Use of this configuration utility is deprecated
Use of this utility is not recommended for customization compared to other deployment options because it removes the code signing from the installer. Because this can make security software block the package, it is better to use the command line install options available on Windows. See Deployment for suggested methods and commands. Also note that you can use the Self Update feature of the server once the initial client deployment is done. Using it to extract the MSI from the EXE if necessary is supported.
k2clientconfig.exe is a command line utility that lets you customize the Windows client installer (ksp-client-i386.exe or ksp-client-x64.exe) with pre-configured KeyServer DNS name (or IP address) and other custom settings. The exe form of the installer contains an embedded MSI component that actually does the install. This MSI component can be extracted as a stand-alone MSI package and used to support various client deployment strategies. However, note that the MSI does not support certain features like in place upgrades, that requires the EXE remain intact. Unless your deployment mechanism is limited to MSI support, it is highly recommended you use the EXE.
k2clientconfig.exe is located in the \Installers\Windows Installers\Misc\ folder of the Sassafras Software image archive — or download the latest version from the Sassafras Software web site.
Some changes to an existing installation (e.g. including/excluding KeyCheckout) will require the existing Sassafras Software Client (KeyAccess) be uninstalled first. If the existing client is not uninstalled first, the new install will not apply certain changes or features like installing KeyCheckout.
If k2clientconfig.exe is run with no further options, the command line options will be displayed. The table below gives a more complete explanation with defaults underlined and some additional comments. Running k2clientconfig with a particular set of command line options changes ONLY those options specified on the command line, leaving all other options set to their current values. Therefore, it not necessary to specify every command line option — only those which you would like to change.
Usage:
k2clientconfig [options] target_filewhere target_file is the file path specifying a client installer (ksp-client-i386.exe or ksp-client-x64.exe) or an extracted MSI file (KSClient.msi)
Common Options (defaults underlined):
1 - "-r yes" will start KeyAccess after installation. In order to do so, it must kill any currently running KeyAccess. If you do not use keyed software, this has no unexpected consequences — if the client has a connection to KeyServer, it will close the connection, and the newly installed KeyAccess will open a new connection. However, if a keyed program is running when this happens, the new session will not ask for the key again. Therefore, KeyAccess will ask the user to quit the keyed program about 15 minutes after the installation. For this reason, you should only use the default "-r yes" if your clients do not yet have KeyAccess software installed, or if you do not use any keyed programs.
2 - Starting with KeyAccess 7.3.0.9, we have disabled some code that could find serial numbers for some products, but which could also cause performance issues such as delays during login. To re-enable this code, use k2clientconfig -v noireg=0.
Less Common Options (defaults underlined):
By default, the installer will prompt for the KeyServer address during installation so if you are using remote deployment method, such as GPOs, you will probably want to use silent mode with the address preconfigured. To do so, you would configure the msi something like:
k2clientconfig -s 3 -h keyserver_host ksp-client-i386.exe
where keyserver_host is the DNS name (or the IP address) of the computer hosting the KeyServer process.
The example steps below illustrate the use of k2clientconfig to create a "silent" MSI install package that can be used as a Group Policy Object or with a logon script to transparently deploy the KeyAccess client with default settings:
k2clientconfig -s 3 -h keyserver_host ksp-client-i386.exe
Now when you launch the customized ksp-client-i386.exe on a client computer, it will automatically use the pre-configured KeyServer host address. Unlike using command line options or exe naming, these options are embedded deeply in the installer file itself. Further customization options for the client installers (or for the extracted MSI package) are described in the built in command line help (type k2clientconfig.exe) and also in the documentation for k2clientconfig.
In addition to pre-configuring various options, the k2clientconfig.exe utility can also extract the stand-alone MSI install package, KSClient.msi from the ksp-client-i386.exe installer:
k2clientconfig -e ksp-client-i386.exe
Note that it is ok to change the name of a customized exe installer, but if you extract the MSI, you should NEVER change the name - it should ALWAYS be “KSClient.msi”.
This stand-alone MSI install package can be used as a "Group Policy Object" to automate client deployment. Microsoft's documentation at the following link may be helpful:
https://support.microsoft.com/kb/816102
One potential problem with using the .msi instead of the .exe is that you will not be able to install a minor upgrade over an existing installation using the .msi (e.g. 7.5.0.1 followed by 7.5.0.2). Instead of simply double-clicking the msi, or running msiexec with just the /i option, you should use the command line:
msiexec /i KSClient.msi REINSTALL=ALL REINSTALLMODE=vamus
These are noted for legacy purposes only, DO NOT use these options.