Deploying just IE 11 to remote computers

[chays33]

I have several remote locations that are not connected to my WSUS server here at our main office, yet I need to deploy IE 11 to machines at the remote office. When I do a check windows updates using batch patch, IE 11 is never an option. Is there a way to deploy that (Im sure there is) so a better question is How to I deploy IE 11 using batch patch?

Thanks in advance

[doug]

Download from Microsoft the IE11 setup file for your language and OS:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/18520/download-internet-explorer-11-offline-installer

The command line parameters for the IE setup file are listed here:

https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc817409.aspx

And so we simply create a deployment in BatchPatch like in the screenshot below. Note the /quiet /norestart parameters

There are more deployment examples and tutorials posted at BatchPatch Software Deployment

-Doug

[chays33]

I will give this a shot, thanks for the quick response

[chays33]

the x86 deployment worked, but the x64 deployment just sat there in executing state for a while. I canceled it, and tried the x86 deployment, which came back with success, reboot required. Something different required for the x64 deployment?

thanks again

[jjlandstrom]

Our x64 install of IE 11 hangs as well using deploy software. I haven’t tried x32.

IE 11 installs automatically (using cached/offline mode) on most of my servers and I am trying to use deploy software to fix the rest.

The servers are 2008 R2 SP1 and there is an install process running when I check task manager 20 minutes later.

I have tried looking through logs to help. I even tried IEAK with an .msi w/logging deployment and get the same results and no log. I have also tried psexec -c install and it hangs as well.

Manually clicking on the install locally works without error.

Below is the log from our normal patch cycle. Note that it appears the have the update cached but then signals that it is not downloaded.

::Begin copying files to Windows Update cache

1> Internet Explorer 11 for Windows Server 2008 R2 for x64-based Systems

1> wu-windows6.1-kb2888049-x64_ca3421cb93d78c14a94694692f63155c8639befc.exe :: Copy To Cache: Skipped – File previously cached

2> Deleting C:Program FilesBatchPatchcachewu-windows6.1-kb2533623-x64_40b1d8701721bb016179d2fe1b42fb36594e4f86.exe :: Copy To Cache: Succeeded

3> Deleting C:Program FilesBatchPatchcachewu-windows6.1-kb2639308-x64_4b951aca78481f8ddb822fcdb0b506f2bddf6ea5.exe :: Copy To Cache: Succeeded

4> wu-windows6.1-kb2670838-x64_02412ebe5afe36c6905b517464a12c6407fb82c6.exe :: Copy To Cache: Skipped – File previously cached

5> Deleting C:Program FilesBatchPatchcachewu-windows6.1-kb2729094-v2-x64_84f5f8244e32350f2b211f5c6e03e94154abeafc.exe :: Copy To Cache: Succeeded

6> Deleting C:Program FilesBatchPatchcachewu-windows6.1-kb2731771-x64_8db36032d0f3afac353aaa52de2257619dfe338b.exe :: Copy To Cache: Succeeded

7> Deleting C:Program FilesBatchPatchcachewu-windows6.1-kb2786081-x64_2aad289276a4421b53711a4099047303e758bdd6.exe :: Copy To Cache: Succeeded

8> wu-windows6.1-kb2834140-v2-x64_96194289302f7934eb49afa7e65395fbf419b98f.exe :: Copy To Cache: Skipped – File previously cached

9> wu-windows6.1-kb2882822-x64_60c6ad5c10b0be4e47a36b1e9e7f0ef807b1dda8.exe :: Copy To Cache: Skipped – File previously cached

10> wu-windows6.1-kb2849696-en_1dc82bd81de2f08bdc513dbb2f6d58c9a4e7306a.exe :: Copy To Cache: Skipped – File previously cached

11> wu-windows6.1-kb2849697-en_9a730a45cf46569e724367869b879e38b53b2c87.exe :: Copy To Cache: Skipped – File previously cached

12> Deleting C:Program FilesBatchPatchcacheie11-windows6.1-x64-en-us_ddec9ddc256ffa7d97831af148f6cc45130c6857.exe :: Copy To Cache: Succeeded

::End copying files to Windows Update cache

::Begin adding downloaded items to installer collection

skipped> Internet Explorer 11 for Windows Server 2008 R2 for x64-based Systems – Reason: Update not downloaded/cached

::End adding downloaded items to installer collection

There are no updates available for installation

HQTIERINT01LC 08/16/2016 10:02:25

[doug]

chays33 – I’m not sure about the x86 vs x64 package differences. I have not experienced any issues deploying the x64 version, and I just did another test again with a 2008R2 target with no problems. Generally speaking if a Deployment ‘hangs’ indefinitely, it’s because the package was executed in a way that ended up somehow requiring interaction from the end user. The /quiet switch is there to prevent user action from being required. If you forget to use the /quiet switch, then when the package is executed, it pops up a dialog box for the user to click through. But since you’re doing a remote installation, there is no interactive user, and the dialog box is hidden on the target. And so this manifests as indefinite ‘hanging’ of the deployment.

You said that the x86 worked. Is the reason for the x64 failure occurring because you’re trying to install the x64 version on a x86 machine? What happens if you try to manually run the x64 installer at the command line on the target computer *without* using BatchPatch? So, at the cmd prompt you would type the following, where someFolder is the actual folder that you have put the .exe file:

C:someFolderIE11-Windows6.1-x64-en-us.exe /quiet /norestart

I suspect that running this at the command prompt will inform you as to why running in BP is hanging indefinitely. Does it pop up some sort of dialog box? If it pops a dialog box, then that is likely the reason that the installation is hanging. What does the dialog say? If it completes successfully, then I wonder if maybe you just forgot the /quiet switch on the first attempt? Because if it completes successfully and silently without any user interaction from the cmd prompt, then there is no reason that it won’t work from BP. And considering that I just re-tested the x64 IE11 deployment from BP without any problems, I know that it is able to work.

Scott posted an IE11 deployment tutorial here, in case it helps: Deploying IE 11 to Multiple Computers

jjlandstrom – Under ‘Tools > Settings > Windows Update’ try checking the box at the bottom that says “Re-copy/overwrite updates that have already been cached on target hosts” and then see what happens. Let me know.

-Doug

[jjlandstrom]

It looked promising, but after 2 hours I am stuck at 85%.

: Succeeded

12> Deleting C:Program FilesBatchPatchcacheie11-windows6.1-x64-en-us_ddec9ddc256ffa7d97831af148f6cc45130c6857.exe :: Copy To Cache: Succeeded

::End copying files to Windows Update cache

::Begin adding downloaded items to installer collection

adding> Internet Explorer 11 for Windows Server 2008 R2 for x64-based Systems

::End adding downloaded items to installer collection

::Begin installation

[doug]

jjlandstrom – This doesn’t sound like a BP issue. It sounds like something weird happening with Windows Update on the target computer or maybe some other OS issue. I would try to let it go as long as possible before killing it, just to be sure that it’s def stuck and not going to make progress. 2 hours certainly should be more than enough, but if possible maybe let it run for another couple just to be absolutely safe. Or could it be that the target computer has IE open, and IE needs to be closed first? That’s just a wild guess. I wonder if whatever is preventing it from completing is the same thing that’s preventing the ‘Deployment’ that you attempted from completing. It could indicate a deeper issue with the OS, I suppose. Not really sure. However, I had no problem deploying the IE11 x64 installer exe directly on a new 2008R2 machine, and I haven’t ever seen an issues like the one you are describing when it comes to using the WUA to update IE.

Another option is to try renaming/deleting the ‘C:WindowsSoftwareDistributionDownload’ folder on the target and then trying again. If still no luck, could try renaming/deleting the ‘C:WindowsSoftwareDistribution’ on the target and trying again.

Good luck.

-Doug

[jjlandstrom]

You’re correct that it is a Windows issue and I only have the problem on a small percentage of systems. I will update once I figure it out. I am troubleshooting the following at this time and feel that I am making progress.

::End copying files to Windows Update cache

::Begin adding downloaded items to installer collection

adding> Internet Explorer 11 for Windows Server 2008 R2 for x64-based Systems

::End adding downloaded items to installer collection

::Begin installation

1> Internet Explorer 11 for Windows Server 2008 R2 for x64-based Systems – Installation Result: Failed. HRESULT: -2145116153. Reboot Required: FALSE

::End installation

Overall Installation Result: Failed

Reboot Required: FALSE

Servername02LC 08/19/2016 02:23:24

-2145116153 = FFFFFFFF80242007

[jjlandstrom]

WindowsUpdateDiagnostic.diagcab fixed it for me now just trying to figure out how use or fix on remote systems.

[doug]

Thanks for posting your fix. Unfortunately I don’t know if it’s possible to successfully run the WindowsUpdateDiagnostic.diagcab without user interaction. In order to run remotely it would have to be able to run silently/quietly without user interaction. The command line invocation for this .diagcab, according to https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/mattbie/2010/11/09/running-a-troubleshooter-from-the-command-line/ , is:

msdt.exe /cab c:troubleshootersmyTroubleshooter.diagcab

However, I found that when I ran this command, it still presented a dialog and did not run silently/quietly without user interaction. The following link shows the command line parameters that are available for msdt:

https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee424379%28v=ws.11%29.aspx?f=255&MSPPError=-2147217396

However, there is no silent/quiet switch. There appears only to be an answer file /af switch, but I don’t have details on that kind of usage, and I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s not possible with the WindowsUpdateDiagnostic.diagcab.

You might have to just run the fix manually on each affected computer.

-Doug

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