Automatically Starting Shared Applications Under SMS

• Microsoft Systems Management Server versions 1.0 and 1.1

SUMMARY

Running Systems Management Server client component from the Program Manager startup group is not supported. This article explains how to configure an Systems Management Server client to start Systems Management Server shared applications when Windows is started.

NOTE: The procedure described in this article is for informational use only and is not supported by Microsoft.

You cannot run Systems Management Server client components from the Startup group, because during an upgrade of the client, the SMSSVR component must be able to overwrite program files. If the files are running, they cannot be replaced. SMSRUN is assumed to be the single responsible component for starting the Systems Management Server client applications. It is designed this way to ensure that if upgrade is needed, it can skip loading the applications and upgrade them.

MORE INFORMATION

For Systems Management Server to start a shared application, Program Group Controller (PGC) must be running first. Since PGC requires time to initialize, any Systems Management Server shared applications that are put in the Startup Group usually fail to start. Shared applications are started by APPSTART which is dependent on APPCTL<xx>.EXE (where <xx> is 16 or 32). If APPSTART determines that APPCTL<xx>.EXE is not running, it fails to start any applications.

When an SMS-configured Windows client is started, the LOAD= line, in the WIN.INI file or the Windows NT Registry, starts the Systems Management Server utility SMSRUN<xx>.EXE (where <xx> is 16 or 32). One of SMSRUN<xx>.EXE's duties is to start APPCTL<xx>.EXE. This is done when SMSRUN<xx>.EXE parses and executes the instructions in the \MS\SMS\BIN\SMSRUN<xx>.INI (where <xx> is 16 or 32) file. This file tells SMSRUN<xx>.EXE what to do and in what order.

By inserting a new line at the end of the [startup] section of the SMSRUN<xx>.INI file, an Systems Management Server client can have SMSRUN<xx>.EXE start other applications. To start a shared Systems Management Server application, insert a line that contains APPSTART and the Registry entry for that application. This should be a copy of the command line for the program item in Program Manager. This will have SMSRUN<xx>.EXE start PGC and allow it to initialize completely. After PGC initializes, APPSTART will then be able to start an Systems Management Server shared application.

NOTE: The Systems Management Server system itself may occasionally, using CLI_<os>.EXE (where <os> is OS2, DOS, or Windows NT), modify this file based on changes in the Systems Management Server site properties. If this happens, you will need to reinsert any changes you made to the SMSRUN<xx>.INI file.

EXAMPLE

The following is a sample SMSRUN16.INI file that will start a shared version of Microsoft Excel:

[SMS Client] Package Command Manager=D:\MS\SMS\bin\pcmwin16.exe Program Group Control=D:\MS\SMS\bin\appctl16.exe Remote Control=D:\MS\SMS\bin\wuser.exe Help Desk Options=D:\MS\SMS\bin\editini.exe MIF Entry=D:\MS\SMS\bin\mifwin.exe SMS Client Help=D:\MS\SMS\bin\sm16.hlp

[startup] load=D:\MS\SMS\bin\pcmwin16.exe load=D:\MS\SMS\bin\appctl16.exe load=D:\MS\SMS\bin\mifwin.exe /SMSLS load=APPSTART.EXE msoffpro+excel