Citrix PNagent Pass-through Authentication Change & Re-Install Problem!

You have to change the installation off the installed PN Agent to use Pass Through. In this case with old clients my tip is to uninstall the clients like you tried. To do this silent some others maybe have the answer but not I. But to install the new client silent you can download the lates ICA client. XenAppHosted.msi Rund msiexec /a \\pathtomsifil.msi There you can configure it to one single MSI file and total silent installation. After this you can implement this msi file through script, SCCM, GPO etc.

Best regards
/AJ

1.) The package was customized to use Pass-Through
2.) I don't want to manually uninstall all 150 clients
3.) I have tried the latest client XappHostes and it didnt work with either authentication method
4.) I did try to customize the XenAppHosted with the msiexec /a and #4 above was the outcome
5.) I am deploying it through GPO and 3rd party tools, that's not the issue

I need to know why I cannot reinstall PNAgent v8 over the existing version with new custom packages changes for Pass-through, OR how can I silently uninstall the existing version w/o user intervention (i.e. script)

UPDATE:

If I uninstall the prior PNagent v8, I can deploy a custom package of XenAppHosted 11 via GPO just fine and it works like a charm.  HOWEVER, if I target a client with an existing v8 or v10.1, GPO installs the package, but leaves the client w/o the ability to open an ICA file as if there was not file extension association after logging in....

1.) How come a clean upgrade to a newer version with different features (pass-through) doesnt work?
2.) Is there a way to cleanly uninstall v8 silently via GPO, Script or 4rd party deployment tool?

Hi againt. You can also try this, Im not 100% sure if this will fix the passtrough problem. But it woth the try:)
Locate Appserv.ini in appdata folder for the user you will test. paste inn these two lines in the bottom.
SSOnUserSetting=On
EnableSSOnThruICAFile=On
Then try to restart PNAgent and try PassThrough. If this work you can script this file and upgrade via GPO.

/AJ

Added only AppServ.ini missing value:   EnableSSOnThruICAFile=On
(other value existed)

After closing all instances of PNagent client and reopening it, it still prompts for username/password/domain.  When I check options it shows it now keeps the Logon Mode set to Pass-Through....

Any other ideas anyone....

Update:

1.) If I deploy a custom packaged XenAppHostedClient via GPO to upgrade PNagent v8, after install/reboot I get the following 2 error messages whenever a Citrix app is called:

PNA3fl6622.ICA:  Action only valid for products that are currently installed

Could not launch registered application

HOWEVER, a clean install works fine!!??

I keep coming back to the question which I cannot find an answer to, How can I silently uninstalled PNagent v8 with a script, gpo or 3rd party software deployment tool?

ANYONE HAVE ANY IDEAS???

Well I appreciate you giving this attention, BUT I hope to get some support and insight soon....

I need to cut over to the new PS4.5 farm and this requires me to either upgrade all my clients PNagent 8 with new URL and Pass-through, which doesn't work, OR silently uninstall v8 and ver11.

No!  Dont delete the question, rather leave it online for potential help.

This vbscript might do the trick. Having a similar issue myself (actually I just want to enforce pass-through authentication). I would run this vbscript using cscript.exe /nologo.

Const HKEY_CURRENT_USER = &H80000001
Set objRegistry = GetObject("Winmgmts:root\default:StdRegProv")
Set Shell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
 
strPath = "Software\Citrix\PNAgent"
 
Return = objRegistry.GetBinaryValue(HKEY_CURRENT_USER, strPath, "Configuration Model 000", arr)
 
 
If (Return = 0) And (Err.Number = 0) Then
    'Wscript.Echo "Binary value retrieved successfully"
Else
    ' An error occurred
    WScript.Echo "Problems getting registry value"
End If
 
 
' First we convert the array to a string
a=arr
For I = LBound(arr) To UBound(arr)
  a(I) = Chr(CInt(arr(I)))
Next
strRegValue = CStr(Join(a,""))
 
' Then we replace the prompt value with sson
Set regEx = New RegExp 
regEx.Pattern = "<key>LogonMethod</key><value>prompt</value>"
regEx.IgnoreCase = True
regEx.Global = True
regEx.MultiLine = True
strRegNewValue = regEx.Replace(strRegValue, "<key>LogonMethod</key><value>sson</value>")
 
' Then we convert back to integer array
Dim uBinary
ReDim uBinary(Len(strRegNewValue)-1)
For I = 0 To Len(strRegNewValue) - 1
  uBinary(I) = Asc(Mid(strRegNewValue,I+1,1))
Next
 
' Finally write back to the registry
Return = objRegistry.SetBinaryValue(HKEY_CURRENT_USER, strPath, "Configuration Model 000", uBinary)
 
If (Return = 0) And (Err.Number = 0) Then
    'Wscript.Echo "Binary value added successfully"
Else
    ' An error occurred
    WScript.Echo "Problems writing registry value"
End If

                                              

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Forgot to say - i would run it at login - before pnagent starts. Haven't tested to run it at login myself. I have only run it to make sure it can update the registry key. Will update once I have tested 100%

I just notice that my script is not going to work if the "Configuration Model 000" value is not there already. I'll make a modification to it that will write a default registry value there in case this one is missing.

Anyway, add the below to the end of the above script to have it force specified URL to be used.

' And at the end we force PN Agent to use a specific URL:
Shell.RegWrite "HKCU\Software\Citrix\Program Neighborhood Agent\Config URL", "http://server-name/citrix/PnAgent/config.xml", "REG_SZ"
                                              

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final? version... This will make sure the registry keys (folders) are there before writing the values etc... should be a bit more failsafe.

Const HKEY_CURRENT_USER = &H80000001
Set objRegistry = GetObject("Winmgmts:root\default:StdRegProv")
Set Shell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
 
strPath = "Software\Citrix\PNAgent"
strServerName = "server-name2"
 
Return = objRegistry.GetBinaryValue(HKEY_CURRENT_USER, strPath, "Configuration Model 000", arr)
 
 
If (Return = 0) And (Err.Number = 0) Then
	' We read a registry value. First we convert the array to a string
	a=arr
	For I = LBound(arr) To UBound(arr)
	  a(I) = Chr(CInt(arr(I)))
	Next
	strRegValue = CStr(Join(a,""))
Else
	' The registry value didn't already exist
	strRegValue = "<User Blob><Item><Key>DesktopDisplayEnabled</Key><Value>true</Value></Item><Item><Key>DesktopName</Key><Value>Published Applications</Value></Item><Item><key>LogonMethod</key><value>sson</value></Item><Item><Key>ServerURLEntered</Key><Value>http://server-name/Citrix/PNAgent/Config.xml</Value></Item><Item><Key>ServerURLListUsers</Key><Value><LSOption>http://server-name/Citrix/PNAgent/Config.xml</LSOption></Value></Item><Item><Key>StartMenuDisplayEnabled</Key><Value>false</Value></Item><Item><Key>StartMenuRoot</Key><Value></Value></Item><Item><Key>StartMenuDisplayRootFolder</Key><Value></Value></Item><Item><Key>SystemTrayDisplayEnabled</Key><Value>false</Value></Item></User Blob><Primary Server Blob><Item><Key>DesktopName</Key><Value>Published Applications</Value></Item><Item><Key>DesktopNameModifiable</Key><Value>false</Value></Item><Item><Key>ServerIndex</Key><Value>0</Value></Item><Item><Key>ServerURL</Key><Value>http://server-name/Citrix/PNAgent/Config.xml</Value></Item><Item><Key>ServerURLModifiable</Key><Value>true</Value></Item><Item><Key>ServerURLListBackup</Key><Value></Value></Item><Item><Key>StartMenuDisplayRootFolder</Key><Value></Value></Item><Item><Key>StartMenuRootFolderModifiable</Key><Value>false</Value></Item></Primary Server Blob>"
	Set regEx = New RegExp 
	regEx.Pattern = "server-name"
	regEx.IgnoreCase = True
	regEx.Global = True
	regEx.MultiLine = True
	strRegValue = regEx.Replace(strRegValue, strServerName)
End If
 
 
' We replace the prompt value with sson if necessary
Set regEx = New RegExp 
regEx.Pattern = "<key>LogonMethod</key><value>prompt</value>"
regEx.IgnoreCase = True
regEx.Global = True
regEx.MultiLine = True
strRegValue = regEx.Replace(strRegValue, "<key>LogonMethod</key><value>sson</value>")
 
' Then we convert back to integer array
Dim uBinary
ReDim uBinary(Len(strRegValue)-1)
For I = 0 To Len(strRegValue) - 1
  uBinary(I) = Asc(Mid(strRegValue,I+1,1))
Next
 
' Make sure some registry keys are there
Return = objRegistry.CreateKey(HKEY_CURRENT_USER, "Software\Citrix")
Return = objRegistry.CreateKey(HKEY_CURRENT_USER, strPath)
Return = objRegistry.CreateKey(HKEY_CURRENT_USER, "Software\Citrix\Program Neighborhood Agent")
 
' Finally write back to the registry
Return = objRegistry.SetBinaryValue(HKEY_CURRENT_USER, strPath, "Configuration Model 000", uBinary)
 
If (Return = 0) And (Err.Number = 0) Then
    'Wscript.Echo "Binary value added successfully"
Else
    ' An error occurred
    WScript.Echo "Problems writing registry value"
End If
 
 
' This is the value that the new PN Agent will pick up on and convert to binary automatically.
Shell.RegWrite "HKCU\Software\Citrix\Program Neighborhood Agent\Config URL", "http://" & strServerName & "/citrix/PnAgent/config.xml", "REG_SZ"
                                              

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WOW!  I appreciate your time and effort.  I'll give it a try and post back soon...

I assume I should replace 'servername' with my actual FQDN/Server address of the PS 4.5 WI?

Besides doing a find/replace in your script to replace 'server-name' with my actual servername, is there anything else i have to change in it?

you dont need to replace "server-name" - only "server-name2" variable in the beginning. The others are replaced by the script automatically. That should be all. This is no solution to any uninstall/install issues of course. It simply make sure you have pass-through and the correct URL in use

I added a BAT to call the your VBS using 'cscript' and it had the following effect on a client with an existing PNAgent v8 with a URL to XPa WI and Prompt Auth:

1.) URL changed to new PS 4.5 farm WI
2.) Logon Mode left blank with Single-signon/Pass-through available for selection
3.) Upon selecting it and OK, it prompts for logon and reverts back to blank logon mode...

Any more ideas?

The script is written for the XenApp client 10+ which uses new registry keys. Just tested with v11 here and works.
Older versions of the agent user a DWORD registry value "HKCU\Software\Citrix\Program Neighborhood Agent\Login Option". Set it to 2 for pass-through login.
If you current account doesn't authenticate with the citrix server (for example if you are logged on as local administrator) then it will revert back to prompt. If your password has been changed then it will revert back to prompt.

I will do an in place upgrade of PNagent v8 to XenAppHosted 11.x and run your script again.

NOTE: User is logged on as domain user with permissions to the farm.  If user manually enter credentials at PNAgent prompt, Auth succeeds.

I'll update you shortly...

Another thing to notice is that valid authentication methods are specified in the config.xml file on the pnagent web server...

Yes, I already verified that my config.xml on the PS4.5 WI Server is accurate.  As mentioned above, all my clients that received a [clean] install of XenAppHosted v11 client work fine with Pass-Through/SSO.

I'll try your script again a client which received an in place upgrade from v8 to v11 and report back ....

As mentioned in earlier posts to this thread, this is what I am getting after upgrading PNAgent v8 to XenAppHosted v11 (attached error).

vkroslid, will your script fix this or do you know what can?

NOTE: A clean install of XenAppHosted works fine.

THAT error is not handled by my script. The script is simply for forcing a specific URL and pass-through authentication to be used on an otherwise working client installation. I

Well this is the error I get every time when trying to open a Citrix published app AFTER upgrading PNAgent v8 with XenAppHosted client v11.....?

I found this elsewhere:

ret1=sho.Run("C:\WINNT\ISUNINST.EXE" & Chr(34) &"-fC:\PROGRA~1\Citrix\ICACLI~1\Uninst.isu" &Chr(34) & "-cC:\PROGRA~1\Citrix\ICACLI~1\uninstpn.dll" & Chr(34) & "-a",HIDE_WINDOW,true)
'Above - Uninstalls 6.30, 6.31,7.0,8.0

ret3=sho.Run("msiexec.exe /x" & Chr(34) & "{76E4A642-BC3E-438A-8450-0C15A36B5B18l}" & Chr(34) & " REBOOT=ReallySuppress /qb!-", HIDE_WINDOW, true)
'Above - Uninstall 8.1

Here's the complete vbs file

On Error Resume Next
 
Set sho = CreateObject("Wscript.Shell")
Set fso = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
Set nwo = CreateObject("WScript.Network")
 
FN = wscript.scriptfullname 'Grabs the full path and name of this script
LenFN = Len(FN) 'Gets the length of FN
N = wscript.scriptname 'Gets the only the name of this script
LenN = Len(N) 'Gets the length of N
DiffN = LenFN - LenN - 1 'Gets the differnce in length between FN and N
PathN = Mid(FN,1,DiffN) 'Takes the full name and removes DiffN characters
 
'Uninstallation
 
ret10 = sho.run(chr(34) & PathN & "\pskill.exe" & Chr(34) & "-t wfcrun32.exe",,true)
 
ret1=sho.Run("C:\WINNT\ISUNINST.EXE" & Chr(34) &"-fC:\PROGRA~1\Citrix\ICACLI~1\Uninst.isu" &Chr(34) & "-cC:\PROGRA~1\Citrix\ICACLI~1\uninstpn.dll" & Chr(34) & "-a",HIDE_WINDOW,true)
'Above - Uninstalls 6.30, 6.31,7.0,8.0
ret3=sho.Run("msiexec.exe /x" & Chr(34) & "{76E4A642-BC3E-438A-8450-0C15A36B5B18l}" & Chr(34) & " REBOOT=ReallySuppress /qb!-", HIDE_WINDOW, true)
'Above - Uninstall 8.1
ret4=sho.Run("msiexec.exe /x" & Chr(34) & "{4E21223F-8D6C-446E-9CD3-587D206A8400}" & Chr(34) & " REBOOT=ReallySuppress /qb!-", HIDE_WINDOW, true)
'Above - Uninstall 9.0
ret5=sho.Run("msiexec.exe /x" & Chr(34) & "{E92B7A19-5FD5-4AEE-9FEF-7AD5DD3A675E}" & Chr(34) & " REBOOT=ReallySuppress /qb!-", HIDE_WINDOW, true)
'Above - Uninstall 9.1
ret6=sho.Run("msiexec.exe /x" & Chr(34) & "{D989BCC0-757C-4FB6-893C-512DF4382656}" & Chr(34) & " REBOOT=ReallySuppress /qb!-", HIDE_WINDOW, true)
'Above - Uninstall 9.2
ret7=sho.Run("msiexec.exe /x" & Chr(34) & "{7A1FB67F-A340-472A-97C3-A6AFFE078AAE}" & Chr(34) & " REBOOT=ReallySuppress /qb!-", HIDE_WINDOW, true)
'Above - Uninstall 9.3
ret=ret1+ret2+ret3+ret4+ret5+ret6+ret7
ret=0
 
wscript.Quit(ret)

                                              

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Then there is http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa370523.aspx

It needs pskill.exe in the same folder as you run it from it seems. This would be the automated way of removing any previous version of the Citrix ICA client.. then you can run an install afterwards
You could run this once through Desktop Authority and have a reboot command at the end? Then run the v11 install as the next step?

This is great info., but I think I tried those MSI uninstall cmd's.   will verify that momentarily.

To address the .ICA file association issue, I have manually associated the .ICA file with 'wfcrun32.exe' and the published apps now work!

To address the above screenshot on upgraded clients, I will try and have this association made by importing the proper registry information at next login...

We are getting close!  Trying your latest VBS now for complete uninstall....

Your script post at: 12.03.2008 at 12:06PM EST, ID: 23087915, didn't perform the un-installation of PNAgent v8.  It doesnt appear to have done anything....

cscript.exe /nologo <full path to vbs file>

Should I run the MSIzap utility?  If so, what function should I perform with it?

Did some research for you with regards to uninstalling pnagent silently. Basically it seems like the setup is made in such a way that it is not possible. It is not MSI-based. That custom dialog asking for confirmation just won't go away. The good news is that I found a way to automate it with the free AutoIt3.

1. Get AutoIt3 from http://www.autoitscript.com/autoit3/index.shtml
2. Save the below code to something like pn8uninst.au3
3. Compile & build the script to an .exe
4. Run on a client with pnagent 8.00 to uninstall automatically (not completely silent - but dialog boxes disappear automatically)

ProcessClose ( "ssonsvr.exe")
ProcessClose ( "pnagent.exe")
 
Run('"C:\Program Files\InstallShield Installation Information\{26891DA7-0C7B-4F94-B2C4-239B96305045}\Setup.exe" /uninst /s /x')
 
WinWaitActive("Program Neighborhood Agent")
 
Send("Y")
 
Sleep(2000)
 
WinWaitActive("Program Neighborhood Agent")
 
Send("{ENTER}")

                                              

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I tested it with pnagent 8.00 here and it worked as intended. You could run this with desktop authority instead of the earlier suggested script.

This is a working thread and we are making progress towards a solution. DO NOT DELETE QUESTION

I am impressed with your attention and focus on my issue!!!!!

I'll try what you said and report back shortly...

(I cannot compile and build executable packages with DesktopAuthority, b/c I dont have the addon modules for MSI studio.)

i WILL INCREASE THE POINTS ON THIS QUESTION WHEN I REACH SUCCESS.....

the compile step is for autoit3. Just open up the .au3 file with the script in autoit3 and choose to compile and then build it. You will get an .exe file of about 256KB. I tried to upload that .exe in a .zip file on this site but somehow it didn't work.

I took your code and saved it as a AU3, then converted it to an EXE with AutoIT.  When I manually ran it on a client with PNAgent v8, it removed the taskbar tray icon within seconds, but it the AutoID package icon is still in the task tray after 5min and the Citrix Program Group is still present and populated with the Agent....

Any ideas?

That sounds like it stalls on line 6 - waiting for a window named "Program Neighborhood Agent".
Perhaps your package is not exactly same same ID as mine? If you look in HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\ you should find the ID of your Citrix Program Neighborhood Agent package. You can just copy the uninstall string from this and paste into the RUN-command of the script. The WinWaitActive will wait for an active window named as specified. If your uninstall procedure doesn't produce this then you need to change it to whatever window name is used. When I tested I found that different uninstall parameters gave different window names.....

This is the value I have: {2C42ED1E-6315-4E63-89E6-057EA114EBB8}

I'll modify the script and re-compile/convert the package, then run the script again....

Still hangs in tasktray with new MSI ID string and no Events logged.....?

You need to make sure that the run command actually launches something. you can try run it from Start->Run. As I said earlier - you might have to copy the whole uninstall string from the registry.

I manually ran it with the new ID locally on the client.  I will take another look at the "uninstall string" to see if it differs other than the ID...?

I simply modified your code with the exact uninstall string from the registry for the following line and repackaged and converted to a .EXE with AutoIT:

Run('"MsiExec.exe /I{2C42ED1E-6315-4E63-89E6-057EA114EBB8}')


No dice/same hung result....

Are you sure you got PNAgent 8.00 ? That version is not using MSI I believe.
Whatever you put within the quotes MUST uninstall the client interactively when run from Start->Run menu.

As you can see in the script posted in "12.03.2008 at 06:06PM CET, ID: 23087915", Citrix clients up to 8.0 use InstallShield. Version 8.1 and up use MSI.

Yes; 8.00.24737

That's whats in the registry for the uninstall string....

Okay; good news!  The below cmd worked manually from RUN to silently uninstall the PNAgent v8 client:

msiExec.exe /x{2C42ED1E-6315-4E63-89E6-057EA114EBB8} /q /L"V*"c:\ica32remlog.txt

I don't think I need to use as an EXE package in AutoID, rather I'll just call the cmd directly above using DesktopAuthority

THANKS FOR YOU ALL YOUR INVALUABLE HELP!!!

I wish I could give this Expert who assisted me 1,000+ points!  Thank you!

So my solution to migrate all my Citrix MetaFrame v8 clients to the new Presentation Server 4.5 Farm will be:

1.) Deploy the below uninstall string via ScriptLogic DesktopAuthority (DA):
msiExec.exe /x{2C42ED1E-6315-4E63-89E6-057EA114EBB8} /q /L"V*"c:\ica32remlog.txt

2.) Deploy mew custom (SSO, URL change) packaged Citrix XenAppHosted Client v11 using DA

sounds good to me. glad to be of help.
The main goal with my initial vbs script is to change the URL and force passthrough for roaming profiles when we migrate to XenApps 5 shortly. Good luck with your upgrade.

I confirmed step two using this cmd manually:

msiExec.exe /i \\servername\deploy\XenAppHosted.msi /q /forcerestart /L"V*"c:\XenAppInstallLog.txt

So far I am 2:5, where 3 out of the 5 clients still retain the old Farm URL.  Does anyone know why this is being retained?  If I manually update the URL, everything works....

Don't know why that happens, but I would then just put in my first .vbs file (final version of it) as an additional step in application launcher after doing the upgrade steps.