How to update Auto Close Idle to the latest version from version 3.8.32 and below

Version 4.0 and after utilize an update service to make it possible to update ACI to the latest version even if the logged on user doesn't have the necessary permissions. In order to update your ACI installation from a version prior to version 4.0, please follow the instructions below. After updating to version 4.0, you can continue to use Tools→Update to update the software, including all clients to the latest version, even if those clients have limited privileges. ACI Updater service on each client checks the digital signature of each update and only applies it if it determines that the update is genuine. This is done without requiring Internet access, so if you have hundreds of users, they don't all use the Internet at the same time. It doesn't matter if ACI Server computer was compromised, or the workstation that you used to apply the update was compromised, update files integrity is checked by each client before applying the update. So any infection at one point doesn't spread to other computers. The only exceptions are if you have Windows 9x clients, or clients running as Administrators or Power Users. In this case, the system is already not secured.

Updating ACI Server/Manager:

First, please exit from ACI Manager by using File→Exit, so any last changes are saved, then make a backup of the settings file, so you don't have to re-enter your settings again. This includes Idle Time Limit settings per user. This file is located at one of the following locations, depending on operating system and ACI version. If you can't find that file or if you are unsure that you have the right file, please search the hard drive for "sconfig.ini", including for hidden files and folders, and use the one with the last modified date. Here is where this file is usually located:

For Windows Vista/2008 Server/7, the INI file can be found here:

C:\ProgramData\Ultimate Net Tools\Auto Close Idle Server\sconfig.ini

On Windows 2000/XP/2003 Server, the INI file can be found here:

C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Ultimate Net Tools\Auto Close Idle Server\sconfig.ini

For Windows 95/98/ME/NT4, the INI file can be found here:

C:\Program Files\Auto Close Idle Server\sconfig.ini

Older ACI versions may have used "Auto Close Idle Manager" folder name instead of "Auto Close Idle Server". Also, if the operating system is 64-Bit, please look under "Program Files (x86)" folder rather than "Program Files".

If you were using ACI version 3.5.6 or below, and running ACI Manager on Vista or after, the INI file may have been relocated to another location. Please open the folder where ACI Manager was installed on by using Windows Explorer, and click on "Compatibility files" toolbar button to find the INI file. This is usually at the following location:

C:\Users\<YourUsedID>\AppData\Local\VirtualStore\Program Files\Auto Close Idle Server\sconfig.ini

After making a backup of the INI file, uninstall ACI Manager, then install the new version of ACI Server. You can install the new version of ACI Server on a different computer of you wish.

To restore your settings, after the installation of the new version, go to Control Panel→Administrative Tools→Services, and stop "Auto Close Idle Server" service, then replace the following INI file with the backup copy you have, then start "Auto Close Idle Server" service.

Updating ACI Clients

Clients older than version 4.0 will not appear in the new version as blue(online) icons until they are updated. Unlike ACI Server, you don't need to uninstall/reinstall ACI Client first. After installing the new ACI Server, clients who are administrators on their own computers will be updated successfully to the latest version. Clients who are members of the limited "Users" group or "Power Users" will enter in an update cycle, which would fail to update the software because older versions don't have an update service. To update these remaining users, you can do one of the following:

1 - Go to the remaining clients and logon using an account with administrative privileges. As soon as you logon, ACI Client would start and update itself successfully. There is no need to run an installer or do anything else, just verify that the client is at the latest version by right clicking ACI Client icon, and select Status, or check ACIClient.exe file version. Restart if necessary.

2 - Run ACI Client installer/accumulative updater remotely using PsExec tool. This tool requires the user to be a member of the local administrators group for it to work, which is the case with members of the "Domain Admins" group. To use this tool to update or install ACI Client on all computers on the domain, use the following command:

psexec \\* -c -d -f -i ACIClientSetup.exe /verysilent /suppressmsgboxes /norestart /nostart

To update or install it on a single computer remotely, use the following command:

psexec \\TestPC -c -d -f -i ACIClientSetup.exe /verysilent /suppressmsgboxes /norestart /nostart

You can also refer to a computer by IP Address, for example:

psexec \\192.168.0.100 -c -d -f -i ACIClientSetup.exe /verysilent /suppressmsgboxes /norestart /nostart

PsExec can be downloaded from the following location:

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb897553.aspx

ACI Client Setup Command Line Options:

Here is the list of command line options that the client setup accepts:

/verysilent Instructs Setup to be very silent by not showing any windows except the "Do you wish to continue?" prompt and some message boxes.
/suppressmsgboxes Instructs Setup to suppress message boxes, such as the confirmation messages above.
/norestart Instructs Setup not to restart the computer, even if a restart is required. If you omit this option, a restart is done automatically without prompting the user.
/LOG Instructs Setup to create a log file in the user's TEMP directory.
/LOG="filename" Same as /LOG, except it allows you to specify a log filename.
/ip:<IP Address> Tells the client to disable the auto detect ACI Server feature and instead connect to ACI Server at the given IP or host name. This is useful for clients behind a router. Specifying "0.0.0.0" as the IP address would re-enable the automatic detection process.
/p:<port> Tells the client to use the given port.
/noshortcuts Tells the client not to create any shortcuts in the start menu. This option cannot be undone by the updater. You must reinstall the software to get the shortcuts back
/nostart Tells the installer not to start ACI Client after the installation is complete. Note that you must specify this option if you are installing ACI Client remotely, such as by using PsExec, otherwise ACI Client will not see the target application until the computer is restarted, or the user logs off, then back on. This is because PsExec starts ACI Client as the same user who ran PsExec, which is usually an administrator. After the client logs off or restart his or her computer, both ACI Client and the target application run as the same logged on user, and ACI Manager would show the application normally.

It's possible to run the setup multiple times and change the options to suit your needs. The setup will detect this and only makes the necessary changes.