1 Overview
Note
A recent update has brought in a new app, Prestage Computer, taking the place of the old HTA. You can now use the Prestage Computer app instead. Don't worry, the HTA explained in this section is still up and running, and we're here to support it. Just so you're aware, no new features will be coming to the HTA from now on.
SoftwareCentral offers a dynamic HTA, which ease the support of unknown computers.
This guide will go through the following steps needed to create the custom HTA.
1. Design HTA
2 What the HTA offers
The HTA is designed in SoftwareCentral, under the Settings menu and Create HTA, by dragging the elements you want into one of two columns. Which elements and settings you can choose is described in Design HTA. The most important choices are:
| Choice | What it does |
|---|---|
| Close and Login | Optional buttons. Close cancels the import of the unknown computer, and Login opens a window where the Windows user can be changed. The Import button is always there. |
| Keep Old Software | Shows a Keep Old Software checkbox for computers that are already known. |
| Windows authentication or Anonymous authentication | Decides how the user who performs the import is recognised, and therefore which templates and advertisements are offered. |
| Use mandatory settings and Hide lock variables | Uses the mandatory and locked variables of the computer templates in the HTA. |
| Support Secure Boot | If the computer is known, the HTA closes. |
| Preview, Restore and import/export | Try the HTA before it is used, go back to the standard HTA of SoftwareCentral, or move an HTA between installations as an XML file. |
An administrator can also choose that the HTA always opens, even if the device is a member of a task sequence, with HTA will always open under Settings › Extra Modules › Dynamic HTA.
3 Best practice
- For new installations, use Prestage Computer. The HTA is kept working, but it gets no new features.
- Use Preview to test the design before you put the HTA into a boot image, and export the current HTA before you import another one, because an import replaces it.
- Use Windows authentication when the technician is signed in, so the templates and advertisements follow the security role of the user. Use anonymous authentication only where the technician cannot sign in.
- Use the mandatory and locked variables of the computer templates, so computers are imported with the values they must have.