File Properties in Conditions

Use the File Properties condition to verify the version and/or times tamp of a given file to determine whether or not to run a task or a group of tasks. In this example, the production environment contains a Windows Server 2003 image that is constantly updated and used for every new server that is added to the network. All server computers in the environment run a custom application that requires the Digital Access Object (DAO) application programming interface (API) version 3.60.6815.

All existing servers are working properly. However, each new server added to the network with the image is unable to run the application. Because it is the responsibility of a different group to maintain and update images, you decide that the deployment task sequence be changed to install the relevant version of DAO if the existing version of DAO deployed with the image is incorrect.

To add a File Properties condition to a task sequence step in Configuration Manager 2007 R3

1. In Configuration Manager 2007 R3, create a package to install DAO 3.60.6815. Call this package DAO, with a program called InstallDAO. To learn more about creating packages, see How to Create a Package.

2. Create an Install Software step to deploy the DAO package.

3. Click the Install Software task sequence step created in step 2, and then click the Options tab.

4. Click Add Condition, and then click File Properties.

5. In the Path box, type C:\Program Files\Microsoft Shared\DAO\dao360.dll.

6. Select the Check the version check box, and then click not equals for the condition.

7. In the Version box, type 3.60.6815.

8. In this case, clear the Check the timestamp check box, and then click OK.