Anti Virus
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How do people handle sysprepping with an anti virus program like AVG or Avast?
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Some AV programs can be included in the image before you sysprep them, but most are much more happier when you install the AV program post image deployment. I have seen some AV programs get in the sway of the sysprep generalize step causing sysprep to fail. Also some AV programs create a unique system guid that if created before imagining (as in the reference image) each deployed system will have the same AV guid causing AV management problems post deployment. That is why most will install AV as a post install step via a FOG snapin, unattend.xml first run command, setupcomplete.cmd batch step or via a package deployment tool like pdq deploy.
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Thanks @george1421, thought it might have been something like that. Will look into making a snapin.
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I know this is an old topic but I thought I’d ask here since my question is relevant.
We are using Sophos AV in our district. The Sophos installer calls for a reboot post install. They do have a command prompt version of their installer. I have scoured their help pages and have failed to locate any command line switches to disable reboot. That said, I have tried installing Sophos with FOG snapins and it does work but the task always fails to finish since the installer calls a reboot.
I did try installing Sophos pre-sysprep (following their wiki) and I ended up having duplicate names in the console.
We have also tried pushing out the installer via Group Policy. This works but it requires user intervention in order to install. I’m looking for a hands free solution.
I have looked at PDQ Deploy and am reluctant to set this up quite yet since the only purpose I have with it would really be to install Sophos. Do you have any other suggestions?
Thanks!!
Cheers,
Joe Gill
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@Joe-Gill There are a few options here, PDQ Deploy is certainly one of them.
But since you don’t want to go that route, I think what I would do is place the installer files in your reference image, maybe in the temp folder and then call the installer package as the last step in your setupcomplete.cmd file. I would launch the installer script with the
start /waitprocess to ensure the installer completed cleanly. Rebooting the system at the end of the setupcomplete.cmd will have zero impact on the imaging process. In imaging terms, the next step after executing the setupcomplete.cmd command is to display the login window (or automatically log in ) and execute any first login commands found in the unattend.xml file. -
@Joe-Gill Not sure if this would work but easiest way I can think off is to launch the installer with start /wait and then simply have shutdown /a as the next line, like so
start /wait \\nas\av\sophosinstaller.exe -commandlineswitches shutdown /ashutdown /a should cancel any reboot/shutdown command, provided it’s in time.
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I use avast at work. It’s deployed with a snapin, works perfectly.
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We use Sophos AV, too, and before sysprepping and pulling the image I uninstall Sophos AV, but just the program itself, not the Auto-Update application, which is separate.
After putting the image on another PC, Sophos AV is automatically installed via the Auto-Update, that was still on the image (including the update information, i.e. where to download it from). Has always worked for me this way.
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@madeyem Thanks for the reply!
You haven’t had any problems with duplicate names in your dashboard?
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@Joe-Gill
I currently update from an external source and have no experience yet how it affects the Sophos console.
