Install Adobe Reader Remotely to Multiple Computers

In this tutorial I will demonstrate how to deploy Adobe Reader to multiple computers on your network, simultaneously, in just a few clicks. After the installation is complete, I will then execute a remote uninstallation.

  1. Obtain the Adobe Reader offline installer package. At the time of this writing, the following link contains the offline installer downloads. For this example I downloaded the ‘Adobe Reader 11.0 – Multilingual (MUI) installer package.’ Adobe Reader Offline Installer Download
    2015-11-03 14_28_08-Adobe - Adobe Reader _ For Windows
  2. After downloading the .zip file, extract it. In the screenshot below you can see that I’ve extracted it to AdbeRdr11000_mui_Std.
    2015-11-03 14_29_44-New folder
    The AdbeRdr11000_mui_Std contains the following items:
    2015-11-03 14_31_43-AdbeRdr11000_mui_Std
  3. Now that we have the installation files, we’re ready to create the deployment in BatchPatch. Launch BatchPatch and highlight the desired hosts that will receive the deployment. Then select ‘Actions > Deploy > Create/modify deployment.’ The deployment window will appear.
    2015-11-03 14_36_29-Deploy .msi .msp .msu .exe .reg .vbs .bat .cmd .ps1 etc
  4. In the deployment window, type a title (if you wish to save the deployment for future use), and browse to the .msi in the AdbeRdr11000_mui_Std folder that you created earlier. Also make sure to tick the option to ‘Copy entire directory contents in addition to the specified file.’
    2015-11-03 14_38_45-Program Manager
    2015-11-03 14_51_03-Deploy .msi .msp .msu .exe .reg .vbs .bat .cmd .ps1 etc
  5. Now that we’ve selected our deployment options, we are ready to execute the remote software installation. Click ‘Execute Now,’ and then click ‘OK’ to confirm that you want to continue.
    2015-11-03 14_52_40-new 1 - BatchPatch X1
  6. 20 seconds later we see Deployment: Exit Code: 0 (SUCCESS). That’s all there is to it!
  7. The process for uninstalling / removing Adobe Reader is almost identical as the installation process. For the uninstallation we have to change just a single parameter in the deployment configuration to select ‘uninstall’ instead of ‘install.’
    2015-11-03 14_57_00-Deploy .msi .msp .msu .exe .reg .vbs .bat .cmd .ps1 etc
  8. We can then execute the uninstallation, if needed. Again, I’ll just click the ‘Execute Now’ button and wait. After 14 seconds, Adobe Reader has been uninstalled from the target computer. Once again we see Deployment: Exit Code: 0 (SUCCESS).
    2015-11-03 14_59_02-Program Manager
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Uninstall Adobe Flash Player from Multiple Computers

In a previous posting I demonstrated how to install Adobe Flash on numerous computers, simultaneously. In this posting I will demonstrate how to remove (uninstall) Adobe Flash from numerous computers, simultaneously.

  1. Obtain the installation media. In this example we’re going to use the .msi installer file for Flash player version 19 for plugin-based browsers that Adobe makes available because it seems to be the simplest to use. Adobe has a specific distribution license agreement, so you should review that before you proceed with deploying Adobe Flash in your environment to make sure that you are complying with their rules. The following link has more information about that: Adobe Flash Player Distribution.
  2. Once you have saved the installation media to your computer, you’re ready to proceed. I’ve put the ‘install_flash_player_19_plugin.msi’ file in my E:\temp directory on the computer that is running BatchPatch. Add the desired host(s) to the grid, and then select ‘Actions > Deploy > Create/modify deployment.’
    2015-10-21 15_01_39-Program Manager
  3. In the Deployment window that appears, browse to the .msi file to select it. Then select the radio button option for ‘uninstall.’ Optionally give the deployment a title so that you can save it for future use. That’s all there is to the setup/configuration. Pretty simple, right?
    2015-10-21 15_07_52-Deploy .msi .msp .msu .exe .reg .vbs .bat .cmd .ps1 etc
  4. To perform the actual removal/uninstallation task, you may select ‘Execute now’ to immediately initiate the removal for all highlighted hosts in the grid. Or if you prefer, give the Deployment a title, and then save it using the ‘>>‘ button, and then close the Deployment window so that you may execute the uninstallation later. For the sake of demonstration, I’ll show you what it looks like when we save it and execute it later.
  5. After saving the deployment and closing the Deployment window, I’m now left with my normal grid view. I select the host(s), and choose ‘Actions > Deploy > Execute saved deployments > Remove Adobe Flash 19 for Plugin-based Browsers,’ because that’s the title I gave it in the previous step. When I mouse over the saved deployment, BatchPatch displays the deployment’s configuration in a tooltip, so that I can quickly confirm that I’m selecting the desired one.
    2015-10-21 15_14_00-
  6. When I click ‘OK’ I am prompted with a confirmation dialog that also displays the configuration of the deployment to be executed. The key part of the configuration (see the screenshot below) is the command:
    msiexec.exe /x "install_flash_player_19_plugin.msi" /q

    The /x is the removal parameter for .msi packages.

  7. I click OK to proceed with the uninstallation of Adobe Flash Player from the selected computers.
    2015-10-21 15_21_18-new 1 - BatchPatch X1
  8. After waiting a few seconds, the deployment is complete, and the Adobe Flash Player has been removed from the selected computer(s). We see Exit Code: 0 (SUCCESS), and we know that it’s done. We can also then confirm on the target computer that the Flash Player is gone.
    2015-10-21 15_24_36-new 1 - BatchPatch X1
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Remote Software Installation with BatchPatch

Today I’d like to demonstrate a silent remote software installation with BatchPatch. We’ll deploy 7-zip to the computers in our lab. Once deployed, we’ll then go ahead and remotely uninstall it too.

Remote Software Installation – Deploying 7-zip to remote computers

  1. Select the desired target host(s) in the BatchPatch grid, and then choose ‘Actions > Deploy > Create/modify deployment’
    2015-10-12 15_43_39-Deploy .msi .msp .msu .exe .reg .vbs .bat .cmd .ps1 etc
  2. In the ‘Deploy’ window, browse to the 7-zip installer that you previously downloaded from 7-zip.org. I did a google search to see what the silent installation parameter is for the 7-zip 32-bit .exe installer, and it’s just a /S (case-sensitive). So, you can see in the ‘Deploy’ window screenshot above, I’ve browsed to the location of the 7z920.exe, and I’ve added the /S parameter.
  3. All we have to do is execute the deployment now by clicking the ‘Execute now’ button. BatchPatch prompts us to confirm the deployment. Click OK to proceed.
    2015-10-12 15_47_43-new 1 - BatchPatch X1
  4. A few seconds later the ‘All Messages’ column reports ‘Deployment: Exit Code: 0 (SUCCESS),’ and we’re all done! In the screenshow below I’ve expanded the ‘All Messages’ contents so that you can see exactly what BatchPatch did.
    2015-10-12 15_48_57-Program Manager

Remote Software Installation – Uninstalling 7-zip from remote computers

  1. For the removal / uninstallation, we don’t need to deploy any files to target computers. Instead we simply need to execute a command. In the case of a default installation, the 7-zip files will be stored in “C:\Program Files\7-zip.” Make sure you identify the correct directory in your environment. Then highlight the host and select ‘Actions > Execute remote process/command > Create/modify remote command.’
    2015-10-12 15_56_10-Program Manager
  2. In the ‘Remote process/command’ window, add the uninstallation command exactly as follows:
    "C:\Program Files\7-Zip\Uninstall.exe" /S

    2015-10-12 16_00_03-new 1 - BatchPatch X1

  3. Click ‘Execute’ to initiate the uninstallation. Then click ‘OK’ to confirm that you want to proceed.
    2015-10-12 16_01_22-new 1 - BatchPatch X1
  4. After a few seconds we see ‘Remote Command: Exit Code: 0 (SUCCESS)‘ to indicate that the command has been executed. We can now check the target machine to confirm that the software has been removed.
    2015-10-12 16_02_08-Program Manager
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Configure Computers to Automatically Logon after Reboot

Windows provides a feature that enables it to automatically logon after reboot, which can sometimes be very handy in certain environments. The configuration is applied through a series of registry values, which isn’t particularly convenient to enable manually. However, BatchPatch provides a quick way to apply the settings to target computers when you want to set them to automatically logon after reboot.

The most important thing to know about the automatic logon feature in Windows is that it creates a security vulnerability. In order to automatically logon after reboot, the computer stores the username and password in the registry in plain text. In some environments, this may be an acceptable risk, especially if the logon account being used does not have access to anything that wouldn’t be publicly accessible already. In environments where the risk is not acceptable, automatic logon probably should not be used at all. However, there is also always the possibility of inserting the appropriate username and password registry values, rebooting the computer and letting it automatically logon, and then finally removing the registry values that were previously inserted.

  1. To use BatchPatch to insert the autologon registry entries in target systems, highlight the desired host(s) and select ‘Actions > Reboot > Configure autologon > Insert autologon registry values’

    2015-10-05 14_01_55-Program Manager

  2. The ‘Auto Logon Credentials’ window appears. Input the username and password that you want to use to automatically logon the target system(s). In the ‘Domain’ field either enter the domain name where the user account resides, or if it’s a local computer account simply untick the ‘Domain’ checkbox, and you’ll see that it will be automatically filled in with $computer. Lastly, input a value for the ‘AutoLogonCount’ field.

    Note: The ‘AutoLogonCount’ value controls how many times the machine can be auto-logged-on after reboot before Windows automatically purges the username and password from the registry to prevent further automatic logons. With each restart, Windows decrements the value by 1 until it reaches 0. Note, if you set the ‘AutoLogonCount’ to 1, it will actually take 2 restarts before the credentials are automatically removed by Windows. On the first restart, Windows will automatically logon with the specified credentials. On the second reboot, Windows will remove the saved credentials from the registry and not automatically logon again. For the sake of maximum security, if you set the AutoLogonCount to 1, then you should still plan to remove the entries yourself after reboot by selecting the ‘Remove autologon registry values’ menu item in BatchPatch, unless you are OK with the username and password being stored in the registry in plain text until the following reboot. If you want the system(s) to automatically logon indefinitely, and if you aren’t concerned about the username and password being stored in plain text in the registry, then you can simply choose a very high number for the ‘AutoLogonCount’ field.

    2015-10-05 14_05_12-new 1 - BatchPatch X1

  3. Finally, to actually insert the necessary registry values, click OK.
    2015-10-05 14_34_43-new 1 - BatchPatch X1
  4. Once the registry values have been successfully inserted you can go ahead and initiate the reboot. You’ll see that unless you entered invalid credentials, the computer will automatically logon after the reboot completes. As mentioned above, you might now choose to remove the previously inserted registry values so that the username and password are not left stored in plain text in the target computers’ registries. To do this, highlight the computers and select ‘Actions > Reboot > Configure autologon > Remove autologon registry values’

    2015-10-05 14_38_45-new 1 - BatchPatch X1

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Update Date Filtering: Skip Download / Installation of Recently Deployed Updates

In the most recent release of BatchPatch we added functionality that enables you to easily filter out recently published/approved updates during download and installation. In many environments there is a need or desire to be able to apply updates to computers only if the updates are at least X days old, where X is a value that is configured by the administrator. So, for example, it might be the case that during monthly maintenance in September the administrator desires to install all Windows Updates that were published or approved for August. And then in October the administrator would apply the updates released in September, and so on, so that the entire environment is always one month “behind” in updates that have been released. You can now do this using BatchPatch without adding any extra work.

You can see the setting called ‘Update Date Filtering’ under Tools > Settings > Windows Update in the screenshot below:

2015-09-22 15_09_41-Settings

This filter instructs BatchPatch to compare the current date to the LastDeploymentChangeTime property of each update. The LastDeploymentChangeTime property is printed as a date (yyyy-MM-dd) next to each updated listed in the BatchPatch.log file. You can see this easily in the ‘Remote Agent Log’ column when performing a check for available updates in BatchPatch. In the below screenshot I’ve displayed the ‘Remote Agent Log’ column with the middle-click field viewer. For the sake of this tutorial I circled the date entries in green.

2015-09-22 15_33_50-Program Manager

Important note about LastDeploymentChangeTime:
***When updates are obtained from ‘Windows Update’ or ‘Microsoft Update,’ the LastDeploymentChangeTime property is equivalent to the date the update was published by Microsoft. However, when updates are obtained from WSUS, the LastDeploymentChangeTime property is equivalent to the date the update was approved in WSUS.***

So, when you set the ‘Update Date Filter’ value to something greater than 0, BatchPatch will only download/install updates that were published / approved at least X days ago, where X is the value that you’ve input. For example, if you set this value to 30, updates that were published / approved any time between today and 29 days ago will *not* be installed by BatchPatch. Only updates that were published / approved 30 or more days ago will be installed. Once the setting has been saved, there is nothing else special that needs to be done. You would simply initiate the regular download and/or installation of Windows Updates using one of the options on the BatchPatch ‘Actions > Windows Updates’ menu, such as “Download and install updates + reboot if required.” This action will initiate the normal download/install process on selected computers, but updates will only be installed if they were deployed/approved more than 29 days ago.

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Executing PowerShell Scripts and Commands on Many Remote Computers

One of the things that BatchPatch does very well is remote script execution on many computers all at the same time. The ability to remotely execute a single script on numerous computers, simultaneously, with just a few clicks, is one of the awesome features of BatchPatch. No administrator wants to repeat a single process over and over on many computers. What about when the script you want to execute is written in PowerShell? How do you go about executing that single PowerShell script on all of your networked computers?

First, before you try to execute a single PowerShell script on numerous computer, you need to make sure that the script at least executes successfully on a single computer. One of the annoyances with PowerShell is that if you don’t have the same version of PowerShell on your computer, you might find that the syntax of certain portions of your scripts might only work on version 3 of PowerShell, which would obviously be a problem if some or many of computers are currently only on version 2 of PowerShell.

The first thing you’ll want to do is check to see which version of PowerShell is installed on your target systems. You can use the following PowerShell command to get the version information:

$PSVersionTable.PSVersion

If you want to use BatchPatch to check the version of PowerShell on all of your target systems, here’s what to do.

  1. Highlight the target hosts in BatchPatch, and then select ‘Actions > Execute remote process/command > Create/modify remote command 3 (logged output)
  2. In the command field we type or paste the following command exactly as it is written below:
    cmd.exe /c echo . | powershell.exe -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -command "$PSVersionTable.PSVersion"

    2015-09-14 15_29_01-new 1 - BatchPatch X2

  3. Note, if you think you might want to re-use the same command in BatchPatch more than once, then feel free to add the command to ‘Actions > Execute remote process/command > Create/modify remote commands (logged output), which will allow you to “permanently” hard-code any commands into the BatchPatch menu.
  4. Click ‘execute’ to run the command on the selected hosts. You can see the results below from my quick run. I have one computer with version 3 of PowerShell, while the other still has version 2.
    2015-09-14 15_32_20-Add New Post -‹- BatchPatch - The Ultimate Windows Update Tool -—- WordPress
  5. Now, let’s say you want to run a multi-line PowerShell script on your target machines. After verifying the PowerShell version that you have running on target computers and after making sure that your desired script works properly on at least one computer from each group (just to make sure that the syntax of your PowerShell script works on all versions of PowerShell being used in your environment, you now have two options for executing it from BatchPatch.

    One option is to use the BatchPatch deployment feature. Please review this tutorial: Executing Powershell Commands On Remote Computers With BatchPatch You may also review the Software Deployment page to learn about BatchPatch deployments, in general. In this case instead of deploying a software package or an update, we want to deploy a PowerShell script. So, we would highlight the desired target computers, and then we’d select ‘Actions > Deploy > Create/modify deployment.’ In the window that appears we would select the script to be deployed, and then we would check the “retrieve console output’ if our script outputs anything to the console that we want to see. And then we can simply choose “Execute now” to execute the deployment and have BatchPatch copy the script to the target systems and subsequently execute it on each system.
    2015-09-14 15_38_35-Deploy .msi .msp .msu .exe .reg .vbs .bat .cmd .ps1 etc

    A second option is to just run the script directly on target systems without doing a full deployment. In this case we would need to convert our script into the right format for it to be able to run in a single line. So, for example, let’s make up a very simple multi-line script to use for this example.

    $version = $PSVersionTable.PSVersion
    $version | format-list

    In order to execute this using the ‘Remote process/command’ feature of BatchPatch, we have to convert it into a single-line for execution. In PowerShell the semi-colon is used to separate multiple lines into a single line. So, in this case we would follow the same example that was given higher up in this tutorial, but note that this time we substitute in the above 2-line script.

  6. Highlight the target hosts in BatchPatch, and then select ‘Actions > Execute remote process/command > Create/modify remote command 3 (logged output)
  7. In the command field we type or paste the following command exactly as it is written below:
    cmd.exe /c echo . | powershell.exe -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -command "$version = $PSVersionTable.PSVersion; $version | format-list"

    2015-09-14 15_29_01-new 1 - BatchPatch X2

  8. In the results screenshot below you can see our 2-line script was successful, and now we see our version outputted in list format.
    2015-09-14 16_22_31-new 1 - BatchPatch X2
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Using the Job Queue in BatchPatch for Multi-Step Execution

The ‘Job Queue’ feature lets you line up a sequence of multiple actions to execute on a target host. There are many different situations where you might want to execute a sequence of actions on a given host (or set of hosts). For example, maybe you want to string together multiple software deployments into a single click action. Or perhaps you want to create an update and reboot cycle that can be used to trigger your computers to run Windows Update, then reboot, then wait a few minutes, then run the update and reboot again, and so on. Or perhaps you want to have a single click action that will execute a script, then execute the update+reboot process, then execute another script. All of these examples (plus many more) are possible with the Job Queue. It’s extremely simple to operate. Here’s how it works:

  1. Select the host(s) that you want to include in the job queue execution, and then click on Actions > Job Queue > Create/modify job queue
    2015-09-08 12_40_35-Program Manager
  2. In the Job Queue window that appears you can either select a previously saved Job Queue, or you can create a new one. To select a previously saved queue, double-click the previously saved queue in the ‘Saved Queues’ grid. Or highlight the saved queue and use the ‘<<' button to load it. Once loaded, you can modify it however you like. However, if you want to create a new queue, you can simply double-click on each action you want to be included in the queue, one at a time. Or you can highlight each action one at a time, and use the '>‘ button to add that action to the queue. In the screenshot below you can see that I’ve created a simple queue that does the following:

    A. Wait for host to have zero logged-on users
    B. Download and install updates + reboot always
    C. Wait for host to go offline and come back online
    D. Wait 3 minutes
    E. Download and install updates + reboot always
    F. Wait for host to go offline and come back online
    G. Wait 3 minutes
    H. Start stopped automatic services

    2015-09-08 12_49_57-Job Queue

  3. Now that the queue has been created, we have the option of either saving it or running it without saving it. If we just want to run it now without saving it, we can use the ‘Execute now’ button. If we want to apply the queue to the selected hosts to run later, we can use the ‘Apply queue’ button. Once a queue has been applied to a row/host, it can be executed later from the actions menu by selecting the hosts and choosing ‘Actions > Job queue > Execute job queue.’ However, we also have the option of saving the queue, which we do by adding a Queue Title and then using the ‘>>’ button to save it. Once a queue has been saved, it can be run at any time directly from the actions menu by selecting ‘Actions > Job Queue > Execute saved job queues > Title of job queue to be executed’
  4. That’s all there is to it. When we execute the job queue, each action that was included in the list will be executed sequentially on the host(s) selected. We could also execute a job queue from within a scheduled task, so that it’s launched on a particular date and time, even if we are not in front of the BatchPatch window at the time. Or, if you need to execute a sequence of actions/tasks that involves multiple hosts in the same sequence, please have a look at the advanced multi-row queue sequence, which allows you to coordinate a sequence of actions across multiple hosts, with dependencies such as a particular reboot/shutdown order for a given environment.
    2015-09-08 13_05_34-Program Manager
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Create a Consolidated Report of Available Updates for Numerous Computers

Some administrators might need a singular, consolidated report that lists all Windows Updates that are needed by computers in the organization. It would be nice if creating such a report didn’t require any manual work on the part of the administrator. The good news is that with BatchPatch you can create a consolidated report like this for all computers in just a few clicks. Usually it only takes a minute or two for all of the target computers to report back with results. However, the report is generated and displayed in real-time, so as target hosts complete their processing and report back to the main interface, the results are immediately visible in the report grid even if not all computers have reported back yet. The information displayed includes host name, update title, KB number (if applicable), update size, the published date or date of approval in WSUS, the update classification (Critical, Security, Definition, Updates, Update Rollups, Service Packs, Feature Packs, Drivers, Tools), whether or not the update has actually been downloaded to the target yet, and whether or not the update requires a reboot to complete installation.

  1. Add target hosts to the BatchPatch grid by selecting ‘File > Add hosts’ and then inputting the names of the computers you want included in the consolidated report.
    2015-08-25 14_47_20-new 1 - BatchPatch X2
  2. Select ‘Actions > Windows Updates > Generate consolidated report of available updates’
    2015-08-25 14_51_49-new 1 - BatchPatch X2
  3. When you click OK to begin generating the report, you’ll see the report window appear. As individual hosts in the list are scanned and their scans complete, the available updates for those hosts will begin appearing in the report. In the screenshot below you can see we scanned a single host that had 12 available updates.
    2015-08-25 14_57_22-Consolidated Report of Available Updates
  4. It should be noted that the ‘Date’ field is used to show the date the update was published, or in the event that a managed update server like WSUS is being used, it will show the date the update was approved by the WSUS administrator. The report can be exported to a delimited file by selecting the ‘Export report’ menu item in the upper left corner of the window, making it easy to import the report into your favorite spreadsheet application, such as Microsoft Excel.
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How to Remotely Initiate Windows Update on Numerous Computers Simultaneously

One of BatchPatch’s core features is the ability to remotely initiate the Windows Update search/download/install process on target computers. Not only does it allow you to execute this process on many computers at the same time, but it even lets you monitor the process in real-time so that you can see how far along each computer is. In a BatchPatch grid, one row is created per computer, and each row has its own progress bar, which enables you to see the overall completion percentage, the name of the currently downloading/installing update, as well as the current update completion percentage. I’ll do a run-through of the entire process below, so that you can see just how quick, simple, and painless it is to remotely apply Windows Updates to an entire network of computers.

  1. We’ll start by adding some computers to a BatchPatch grid. Launch BatchPatch and then right click on the empty grid and select ‘Add hosts.’ Then input the host names of the computers you want to add. Finally click ‘OK’ to add the hosts to the grid.
    2015-08-18 17_55_57-BatchPatch
    2015-08-18 17_56_51-BatchPatch
    2015-08-18 18_00_09-new 1 - BatchPatch X10
  2. Before we proceed, let’s double-check our Windows Update settings. Go to ‘Tools > Settings > Windows Update.’ In the window that appears you have the option of choosing ‘Windows Update,’ ‘Microsoft Update,’ or your local WSUS server. You can also select from a few different search preferences, and you can set download and installation filters too, if you want.
    2015-08-18 18_08_19-Program Manager
  3. Now that the grid has been populated with some target computers, let’s go ahead and initiate a check for available updates. This check will show us which updates are available on each computer. Highlight the desired rows, and then select ‘Actions > Windows Updates > Check for available updates.’
    2015-08-18 18_04_32-
    We can see the results for one of the hosts in the screenshot below. This log is made visible by simply middle-clicking on the ‘Remote Agent Log’ column for the host in question. There are also a couple of other ways to view this information in BatchPatch, including the ability to get a consolidated list of available updates from all hosts in the grid.
    2015-08-18 18_24_31-Program Manager
  4. Even though we first did a check for available updates in the previous step, if we had wanted we could have skipped straight to this step, where we’ll download and install the updates to our target computers. However, in some cases it’s nice to know ahead of time what updates are even available to the computers before initiating the download and/or installation process. To remotely initiate the Windows Update download and installation process on all the selected computers, all you have to do is select ‘Actions > Windows Updates > Download and install updates + reboot if required.’ If you don’t want the hosts to be rebooted automatically by BatchPatch, then instead go ahead and select ‘Actions > Windows Updates > Download and install updates.’
    2015-08-18 18_36_21-
  5. At this point it’s just a question of waiting a few minutes until the process is complete. The process can take anywhere from a few minutes all the way up to a couple of hours, depending on how many updates need to be downloaded and installed. A new installation of Windows will likely have more than a hundred updates available, whereas an older installation that has been maintained might only have a couple. However, it doesn’t matter how many hosts are in the grid or how many hosts are executed simultaneously. Each host will be handled in a separate thread, so you don’t need to factor in extra time for more hosts. If a host will take about 10 minutes on its own, then it will still take the same 10 minutes when its handled concurrently with numerous other hosts. You can imagine how much time this can save when executing the process across dozens or even hundreds of target computers!
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Copying files or folders to numerous computers using BatchPatch

BatchPatch provides the administrator with the ability to easily copy files and/or folders to numerous computers, simultaneously. If you simply need to push a file to target computers or you need to replace a file that already exists on target computers, here’s how to do it:

  1. Select the target hosts that you want to copy files/folders to. Then select ‘Actions > Copy file / folder > Create/modify file or folder copy’
    2015-08-11 14_35_08-Program Manager
  2. In the dialog that appears, let’s start by adding a title for our copy job. Note, a title is not required for one-off jobs. The title is only required if you plan to save the copy job to use again in the future. For the sake of this example, we’ll save the job.
  3. Use the browse button to select the source file/folder to be copied. In the ‘Destination folder’ field, we manually type the path of the folder on target computers that we want to set as the destination for the copied files. Lastly, if we want to overwrite existing files with the same name, then we can check the ‘overwrite’ box. Optionally use the >> button to save the copy job for future use.
    2015-08-11 14_40_05-Program Manager
  4. At this point we are actually ready to execute the copy. If we click on the button that says “Execute now,” the file copy job will be executed for each selected row. The file will be copied from our source folder to the specified destination folder on each selected computer in the BatchPatch grid. Alternatively, if we saved the copy job, then we can close this window and execute the copy job later. For the sake of this example, let’s close the window.
  5. Now that the copy job has been created, let’s go ahead an execute it. Highlight the desired target hosts in the grid, and then select ‘Actions > Copy file/folder > Execute saved file/folder copy job.’ In this case since I’ve only saved one job, I’ll select it. You can see when I hover my mouse over the menu item, a tooltip window appears showing the details of the copy job configuration, so that I can verify that I’m executing the correct job.
    2015-08-11 14_43_35-Program Manager
  6. Finally, I will complete the job by clicking the menu item for the job in question. I’m prompted to confirm the action, so I select OK to complete the copy.
    2015-08-11 14_46_23-new 1 - BatchPatch X5
  7. We can see the successful copy in the screenshot below. That’s all there is to it!
    2015-08-11 14_49_31-Program Manager
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