Silent installation is a method of installing software without user interaction, used when there is no need for user direction. It bypasses user interaction by scanning for common options from a response file. Errors may occur, so users should check the log file.
A silent installation is a method of installing software that does not require user interaction, including user information. It is also known as an unattended or silent installation and is used in situations where there is no need for the user to direct the installation process. The typical method of installing computer software is through a smooth, guided installation that computer users control from start to finish. Silent installations bypass all levels of user interaction by scanning for common options from a response file and completing the process without prompting the user. Because a silent installation is essentially automated, the results of the process usually need to be double-checked by the user.
Software vendors usually give the user flexibility in terms of how software is installed on a system. The user has a say in where the software is installed, what features of the software are included in the installation, and additional options as well. There are situations, however, where this may not be desirable. For example, a company system administrator might want to install a particular piece of software in a predetermined manner on all computers in the plant; in large companies, this can include hundreds of individual machines. In cases where user interaction during the installation process is unnecessary or undesirable, silent installation is used.
During a silent installation, the computer is able to ignore user interaction by reading instructions encoded within a response file. This response file contains answers to prompts that the installer would get from user input in a normal installation. There are two ways to generate a response file; either by running the installer in ‘record’ mode or by manually typing the response file. The former technique is often a popular and simple method of generating an answer file, while the latter technique is typically only used by advanced users.
Because a silent installation is an automated process that ignores user interaction and typically follows only what is indicated in the response file, errors or unwanted results may occur. Each time an installation is performed, the installer creates a log file that documents the entire process. This log file records whether or not the installation was successful and the nature of any errors that occurred during the process. After performing a silent installation, users are advised to check the log file to ensure that the installation was successful.
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