Alan Siu's Blog

Tag: munki

  • Clearing the Munki client download cache

    This rarely happens (in fact, in the year I’ve been using Munki so far, this has happened only once), but you may once in a blue moon get a corrupted download (especially for a large installer). Here is an example of what that looks like: Mounting disk image ExtremelyLargePackage-1.2.dmg… ERROR: Error: “hdiutil: attach failed –…

  • Using https / self-signed certificates and basic authentication with Munki

    If you want to go full throttle… The Munki Wiki has some detailed instructions (and a script) to set up your own certificate authority and then issue (and revoke) client certificates: Using Munki With SSL Client Certificates If you want something secure but simple If you want something a little bit simpler but not straight…

  • Keep Mac laptop carts up-to-date with Munki and NoSleep

    What’s the problem? NoSleep nuances A work-in-progress solution What’s the problem? Munki is a great tool for keeping laptops and desktops up to date. For normal laptops, I basically have Munki check in every hour or so (as it does by default) but not bother the user for 14 days. So unattended installs can happen…

  • Office 2016 changes for Munki and AutoPkg

    Sources and Further Reading Demystify Office 2016 for Mac is a super-comprehensive breakdown of the changes in Microsoft Office 2016 for Mac. It was a bit too comprehensive for me. I kind of wanted just a bottom line, which the autopkg-discuss mailing list helped me with, and which I’ll summarize below. General Gist of Procedure…

  • Updating Mac laptop carts with closed lids

    What’s the problem? So Mac laptops have this thing where they sleep when their lids are shut. That’s how Apple designed them. That’s how they work. Most of the time, that’s fine. However, if you administer laptop carts for a school, that can definitely get in the way of keeping them updated. Even if you…

  • Disabling blocking applications for a Munki package

    I was having a weird issue with CrashPlan, in which Munki was blocking CrashPlan from uninstalling because CrashPlan.app was supposedly running (the actual app wasn’t running‐just a CrashPlan-initiated launch daemon). Unfortunately, I didn’t actually read the documentation on blocking applications, because there is, in fact, a different between not specifying a blocking application and specifying…

  • Importing applications into Munki that have incorrect or no version numbers

    Generally doing a munkiimport on a .app or .pkg to get it into a Munki repository will tend to just work. Munki will automatically create the appropriate .plist file and know whether an app is installed or not based on the receipts or based on an installs array (more details at How Munki Decides What…

  • Allowing non-admin Mac users to resume printers

    Apparently, more recent versions of CUPS do not allow by default for non-admin users to resume a printer. I’m not sure the logic behind this. Disabling? Activating? Sure. Non-admins don’t need to do those things. Why shouldn’t a non-admin resume a print job, though? Apparently, I’m not the only one who’s had this issue. Thanks…

  • Forcing a Chrome homepage on Macs

    Nick McSpadden has a great (and thorough) write-up on Deploying and Managing Google Chrome: The Rough Guide, and his recommendation is to have some initial Master Preferences that set a default, which can be overriden. In some cases, though (for example, we have some machines that will be used for Hour of Code next week…

  • hdiutil: create failed – error -5341

    Usually if I have an .app I want to import into Munki, I just use munkiimport nameofapp.app, and Munki automatically creates a read-only disk image (.dmg) with the .app inside. For some reason, with the mBlock.app, I kept getting a 5341 error. I tried this workaround, but I still got the same error. What worked…

  • Using a terminal command to disable App Store automatic checks

    If you want to automate disabling the App Store auto check, the terminal equivalent of System Preferences > App Store > Automatically check for updates is sudo defaults write /Library/Preferences/com.apple.SoftwareUpdate.plist AutomaticCheckEnabled -bool false This is handy to know in case you’re managing updates a different way (e.g., Munki) and don’t want your users pestered with…

  • Licensing GSP Deployments with a Payload

    License GSP Deployments with a Payload Generally with licensed software, the trick with importing into Munki is to get the normal software imported and then import as an “update,” whatever needs to happen to get it licensed. Geometer’s Sketchpad works that way. So you import the Sketchpad app as you would any other. Then activate…

  • Preparing SonicWALL Mobile Connect for Munki

    I’ve found NetExtender (Packaging NetExtender for Munki) to be a little less buggy than SonicWALL Mobile Connect, but NetExtender is pretty much non-functioning in El Capitan, so I’m looking at possibly deploying SonicWALL Mobile Connect in the future. The import process into Munki for the .app is fairly straightforward. You install SonicWALL Mobile Connect from…

  • Disable auto-updates for Firefox when deploying using Munki and AutoPkg

    Note before you begin Acknowledgements Why you should do this The actual procedure Caveat Thunderbird The CCK2 method Note before you begin If you know nothing about Munki or AutoPkg, then this page will be of little use to you. If you’re interested in a basic setup tutorial, check out the Absolute beginner’s guide to…