Creating and testing a silent installation package on a DVD or a file server

The administrator can choose to make an installation package available by burning a DVD or placing the package in a shared directory on a file server.

Before you begin

Before you begin, you must choose a location for the package. If you are burning a DVD, it is convenient to use a staging directory. If you are placing the package on a file server, you can use a staging directory or build the package directly on the file server.

About this task

Typically, the installation package contains the Data Protection for Exchange Server code distribution files and a batch file for a silent installation.

Procedure

  1. Issue the following commands to create the package:
    Table 1. Commands for creating a silent installation package
    Command Description
    mkdir c:\tdpdpkg Create a staging directory for the silent-install package
    cd /d c:\tdpdpkg Go to the staging directory
    xcopy g:\*.* . /s Copy the DVD distribution files to the staging directory
    copy c:\setup.bat Replace the existing setup.bat with the one created in the previous step
    This example uses c:\tdpdpkg as a staging directory.
  2. After you create the installation package, test the silent installation.
  3. After you complete the test, place the package on a DVD or make it available from a shared directory.
  4. After you make the package available on a DVD or from a shared directory, complete these steps to run the silent installation package on another computer.
    Option Description
    From a silent installation package on DVD: Enable the autostartoption to cause the silent installation to begin as soon as the DVD is inserted into the drive. If you do not enable the autostartoption, start the setup.bat file from the root of the DVD by issuing the following command: 
    cd /d g:\
setup.bat
    From a distribution directory: If the package is placed in a shared directory that is called tdpdpkg at \\machine1\d$, another computer can run the net use x: \\machine1\d$ command to share the drive as drive x. You can issue the following command: 
    cd /d x:\tdpdpkg 
setup.bat
    In either case, the silent installation begins. Allow enough time for the unattended installation to complete. No visual cues exist to inform you when the installation is finished, although you can add visual cues to the batch file.