SVS™ 2.1 SP2 Beta Release Notes
SVS™ 2.1 SP2 Beta Release Notes
Installation and Upgrade
Prerequisites
Prerequisites for Software Virtualization Solution Agent:
Access to the application setup files that you intend to virtualize.
One of the following operating systems:
Microsoft Windows Vista SP1 32-bit
Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional SP4 or later
Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server SP4 or later
Microsoft Windows XP Professional SP2 or Home Edition SP2 or later
Microsoft Windows Server 2003 or later
Microsoft Windows Server 2008
Prerequisites for Software Virtualization Solution with the Notification Server Platform:
Altiris Notification Server 6.0 SP3 R4 or later with the Altiris Agent 6.0 or later installed on client computers.
Prerequisites for Software Virtualization Solution with the Deployment Server Platform:
Altiris Deployment Solution 6.8 or later with the Deployment Agent installed on client computers.
Upgrade Issues
Recommendation: Backup pre-existing layers before upgrading
You can install Software Virtualization Solution 2.1 SP2 over an existing Software Virtualization Solution 2.0 installation.
Before you do this, create a backup of pre-existing layers by exporting them.
Software Virtualization Solution 2.1 uses a new layer format. When you upgrade from 2.0 to 2.1, existing layers are automatically converted to this new format.
However, if you need to roll back to 2.0, you cannot revert layers back to the 2.0 format.
Therefore, we recommend that you back up layers before you upgrade.
Upgrade Steps
Upgrading Software Virtualization Solution
You can upgrade the solution over an existing 2.0 installation.
If you uninstall Software Virtualization Solution 2.0 or earlier, existing Virtual Software Packages (layers) on that computer are deleted.
To preserve the existing layers, you should use one of the following methods to upgrade the solution.
In a Notification Server 7.0 environment
In the Software Catalog, for the Software Virtualization Agent, create and use the following command
msiexec.exe /qb /i Software_Virtualization_Agent.msi REINSTALL=ALL REINSTALLMODE=vomus PRODUCT_KEY='PRODUCTKEY'
This requires a client computer restart.
In a Notification Server 6.x environment
Use the Software Virtualization Agent Upgrade policy. This requires a client computer restart.
In a network environment not using Notification Server
Run Software_Virtualization_Agent.exe. This requires a computer restart.
You can also use the following command line:
msiexec.exe /qb /i Software_Virtualization_Agent.msi REINSTALL=ALL REINSTALLMODE=vomus PRODUCT_KEY='PRODUCTKEY'
This requires a client computer restart.
For Software Virtualization Solution for Personal Use
Run Software_Virtualization_Agent.exe.
This requires a computer restart.
What's New in this Release
Improvements for this release include the following new features:
Integration with Notification Server 7.0
With Notification Server 7.0, Software Virtualization Solution is no longer a solution that plugs into the Notification Server platform. The ability to deliver and manage Virtual Software Packages is now part of the Software Management Solution. Software Virtualization Solution is now a stand-alone product that lets you create Virtual Software Packages that you can deliver and manage with Software Management Solution.
Support for Microsoft Windows Vista SP1
You can run this version of the Software Virtualization Solution Agent on computers using Microsoft Windows Vista SP1 32 bit.
Note: 64-bit operating systems are not supported at this time.
Support for Microsoft Windows Server 2008
You can run this version of the Software Virtualization Solution Agent on computers using Microsoft Windows Server 2008.
Multiple file import in Symantec Software Virtualization Solution Admin (SVS Admin)
You can now import multiple .vsa files at the same time into the SVS Admin.
Fixes in this Release
The following issues were resolved in this release. For additional information regarding a fixed issue click the Article ID link.
Fix:
On a Windows Vista operating system, if one user logged off and another user logged, the SVS user variables were not loaded and specific sub-folders were not created for the second user. This has been fixed.
The SVSCMD executable can now reference a GUID when exporting a layer.
The Symantec SVS applet now supports the SVS runtime mode.
Multiple internationalization problems were fixed.
Multiple issues that caused blue screens were fixed.
Known Issues and Things to Know
The following are unresolved issues in this release. For additional information regarding a known issue, click the Article ID link.
Known issues specific to Software Virtualization Solution and Microsoft Vista Compatibility
Transactions
Software Virtualization Solution 2.1 SP2 does not support applications using transactions during the installation on Vista. Office 2007 and Adobe 8 both run transactions during capture. The current work-around is to create the Virtual Software Package on a different operating system.
Creating a string value in a registry during capture
If you create a registry string value when you capture a layer, two values are created and the string data is put in the second registry value. The current work-around is to create the Virtual Software Package on a different operating system.
Elevation issue with dragging and dropping files into the Edit Layer dialog box
When logged onto a Windows Vista computer, as a limited user or a regular admin, dragging and dropping files in the Edit Layer dialog box fails.
This issue occurs only on Windows Vista computers when elevated rights are required. This problem does not occur when you run Symantec Software Virtualization Solution Admin on a Windows Vista computer as an elevated administrator.
SVSCMD requires the administrator token
You must run SVSCMD in a process that uses the Administrator token.
Office launches repair
When you launch Microsoft Office 2003 or 2007 for the first time as a limited user, Microsoft Word performs a repair. This repair does not effect operation.
User Account Control warning with Software Virtualization Solution installation
When you install Software Virtualization Solution on a Windows Vista computer, a User Account Control dialog box informs you that "An unidentified program wants access to your computer." To install Software Virtualization Solution, select Allow. I trust this program. I know where it's from or I've used it before.
Variables not valid on Windows Vista computers
The Variables COMMONFAVORITES and LOCALSETTINGS do not resolve on a Windows Vista computer.
Additional Known Issues Article ID
Layers Created with 2.1 SP2 are not backward compatible with 2.0
Layers created in Software Virtualization Solution 2.1 SP2 do not work with Software Virtualization Solution 2.0 because of a change of format.
Short file names do not resolve properly
Programs that store path information in the registry that use short file names (for example, C:\progr~1 instead of C:\Program Files) might not function correctly when virtualized. This is an issue only if the base or a program in another layer uses the same short name abbreviation for a similar but different path. To resolve this issue, install the program to a directory where the first six characters of the folder name are unique.
Files saved to a non-system drive may not be visible when a layer is exported
If a file is saved into a layer on a drive other than the system drive (the C drive on most computers), the file may not appear when the layer is exported and imported onto another computer.
Fonts in a layer are not available to the application
When using an application that is in a layer, some of the application's fonts may not display correctly. The work-around is to move the fonts to the base. A utility has been developed to move a layer's fonts to the base. See http://juice.altiris.com/tech-tip/270/problems-with-svs-and-fonts-try-this
Altiris Recovery Solution cannot complete a full snapshot on computers running Software Virtualization Solution. To resolve this issue, add an exclusion to the ProgramIgnoreList value in the registry for the Recovery Solution agent.
Registry permissions not checked in priority order
When Software Virtualization Solution checks registry permissions, it does not do it in priority order. It checks the base first.
Intermittent crashes in wininet.dll
In some instances, a virtualized application has caused wininet.dll to crash.
Acrobat Reader 7.x update may not install correctly
Acrobat Reader 8 does not have this problem.
Shortcuts not saved in layers
If you create a shortcut that references an application in a layer after the creation of the layer, the shortcut is not saved in the layer. The shortcut still appears when the layer is deactivated.
Delete Layer from Software Virtualization Solution does not report the event to Notification Server
When a layer is deleted on a client computer, the event is not reported to Notification Server. This issue causes the Notification Server database to be out of sync with what is actually on the client computer and causes errors when trying to perform other actions on the layer.
Things To Know
Fortress filter driver and running Windows in Safe Mode
The SVS Fortress filter driver is not loaded when a computer is started in Windows Safe Mode. Therefore, any diagnostic or recovery utilities that run in safe mode should not be installed in a layer.
Restart required after the installation of the Software Virtualization Agent
After the Software Virtualization Agent is deployed and installed, the client computer must be restarted for the agent to become active.
Clean machine captures
We recommend that you build your virtual software archive files on a clean machine. This ensures that all required files and registry settings are captured in the package.
How Altiris Recovery Solution backs up Virtual Software Packages
Because Software Virtualization Solution redirects files in Virtual Software Packages, program and data files that are in layers are not backed up in the regular file system. Consequently, you cannot view them in the Recovery utilities. However, the redirect files in the C:\fslrdr directory are backed up.
For example, if you have Microsoft Office in an active layer, the C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office directory appears. These files are actually redirected to C:\fslrdr. When you do a snapshot or recovery, the C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office folder is not recognized.
