Silent Installation

Silent Installation

WS_FTP Pro install allows for a "silent" (unattended) product install for local computers only.

Silent install requires two operations. The first operation "records" the options that you choose during a normal install, storing them in a local "response" file. The second automatically runs an install on a different computer, based on the options recorded in the file created in the first operation.

This means that if other computers require identical install options to the ones you recorded in a response file, you can use that file to automate installation on those computers. A simple command will automatically perform the installation using the entries recorded in response file. Other than the execution of the command, the install will require no input from the user.

To silently install WS_FTP Pro, complete the following steps

1. Initiate the recording to start the response file. Execute the following at a command line or Run dialog: [path+executable].exe -r -f1[path]\setup.iss SERIAL="[serial number + UAP]"

   where [path+executable] is the name of the WS_FTP install executable you are creating the response file for, plus its location

   the second [path] is the location where you wish to create the response file

   setup.iss is the response file itself (you can name the file a different name if you wish). There should be no space between the option "f1" and the path for the setup.iss file

   Note: The "SERIAL=" argument is optional depending on whether your install executable has an embedded serial number, and whether the install machine has Internet connectivity, as described the next section.

   [serial number + UAP] is your assigned serial number + the UAP, which is a security code that you append to the serial number to activate the license. You can find the product name plus the assigned serial number in the My Licenses tab on MyIpswitch.com. A license`s UAP is exposed to users under "Additional License Information." The UAP is displayed only when you are authorized to activate the license on more than one system.

   For example, using all arguments, the command would look like: [c:\downloads\wsftp_install.exe].exe -r -f1c:\silentinstall\setup.iss SERIAL="1X4CF7M10W33XS1OVCCW2ST"

2. Proceed with the install using the options you wish to record. When you click Finish, the install recording will be complete.
3. Execute the silent install on the desired computer by running the following:

   [path+executable].exe -s -f1[path]\setup.iss SERIAL="[serial number + UAP]"

   where the bracketed values are the same ones mentioned in the previous step. (Again, there should be no space between the option "f1" and the path for the setup.iss file.)

   the "SERIAL=" argument is optional depending on whether your install executable has an embedded serial number, and whether the install machine has Internet connectivity, as described in the next section.

   For example, using all arguments, the command would look like: [c:\downloads\wsftp_install.exe].exe -s -f1c:\silentinstall\setup.iss SERIAL="1X4CF7M10W33XS1OVCCW2ST"

   After this step, the silent install will proceed with no further input needed.

   You can run each of these operations with no specifics after the command. This will perform the operation with default values. The default for the record operation will store the file as "setup.iss" in the system's Windows folder. The execute silent install operation will look for a file of that name in the same folder. If there is no .iss file present, the install will fail.

Serial Numbers

You may need to use the SERIAL argument to this command to specify your serial number and to activate your software. Activation of the silent install depends on two factors: whether your install executable has an embedded serial number, and whether the install machine has Internet connectivity. There are three scenarios:

You have a downloaded WS_FTP Professional install executable, which has an embedded serial number and the install machine has Internet connectivity. In this case:

1. Run the command without the SERIAL argument. Activation will occur silently.
2. Run the recorded file without the SERIAL argument. Activation will occur silently.

   Result: You can run the recorded install up to your maximum permissible license activations.

You have a downloaded WS_FTP Professional install executable, which has an embedded serial number and the install machine does not have Internet connectivity. In this case:

1. Rename the install executable so that the file name does not include the serial number and UAP.
2. Run the record command without the SERIAL argument. While recording, when the Activation dialog opens, click Cancel to close the dialog and return to the install wizard. Complete the installation.
3. Run the recorded file without the SERIAL argument.
4. Result: The WS_FTP Professional is installed, but does not have a license file.
5. Contact customer service to arrange a license with multiple activations or use offline activation to activate each installation.

You have a downloaded WS_FTP Professional install executable, and a separate NSA license file, and the install machine does not have Internet connectivity. In this case:

1. Rename the install executable so that the file name does not include the serial number and UAP.
2. Run the record command without the SERIAL argument. There will not be an activation, as you are using the NSA license. Complete the installation.
3. Run the recorded file without the SERIAL argument.

   Result: WS_FTP Professional is installed, but does not have a license file.

4. Place the license file, named "license.txt" into the appropriate folder: \ProgramData\Progress\WS_FTP\

Setup.log

The install creates a log file in the same directory as the response file: setup.log. The Setup.log file contains three sections. The first section,[InstallShield Silent], identifies the version of InstallShield Silent used in the silent setup. The second section, [Application], identifies the installed application's name and version, and the company name. The third section, [ResponseResult], contains the result code indicating whether or not the silent setup succeeded.

The ResponseResult should show one of two values. If your install failed due to a missing value, you will see a value of "-3" in the log file. This means there was a mismatch between 1) the install requirements of the computer originally used to generate the response file, and 2) the install requirements of the target computer.

For instance, if setup.iss contains setup instructions for an Express install on a particular drive on a fresh machine, but the target machine does not contain the same install folder name, then the silent install will fail because the install steps will be different than the original install.

A ResponseResult of "0" indicates a successful install.

For further information useful in troubleshooting an install, you can also refer to the WS_FTP_Install.LOG, which the install writes to the following folders:

64-bit systems: C:\Windows\SysWow64\

32-bit systems: C:\Windows\System32\

SUPPRESSREBOOT option

Some installs will require a reboot, especially installs on computers that have never had a WS_FTP installation. If you do not want the target computer to reboot, enter the command "SUPPRESSREBOOT" at the end of the command line. For instance: [path+executable].exe -s -f1[path]\setup.iss SUPPRESSREBOOT

You may need to edit the setup.iss file.

If the setup.iss contains a line with the ending SdFinishReboot-0, you will need to replace it with SdFinish-0. For instance, you should replace the line--

Dlg##={3F464442-A51F-414B-ACA4-78BCF276B346}-SdFinishReboot-0

with the line:

Dlg##={3F464442-A51F-414B-ACA4-78BCF276B346}-SdFinish-0

where "##" represents the install dialog screen number that the line describes.

Similarly, the lines--

[{3F464442-A51F-414B-ACA4-78BCF276B346}-SdFinishReboot-0]

Result=6

BootOption=3

should be changed to:

[{3F464442-A51F-414B-ACA4-78BCF276B346}-SdFinish-0]

Result=1

bOpt1=0

bOpt2=0

If a reboot was required by the installation, you will still need to perform a reboot for the application to work as expected.