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Office Source

Patch Mgmt > Office Source

The Office Source page sets alternate source locations for installing Office and Office component applications. The source location can be changed from the default CD-ROM, which is the typical installation source, to a network share or a directory on a local hard drive. By changing the installation source to a network share or a local directory, those patches that require the Office installation source for installation can get access without prompting the user for the installation media. This alternate source location can be configured to be read-only. It must contain an exact copy of the installation media contents including all hidden files and/or directories.

An Office source for a managed machine is only available after you have run Scan Machine at least once for the managed machine. Machine IDs are displayed on this page only if they:

  • Currently match the Machine ID / Group ID filter.
  • Have Office or Office component applications installed for Office 2000, XP, or 2003.

    Note: Office 2007 is not displayed on this page. Office 2007 installs a full set of source installation files on a machine, so an alternate source location is not required.

Multiple Entries

Multiple entries may be displayed for a machine because the machine contains one or more Office component applications, such as FrontPage or Project, that were installed separately from their own installation source and were not part of the Office installation.

Credential Required

Managed machines must have a credential set to use the Office Source page. The agent must have a credential to use the alternate Office source location.

Validation

The specified location is validated to be sure that the location is accessible from the machine and that the installation source in the specified location contains the correct edition and version of Office or the Office component application. Only after the validation succeeds is the machine's registry modified to use the specified location.

Installing Office Products

Some patches—particularly Office service packs—still display progress dialogs even though the silent installation switch (/Q) is included using Patch Mgmt > Command Line. These progress dialogs do not require any user intervention.

Some patches and service packs display a modal dialog indicating the update has completed, again even though the silent installation switch (/Q) is used. This requires the user to click on the OK button to dismiss the dialog. Until this happens, the patch installation script appears to be hung and will not complete until this dialog is dismissed!

Some Office service packs fail for no apparent reason. Checking the machine's application event log reveals that another Office component service pack failed. This has been observed with Office 2003 service pack 2 requiring the availablility of FrontPage 2003 service pack 2. When the Office source location for the FrontPage 2003 is configured, the Office 2003 service pack 2 finally successfully installs.

Filter on Office Product

Because each managed machine may be listed multiple times—once for each Office product or Office component application installed—you can filter the Office products/components displayed. This ensures selecting the same product code for multiple machines when setting the installation source location.

Apply

Click Apply to apply the Office source location specified in Location of Office installation source to selected machine IDs.

Location of Office installation source

Add the network share as a UNC path (i.e., \\machinename\sharename) or a local directory as a fully qualified path (i.e., C:\OfficeCD\Office2003Pro) in the installation source text box.

Reset

Click Reset to restore selected machine IDs back to their original installation source, typically the CD-ROM.

Select All/Unselect All

Click the Select All link to check all rows on the page. Click the Unselect All link to uncheck all rows on the page.

Check-in status

These icons indicate the agent check-in status of each managed machine:

Agent has checked in

Agent has checked in and user is logged on. Tool tip lists the logon name.

Agent has not recently checked in

Agent has never checked in

Online but waiting for first audit to complete

The agent is online but remote control is disabled

The agent has been suspended

Machine.Group ID

The list of Machine ID.Group IDs displayed is based on the Machine ID / Group ID filter and the machine groups the administrator is authorized to see using System > Group Access.

Status

Displays one of the following:

  • Missing Credential
  • Update Script Failed
  • Validation Script Failed
  • Original Source
  • Pending Validation
  • Updating Machine
  • Incorrect Edition
  • Processing Error
  • Restoring Original
  • Office Source Updated

Office Product

Displays the name of the Office product.

Office Source

Displays the current installation source location for this Office product on this machine ID.

Product Code

Displays the Office product code.