Summary
There may be cases where you do not want to or cannot install the Express Client to machines from the Administrative Console (for example, if you have machines that are not connected to the network). This technical note describes: how to install, upgrade, and uninstall the client manually; the logic and syntax required to install, upgrade, or uninstall the client via a batch file or script; and, the requirements to deploy the client via group policy.

Note: The information in this technical note supersedes the information in the Express Software Manager Help topic entitled "How to install the Express Client manually."

To install the client manually (where no previous version of the client is installed), you'll need to have the Express Client MSI file available. The express software manager client.msi file is available on the machine on which the Express Server is installed. By default, it is in the following folder:

\Program Files\Express Metrix\Administrative Console\ClientInstallPackage

Once you locate the .msi file, do the following:

1. Copy the ClientInstallPackage folder to a shared location where the Setup program will run.
2. Run the Express software manager client.msi file as an administrator.
3. Enter the URL of the Express Access Point to which the client will report. The format for the Access Point URL is:
   
   http://<access-point-machine-name>/expresssoftwaremanagerap/clientservices.asmx
4. Select Complete and install the client.

Note: For machines that run Vista or higher with UAC enabled, you cannot use the MSI file to manually install the client. Instead, you'll need to manually run Setup.exe and explicitly choose "Run as administrator." To uninstall the client manually, run the following command: If you want this run silently, the command is: Note: You must have local administrative rights in order to uninstall the Express client. Typically, a domain administrator has local administrator rights on all computers. To upgrade the client manually, uninstall the client first by running either of the commands in section B above and then install the client manually as described in section A. To install the client via a batch file or script (where no previous version of the client is installed), you'll need to have the Express Client MSI file available. The express software manager client.msi file is available on the machine on which the Express Server is installed. By default, the folder is \Program Files\Express Metrix\Express Server\Distribution\ClientInstallPackage. Do the following:

1. Copy the ClientInstallPackage folder to a shared location where the installation will run.
   
   Note: You must have local administrative rights in order to install the Express client. Typically, a domain administrator has local administrator rights on all computers.
2. Create a batch file or script with the appropriate client installation syntax. The following is the syntax to use followed by an example. Note that the entire syntax consists of one long command typed on one line; do not enter any line breaks. Syntax for batch file or script:
   msiexec.exe -i "<folder-containing-client-msi-file>\express software manager client.msi" /qn ESMWEBSERVICE=http://<access-point-machine>/ExpressSoftwareManagerAP/clientservices.asmx
   Example batch file or script syntax:
   msiexec.exe -i "\\myserver\myshare\express_client\express software manager client.msi" /qn ESMWEBSERVICE=http://myiisbox/ExpressSoftwareManagerAP/clientservices.asmx
   where myiisbox is the name of the Express Access Point machine and http://myiisbox/ExpressSoftwareManagerAP/clientservices.asmx is the Express Access Point URL.

Create a batch file or script with the appropriate syntax to uninstall the client. The appropriate syntax is the silent option in section B above: Note: You must have local administrative rights in order to uninstall the Express client. Typically, a domain administrator has local administrator rights on all computers. As noted above, the recommended method for upgrading the Express Client is to uninstall the currently running version and install the new one. The steps required for each of these operations are described in E (uninstall) and D (install) above. If you want to do this conditionally, only if the currently installed client is older, you'll need to check the client's version number prior to uninstalling/reinstalling. The version of the Express Client is the value of the DisplayVersion key in the

(64-bit Windows) (32-bit Windows) folder in the Windows Registry. A script which uses the Windows Scripting Host will allow you to make this registry check, then upgrade the client only if there is a newer version available. As the Express Client is deployed using a Windows Installer file (Express Software Manager Client.msi), the client can be deployed via Windows Group Policy. Deployment of the Express Client via Windows Group Policy requires the use of a Windows Installer transform (.mst) file. The transform file must contain the Express Access Point URL as the value of the ESMWEBSERVICE property.

A transform file for the deployment of the Express Client via Windows Group Policy can be created using a Windows Installer package editor such as Orca:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/255905

Note: Express Metrix does not have expertise in the deployment of Windows Installer packages via Windows Group Policy. Therefore, Express Metrix can provide neither instruction nor support for this deployment option. Express Metrix can, however, create a transform file at a customer's request. To request a transform file, e-mail Technical Support. You must include your Access Point URL with your transform file request. The following is an example of the steps required to create a transform file using Orca for use in the deployment of the Express Client via Windows Group Policy:

1. Once you have Orca installed and launched, click File, click Open, and browse to the Express Software Manager Client.msi file. This file is in the client sub-folder to wherever you extracted the Express installation files. By default, the folder is \Documents and Settings\<user>\Local Settings\Temp\esm800\ESM\Client.
2. Once you have browsed to the Express Software Manager Client.msi file, click Transform and then click New Transform.
3. On the left panel entitled Tables, select Property. On the right panel, right-click on any entry and click Add Row:
4. To the right of 'Property' in the Add Row window, type ESMWEBSERVICE (all in uppercase).
5. Press Enter or click on Value to type in your Access Point URL:
   Note: Please be sure to enter the entire URL, for example: http://utility1:88/expresssoftwaremanagerap/clientservices.asmx
6. Click OK.
7. To save your transform file, click Transform, click Generate Transform…, and save your Transform file,

We do not recommend making any other changes to the Express Software Manager Client.msi file while you are in Orca as it may cause the client installation to fail.