john kumpf's community posts

I'm running v6.10.10.0. I have a customer run the agent. However, for various reasons, I want to install the host, eg so I can log in later unattended.

Is it possible to do this?

I was able to use remote install to install a host.msi package.

However, that did not use the agent's ID and password, and required generating a new ID and password. I can't do that remotely. Someone needs to be in front of the remote computer, even if I already have agent access.

I tried the MSI Configurator, but there appeared to be no way to specify a Connection ID in that tool.

I could specify the password, which worked.

I can ask it to generate a unique ID itself, which worked, But again, someone needs to be in front of that computer to report that ID.

I see that the MSI Configurator provides for SMTP delivery of the ID/Password, however, on any given remote machine, SMTP delivery is unreliable. I have not been able to get it to work. I don't have gmail. Also will not the password be in plain text in the email? Surely there are methods that are more convenient, reliable AND secure than that?

So, what solutions exist for essentially unattended upgrade from Agent to Host?

One thing good about RUT is that at least specifying the directory and file on the remote computer happens on the local computer, so, eg, it doesnt interrupt the remote user (if any). Some programs open a directory-file dialog box on the remote computer for you to specify thru the viewer which file(s). Of course, for unattended, this will interfere with the remote user. Sometimes that's fine. But extract a log file or some such while the user is working without interrupting them is helpful.

I'm using portable Viewer 6.5.0.8. When I click Manage -> Address book manager, I get a pop-up window with list of address book files (.xml) that I've added with the 'Add' button. Some are checked (display in the viewer), some are not (don't display).

My question is, where is the list stored? Is in the connections_4.xml file? I thought that just stored what was in the General Address Book--which I typically keep empty and this file appears to be empty.

Or the config_4.xml file? I can't see it in there, unless it's encrypted. There is an optAddressBook key but it's value is just a 4,000 character string.

I ask because I want to preserve this address book file list and checked/unchecked status when switching between versions of the viewer.

Oh. I see it now.

The text box contains the preexisting host names. Ones I added a long time ago. Maybe 1 year and I forgot how I did it.

This is an editable text box. I thought it was editing the name of the current host.

But, no, typing a new host ID in here creates a new entry. And then the 'Connect' button connects to what you just typed.

Seems obvious now ;)

I just upgraded the iOS App (12/19/2017).
I don't use it often.
But I will be out and have to check on something.
So the main page has:

• The title at the top
  
• A text box instructing to install the host (which I've done, several times)
  
• A box where one of my hosts is listed, with a ... on the right side of this box
  
• A 'Connect' button
  
• At the bottom there's a 'Settings'
  
• At the bottom there's an 'i' button
  

If I click on the listed host, it brings up a keyboard to edit the name of this host.

If I click on the ... in the host text box it pops down a list of the hosts I've defined.
I can click on them.
Or I can click on 'clear list'
But there's no 'new entry'

'Settings' had 'Default connection properties' & 'Error log' & 'How to use'

'How to use' explains about touch and tapping, which is helpful. But not how to add a new host.

The 'i' button tells me the version of the app.

I see no 'create new entry'.

How do I connect to a new host from here?

Folks, over the last 2-3 days I have had intermittent connectivity errors in New Jersey, USA with a remote host that has been stable for 1 year. It could be the remote LAN or the remote connection to the internet--I haven't ruled that out. But I thought I'd provide a data point.

Host Log excerpts:

        18.07.2017---02:35:34:714 	63 	  	Exception: Socket Error # 10054 Connection reset by peer. (EIdSocketError). 	Information
  	18.07.2017---02:35:34:792 	63 	  	Exception: Socket Error # 10054 Connection reset by peer. (EIdSocketError). 	Information
  	18.07.2017---02:35:39:831 	96 	  	Internet-ID ErrorCode <> 0 	Error code: 1  	18.07.2017---21:17:38:880 	63 	  	Exception: Socket Error # 10054 Connection reset by peer. (EIdSocketError). 	Information
  	18.07.2017---21:17:38:958 	63 	  	Exception: Socket Error # 10054 Connection reset by peer. (EIdSocketError). 	Information
  	18.07.2017---21:17:39:051 	63 	  	Exception: Socket Error # 10054 Connection reset by peer. (EIdSocketError). 	Information

v6.3.0.6 on host and viewer.
windows 7 on both (all three).

I am trying to log into HOST_1 in the Viewer, and start Remote Utilities 'terminal'. From that command prompt, use 'psexec' to start cmd.exe on the HOST_2. Then execute cmd.exe command line commands on HOST_2. In my case, HOST_1 and HOST_2 are on the same LAN. I am remote to that LAN.

(psexec is part of the popular sysinternals utilities from Microsoft. I'm using v2.11.)

One more note, same user login on both computers on remote LAN. Also of note, this user has no password, which can make a difference.

But first, I know it should work, because if I use Remote Utilities to connect to the desktop of HOST_1 and use regular cmd.exe started from the remote desktop on HOST_1 and run psexec in there, it works fine. Here's a log:

Microsoft Windows [Version 6.1.7601]
Copyright © 2009 Microsoft Corporation.  All rights reserved.

C:\windows\system32>cd \path_to\sysinternals\PSTools

C:\path_to\sysinternals\PSTools>echo %computername%
HOST_1

C:\path_to\sysinternals\PSTools>whoami
HOST_1\generic_user

C:\path_to\sysinternals\PSTools>psexec \\HOST_2 -accepteula -h cmd

PsExec v2.11 - Execute processes remotely
Copyright © 2001-2014 Mark Russinovich
Sysinternals - www.sysinternals.com


Microsoft Windows [Version 6.1.7601]
Copyright © 2009 Microsoft Corporation.  All rights reserved.

C:\Windows\system32>echo %computername%
HOST_2

C:\Windows\system32>whoami
HOST_2\generic_user

C:\Windows\system32>

Success!

But, when I use Remote Utilities 'Terminal' to connect to the same HOST_1 and do the exact same thing, it doesnt work. It appears to connect, then exit immediately with "code 0" which I believe means no error. In other words, it doesnt attach the input stream (my keyboard typing) to the HOST_2 cmd.exe so I can type commands.

Note: I am doing File -> Current User because doing it as the 'system' account has other problems. You can see the change in the log:

Microsoft Windows [Version 6.1.7601]
Copyright © 2009 Microsoft Corporation.  All rights reserved.

C:\windows\system32>whoami
nt authority\system

C:\windows\system32>Microsoft Windows [Version 6.1.7601]
Copyright © 2009 Microsoft Corporation.  All rights reserved.

C:\windows\system32>whoami
HOST_1\generic_user

C:\windows\system32>echo %computername%
HOST_1

C:\windows\system32>cd \path_to\sysinternals\PSTools

C:\path_to\sysinternals\PSTools>psexec \\HOST_2 -accepteula -h cmd

PsExec v2.11 - Execute processes remotely
Copyright © 2001-2014 Mark Russinovich
Sysinternals - www.sysinternals.com

Microsoft Windows [Version 6.1.7601]Connecting to HOST_2...


Starting PSEXESVC service on HOST_2...


Connecting with PsExec service on HOST_2...


Starting cmd on HOST_2...


cmd exited on HOST_2 with error code 0.

C:\path_to\sysinternals\PSTools>echo %computername%
HOST_1

C:\path_to\sysinternals\PSTools>whoami
HOST_1\generic_user

C:\path_to\sysinternals\PSTools>

Same problem here. Storing some address book .xml files on a mapped drive. Network problems prevented all access to that mapped drive.  In my case, I moved my 2 computers form one network to another and back. The mapped drive is now via ethernet-lan, rather than wireless.

Same symptoms: could not start the address book manager.
Remote Utilities Viewer will not close (because it wants to save the address book .xml file to the mapped rive which is unavailable).

Of course, I understand RUT can't save in this case. I'm just looking for better error handling and recovery / fallback.

Here's my error message with stack trace:

Error report - Remote Utilities Viewer
---
Class: EFCreateError
Text: Cannot create file "X:\dir1\dir2\dir3\dir4\dir5\dir6\RemoteUtilities\addr_book\NAM­E.xml". The specified network name is no longer available
Version: 63006 (0)
Id: {8C4C549B-316C-4A91-92DC-17692DA7291D}
Date: 28-06-2016 17-36-24
---
Stack list
(000BD4E7){rutview.exe } [004BE4E7] Unknown function at TMethodImplementationIntercept + $4EB8F
(000BD404){rutview.exe } [004BE404] Unknown function at TMethodImplementationIntercept + $4EAAC
(0036DF0D){rutview.exe } [0076EF0D] Unknown function at TMethodImplementationIntercept + $2FF5B5
(005E42E2){rutview.exe } [009E52E2] Unknown function at TMethodImplementationIntercept + $57598A

When running the agent for the second and subsequent times on a host, the firewall is not opened automatically.

This is for the temporary agent, not the installed host. [v6.3.0.6]

When you run the agent the first time, it unpacks to

C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Local\Temp\7ZipSfx.000

and

C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Local\Temp\7ZipSfx.000\rutserv.exe

gets added to the windows firewall list of Allowed Programs.

Subsequent runs get unpacked to

C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Local\Temp\7ZipSfx.001
C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Local\Temp\7ZipSfx.002
...

and so on.
But these higher-numbered paths do not get added automatically to windows firewall list of Allowed Programs
I add them manually, and it works.
Perhaps agent upon exit is supposed to delete the 7ZipSfx.000 dir and re-use it next run, but you can't count on that cuz crashes happen, especially in PC support contexts, which I assume is common for your program.

Perhaps agent is supposed to detect at startup that the 7ZipSx.000 dir exists, delete it then, and re-use it.

Or perhaps it is supposed to use consecutive numbered dirs, but in that case it should add rutserv.exe in those dirs to Allowed Programs in windows firewall.

Update: I found, on Windows 7 both remote and local, hitting Q followed very quicky by Alt does NOT type Q into the remote window, even, say notepad. But I have to hit Alt very quickly after Q. And then it does cycle thru local windows as you have suggested. Thanks.