NAV and LUadmin HOWTO
Edgar Soldin
edgar[at]soldin.de
Revision 1.00 2003/02/28 Revised by: edso
Initial version.
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Table of Contents
1. Introduction
1.1. Requirements
1.2. Getting additional Software
2. Setup
2.1. LUAdmin
2.1.1. Installation
2.1.2. First Start
2.1.3. Create File Share and Hostfile
2.1.4. Change product.xml
2.2. NAV
2.2.1. Installation
2.2.2. First Start
2.2.3. Place Hostfile
3. Scheduled Tasks
4. Maintenance
5. Urls
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1. Introduction
This document should be a guide to set up an automated updating of symantec components using the LiveUpdate Administrator (LUAdmin) component.
The document focuses on Symantec's Norton Antivirus as this software relies on recent virus definitions and software component updates, but should work with every Symantec application that ship with Liveupdate. We will do the following steps together:
- check requirements
- download recent versions of
- LUAdmin (LiveUpdate Administration Utility)
- LU (LiveUpdate)
- Rnav (Norton Antivirus Removal Tool)
- set up Norton Liveupdate Administrator
- set up Norton Antivirus
- point LU to the dedicated machine's update share
- create a scheduled tasks for
- starting LUAdmin silently
- starting LU silently
- look at how to maintain the setup
1.1 Requirements
The set up of LUAdmin especially makes sense in local area networks where
- internet bandwidth/traffic is very limited
- the amount of workstations exceeds the limit for manual maintenance
- an update of virus definitions only (Intelligent Updater) is not enough.
If none of the reasons above apply to your environment please consider using Intelligent Updater (see 5. URLs) instead.
You will need the following
- a 24/7 uptime machine running a Win32 OS (Win9x/Me/NT/2k/XP) with
connection to the internet, we'll call it SERVER
- a workstation running a Win32 OS with connection to the above
mentioned SERVER
- licenses and installations for Norton Antivirus (e.g. NAV2003)
- MS Task Scheduler running as service
Note:
Windows 95, mstask.exe was part of Internet Explorer 5 and above.
Finally you will need patience and these skills
- know how to share a folder in the windows versions you are using
- basic knowledge of XML, if you plan to use Consumer versions
1.2. Getting additional Software
Use the internet connected machine to retrieve:
- a recent LU install
ftp://ftp.symantec.com/public/english_us_canada/liveupdate/updates/lusetup.exe
- the recent LUAdmin install
ftp://ftp.symantec.com/public/english_us_canada/liveupdate/updates/luau.exe
- the recent Rnav utility (optional)
http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/nav.nsf/949e46314f0916a0852565d00073bbfd/33497f6e8a319ece88256ace0076cc02/$FILE/Rnav2003.exe
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2. Setup
If you want to save time or are short on machines use the same machine for installing LUAdmin and NAV on.
2.1. LUAdmin
I assume you will do a standard full install. E.g. Simply execute the install executable and click on NEXT and OK.
2.1.1. Installation
Execute luau.exe locally (over the network it takes ages until the setup interface appears).
Known Problems:
a) Sometimes the first Setup Screen with the status run bar virtually stops at 98 percent. Keep patient for 15 minutes or so, the install will go on.
b) For some reason, sometimes the installation keeps running in the background without opening the setup screen. In this case use another machine and install there. Eventually copy the 'Liveupdate Administration' Folder to the SERVER's Program Files folder.
2.1.2. First Start
Click away the greeting screen.
To retrieve a recent product list do the following:
Languages of Updates:
Tick -> English
Symantec Product Line:
Mark -> LiveUpdate, Click -> Button Details (on the right)
Tick -> LiveUpdate Administration Utility
Download Directory:
c:\navupdates
Click Retrieve Button (upper right corner)
Next choose globally the languages of your software packages AND the Software Packages you want to update. Note the new language called SymAllLanguages, which came with the new Product List.
E.g. Languages of Updates: Tick -> English, SymAllLanguages
Symantec Product Line:
Mark -> Norton Antivirus Product Updates
Click -> Button Details (on the right)
Tick -> Norton AntiVirus 5.x (Windows NT Workstation)
Tick -> Norton AntiVirus 5.x, 6.x, 7.x (Windows 9x)
Note:
Norton AntiVirus 5.x (Windows NT Workstation) is NAV2001 for NT
Norton AntiVirus 5.x, 6.x, 7.x (Windows 9x) is NAV2001 for Win9x
These are the last NAV consumer versions officially supported by LUAdmin. Officilally ONLY corporate NAV versions and other enterprise Symantec/Norton products are supported :( since then. BUT there is a workaround ;). See (2.1.4. Change product.xml).
2.1.3. Create File Share and Hostfile
In order to give the workstations access to the update files we have to share the LUAdmin Download Directory c:\navupdates. It's very convenient to make it world readable by allowing anonymous access to the update share. It saves us setting up specific accounts. Just enable read access for the group Everybody. Keep the share name 'navupdates'.
Now you should be able to access \\SERVERNAME\navupdates.
Note: In order for anonymous access to a windows share, the following must be configured
Enabled Guest user, with the right to access shares, everything else can be disabled, e.g. local login. Under XP you have to enable 'Control Panel -> Administrative Tools -> Local Security Police ->
Security Settings -> Local Policies -> Security Options -> Network Access: Let Everyone permissions apply to anonymous users'.
Start LUAdmin again or if it's still running
Click (on the left side) on Host File Editor.
From the Menubar select File -> New and File -> Save it under 'liveupdt.hst' in a newly created folder c:\navupdates\hostfile.
Add now the first host
Name: your choice (the displayed name in LU)
Country/Area: your choice (the displayed location in LU)
URL or IP Address: \\SERVERNAME\navupdates (the folder where update files are located)
Type: LAN (the used access protocol HTTP,FTP,LAN or MODEM)
Add a second entry (all fields ame as above but)
Name: another than the above choice of yours
URL or IP Address: \\SERVERIP\navupdates
Use the IP address instead of the Wins Name here which is a good idea in case the windows name resolution fails.
File->Save again.
2.1.3. Change product.xml
If you are using NAV Corporate you can jump over this paragraph.
Because LUAdmin is generally using the same mechanism as LU to get the update files from the same symantec servers that a LU on a workstation would use, it is possible to receive initially not offered updates (e.g. for NAV Consumer).
I will start by explaining how the procedure works and we'll set up the workaround together.
The LUAdmin Procedure:
On the the symantec server LUAdmin will find the file livetri.zip, which is a zip archiv containing 'liveupdt.tri', the list of ALL available updates.
LUAdmin will extract the list and compare this list of offered updates with the enabled ones in C:\Program Files\LiveUpdate Administration\product.xml. This file is simply a representation of the choices made in LUAdmin. If the fields Language and Product Name match, the specified files will be downloaded. This goes on until the whole list is finished.
Thereafter a new livetri.zip is created holding only a list of the downloaded product updates and placed in the Download Directory, where our workstations will find it and choose themselves a sublist of product updates to download.
The Standard LU Procedure:
The standard LU procedure does it the same way but directly from the symantec server. It does not have a product.xml. I didn't find out where the current Symantec products regustered with LU are stored. Therefore we'll have to find them out piece by piece.
There is a file called Product.Catalog.LiveUpdate in one of these locations depending on which Operating System (OS):
Win9x/Me ->
c:\windows\All Users\Application Data\Symantec\LiveUpdate\
WinNT/2k/XP ->
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Symantec\LiveUpdate\
It is a very complete list of Symantec products and will help us in finding out the Product Names necessary to enter in product.xml.
The Workaround:
With the now gained knowledge, we can start adding products to the product.xml.
How? First we have to find out which updates exactly are missing.
In LUAdmin goto Retrieve Updates (on the left side). Then deactivate in the Menu Bar Tools -> Options -> Retrieve -> Retrieve Update Options -> Remove unselected products from TRI files. Doublecheck your settings Languages, Products, Download directory again. Then do an initial download of updates by pressing the [Retrieve...] button (upper right corner). Eventually there is an amount of new updates and a list with ALL available updates at symantec's server in the on \\server\navupdates.
Now we point a LU on a workstation or a machine with products not included in product.xml to our SERVER (see 2.2.3. Place Hostfile). Start LU by executing C:\Program Files\Symantec\LiveUpdate\LUALL.EXE .
Click through all dialogs (NEXT>>) and in the end there will be a list of update errors and successes. Write down the EXACT name of the packages that gave errors.
Find these package names in the field DESCRIPTIVENAME in Product.Catalog.LiveUpdate on the same machine and write down the matching PRODUCTNAME. Add this Product Name in an entry like this to the product.xml on the server.
If this doesn't work. Try it this way:
Locate the local Downloads folder. It is located in the same place as the Product.Catalog.LiveUpdate file. Look there for empty files of 0kb size. Write down their names. Find these files in the list livetri.zip->liveupdt.tri, which was downloaded there as well. Write down their ProductName field value.
Add the products to the LUAdmin product.xml list. Generally it makes sense to have them in an own product line, to have an easy overview.
BEGIN------------------------------------------------------------------------
<product_line>
<display_name>Specials</display_name>
<selected>yes</selected>
<languages>
</languages>
<products>
<product>
<display_name>DESCRIPTIVENAME</display_name>
<tri_file_name>PRODUCTNAME</tri_file_name>
<selected>yes</selected>
</product>
</product_line>
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Here a new Productline was added, called Specials and is by default selected (every product update in it will be downloaded regardless of its own Selected field).
Note: You can find working version of product.xml for NAV2001,2002,2003 in the examples directory. All these Product Names, for the different platform and their equivalents in Product.Catalog.LiveUpdate show up in DESCRIPTIVENAME.PRODUCTNAME.Mapping.txt in the examples directory.
ATTENTION:
When LUAdmin is selected in the LUAdmin Product List every time a new file product.xml (recent BUT limited list of downloadable product updates) is downloaded and replaces C:\Program Files\LiveUpdate Administration\product.xml. Your former selection will stay, but manual changes, as the ones we did will disappear. To circumvent this either:
- set product.xml read only,
- advantage you are still updating LUAdmin software component
- disadvantages
you have to set/unset the attribute every time you are changing your selection
new allowed products will not appaer in the list
or
- disable the update of LUAdmin in the Product List at all
- advantage - no set/unset file attribute problem
- disadvantage - no LUAdmin updates
I recommend setting the product.xml read only.
The maintenance of this setup is connected to some more labor expense. You should from time to time do manual LiveUpdates on ALL the different platforms and consumer versions of NAV. As the product list is not delivered by Symantec, the update package list has to build up over time. When new update packages get available they'll show up as errors in the LU. Then you should add these by repeating the above mentioned steps.
ATTENTION:
Remember to leave LUAdmin -> Menu Bar -> Tools -> Options -> Retrieve -> Retrieve Update Options -> Remove unselected products from TRI files disabled in order for this to work.
2.2. NAV
I assume you will do a standard full install. E.g. Simply execute the install executable and click on NEXT and OK.
2.2.1. Installation
The installation will ask you if you want NAV to do a full scan, automatic updates, enable Autoprotect. Disable the first two. Finish the installation.
Known Problems:
- Sometimes the installation fails to register with with LiveUpdate.
- Other mysterious errors.
In all these cases try to clean the box from NAV at all using Rnav2003.exe (see 5.Urls Rnav2003). Eventually reboot and install NAV again.
2.2.2. First Start
Doubleclick on the NAV Autoprotect Icon, click through the registration w/o registering of course and enter the Norton Antivirus screen.
2.2.3. Place Hostfile and try to update
Copy the hostfile (see 2.1.3. Create Hostfile ...) to C:\Program Files\Symantec\LiveUpdate.
Now go into the Norton Antivirus screen, click LiveUpdate (upper left corner). Hope the best and monitor the update process.
Known Problems:
a) LU1814: LiveUpdate could not retrieve the update list
Possible reasons:
- Can't reach update server. Check network connection, availability of \\SERVER\navupdates
- you didn't download the updates beforehand (see 2.1.2. First Start)
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3. Scheduled Tasks
Download the .job files I prepared in the examples directory and put them into c:\windows\tasks or setup some yourself.
LUAdmin and LU are both executable silently i the background. This Run commands worked for me.
"C:\Program Files\Symantec\LiveUpdate\LUALL.EXE" -s
"C:\PROGRA~1\LIVEUP~1\LuAdmin.exe" -silent
Note: Under WinNT/2k/XP without a windows domain, you can't use the same account on every machine for executing the scheduled tasks. Enter account and password every time you add the scheduled task.
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4. Maintenance
The maintenance expense is minimal. This is why we set it up this way, isn't it? However if you are using Consumer versions you will have to check the LU from time to time manually as described in 2.1.3. Change product.xml.
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5. Urls
How to use the LiveUpdate Administrator with Norton AntiVirus Corporate Edition 7.x
http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/ent-security.nsf/docid/2000012812551548
How to uninstall Norton AntiVirus by using the Rnav2003.exe removal utility
http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/nav.nsf/docid/2001092114452606
How to update using Intelligent Updater
http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/nav.nsf/8d071816eedd7cac88256c0e005a96e5/8e432d0efb95a8a088256666006e0f9c?OpenDocument
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