From a customer I got the question to update the Thin Clients with Flash Player 18 (for Flash Redirection) , the customer has HP Thin Clients with Windows 7 embedded. I suggested they should use the free HP device Manager for managing the Thin Clients, not just for rolling out new image but also install updates onto the TC’s.

After trying to install some software onto the TC I noticed that the software wont install, this is because the TC’s have their TEMP folder redirected to the Z-drive. When changing this to the c-Drive I could install the software. After knowing this I created the separate tasks which I could use in multiple occasions.

Basically you need the following tasks:

  • Change Temp from Z:\Temp to C:\Temp
  • Install Flash Player
  • Change Temp from C:\Temp back to Z:\Temp

Creating tasks

I’m assuming you already configured HP Device Manager and have it working so I won’t explain how to install it.

Open HP Device Manager en login to the console, go to the Task Templates and select on of the templates shown in the screenshot, we will use the following templates for our tasks:

  • _File and Registry
  • _Template Sequence

Task Templates

Create: “Change Temp to C” task and “Change Temp to Z” task

To change the Temp from Z:\Temp to C:\Temp you need to edit the Registry. Open the _File and Registry Template and click add and select Registry. In the new windows create the following tree HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Environment\ and add the following values:

Type: REG_SZ
Name: TEMP
Value : C:\Temp

Type: REG_SZ
Name: TEMP
Value : C:\TMP

Temp - C- Registry

Click OK and save the task as “Change Temp to C”.

Repeat these steps with the following values:

Type: REG_SZ
Name: TEMP
Value : Z:\Temp

Type: REG_SZ
Name: TEMP
Value : Z:\TMP

and save the task as “Change Temp to Z”.

Create: “<Program install>” Task

To install the program on the Thin Client we need three steps:

  1. Deploy files
  2. Start install Script
  3. Delete files

First we create the install script. We create a install.cmd file with the following lines:

msiexec /i  “C:\Temp\install_flash_player_18_active_x.msi” /qn
msiexec /i  “C:\Temp\\install_flash_player_18_plugin.msi” /qn

and save this to the same location where the Flash Player install files are located.

Now we create one task to deploy, execute script and cleanup the installation. Open the _File and Registry Template and click add and select “Deploy Files” Click on “Add from local” and specify the “Install.cmd” file and click OK, in the Path On Device set it to C:\Temp. Repeat this step for the Flash install files to. Finally click OK.
 Deploy Files
Now click on add and select “Script”, set the value start in to C:\Temp and Content to Install.cmd and click OK.
Script Sub-task
Now click on add and select “Delete Files”, set the file or folder name equal to all the files you deployed and set the path on device to C:\Temp and click on OK.
Delete files
As you can see below you now have a task which deploys, executes and deletes files. Save this to
Template Editor
Create Template Sequence task
Finally we are going to create the Sequence task which allows us to execute all the tasks we created. Open the _Template Sequence Template and click add and select _Write Filter Settings, set the write filter on Disable and click OK.
Template Sequence - WriteFilter Disabled
Click add and select the Change Temp to C task and click OK.
Click add and select the <Program install> and click OK.
Click add and select the Change Temp to Z task and click OK.
Click add and select _Write Filter Settings, set the write filter on Enabled and click OK.
Now you have the task sequence as you can see below. Save the sequence as Install Flash Player 18 and click OK.
Template SequenceFlash
The task will be created and files are moved to the correct location.
When this is ready you select the devices and deploy the task.
With these steps you can deploy multiple programs to the Thin Clients, I use it for the latest Flash and Citrix Receivers to keep the thin clients compliant.
Good luck with this, when you have any questions feel free to contact me.