We already have actions available to uninstall the client and repair the client. However, what if you want to do a complete, fresh reinstall of the client? This post will cover how to leverage the Recast Builder to create and run the installer using the Recast Agent and Agent Gateway. 

The first step is to create a PowerShell script block that will force the reinstall of the client: 

The code below will force the reinstall of the ConfigMgr client; copy and paste into your code editor as we will need to make changes before adding it in as a Recast Builder Action. 

<#  
.SYNOPSIS  
Force SCCM Client Reinstallation 
.DESCRIPTION  
This script will check to see if the device is on the local intranet or on the internet  
to determine the best method of installing the client and then force out a reinstall of the client 
You can see how to install the client through the CMG from this article:  
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/mem/configmgr/core/clients/deploy/deploy-clients-cmg-azure 
.LINK 
#>  
 
# Function to test to see if the device is on the Internet or Intranet 
Function Get-CMGStatus { 
    <# 
    .SYNOPSIS 
    Queries SCCM connection type to determine if the PC is connected to a CMG 
    #> 
    $ClientInfo = Get-WmiObject -namespace rootccm -Class ClientInfo 
    If($ClientInfo.InInternet) { 
        Return $True 
    } 
    Else {   
        Return $False 
    } 
} 
 
# Variable Declarations  
$CloudMP = 'https://CONTOSO.CLOUDAPP.NET/CCM_Proxy_MutualAuth/72186325152220500' # Source Management Point 
$CloudCCMHOSTNAME = 'CONTOSO.CLOUDAPP.NET/CCM_Proxy_MutualAuth/72186325152220500' # Internet Based Management Point 
$SiteCode = 'ABC' # Site Code 
$SMSMP = 'https://mp1.contoso.com' # Initial Management Point 
$AADTenantID = 'daf4a1c2-3a0c-401b-966f-0b855d3abd1a' # Entra AD Tenant Identifier 
$AADClientAppID = '7506ee10-f7ec-415a-b415-cd3d58790d97' # Entra AD Client App Identifier 
$AADResourceURI = 'https://contososerver' # Entra ID Server App Identifier 
 
# Perform installation depending on result from Get-CMGStatus 
If ($(Get-CMGStatus)) { 
    Start-Process -FilePath 'c:windowsccmsetupccmsetup.exe' -ArgumentList  "/nocrlcheck /forceinstall /mp:$CloudMP CCMHOSTNAME=$CloudCCMHOSTNAME SMSSITECODE=$SiteCode SMSMP=$SMSMP AADTENANTID=$AADTenantID AADCLIENTAPPID=$AADClientAppID AADRESOURCEURI=$AADResourceURI" -Wait 
} else { 
    Start-Process -FilePath 'c:windowsccmsetupccmsetup.exe' -ArgumentList "/forceinstall /mp:$SMSMP SMSSITECODE=$SiteCode" -Wait 
} 

Next, open your ConfigMgr console and navigate to Administration < Cloud Services < Cloud Attach and then open the properties for CoMgmtSettingsProd and view the Enablement tab.

Here you will find the correct server name within the quotations with the value for the $CloudMP and $CloudCCMHOSTNAME; these are the same values. You will use this in your PowerShell script. 

Log into the Entra Admin Portal and retrieve the following values for the enterprise application for your ConfigMgr CMG service: 

• AAD Tenant ID 
• AAD Application ID (Client ID) 
• AAD Resource ID 

as shown in the example PowerShell script. 

In the PowerShell script, replace out the variable values as specified in the script: 

• $CloudMP and $CloudCCMHOSTNAME = Value retrieved from CoMgmtSettings in Step 2 
• $SiteCode = your site code 
• $SMSMP = your on-prem management point 
• $AADTenantID = Your Entra Admin Tenant value 
• $AADClientAppID = The client ID for your ConfigMgr CMG Service Enterprise App 
• $AADResourceURI = The uri for your ConfigMgr CMG Service Enterprise App

Create Recast Builder Action

The next step is to create that action in the Recast Builder. From within the ConfigMgr Console, Navigate to Assets and Compliance < Overview < Devices and right-click on any device and then choose Recast Automation < Recast Builder. 

Click the Plus sign for a New Action.

Click the Start Node in the Builder Window and in the area below. Give it a name that you will recognize.

In the right-hand pane, expand out the PowerShell area and drag in the “Run PowerShell Script Block” Building block.

To draw the arrow, click and drag from the circle on the starting node and point to the new node that you added for the PowerShell script block.

While the arrow is highlighted, look down in the box in the bottom left and you will see some parameters. Select the Script parameters and copy and paste your code into this box.

Save your new action.

Time to Test Automation of ConfigMgr Client Force Reinstall

• Select a device from within your ConfigMgr Console and then right-click on it and then click Recast Automation < Recast Runner. 
• Select your newly created Action and click Next. 
• From here you can Run Immediately or you can Schedule it and then Click Finish. 

Please test this Action and let us know the results. 

Final Thoughts on Automating ConfigMgr Client Reinstallation 

Automating the force reinstall of ConfigMgr clients is not just about saving time; it’s about enhancing your IT infrastructure’s resilience and reliability. By leveraging the steps outlined, you can ensure that your ConfigMgr clients are always running optimally.

Note: The ability to automate the force reinstall of ConfigMgr clients using Recast Builder is just the beginning. Explore Builder and Runner further to unlock the full potential of your endpoint management capabilities. 

The post How to Use Recast Builder to Automate the Force Reinstall of ConfigMgr Clients appeared first on Recast Software.

C$ and Collecting Log Files on a Remote Device 

In our previous Right Click Tools Tips & Tricks post, we showed you how to kill a running process and clear out orphaned cache. At the end of that post, we introduced the ability to browse the location of the orphaned content using C$.  

In this post, we’ll show you how to save time when troubleshooting by opening the Client Log File Folder, C$, and the Client Installation Log Folder on a remote device. 

Connect to C$ 

The Connect to C$ tool opens the client’s C drive in a local Window Explorer window. As long as the hidden admin share remains enabled and the user logged into the Configuration Manager has the needed permissions, the process of connecting to C$ is straightforward. There’s just one step in this process. 

Here’s how:   

1. From the Assets and Compliance Workspace, click on the Devices node.  
2. Right click on a device⟶ Right Click Tools⟶ Console Tools⟶ Connect to C$ 

Client Log File Folder 

This tool can be run on single devices or multi-selected device groups. It completes this action via Remote WMI and Filesystem and requires the same permissions as the Connect to C$ action. 

Here’s how to open the client log file folder:   

1. From the Assets and Compliance Workspace, right click on the Devices node.  
2. Right click on a device⟶ Right Click Tools⟶ Client Tools⟶ Open Client Log File Folder 

Client Installation Log File Folder 

This tool completes the action via Filesystem. It will allow a Configuration Manager console user to open the file location of the client install log on a remote machine. 

Here’s how:   

1. From the Assets and Compliance Workspace, right click on the Devices node.  
2. Right click on a device⟶ Right Click Tools⟶ Client Tools⟶ Open Client Installation Log File Folder 

Note about Permissions: 

These actions use the credentials of the user signed into Configuration Manager. That user requires permission to browse the C$ Share on the remote device, which typically means that the user requires administrator permissions on the remote device. Permissions cannot be elevated with Recast Agent or Recast Proxy. 

This is the case even if using Recast Management Server with a service account because this action launches an application outside of Recast. If the user does not have permission, a prompt will open asking for a username and password to try to successfully connect to the remote device. 

Please see our technical documentation for more information: 

• Connect to C$ 
• Open Client Log File Folder 
• Open Client Installation Log File Folder 

Additional Right Click Tools Posts

• Tips and Tricks – How to Delete User Profiles in ConfigMgr
• Tips and Tricks – Clear Orphaned Cache and Kill a Running Process with Ease
• Right Click Tools Client: Community Tools

The post Tips and Tricks: C$ and Collecting Log Files on a Remote Device  appeared first on Recast Software.

Clear Orphaned Cache and Kill a Running Process with Ease

A slow-running computer is more than a minor annoyance—it’s a productivity roadblock. Common culprits behind this sluggish performance include overburdened system memory, processor-heavy applications running in the background, and fragmented or excessive cache data taking up valuable disk space. These issues require immediate attention and a reliable, efficient solution. Here are two Right Click Tools Enterprise features that often help address an end user’s device running slowly. We’ll start by checking their Running Processes and kill a process on a remote device. Then, we will also clear out some orphaned cache using the Client Information tool.  

Running Processes 

An end user called into your help desk due to a significant lag. Using remote WMI, this tool will list all the running processes on a device. After launching the tool, use the column headers to sort the data by Working Set Memory. Visit this link to access more technical information on. Let’s start by seeing what process is consuming significant memory and kill that process if needed.  

How to Kill a Running Process:   

1. Starting in the Assets & Compliance Workspace, open the device node. 

2. Right click on the Device⟶ Right Click Tools⟶ Console Tools⟶ Running Processes 

3. Right click on the Process⟶ Kill Process. 

4.  Click Yes to confirm that you want to kill the selected running process. 

Clearing out Orphaned Cache 

If the user’s device is slow due to low disk space, we can clear out orphaned cache by using the Right Click Tools Client Information tool. The Client Information tool can be run on a single device or on a device collection. For this example, we’ll launch the Client Information tool on a single device. The Client Information – Cache Details tab shows the content that currently exists in the cache. The table displays the content name (or Orphaned Content, if the original no longer exists in ConfigMgr). Selecting an item in the cache allows you to delete the content or browse to the content location. 

How to Clear Orphaned Cache:   

1. Starting in the Assets & Compliance Workspace, open the device node. 

2. Right click on the Device⟶ Right Click Tools⟶ Client Tools⟶ Client Information 

3. Click on the Cache Details tab. Be patient while this loads. It can take a while because it must check multiple places to make sure that content is not being used. 

4. Select the orphaned content to delete by placing a check in the box. 

5. Click Delete Content. 

Bonus Tip

Click on Browse Location to open the hidden admin share (C$).

More on C$ in our next Right Click Tools Tips & Tricks. 

Check and Check: Clear Orphaned Cache and Kill a Running Process

Please see our technical documentation to view the permission necessary to run these Right Click Tools actions. 

1. Running Processes 
2. Client Information 
3. Connect to C$ 

From effortlessly clearing orphaned cache to seamlessly managing running processes, our tools empower you to optimize device performance across your network, ensuring your team’s work is as swift and uninterrupted.   

Learn how to Better Manage Users in Recast Academy

Take the Recast Academy User Management Course to learn more about using Right Click Tools to manage users in your environment.

Want to maximize what Right Click Tools provides for your environment? Start you training journey here to ensure you’re utilizing Right Click Tools Enterprise fully.

Additional Right Click Tools Posts

• Tips and Tricks – How to Delete User Profiles in ConfigMgr
• Right Click Tools Client: Community Tools

The post Tips and Tricks: Clear Orphaned Cache and Kill a Running Process with Ease appeared first on Recast Software.

Tip 1: Reset a User’s Password in Under 30 Seconds

There’s a fast way to change a password. Here’s How:

1. From the Users Node in the Assets & Compliance Workspace, right click on the User.

2. Navigate to Right Click Tools⟶ Change Password

3. Type in the new password, confirm the password, and unlock the user account (if needed). Click Change Password.

Visit the User Management Help Center page to review technical documentation, check the required permissions, and learn about other User Management tools.

Learn how to Better Manage Users in Recast Academy

Take the Recast Academy User Management Course to learn more about using Right Click Tools to manage users in your environment.

Want to maximize what Right Click Tools provides for your environment? Start you training journey here to ensure you’re utilizing Right Click Tools Enterprise fully.

Other Right Click Tools Posts

• Tips and Tricks – How to Delete User Profiles in ConfigMgr
• Right Click Tools Client: Community Tools

The post Tips and Tricks: Reset a User’s Password in Under 30 Seconds appeared first on Recast Software.