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SupportAssist for Business PCs with Windows OS Deployment Guide

Deploy SupportAssist on the PC fleet

Prerequisites

About this task

You can complete the SupportAssist deployment on PCs using one of the following methods:
  • Deploy SupportAssist, and complete the configuration and activation together using a deployment tool of your choice, such as Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM), Microsoft Intune, or VMware Workspace One.
  • Install SupportAssist without configurations as part of the corporate Windows image using a deployment tool of your choice, such as Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM), Microsoft Intune, or VMware Workspace One. You can independently configure and activate SupportAssist later using the activation file or the Active Directory group policy.

Steps

  1. Ensure that SupportAssist for Home PCs is not installed on the PCs on which you want to deploy SupportAssist for Business PCs. To uninstall SupportAssist for Home PCs, deploy and run the SupportAssistCleanup.ps1 script on the PCs.
    NOTE:If you have SupportAssist for Home PCs already installed on your PC and want to uninstall it silently, run the SupportAssistCleanup.ps1 script in the system context mode.
  2. To deploy .Net Desktop Runtime, run the "<path_of_the_DotNetDesktopRuntime.exe_file>\windowsdesktop-runtime-6.0.x-win-x64.exe" /install /quiet /norestart" command.
    The installer returns an exit code of 0 for success and an exit code of 3010 to indicate that a restart is required. Values other than zero and 3010 indicate an error.
  3. Deploy SupportAssist on the PCs using one of the following commands depending on the file formats:
    Table 1. Commands to deploy SupportAssistDeploy SupportAssist on the PCs using one of the following commands depending on the file formats:
    Deployment file format and package format Command Deployment note
    Windows installer 64-bit (.MSI) and Windows Installer Setup Transform (MST)

    If you are creating a new SupportAssist deployment —msiexec /i "[path_of_the_SupportAssist.msi_file]\SupportAssistInstaller-x64.msi" TRANSFORMS="[path_of_the_SupportAssist.mst_file]\SupportAssistConfiguration.mst" DEPLOYMENTKEY="[deployment_key]" /norestart /qn /l+ "[path_to_save_the_msi_log_file] SupportAssistMsi.log"

    If you are activating preinstalled SupportAssist or modifying an existing SupportAssist deployment—msiexec /i "[path_of_the_SupportAssistConfigurator.msi_file]\SupportAssistConfigurator.msi" TRANSFORMS="[path_of_the_SupportAssist.mst_file]\SupportAssistConfiguration.mst" DEPLOYMENTKEY="[deployment_key]" /norestart /qn /l+ "[path_to_save_the_msi_log_file] SupportAssistConfigMsi.log"

    To deploy SupportAssist, you must use the Windows Installer Setup Transform (MST) file that you created for the SupportAssist version you are deploying on the PC fleet. Do not use the MST files created for other SupportAssist versions.

    Windows executable 64-bit (.EXE) and Windows Installer Setup Transform (MST) "[path_of_the_SupportAssist.exe_file]\SupportAssistInstaller-x64.exe" TRANSFORMS="[path_of_the_SupportAssist.mst_file]\SupportAssistConfiguration.mst" DEPLOYMENTKEY="[deployment_key]"

    To deploy SupportAssist, you must use the Windows Installer Setup Transform (MST) file that you created for the SupportAssist version you are deploying on the PC fleet. Do not use the MST files created for other SupportAssist versions.

    Windows installer 64-bit (.MSI) and Administrative Template Files (ADMX/ADML) msiexec /i "[path_of_the_SupportAssist.msi_file]\SupportAssistInstaller-x64.msi" /norestart /qn /l+ "[path_to_save_the_msi_log_file]\SupportAssistMsi.log"

    To deploy SupportAssist, you must use the Administrative Template Files (ADMX/ADML) file that you created for the SupportAssist version you are deploying on the PC fleet. Do not use the ADMX/ADML files created for other SupportAssist versions.

    Windows executable 64-bit (.EXE) and Administrative Template Files (ADMX/ADML) "[path_of_the_SupportAssist.exe_file]\SupportAssistInstaller-x64.exe"

    To deploy SupportAssist, you must use the Administrative Template Files (ADMX/ADML) file that you created for the SupportAssist version you are deploying on the PC fleet. Do not use the ADMX/ADML files created for other SupportAssist versions.

  4. If you have included the Dell Trusted Device software add-on while creating the SupportAssist deployment package, run the msiexec /i "[path_of_DellTrustedDevice.msi_file]\DellTrustedDevice-<version>.msi" /qn /norestart /l+ "[path_to_save_the_msi_log_file]\DtdMsi.log command to deploy the security agent.

Results

SupportAssist is deployed on the PCs, and you can start managing and optimizing the PCs in TechDirect.

NOTE:The installation time varies depending on the network bandwidth and PC performance.

If you have used the EXE deployment package format to deploy SupportAssist, one of the following status codes are returned:

Table 2. Status codesIf you have used the EXE deployment package format to deploy SupportAssist, one of the following status codes are returned:
Status code Description Action
0 SupportAssist is deployed successfully. You can start managing and optimizing the PCs in TechDirect.
1 SupportAssist deployment failed due to failure in removal of duplicate device drivers. Retry deploying SupportAssist.
2 SupportAssist deployment failed due to a missing or invalid installer package. Download the SupportAssist installer package from TechDirect and retry deploying SupportAssist.
3 SupportAssist deployment failed due to a missing deployment key in the command while deploying SupportAssist. Enter the deployment key in the command and retry deploying SupportAssist.
4 A higher version of SupportAssist is already installed on the PCs. Verify the SupportAssist version required for your fleet.
5 SupportAssist deployment failed due to an invalid or incorrect deployment key in the command while deploying SupportAssist. Enter a correct and valid deployment key in the command and retry deploying SupportAssist.
6 SupportAssist deployment failed due to a .NET installation error. Verify if all the minimum PC requirements are met and retry deploying SupportAssist. See Prerequisites to deploy SupportAssist.
7 SupportAssist deployment failed due to various reasons. Retry deploying SupportAssist.
8 SupportAssist deployment failed due to internal errors in the installer package. Retry deploying SupportAssist.
60001 SupportAssist deployment failed due to failure in removal of duplicate device drivers. Retry deploying SupportAssist in the system context mode.
60002 SupportAssist deployment failed due to pending restart after removal of duplicate device drivers. Restart the PC and retry deploying SupportAssist.

After deploying SupportAssist successfully and registering your PCs with TechDirect, you can modify the SupportAssist configuration in TechDirect. The settings are automatically applied to the PCs when they connect to Dell. However, to modify an existing SupportAssist deployment, such as, proxy settings, you must manually update and deploy SupportAssist again. See Modify an existing SupportAssist deployment.

NOTE:SupportAssist is not supported on Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) enabled PCs.

For information about managing your PCs, see the SupportAssist for Business PCs with Windows OS Administrator Guide available on the SupportAssist for Business PCs documentation page.


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