topic Re: ArcGIS 10.4.1 Silent Installation ESRI_LICENSE_HOST parameter not working? in ArcGIS Desktop Installation Support Questions

ArcGIS 10.4.1 Silent Installation ESRI_LICENSE_HOST parameter not working?

StaceMaples — Wed, 14 Sep 2016 20:05:55 GMT

I'm trying to deploy our installation batch files [GitHub - StanfordGeospatialCenter/arcgis-install-batch: Batch files and supporting documents for installing ArcGIS Deskt… ] and am finding that the ESRI_LICENSE_HOST parameter documented in the Silent Installation dox doesn't seem to be working in 10.4.1. Can anyone confirm that? I've created a reg file to write the registry entry at the end, but I'd rather be using the MSI parameter, if I'm missing something obvious. Attaching the bat and reg files here for troubleshooting. Can't find anything on StackExchange, so here I am at Geonet.

Thanks in advance.

Stace

Re: ArcGIS 10.4.1 Silent Installation ESRI_LICENSE_HOST parameter not working?

DanPatterson_Retired — Wed, 14 Sep 2016 20:13:31 GMT

you didn't indicate whether you went through the help topic first Installing ArcGIS for Desktop silently—Help | ArcGIS for Desktop

Re: ArcGIS 10.4.1 Silent Installation ESRI_LICENSE_HOST parameter not working?

StaceMaples — Wed, 14 Sep 2016 20:42:10 GMT

I guess I assumed that once someone saw that I've been doing this since 9.3 they MIGHT assume I was familiar with those docs. Also, since I'm referring specifically to the parameter referenced in that doc... and that it is not working properly as advertised.

My bad. I'll try not to assume that level of critical thinking.

But thanks so much for your helpful comment.

Re: ArcGIS 10.4.1 Silent Installation ESRI_LICENSE_HOST parameter not working?

curtvprice — Sun, 12 Dec 2021 11:03:05 GMT

Love that old bat language. Timothy Hales We want a highlighter for it!

Here is Stace's code (I added line continuations for readability). It looks correct to me.

REM Install ArcGIS Desktop 10.4.1 with options
C:\WINDOWS\system32\msiexec.exe^
  /I "\\sul-gislab\geowares\Esri\ArcGIS_Desktop_10.4.1\Desktop\SetupFiles\setup.msi"^
  ESRI_LICENSE_HOST=27004@sul-gislm.stanford.edu^
  INSTALLDIR1=C:\Python27^
  SOFTWARE_CLASS=Professional^
  SEAT_PREFERENCE=Float^
  /norestart /passive /qb‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍

Does this reproduce on different machines? We have noticed that this setting does NOT overwrite an existing setup (fixed, float, license server) if already set. I think the idea is you don't mess up somebody's provisioning if they are already up and running, as that would be bad. I haven't seen this fail when the setting isn't already in place on a machine though, ie a new desktop.

UPDATE: I asked one my friends in Redlands on the install team and it turns out that this is indeed the intended behavior when installing on top of an existing desktop install. They will update the docs to make this more clear.

It is on purpose, we take the UPGRADE concept to the level of preserving existing settings and using them for the installation. If someone wants to change installation settings, our thinking is they should uninstall and install the next setup as a fresh installation.

Here are the two references of interest, just for the good of the thread:

Just an aside, I avoid UNC paths - in fact I almost always follow SCCM's lead and copy (robocopy) to a local folder and install there to avoid weirdness caused by network latency issues.

Re: ArcGIS 10.4.1 Silent Installation ESRI_LICENSE_HOST parameter not working?

DanPatterson_Retired — Sat, 17 Sep 2016 23:21:15 GMT

I still don't see 9.3 .... me sleep now

Re: ArcGIS 10.4.1 Silent Installation ESRI_LICENSE_HOST parameter not working?

TimothyHales — Mon, 19 Sep 2016 14:19:29 GMT

I just submitted an idea to Jive for batch commands. The "plain" highlighter option may work for it.

Re: ArcGIS 10.4.1 Silent Installation ESRI_LICENSE_HOST parameter not working?

curtvprice — Mon, 19 Sep 2016 16:55:41 GMT

Thanks for doing that... "plain" styler works fine but I likey the highlitey!

Re: ArcGIS 10.4.1 Silent Installation ESRI_LICENSE_HOST parameter not working?

curtvprice — Mon, 19 Sep 2016 17:04:08 GMT

Now Stace. Please cut Dan Patterson a little slack, he is just trying to be helpful. We all benefit from his countless hours of contributions here, even if he is just in it for the points. 🙂

Ha ha about 9.3 installers; I was building arcinfo workstation distro packages for 5.0 (for the #Pr1me ! on 9-track tape!) back in the Jurassic (1990). Seriously -- with your rare level of experience, I hope you are willing to post here (and review the docs I've posted) when you can.

Re: ArcGIS 10.4.1 Silent Installation ESRI_LICENSE_HOST parameter not working?

StaceMaples — Mon, 19 Sep 2016 18:44:59 GMT

It does reproduce on different machines.

On machines that have a previous install with the license server address already in Administrator, the license addy stays the same. If you clear the license server address before the upgrade, it stays cleared.

On fresh machines, with no previous install, the license address remains not_set.

I've added the appropriate reg key and value to my reg file that I merge for changing default settings, so it's written at that point, but if this is a bug, I'd like to get it reported.

For the record, we've never had any problems referencing the install media using UNC paths. The rest of the install is happening without issue, so it's just this one hiccup.

Re: ArcGIS 10.4.1 Silent Installation ESRI_LICENSE_HOST parameter not working?

StaceMaples — Mon, 19 Sep 2016 18:48:25 GMT

RE: Curtis' UPDATE

This must be a new 'feature', since I've never seen this behaviour, before 10.4.1.

You can tell your buddy in Installations that it seems a bit overbearing to force a clean reinstall just to update the license server address. Add it to the list of 'WTF were they thinking' features in ArcGIS.

Still, it's not writing the server address on clean installs, either. The server address remains 'not_set' in the Administrator unless I apply the reg key using my registry file merge.

I guess I'm still stuck writing workarounds for the new features coming from Esri's "Make Everything an Opaque Pain in the A@# for Our Users" Lab.

Job security, though!

Re: ArcGIS 10.4.1 Silent Installation ESRI_LICENSE_HOST parameter not working?

DanPatterson_Retired — Mon, 19 Sep 2016 18:59:28 GMT

Points???/!!! they said there would be a 1 for 1 conversion to cash!!! I will have to moonlight in philosophy again

Re: ArcGIS 10.4.1 Silent Installation ESRI_LICENSE_HOST parameter not working?

curtvprice — Mon, 19 Sep 2016 19:27:38 GMT

I've added the appropriate reg key and value to my reg file that I merge for changing default settings, so it's written at that point, but if this is a bug, I'd like to get it reported.

You've clearly solved your problem. The default doesn't matter so much for people like you that can easily configure things however you want.

As I discovered, this is not a bug but an undocumented feature. I kind of agree with Esri's install team on this one, with our SCCM deployments going to hundreds of desktops, it makes a lot of sense to us not to break an existing license provision, or any other setting. Easy enough to enforce what you want with a .reg file or registry tweak scripts of your own.

If you have a problem with how this is implemented, make a request on the ideas part of GeoNet, if people agree with you, it will get voted up and considered.

Re: ArcGIS 10.4.1 Silent Installation ESRI_LICENSE_HOST parameter not working?

StaceMaples — Wed, 21 Sep 2016 00:03:16 GMT

I'm going to have to disagree on this one. If I'm and administrator using these scripts, I have my "Big Boy" pants on and can decide NOT TO INCLUDE the parameter in my update script. This is a stupid change. Having to hack the license server address with a reg file isn't ideal.

Re: ArcGIS 10.4.1 Silent Installation ESRI_LICENSE_HOST parameter not working?

StaceMaples — Wed, 21 Sep 2016 00:06:23 GMT

Also, as I said before, it's not just upgrade installs, but happening with clean installs, as well.

Re: ArcGIS 10.4.1 Silent Installation ESRI_LICENSE_HOST parameter not working?

curtvprice — Thu, 22 Sep 2016 19:48:19 GMT

As I said before, I'm not seeing the issue. I suggest contacting Esri support, they can help you out.

Re: ArcGIS 10.4.1 Silent Installation ESRI_LICENSE_HOST parameter not working?

DanPatterson_Retired — Thu, 22 Sep 2016 19:54:59 GMT

we solved all our network install problems easily... all the students get their own software work local think global