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Q271122: SMS: Users Are Unexpectedly Notified of an Advertised Program

Article: Q271122
Product(s): Microsoft Systems Management Server
Version(s): 2.0,2.0 SP1,2.0 SP2,2.0 SP3
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbenv kbsetup kbsms200bug kbsms200fix kbAdvertisement kbPackage kbSoftwareDist kbsms200
Last Modified: 06-AUG-2002

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Systems Management Server versions 2.0, 2.0 SP1, 2.0 SP2, 2.0 SP3 
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SYMPTOMS
========

When an administrator sends a mandatory advertisement for a program with the
"Run once for first user who logs on" property defined, only the first logged on
user will be required to run it, but each subsequent user that logs on will be
notified of the available advertisement.

As they are notified, users who are unaware that a package has already been
installed by another user on the same computer may reinstall a previously
installed package. When the package is reinstalled, multiple advertisement
status messages are reported to the Systems Management Server (SMS) database for
each computer.

CAUSE
=====

This behavior is according to original product design.

RESOLUTION
==========

To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Systems Management
Server version 2.0. For additional information, click the following article
number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

  Q288239 SMS: How to Obtain the Latest Systems Management Server 2.0 Service
  Pack


WORKAROUND
==========

To work around this behavior, use one of the following methods.

- Deploy Microsoft Installer (MSI) packages that contain the logic to verify if
  a software package is already installed. If a package is already installed,
  any current user settings may be updated, but the majority of the
  installation routine is bypassed.

For additional information about MSI packages, click the article number below to
view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

  Q262230 Microsoft Installer Programs and Systems Management Server 2.0

- Use script logic with SMS Installer or other scripting languages to verify
  the presence of a package before the installation routine starts.

- Disable any notifications that are specified in Advertised Programs Client
  Agent properties.

  NOTE: In the preceding methods, multiple advertisement status messages can
  still be generated if users run already-installed packages.

- Stop any users from installing programs manually, by specifying an assigned
  (mandatory) advertisement. Do not enable the "Allow users to run the program
  independently of assignments" option as this option can cause the preceding
  behavior.

NOTE: Users who are not notified of new advertisements can still run the SMS
Advertised Programs Wizard to locate and to install programs.

STATUS
======

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that
are listed at the beginning of this article. This problem was first corrected in
Systems Management Server 2.0 Service Pack 4.

MORE INFORMATION
================

With the hotfix installed, the following notification behavior will occur.

Basic Behavior for Non-Mandatory Advertisements
-----------------------------------------------

1. Create a new advertisement for a program and target it to a collection of
  computers. The program property is set to "Run once for fist user who logs
  on," and this is the default setting.

  The following checks will be made by APM before the notification is displayed:

   - Check if the advertisement is new for the logged-on user by looking into
     the user's subfolder under the "New" folder.

   - Check the "Complete" folder to see if the program has already been
     started. This is determined based on the presence of a job file and the
     "Last Run Time" being later than the "Presented Time" of the
     advertisement. Note that the "Presented Time" appears in the SMS
     Administration tool as the "Start Time."

   - Check the "Run once for first user who logs on" flag. If the user has not
     run the program (based on the preceding checks), a notification is given.

2. Run the program the first time. There is no change from the current behavior.

3. Log in as another user. No notification will be given. This is because the
  "Run once for first user who logs on" flag is set and the program has already
  been run after the "Presented Time" of the advertisement. The "Presented
  Time" is checked because a new advertisement may have been be created for the
  same program because the package files were changed and the SMS administrator
  wants the clients to run the program again. In this case, APM will find a new
  advertisement with a "Presented Time" that is later than the "Last Run Time,"
  so a notification is given.

  A current advertisement's "Start Time" in the SMS Administration tool is
  changed. The administrator can now use this to again notify and offer a
  program to a user.

Mandatory Advertisements Without "Allow Users to Run the Program Independently of Assignments"
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

No change from current behavior.

Mandatory Advertisements with "Allow Users to Run the Program Independently of Assignments"
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The same checks and code changes are applicable to this type as they are to the
non-mandatory ones.

Advanced Scenarios
------------------

1. Non-mandatory advertisement that is targeted to computers with a program that
  is specified to "Run once for every user who logs on".

  Behavior: Every new user that logs on should receive a "New Advertisement"
  notification. If a user who has already received notification logs back on,
  they do not receive a notification.

2. Mandatory advertisement that is targeted to computers with a program that is
  specified to "Run once for every user who logs on".

  Behavior: Because mandatory advertisements do not present notifications, no
  notifications should be received by any user. The program should only be run
  once by every user if the schedule is non-recurring (ASAP, logon, logoff, and
  non-interval time).

3. Mandatory advertisement with "Allow user to run program independently of
  assignments" that is targeted to computers with a program that is specified
  to "Run once for every user who logs on."

  Behavior: Every new user that logs on should receive a "New Advertisement"
  notification. If the same user who has already been given notification logs
  on again, that user does not receive a notification. The program (if run
  manually or automatically due to mandatory assignment) should only run once.

4. Non-mandatory advertisement that is targeted to users with a program that is
  specified to "Run once for every user who logs."

  Behavior: Every new user in the collection that logs on should receive a "New
  Advertisement" notification. If the same user who has already seen the
  notification logs on again, that user does not receive a notification.

5. Mandatory advertisement that is targeted to users with a program that is
  specified to "Run once for every user who logs on."

  Behavior: As mandatory advertisements do not show notifications, no
  notification should be received by any user. The program should be only run
  once by every user in the collection if the schedule is non-recurring (ASAP,
  logon, logoff and non-interval time).

6. Mandatory advertisement with "Allow users to run the program independently of
  assignments" that is targeted to users with a program that is specified to
  "Run once for every user who logs on."

  Behavior: Every new user in the collection that logs on will receive a "New
  Advertisement" notification. If the same user who has already seen the
  notification logs on again, that user does not receive a notification. If the
  program is run manually or automatically due to mandatory assignment,
  notification is only given once.

7. Second non-mandatory advertisement, after running the program under the first
  advertisement, that is targeted to computers with a program that is specified
  to "Run once for every user who logs on."

  Behavior: Every new user that logs on will receive a "New Advertisement"
  notification. If the same user who has already seen the notification logs on
  again, that user receives a notification. This happens because the "Presented
  Time" of the second advertisement is after the "Last Run Time" of the
  program, and the administrator intended that the user run the program again.

8. Second mandatory advertisement, after running the program under the first
  advertisement, that is targeted to computers with a program that is specified
  to "Run once for every user who logs on."

  Behavior: Every new user that logs on should receive a "New Advertisement"
  notification. If the same user who has already seen the notification logs on
  again, that user does not receive the notification. The program (if run
  manually or automatically because of mandatory assignment) should only run
  once.

9. Scenarios 7 and 8, but targeted to users.

  Behavior: Same as in scenarios 7 and 8.

10. Scenarios 7 and 8, but when the program has not yet been run even under the
  first advertisement.

  Behavior: Similar behavior, but the advertisement will be merged, and only a
  single notification and program start occurs.

11. Create Program1 which is dependent on Program2 and target Program1 to
  systems or users.

  Behavior: The advertisement and Program1's settings will dictate program
  execution through the dependent program chain (specifically, Program2).



Additional query words: prodsms

======================================================================
Keywords          : kbenv kbsetup kbsms200bug kbsms200fix kbAdvertisement kbPackage kbSoftwareDist kbsms200preSP3 kbsms200preSP4fix 
Technology        : kbSMSSearch kbSMS200 kbSMS200SP1 kbSMS200SP2 kbSMS200SP3
Version           : :2.0,2.0 SP1,2.0 SP2,2.0 SP3
Issue type        : kbbug
Solution Type     : kbfix

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