Upgrading to New Software Version Using Windows Group Policy

To upgrade to a new version of the Validation Client software, complete the following steps:

1. Place the new installer in a network share accessible by all computers (for example, \\server\swdistribution_share\csvc).

2. Open Microsoft Management Console with the Group Policy snap-in. Select Default Domain Policy.

3. To deploy the new installer to individual domain users, expand User Configuration and Software Settings. To deploy the new installer to all users on computers in the domain, expand Computer Configuration and Software Settings.

4. Right click Software Installation and select New and Package.

   The standard Windows Open dialog box will appear.

5. Select the network share through My Network Places. This will use the UNC path to the installer file rather than a drive letter. The latter will fail.

   Select the new installer that you want to install on the computers in the domain.

6. Right click on the package icon of the newly deployed installer and select Properties.

7. Open the Upgrades tab and click Add. The Add Upgrade Package dialog appears.

   Important: While upgrading from Version 7.3 to 7.4, configuration settings are not exported automatically. So, before upgrading, you must save configuration settings to a file by clicking Support tab of management console of Version 7.3 and then click Save Settings to File to save the settings to a file that can be later imported. For more details, refer to section Save the Configuration to a File.

8. Choose Current Group Policy Option (GPO), select the previously deployed installer, select Uninstall the existing package, then install the upgrade package, click Apply and then click OK.

9. On the Upgrades tab, click OK.

   The Microsoft Management Console Group Policy snap-in window shows that the new version is ready to be installed on each computer in the domain.

   The new version will be deployed to all users or computers that you have selected. Changes for individual users will be made when each user logs in.

   Changes for computers will be made when each computer is restarted.

   Important:

   After upgrading, you must import the saved settings of Version 7.3 to the newly upgraded 7.4 package. To do so, go to the management console of Version 7.4, open Support tab and then click Import to import the saved settings. For more details, refer to section Import a Saved Configuration.

   Then, you must update the initial settings. For more details, refer to the section Initial Settings Update.