Deploying Parallels Client using MSIEXEC

Sometimes it is necessary to silently install the Parallels Client. This may be done using MSIEXEC and a series of parameters.

A bat file may be created with the following content to install the RDP Client silently:

(in some cases running on Windows 10 OVERRIDEUSERSETTINGS=1 should be used)

msiexec /i RASclient.msi DEFSETTINGS="2XSettings.2xc" /qn

In order to install Parallels Client from a network share, the command should be as follows:

msiexec /i "\\server\share\directory\RASclient-x64.msi" DEFSETTINGS="\\server\share\directory\2XSettings.2xc" /qn

NOTE: Should you want to override existing user settings, please use the following syntax:

msiexec /i RASclient.msi DEFSETTINGS="2XSettings.2xc" OVERRIDEUSERSETTINGS=1 /qn

NOTE: Should you want to include Single Sign On component, please use the following syntax:

msiexec /i C:\RASclient.msi TUXGINA=0 DEFSETTINGS="settings.2xc" /qn

NOTE: If you want to upgrade existing clients, execute the following commands:

msiexec /i RASclient.msi /qn

msiexec /f RASclient.msi /qn

Some considerations for this process:

• It is best to use the same case as the string might be case sensitive -There needs to be present installation of the Parallels Client on the machine.

When MSIEXEC determines it needs to do a repair, the switches are not executed: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa367988(v=vs.85).aspx

As a result, if you are deploying this to a brand new machine, it will deploy silently with the config. If an install is present, some switches will be ignored tampering with the successful deployment of the client.

List of available parameters:

DEFSETTINGS: To use when Parallels Client installer reads 2xsetting.2xc (the file containing all settings to be used by the client) as default settings.

DEFSETTXML: To use when XML settings are entered manually.

OVERRIDEUSERSETTINGS: To override the user settings with client MSI settings. This parameter must be used if you want to install Parallels Client on the machine where the client was before.

0 – Client settings are not overridden
1 – Client settings are overridden with the new settings of the Client MSI setup.

DISABLEOPTIONS: To disable the Options button and hide the options to configure the client settings. This option can be applied to users without administrative rights.

0 – Options are enabled
1 – Options are disabled

DISABLEOPTIONSADMIN: To disable the Options button and hide the options to configure the client settings. This option can be applied to users with administrative rights.

0 – Options are enabled
1 – Options are disabled

DISABLESAVEPASSWORDADMIN: To disable the clients from saving the password even if they have administrative rights.

0 – Option to save password is enabled
1 – Option to save Password is disabled

DISABLESAVEPASSWORD: To disable the clients from saving the password. This option is ignored with users with administrative rights.

0 – Option to save password is enabled
1 – Option to save Password is disabled

IGNORESETTCREDS: Controls the usage of credentials that are available in the .2xc file (available since 16.2.4.19490 and 16.5.1 20448).

0 - Connections imported from .2xc file will use the credentials that are stored in the .2xc file (if any).
1 - Credentials in the .2xc file are ignored (this is the default).

NOTE: Below 2 parameters are :

TUXGINA: Exclude/Include SSO during a silent installation. (valid only for Parallels Client v16.5 and below)

0 – Install SSO
1 – Exclude SSO
2 – Prompt during installation [Default]

TUXGINASRV: Install SSO on both Client and Server. (valid only for Remote Application Server v16.5 and below)

0 – Install SSO only on the Client
1 – Install SSO on both Client and Server

INSTALLSSO: This parameter should be used for Client/Server SSO installation starting from RAS v17:

0 –  Do not install SSO [Default]
1 – Install SSO

ADDDESKTOPSHORTCUT: This parameter should be used to controls the creation of a shortcut to the Parallels Client on the Desktop.

0 – Do not create
1 – Create

ADDSTARTMENUSHORTCUT: This parameter should be used to controls the creation of a shortcut to the Parallels Client in the start menu folder.

0 – Do not create
1 – Create

ADDSTARTUPSHORTCUT: This parameter should be used to controls the creation of a shortcut to the Parallels Client in the startup folder.

0 – Do not create
1 – Create ( implies that Windows will auto start the Parallels Client on startup)

SHAREDDEVICE: This parameter should be used to create a pre-configured connection for all users on the machine ( This parameter is ignored if the installer is executed in silent mode.).

0 – disabled, clears any shared devices info (default)
1 – share connection information
2 = share connection and credentials info

DEFAULTUICLASSIC: This parameter allow the installation to use classic UI on a clean machine

1 – Installing client on a clean machine will start in classic mode

CEP_VALUE: This parameter should be used to control if CEP  (Customer Experience Program) is enabled or disabled

0 – Disabled
1 – Enabled

SKIP_CEP_DLG: This parameter should be used to control if CEP  (Customer Experience Program) dialog should be displayed or not if it would have to be displayed.

0 – Do NOT display CEP dialog
Non-Zero – Do NOT display CEP dialog

ALLOWSHADOWING: This parameter to enable remote shadowing of the client machine when the machine is managed through the device manager as from RAS v20.2.

0 – Disabled
1 – Enabled

The following sample command installs Parallels Client using the DISABLESAVEPASSWORD=0 option (enable the ability to save the password) and does install SSO by default:

msiexec /qn /i 2XClient.msi DISABLESAVEPASSWORD=0 INSTALLSSO=1