Mandatory ZTI advertisement does not run

When a workstation is built using OSD, the SMS Package and Program are flagged as being executed on the SMS client. This prevents any future mandatory ZTI advertisements from executing. Thus when an automated Computer refresh is undertaken, the refresh may not run.

This workaround specifically relates to ZTI deployments, however, the principals would apply to an SMS Advertisement that requires re-running without modification of the client Execution History.

Cause:
The SMS Client flags the Package and Program has having been previously executed and checks the following registry location when a request to run the Package is received.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\SMS\Mobile Client\Software Distribution\Execution History\System\[PackageID]\[ExecutionGUID]

If an entry exists for the Package and Program, a message is logged in the ExecMgr.log file, stating that the program cannot be run as it is prevented by policy.

Microsoft reports this as behaviour by design.

Workaround:

Add a second Mandatory Assignment for the actual desired deployment time. This triggers the client to execute the SMS recurring advertisement code and re-runs the advertisement.

To automate a ZTI deployment, I created a new advertisement, added a dummy mandatory assignment time, then a second mandatory assignment for the desired deployment time.

Notes:

With regards to what I have referred to as the ExecutionGUID, I have been unable to find a definitive description of what this part of the registry key entails. So I put forth my description of the entry.

It appears to be a dynamically generated GUID for a unique representation of this execution of the Package/Program on an individual client. This is contrary to Microsoft's description in KB829853 which suggests it is related to the program.

My investigations and testing this showed that the GUID was indeed different for the same Package / Program on different clients.

Checks of the program GUID using the SMS Console "Node Information" tab, with the /sms:nodeinfo=1 switch enabled, showed the Program to have a different GUID to the one listed in the aforementioned registry location.


SMS: Client Does Not Run New Advertisement of the Same Package and Program
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/257271

Advertisements are run again if you upgrade a Systems Management Server 2.0 client to a Systems Management Server 2003 advanced client
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/829853