firepass activeX client and Vista

This is because the Component Installation in Vista is much different and have many limitations, compared to WinXP. By default, Windows Vista does not allow add-ons running in IE7 browser to install other software.

 

 

So, in order to install F5's add-ons on the Vista PC, we use one of the following methods.

 

 

1) Component Installer Application.

 

F5 prepare a file called InstallerControl.cab and execute it as a local installer application. This application can install other components , even when UAC is enabled. InstallerControl.cab can be used only when "Disable top level ActiveX controls update." is not checked.

 

 

2) Installer Service (Which can be installed by Administrator and runs as service) This feature is introduced in 6.0 and still the same for 6.01

 

 

If UAC is disabled, some component installation will be successful , if the user is Admin user.

 

 

Below are the points to keep in mind, when installing F5 Client side components are to be installed (First time installation) on Windows Vista.

 

 

1)

 

First of all, for the first time installation of F5 components on Vista, the user needs to be an administrator or must have enough privilleges to install software.

 

 

2)

 

For a normal user (without installation permisions) to be able to use F5 components, the Component Installer service can be used. This service needs to be installed and enabled by an administrator beforehand. Otherwise, all components must be installed by an administrator before a normal user can use them.

 

 

3)

 

Please note that in Vista (unlike winXP), the "Power Users" group no longer have special privilleges to install software. (Except for some OEM machines where the default user groups are tweaked to achieve backward compatibility of Power Users)

 

 

4)

 

If the user has enough privilleges to install software, and if he lauches some application (like SSL-VPN) which requires to install an ActiveX component, FirePass will dispatch the "Component Installer Application" (Filename: InstallerControl.cab) which in turn downloads and installs the required ActiveX component. Note that Windows Vista does not allow add-ons running in IE7 browser to directly install other software. So, this component installer application is necessary for Vista.

 

 

5)

 

If the component installer application is not working for you, please see the "Disable top level ActiveX controls update." option under "Device Management" > "Configuration" > "Client Update". Make sure that this checkbox is cleared, because it can prevent the "Component Installer Application" from being downloaded and launched.

 

 

good luck & hope this helps

 

 

ps