General questions

Installation

Q: Should I install the program on a server or on a workstation?

A: Both a server and a workstation can run Total Software Deployment. It’s just a matter of usage convenience, because it’s not a client-server application, and you need to have access to the graphical console of the computer it’s installed on, either directly or by using a remote desktop utility. However, if you run it under the domain admin account, you’ll be able to scan all computers, and also deploy to them, as a “current user” – otherwise you’d need to specify domain admin credentials explicitly.

Backup and restore

Q: How to backup/restore the Storages or move the program to another computer?

A: The Storages are located in separate folders (file system directories). The Network storage can be located by right-clicking the Storage root group and selecting Show in Explorer. Then go up one level and copy/archive the whole storage folder.

Program settings can be backed up by copying/archiving a folder entitled Total Software Deployment in your account’s Application Data folder (referred to by %APPDATA% environment variable), if you chose Install for me during the program installation. If you chose Install for all, the settings are stored in “C:\ProgramData\Total Software Deployment”. You can also find this folder by clicking Open tasks folder in the Scanner tab.

To restore the program, install it on another computer (but don’t run it) and extract your backed-up settings to the Total Software Deployment folder in the Application Data folder for your profile or all users, depending on your choice during the installation (after the installation, this folder is automatically created and contains one file: config.ini). Also, extract the Storage folder locally: for instance, to My Documents. Then run the program and browse to the Storage folder when prompted (if its location differs from the path stored in previous settings).

Network storage

Q: Is it possible to use the same Network storage in both TSD and TNI?

A: No, this is not recommended. Although the TSD network storage has the same format as the TNI storage, we strongly recommend that you use them separately. Opening a TNI storage in TSD and vice versa can lead to unexpected errors and data loss.

Q: Is it possible to look up which software versions are installed on computers in the Network storage?

A: Yes, it’s possible. Please use the Assistant. Detailed information on how to use the Assistant can be found in this section.

Software storage

Q: What should I do if the installer consists of more than one file?

A: Please see the following section: Software tree – Altering the Software storage structure –> Adding software.