Deploying NX 3

How to install NX 3 unattended, silently, and without going to each machine, A system administrators guide

NX 3 uses Microsoft Software Installation EXECution program “msiexec.exe”. With that knowledge you can use msiexec at the command line with a couple of options. Some of the options we like to use is:

• /quiet -or- /qn (which means no user interface)
• /product -or- /i (what package to install, .msi file)
• PROPERTY=”value” (unique to the installation)

For all options type in “msiexec.exe /help” at a command line (cmd.exe)

Example:
D:\nx030>msiexec.exe /quiet /product “NX 3.msi” ADDLOCAL=”all” SETUPTYPE=”typical” INSTALLDIR=”C:\program files\ugs\nx 3.0″
LICENSESERVER=27000@server

To do a deployment over many machines, I would create a share on a server of the NX3 base cd contents (not the actuall CD, for performance). create a script to map each machine one by one, run the msiexec command line, then unmount, and go to the next machine.

Here is a Windows batch file example v1.0 2005. This batch script will take a list of machines and install NX3 on those machines. You will need to have a machine to act as a server to hold the NX3 install CD contents on, and administrative permissions on the client machines. If you have problems with this script please let me know and I can work on improving it. This script structure can be used to do other things then just install NX 3, With the correct command line you can uninstall, repair, and almost anything else you would want to do. If you need a way to Update NX to a later patch, this script can be tweaked to accomplish that as well. Be sure to make all the necessary changes in the top part of the script and test, test, test. Before you deploy in production.

This script has not been thoroughly tested and should not be run in a production environment until you have successfully tested it in your environment!