovered within the site's configured boundaries when those boundaries are configured as a boundary group. Or, you can initiate a client push installation by running the Client Push Installation Wizard for a specific collection or resource within a collection.

Note

Configuration Manager SP1 does not support client push installation for Windows Embedded devices that have write filters that are enabled.

You can also use the Client Push Installation Wizard to install the System Center 2012 Configuration Manager client to the results that are obtained from running a query. For installation to succeed in this scenario, one of the items returned by the selected query must be the attribute ResourceID from the attribute class System Resource. For more information about queries, see Queries in Configuration Manager.

If the site server cannot contact the client computer or start the setup process, it automatically repeats the installation attempt every hour for up to 7 days until it succeeds.

To help track the client installation process, install a fallback status point site system before you install the clients. When a fallback status point is installed, it is automatically assigned to clients when they are installed by the client push installation method. View the client deployment and assignment reports to track client installation progress. Additionally, the client log files provide more detailed information for troubleshooting and do not require the installation of a fallback status point. For example, the CCM.log file on the site server records any problems that the site server has connecting to the computer, and the CCMSetup.log file on the client records the installation process.

Important

For client push to succeed, ensure that all the prerequisites are in place. These are listed in the section “Installation Method Dependencies” in Prerequisites for Windows Client Deployment in Configuration Manager.

To configure the site to automatically use client push for discovered computers

  1. In the Configuration Manager console, click Administration.

  2. In the Administration workspace, expand Site Configuration, and then click Sites.

  3. In the Sites list, select the site for which you want to configure automatic site-wide client push installation.

  4. On the Home tab, in the Settings group, click Client Installation Settings, and then click Client Push Installation.

  5. On the General tab of the Client Push Installation Properties dialog box, select Enable automatic site-wide client push installation. Select the system types to which System Center 2012 Configuration Manager should push the client software by selecting Servers, Workstations, or Configuration Manager site system servers. The default selection is Servers and Workstations.

  6. Select whether you want automatic site-wide client push installation to install the System Center 2012 Configuration Manager client software on domain controllers.

  7. On the Accounts tab, specify one or more accounts for System Center 2012 Configuration Manager to use when connecting to the computer to install the client software. Click the Create icon, enter the User name and Password, confirm the password, and then click OK. You must specify at least one client push installation account, which must have local administrator rights on every computer on which you want to install the client. If you do not specify a client push installation account, System Center 2012 Configuration Manager tries to use the site system computer account, which will cause cross-domain client push to fail.

    Important

    The password for the client push installation account is limited to 38 characters or less.

    Note

    If you intend to use the client push installation method from a secondary site, the account must be specified at the secondary site that initiates the client push.

    For more information about the client push installation account, see the next procedure,”To use the Client Push Installation Wizard”.

  8. On the Installation Properties tab, specify any installation properties to use when installing the System Center 2012 Configuration Manager client:

    - For Configuration Manager with no service pack: You can specify only installation properties for the Windows Installer package (Client.msi) in this tab; you cannot specify properties for CCMSetup.exe.

- For Configuration Manager SP1: You can specify installation properties for the Windows Installer package (Client.msi) in this tab and the following CCMSetup.exe properties:

    - /forcereboot

    - /skipprereq

    - /logon

    - /BITSPriority

    - /downloadtimeout

    - /forceinstall

    Client installation properties that are specified in this tab are published to Active Directory Domain Services if the schema is extended for System Center 2012 Configuration Manager and read by client installations where CCMSetup is run without installation properties. For more information about client installation properties, see About Client Installation Properties in Configuration Manager.

    Note

    If you enable client push installation on a secondary site, ensure that the SMSSITECODE property is set to the System Center 2012 Configuration Manager site name of its parent primary site. If the Active Directory schema is extended for System Center 2012 Configuration Manager, you can also set this to AUTO to automatically find the correct site assignment.

To use the Client Push Installation Wizard

  1. In the Configuration Manager console, click Administration.

  2. In the Administration workspace, expand Site Configuration, and then click Sites.

  3. In the Sites list, select the site for which you want to configure automatic site-wide client push installation.

  4. On the Home tab, in the Settings group, click Client Installation Settings, and then click Client Push Installation.

  5. On the Installation Properties tab, specify any installation properties to use when installing the System Center 2012 Configuration Manager client:

    - For Configuration Manager with no service pack: You can specify only installation properties for the Windows Installer package (Client.msi) in this tab; you cannot specify properties for CCMSetup.exe.

- For Configuration Manager SP1: You can specify installation properties for the Windows Installer package (Client.msi) in this tab and the following CCMSetup.exe properties:

    - /forcereboot

    - /skipprereq

    - /logon

    - /BITSPriority

    - /downloadtimeout

    - /forceinstall

    Client installation properties that are specified in this tab are published to Active Directory Domain Services if the schema is extended for System Center 2012 Configuration Manager and read by client installations where CCMSetup is run without installation properties. For more information about client installation properties, see About Client Installation Properties in Configuration Manager.

  6. In the Configuration Manager console, click Assets and Compliance.

  7. In the Assets and Compliance workspace, select one or more computers, or a collection of computers.

  8. On the Home tab, choose one of the following:

    - If you want to install the client to a single computer or multiple computers, in the **Device** group, click **Install Client**.

- If you want to install the client to a collection of computers, in the **Collection** group, click **Install Client**.

  9. On the Before You Begin page of the Install Client Wizard, review the information, and then click Next.

  10. On the Installation options page, configure whether the client can be installed on domain controllers, whether the client will be reinstalled, upgraded, or repaired on computers with an existing client, and the name of the site that will install the client software. Click Next.

  11. Review the installation settings, and then close the wizard.

Note

You can use the wizard to install clients even if the site is not configured for client push.

How to Install Configuration Manager Clients by Using Software Update-Based Installation

Software update-based client installation publishes the System Center 2012 Configuration Manager client to a software update point as an additional software update. This method of client installation can be used to install the System Center 2012 Configuration Manager client on computers that do not already have the client installed or to upgrade existing System Center 2012 Configuration Manager clients.

If a computer has the System Center 2012 Configuration Manager client installed, Configuration Manager provides the client with the software update point server name and port from which to obtain software updates. This information is included in the client policy.

Important

To use software update-based installation, you must use the same Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) server for client installation and software updates. This server must be the active software update point in a primary site. For more information, see Configuring Software Updates in Configuration Manager.

If a computer does not have the System Center 2012 Configuration Manager client installed, you must configure and assign a Group Policy Object (GPO) in Active Directory Domain Services to specify the software update point server name from which the computer will obtain software updates.

You cannot add command-line properties to a software update-based client installation. If you have extended the Active Directory schema for System Center 2012 Configuration Manager, client computers automatically query Active Directory Domain Services for installation properties when they install.

If you have not extended the Active Directory schema, you can use Group Policy to provision client installation settings to computers in your site. These settings are automatically applied to any software update-based client installations. For more information, see How to Provision Client Installation Properties (Group Policy and Software Update-Based Client Installation) and How to Assign Clients to a Site in Configuration Manager.

Use the following procedures to configure computers without a System Center 2012 Configuration Manager client to use the software update point for client installation and software updates, and to publish the System Center 2012 Configuration Manager client software to the software update point.

Note

If computers are in a pending restart state following a previous software installation, then a software update based client installation might cause the computer to restart.

To configure a Group Policy Object in Active Directory Domain Services to specify the software update point for client installation and software updates

  1. Use the Group Policy Management Console to open a new or existing Group Policy Object.

  2. In the console, expand Computer Configuration, expand Administrative Templates, expand Windows Components, and then click Windows Update.

  3. Open the properties of the setting Specify intranet Microsoft update service location, and then click Enabled.

  4. In the box Set the intranet update service for detecting updates, specify the name of the software update point server that you want to use and the port. These must match exactly the server name format and the port being used by the software update point:

    - If the Configuration Manager site system is configured to use a fully qualified domain name (FQDN), specify the server name by using FQDN format.

- If the Configuration Manager site system is not configured to use a fully qualified domain name (FQDN), specify the server name by using a short name format.

    Note

    To determine the port number that is being used by the software update point, see How to Determine the Port Settings Used by WSUS.

    Example: http://server1.contoso.com:8530

  5. In the box Set the intranet statistics server, specify the name of the intranet statistics server that you want to use. There are no specific requirements for specifying this server. It does not have to be the same computer as the software update point server, and the format does not have to match if it is the same server.

  6. Assign the Group Policy Object to the computers on which you want to install the Configuration Manager client and receive software updates.

To publish the Configuration Manager client to the software update point

  1. In the Configuration Manager console, click Administration.

  2. In the Administration workspace, expand Site Configuration, and then click Sites.

  3. In the Sites list, select the site for which you want to configure software update-based client installation.

  4. On the Home tab, in the Settings group, click Client Installation Settings, and then click Software Update-Based Client Installation.

  5. In the Software Update Point Client Installation Properties dialog box, select Enable software update-based client installation to enable this client installation method.

  6. If the client software on the System Center 2012 Configuration Manager site server is a later version than the client version stored on the software update point, the Later Version of Client Package Detected dialog box opens. Click Yes to publish the most recent version of the client software to the software update point.

    Note

    If the client software has not been previously published to the software update point, this box will be blank.

  7. To finish configuring the software update point client installation, click OK.

Note

The software update for the Configuration Manager client is not automatically updated when there is a new version. If you upgrade the site, which includes a new client version, you must repeat this procedure and click Yes for step 6.

How to Install Configuration Manager Clients by Using Group Policy

You can use Group Policy in Active Directory Domain Services to publish or assign the System Center 2012 Configuration Manager client to install on computers in your enterprise. When you assign the Configuration Manager client to computers by using Group Policy, the client installs when the computer first starts. When you publish the System Center 2012 Configuration Manager client to users by using Group Policy, the client displays in the Control Panel Add or Remove Programs for the computer for the user to install.

Use the Windows Installer package (CCMSetup.msi) for Group Policy-based installations. This file is found in the folder <ConfigMgr installation directory>\bin\i386 on the System Center 2012 Configuration Manager site server. You cannot add properties to this file to modify installation behavior:

Important

You must have Administrator permissions to the folder to access the client installation files.

  • If the Active Directory schema is extended for System Center 2012 Configuration Manager and Publish this site in Active Directory Domain Services is selected in the Advanced tab of the Site Properties dialog box, client computers automatically search Active Directory Domain Services for installation properties. For more information about the installation properties that are published, see About Client Installation Properties Published to Active Directory Domain Services in Configuration Manager.

  • If the Active Directory schema has not been extended, you can use the following procedure in this topic to store installation properties in the registry of computers: How to Provision Client Installation Properties (Group Policy and Software Update-Based Client Installation). These installation properties are then used when the System Center 2012 Configuration Manager client is installed.

For information about how to use Group Policy in Active Directory Domain Services to install software, refer to your Windows Server documentation.

How to Install Configuration Manager Clients Manually

You can manually install the System Center 2012 Configuration Manager client software on computers in your enterprise by using the CCMSetup.exe program. This program and its supporting files can be found in the Client folder of the System Center 2012 Configuration Manager installation folder on the site server and on management points in your site. This folder is shared to the network as

\\<Site Server Name>\SMS_<Site Code>\Client\

where <Site Server Name> is the name of one of the servers hosting a management point and <Site Code> is the code for primary site the client will belong to. To run CCMSetup.exe from the command line on the client, you must map a network drive to this location, and then run the command.

Important

You must have Administrator permissions to the folder to access the client installation files.

CCMSetup.exe copies all necessary installation prerequisites to the client computer and calls the Windows Installer package (Client.msi) to perform the client installation.

Important

You cannot run Client.msi directly.

You can specify command-line properties for both CCMSetup.exe and Client.msi to modify the behavior of the client installation. Make sure that you specify CCMSetup properties (the properties that begin with “/” ) before you specify Client.msi properties.

For example, you could specify the following command:

CCMSetup.exe /mp:SMSMP01 /logon SMSSITECODE=AUTO FSP=SMSFP01

and the client installs by using the following properties:

Property

Description

/mp:SMSMP01

This CCMSetup property specifies the management point SMSMP01 to download the required client installation files.

/logon

This CCMSetup property specifies that the installation should stop if an existing System Center 2012 Configuration Manager or Configuration Manager 2007 client is found on the computer.

SMSSITECODE=AUTO

This Client.msi property specifies that the client tries to locate the System Center 2012 Configuration Manager site code to use, for example, by using Active Directory Domain Services.

FSP=SMSFP01

This Client.msi property specifies that the fallback status point named SMSFP01 will be used to receive state messages sent from the client computer.

For details on all CCMSetup.exe properties, see About Client Installation Properties in Configuration Manager

Examples for Installing Configuration Manager Clients Manually

These examples are for Active Directory clients on the intranet and use the following values to represent different aspects of the site:

MPSERVER = server hosting the management point
FSPSERVER = server hosting the fallback status point
 ABC = site code
 contoso.com = domain name

All site system servers are configured with an intranet FQDN and the site is published to the client’s Active Directory forest.

On the client computer, you log on as a local administrator, map a drive (z:) to\\MPSERVER\SMS_ABC\Client, switch the command prompt to the z drive, and then run one of the following commands.

Example 1:

CCMSetup.exe

Note

This example installs the client with no additional properties so that the client is automatically configured by using the client installation properties published to Active Directory Domain Services. For example, the client is automatically configured for the site code (requires the client’s network location to be included in a boundary group that is configured for client assignment), a management point, the fallback status point, and whether the client must communicate by using HTTPS only. For more information about the client installation properties that can be automatically configured for Active Directory clients, see About Client Installation Properties Published to Active Directory Domain Services in Configuration Manager.

Example 2:

CCMSetup.exe /MP:mpserver.contoso.com /UsePKICert SMSSITECODE=ABC CCMHOSTNAME=server05.contoso.com CCMFIRSTCERT=1 FSP=server06.constoso.com

Note

This example overrides the automatic configuration that Active Directory Domain Services can provide and does not require that the client’s network location is included in a boundary group that is configured for client assignment. Instead, the installation specifies the site, an intranet management point and an Internet-based management point, a fallback status point that accepts connections from the Internet, and to use a client PKI certificate (if available) that has the longest validity period.

How to Install Configuration Manager Clients by Using Logon Scripts

System Center 2012 Configuration Manager supports logon scripts to install the System Center 2012 Configuration Manager client software. You can use the program file CCMSetup.exe in a logon script to trigger the client installation.

Logon script installation uses the same methods as manual client installation. You can specify the /logon installation property for CCMSsetup.exe, which prevents the client from installing if any version of the client already exists on the computer. This prevents reinstallation of the client from taking place each time the logon script runs.

If no installation source is specified that is using the /Source property and no management point from which to obtain installation is specified by using the /MP property, CCMSetup.exe can locate the management point by searching Active Directory Domain Services if the schema has been extended for System Center 2012 Configuration Manager and the site is published to Active Directory Domain Services. Alternatively, the client can use DNS or WINS to locate a management point.

How to Upgrade Configuration Manager Clients by Using a Package and Program

You can use Configuration Manager to create and deploy a package and program that upgrades the client software for selected computers in your hierarchy. A package definition file is supplied with Configuration Manager that populates the package properties with typically used values. You can customize the behavior of the client installation by specifying additional command line properties.

You cannot upgrade Configuration Manager 2007 clients to System Center 2012 Configuration Manager by using this method. In this scenario, use automatic client upgrade, which automatically creates and deploys a package that contains the latest version of the client.

For more information about how to migrate from Configuration Manager 2007 to System Center 2012 Configuration Manager, see Planning a Client Migration Strategy in System Center 2012 Configuration Manager.

Use the following procedure to create a Configuration Manager package and program that you can deploy to System Center 2012 Configuration Manager client computers to upgrade the client software.

To create a package and program for the client software

  1. In the Configuration Manager console, click Software Library.

  2. In the Software Library workspace, expand Application Management, and then click Packages.

  3. On the Home tab, in the Create group, click Create Package from Definition.

  4. On the Package Definition page of the Create Package from Definition Wizard, select Microsoft from the Publisher drop-down list, select Configuration Manager Client Upgrade from the Package definition list, and then click Next.

  5. On the Source Files page of the wizard, select Always obtain files from a source folder, and then click Next.

  6. On the Source Folder page of the Create Package from Definition Wizard, select Network path (UNC Name) and enter the network path to the computer and folder that contains the Configuration Manager client installation files.

    Note

    The computer on which the Configuration Manager deployment runs must have access to the network folder that you specify. If the computer does not have access, the installation will fail.

  7. Click Next and complete the wizard.

  8. If you want to change any of the client installation properties, you can modify the CCMSetup.exe command line parameters on the General tab of the Configuration Manager agent silent upgrade Properties program dialog box. The default installation properties are /noservice SMSSITECODE=AUTO.

  9. Distribute the package to all distribution points that you want to host the client upgrade package. You can then deploy the package to computer collections that contain System Center 2012 Configuration Manager clients that you want to upgrade.

How to Automatically Upgrade the Configuration Manager Client for the Hierarchy

You can configure Configuration Manager to automatically upgrade the client software to the latest System Center 2012 Configuration Manager client version when Configuration Manager identifies that a client that is assigned to the System Center 2012 Configuration Manager hierarchy is lower than the version used in the hierarchy. This scenario includes upgrading the Configuration Manager 2007 client to the latest System Center 2012 Configuration Manager client when it attempts to assign to a System Center 2012 Configuration Manager site.

A client can be automatically upgraded in the following scenarios:

  • The client version is lower that the version being used in the hierarchy.

  • The client on the central administration site has a language pack installed and the existing client does not.

  • A client prerequisite in the hierarchy is a different version than the one installed on the client.

  • One or more of the client installation files are a different version.

Configuration Manager creates an upgrade package by default that is automatically sent to all distribution points in the hierarchy. If you make changes to the client package on the central administration site, for example, add a client language pack, Configuration Manager automatically updates the package, and distributes it to all distribution points in the hierarchy. If automatic client upgrade is enabled, every client will install the new client language package automatically.

Note

Configuration Manager does not automatically send the client upgrade package to Configuration Manager SP1 cloud-based distribution points.

Automatic client upgrades are useful when you want to upgrade a small number of client computers that might have been missed by your main client installation method. For example, you have completed an initial client upgrade, but some clients were offline during the upgrade deployment. You then use this method to upgrade the client on these computers when they are next active.

Note

For System Center 2012 Configuration Manager SP1 and later:

The performance improvements in Configuration Manager SP1 let you use automatic client upgrades as the main method to upgrade clients. However, the performance of this method might be affected by the infrastructure of your hierarchy, such as the number of clients that you have.

Use the following procedure to configure automatic client upgrade. Automatic client upgrade must be configured at a central administration site and this configuration applies to all clients in your hierarchy.

To configure automatic client upgrades (Configuration Manager with no service pack)

  1. In the Configuration Manager console, click Administration.

  2. In the Administration workspace, expand Site Configuration, and then click Sites.

  3. On the Home tab, in the Sites group, click Hierarchy Settings.

  4. In the Client Installation Settings tab of the Site Settings Properties dialog box, configure the following options:

    - **Upgrade client automatically when new client updates are available** – Enables or disables automatic client upgrades.

- **Allow clients to use a fallback source location for content** – Allows clients to use a fallback source location to retrieve the client installation files.

- **Do not run program when a client is within a slow or unreliable network boundary or when the client uses a fallback source location for content** – Select this option to ensure that clients do not retrieve client installation files from distribution points that are on a slow or unreliable network from the client location and only use distribution points that are in a boundary group with a fast connection.

- **Automatically upgrade clients within days** – Specify the number of days in which client computers must upgrade the client after they receive client policy. The client will be upgraded at a random interval within this number of days. This prevents scenarios where a large number of client computers are upgraded simultaneously.

- **Automatically upgrade clients that are this version or earlier** – Specify the minimum client version to upgrade on client computers.

  <div class="alert">


  > [!NOTE]
  > <P>You can run the report <STRONG>Count of Configuration Manager clients by client versions</STRONG> in the report folder <STRONG>Site – Client Information</STRONG> to identify the different versions of the Configuration Manager client in your hierarchy.</P>


  </div>

  5. Click OK to save the settings and close the Site Settings Properties dialog box. Clients will receive these settings when they next download policy.

To configure automatic client upgrades (Configuration Manager SP1 and SP2)

  1. In the Configuration Manager console, click Administration.

  2. In the Administration workspace, expand Site Configuration, and then click Sites.

  3. On the Home tab, in the Sites group, click Hierarchy Settings.

  4. In the Automatic Client Upgrade tab of the Site Settings Properties dialog box, configure the following options:

    - **Upgrade client automatically when new client updates are available** – Enables or disables automatic client upgrades.

- For System Center 2012 Configuration Manager SP2 and later: **Do not upgrade servers** – Select this option if you don’t want the automatic client upgrade to apply to servers.

- **Automatically upgrade clients within days** – Specify the number of days in which client computers must upgrade the client after they receive client policy. The client will be upgraded at a random interval within this number of days. This prevents scenarios where a large number of client computers are upgraded simultaneously.

- **Automatically distribute client installation package to distribution points that are enabled for prestaged content** – You must enable this option if you want the client installation package to be copied to distribution points that have been enabled for prestaged content.

    Note

    You can run the report Count of Configuration Manager clients by client versions in the report folder Site – Client Information to identify the different versions of the Configuration Manager client in your hierarchy.

  5. Click OK to save the settings and close the Site Settings Properties dialog box. Clients receive these settings when they next download policy.

How to Install Configuration Manager Clients by Using Computer Imaging

You can preinstall the System Center 2012 Configuration Manager client software on a master image computer that will be used to build computers in your enterprise. To install the client on a master computer, do not specify a site code for the client. When computers are imaged from this master image, they will contain the System Center 2012 Configuration Manager client and must complete site assignment when installation is complete.

Important

The imaged computers cannot function as System Center 2012 Configuration Manager clients until the System Center 2012 Configuration Manager clients are assigned to a System Center 2012 Configuration Manager site.

You must remove any computer-specific certificates that are installed on the master image computer. For example, if you use public key infrastructure (PKI) certificates, you must remove the certificates in the Personal store for Computer and User before you image the computer.

If clients cannot query Active Directory Domain Services to locate a management point, they use the trusted root key to determine trusted management points. If all imaged clients will be deployed in the same hierarchy as the master computer, leave the trusted root key in place. If the clients will be deployed in different hierarchies, remove the trusted root key and as a best practice, preprovision these clients with the new trusted root key. For more information, see Planning for the Trusted Root Key.

To prepare the client computer for imaging

  1. Manually install the System Center 2012 Configuration Manager client software on the master image computer. For more information, see How to Install Configuration Manager Clients Manually.

    Important

    Do not specify a System Center 2012 Configuration Manager site code for the client in the CCMSetup.exe command-line properties.

  2. At a command prompt, type net stop ccmexec to ensure that the SMS Agent Host service (Ccmexec.exe) is not running on the master image computer.

  3. Remove any certificates that are stored in the local computer store on the master image computer.

  4. If the clients will be installed in a different System Center 2012 Configuration Manager hierarchy than the master image computer, remove the Trusted Root Key from the master image computer.

  5. Use your imaging software to capture the image of the master computer.

  6. Deploy the image to destination computers.

How to Install Configuration Manager Clients on Workgroup Computers

System Center 2012 Configuration Manager supports client installation for computers in workgroups. Install the client on workgroup computers by using the method specified in How to Install Configuration Manager Clients Manually.

The following prerequisites must be met in order to install the System Center 2012 Configuration Manager client on workgroup computers:

  • The client must be installed manually on each workgroup computer. During installation, the logged-on user must have local administrator rights on the workgroup computer.

  • In order to access resources in the System Center 2012 Configuration Manager site server domain, the Network Access Account must be configured for the site. You specify this account as a software distribution component property. For more information, see Configuring Site Components in Configuration Manager.

There are a number of limitations to supporting workgroup computers:

  • Workgroup clients cannot locate management points from Active Directory Domain Services, and instead must use DNS, WINS, or another management point.

  • Global roaming is not supported, because clients cannot query Active Directory Domain Services for site information.

  • Active Directory discovery methods cannot discover computers in workgroups.

  • You cannot deploy software to users of workgroup computers.

  • You cannot use the client push installation method to install the client on workgroup computers.

  • Workgroup clients cannot use Kerberos for authentication and so might require manual approval.

  • A workgroup client cannot be configured as a distribution point. System Center 2012 Configuration Manager requires that distribution point computers be members of a domain.

To install the client on workgroup computers

  1. Ensure that the computers on which you want to install the client meet the above prerequisites.

  2. Follow the directions in the section How to Install Configuration Manager Clients Manually.

    Example 1: CCMSetup.exe SMSSITECODE=ABC DNSSUFFIX=constoso.com

    Note

    This example installs the client for intranet client management and specifies the site code and DNS suffix to locate a management point.

    Example 2: CCMSetup.exe FSP=fspserver.constoso.com

    Note

    This example requires the client to be on a network location that is configured in a boundary group so that automatic site assignment can succeed. The command includes a fallback status point on server FSPSERVER, to help track client deployment and to identify any client communication issues.

How to Install Configuration Manager Clients for Internet-based Client Management

When the System Center 2012 Configuration Manager site supports Internet-based client management for clients that are sometimes on the intranet, and sometimes on the Internet, you have two options when you install clients on the intranet:

  • You can include the Client.msi property of CCMHOSTNAME=<Internet FQDN of the Internet-based management point> when you install the client, for example by using manual installation or client push. When you use this method, you must also directly assign the client to the site and cannot use automatic site assignment. The How to Install Configuration Manager Clients Manually section in this topic provides an example of this configuration method.

  • You can install the client for intranet client management, and then assign an Internet-based client management point to the client by using the Configuration Manager client properties in Control Panel, or by using a script. When you use this method, you can use automatic client assignment. For more information, see the How to Configure Clients for Internet-based Client Management after Client Installation section in this topic.

If you must install clients that are on the Internet either because they are Internet-only clients, or because you must install them before they come back into the intranet, choose one of the following supported methods:

  • Provide a mechanism for these clients to temporarily connect to the intranet by using a virtual private network (VPN), and then install them by using any appropriate client installation method.

  • Use an installation method that is independent from Configuration Manager, such as packaging the client installation source files onto removable media that you can send to users to install with instructions. The client installation source files are located in the <InstallationPath>\Client folder on the System Center 2012 Configuration Manager site server and management points. Include on the media a script to manually copy over the client folder and from this folder, install the client by using CCMSetup.exe and all the appropriate CCMSetup command-line properties.

Note

Configuration Manager does not support installing a client directly from the Internet-based management point or from the Internet-based software update point.

Because clients that are managed over the Internet must communicate with Internet-based site systems, ensure that these clients also have public key infrastructure (PKI) certificates installed before you install them. You must install these certificates independently from System Center 2012 Configuration Manager. For more information about the certificate requirements, see PKI Certificate Requirements for Configuration Manager.

To install clients on the Internet by specifying CCMSetup command-line properties

  1. Follow the directions in the section How to Install Configuration Manager Clients Manually and always include the following:

    - CCMSetup command-line property **/source:***\<local path to the copied Client folder\>*

- CCMSetup command-line property **/UsePKICert**

- Client.msi property **CCMHOSTNAME=***\<FQDN of Internet-based management point\>*

- Client.msi property **SMSSIGNCERT=***\<local path to exported site server signing certificate\>*

- Client.msi property **SMSSITECODE=***\<site code of Internet-based management point\>*

    Note

    If the site has more than one Internet-based management point, it does not matter which Internet-based management point you specify for the CCMHOSTNAME property. When a Configuration Manager client connects to the specified Internet-based management point, the management point sends the client a list of available Internet-based management points in the site, and the client selects one from the list. The selection is nondeterministic.

  2. If you do not want the client to check the certificate revocation list (CRL), specify the CCMSetup command-line property /NoCRLCheck.

  3. If you are using an Internet-based fallback status point, specify the Client.msi property FSP=<Internet FQDN of the Internet-based fallback status point>.

  4. If you are installing the client for Internet-only client management, specify the Client.msi property CCMALWAYSINF=1.

  5. Verify whether you have to specify any additional CCMSetup command-line properties. For example, you might have to specify a certificate selection criteria if the client has more than one valid PKI certificate. For a list of available properties, see About Client Installation Properties in Configuration Manager.

    Example: CCMSetup.exe /source: D:\Clients /UsePKICert CCMHOSTNAME=server1.contoso.com SMSSIGNCERT=siteserver.cer SMSSITECODE=ABC FSP=server2.contoso.com CCMALWAYSINF=1 CCMFIRSTCERT=1

    Note

    This example installs the client source files from a folder on the D drive with settings to use a client PKI certificate and select the certificate with the longest validity period for Internet-only client management, assigns the client to use the Internet-based management point named SERVER1 and the Internet-based fallback status point in the contoso.com domain, and assigns the client to the ABC site.

How to Configure Clients for Internet-based Client Management after Client Installation

To assign the Internet-based management point after the client is installed, use one of the following procedures. The first procedure requires manual configuration so it is appropriate for a few clients, whereas the second procedure is more appropriate if you have many clients to configure.

To configure clients for Internet-based client management after client installation by assigning the Internet-based management point in Configuration Manager Properties

  1. Navigate to Configuration Manager in the Control Panel of the client computer, and then double-click to open its properties.

  2. On the Internet tab, enter the fully qualified domain name of the Internet-based management point in the Internet FQDN text box.

    Note

    The Internet tab is only available if the client has a client PKI certificate.

  3. Enter proxy server settings if the client will access the Internet by using a proxy server.

  4. Click OK.

To configure clients for Internet-based client management after client installation by using a script

  1. Open a text editor, such as Notepad.

  2. Copy and insert the following into the file:

    on error resume next

' Create variables.
Dim newInternetBasedManagementPointFQDN
Dim client

newInternetBasedManagementPointFQDN = "mp.contoso.com"

' Create the client COM object.
Set client = CreateObject ("Microsoft.SMS.Client")

' Set the Internet-Based Management Point FQDN by calling the SetCurrentManagementPoint method.
client.SetInternetManagementPointFQDN newInternetBasedManagementPointFQDN

' Clear variables.
Set client = Nothing
Set internetBasedManagementPointFQDN = Nothing

  3. Replace mp.contoso.com with the Internet FQDN of your Internet-based management point.

    Note

    If you have to delete a specified Internet-based management point so that the client is not configured to use an Internet-based management point, remove the value inside the quotation marks so that this line becomes newInternetBasedManagementPointFQDN = "".

  4. Save the file with a .vbs extension.

  5. Use cscript to run the script on client computers, by using one of the following methods:

    - Deploy the file to existing Configuration Manager clients by using a package and a program.

- Run the file locally on existing Configuration Manager clients by double-clicking the script file in Windows Explorer.

You might have to restart the client for the new setting in this script to take effect.

How to Provision Client Installation Properties (Group Policy and Software Update-Based Client Installation)

You can use Windows Group Policy to provision computers in your enterprise with System Center 2012 Configuration Manager client installation properties. These properties are stored in the registry of the computer and read when the client software is installed. This procedure would not normally be required for System Center 2012 Configuration Manager. However, this might be required for some client installation scenarios, such as the following:

  • You are using the Group Policy settings or software update-based client installation methods, and you have not extended the Active Directory schema for System Center 2012 Configuration Manager.

  • You want to override client installation properties on specific computers.

Note

If any installation properties are supplied on the CCMSetup.exe command line, installation properties provisioned on computers will not be used.

A Group Policy administrative template named ConfigMgrInstallation.adm is supplied on the System Center 2012 Configuration Manager installation media, which can be used to provision client computers with installation properties. Use the following procedure to configure and assign this template to computers in your organization.

To configure and assign client installation properties by using a Group Policy Object

  1. Import the administrative template ConfigMgrInstallation.adm into a new or existing Group Policy Object, by using an editor such as Windows Group Policy Object Editor.

    Note

    This file can be found in the folder TOOLS\ConfigMgrADMTemplates on the System Center 2012 Configuration Manager installation media.

  2. Open the properties of the imported setting Configure Client Deployment Settings.

  3. Click Enabled.

  4. In the CCMSetup box, enter the required CCMSetup command-line properties. For a list of all CCMSetup command-line properties and examples of their use, see About Client Installation Properties in Configuration Manager.

  5. Assign the Group Policy Object to the computers that you want to provision with System Center 2012 Configuration Manager client installation properties.

For information about Windows Group Policy, refer to your Windows Server documentation.