Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops

Install using the command line

Important:

If you’re upgrading, and your current version uses or has the Personal vDisk or AppDisks software installed, see Removing PvD, AppDisks, and unsupported hosts.

Introduction

This article applies to installing components on machines with Windows operating systems. For information about VDAs for Linux operating systems, see Linux Virtual Delivery Agents.

This article describes how to issue product installation commands. Before beginning any installation, review Prepare to install. That article includes descriptions of the available installers.

To see command execution progress and return values, you must be the original administrator or use Run as administrator. For more information, see the Microsoft command documentation.

As a complement to using the installation commands directly, sample scripts are provided on the product ISO that install, upgrade, or remove VDAs on machines in Active Directory. For details, see Install VDAs using scripts.

If you attempt to install or upgrade on a Windows OS version that is not supported for this Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops version, a message guides you to information about your options. See Earlier operating systems.

For information about how Citrix reports the result of component installations, see Citrix installation return codes.

Use the full-product installer

To access the full product installer’s command-line interface:

  1. Download the product package from Citrix. Citrix account credentials are required to access the download site.
  2. Unzip the file. Optionally, burn a DVD of the ISO file.
  3. Log on to the server where you are installing the components, using a local administrator account.
  4. Insert the DVD in the drive or mount the ISO file.
  5. From the \x64\XenDesktop Setup directory on the media, run the appropriate command.

    To install core components: Run XenDesktopServerSetup.exe, with the options listed in Command-line options for installing core components.

    To install a VDA: Run XenDesktopVDASetup.exe with the options listed in Command-line options for installing a VDA.

    To install StoreFront: Run CitrixStoreFront-x64.exe in the x64 > StoreFront folder on the installation media.

    To install the Universal Print Server: Follow the guidance in Command-line options for installing a Universal Print Server.

    To install the Federated Authentication Service: Citrix recommends using the graphical interface.

    To install Session Recording: Follow the guidance in Session Recording.

Command-line options for installing core components

The following options are valid when installing core components with the XenDesktopServerSetup.exe command. For more detail about options, see Install core components.

  • /components component [,component] …

    Comma-separated list of components to install or remove. Valid values are:

    • CONTROLLER: Controller
    • DESKTOPSTUDIO: Studio
    • DESKTOPDIRECTOR: Director
    • LICENSESERVER: Citrix License Server

    If this option is omitted, all components are installed (or removed, if the /remove option is also specified).

    (In releases before 2003, valid values included STOREFRONT. For version 2003 and later, use the dedicated StoreFront installation command mentioned in Use the full-product installer).

  • /configure_firewall

    Opens all ports in the Windows firewall used by the components being installed, if the Windows Firewall Service is running, even if the firewall is not enabled. If you are using a third-party firewall or no firewall, you must manually open the ports.

  • /disableexperiencemetrics

    Prevents automatic upload of analytics collected during installation, upgrade, or removal to Citrix.

  • /excludefeature”[,”feature”]

    Prevents installation of one or more comma-separated features, services, or technologies, each enclosed in straight quotation marks. Valid values are:

    • "Local Host Cache Storage (LocalDB)": Prevents installation of the database used for Local Host Cache. This option has no effect on whether SQL Server Express is installed for use as the site database.
  • /help or /h

    Displays command help.

  • /ignore_hw_check_failure

    Allows the Delivery Controller installation or upgrade to continue, even if the hardware checks fail (for example, due to insufficient RAM). For more information, see Hardware check.

  • /ignore_site_test_failure

    Valid only during Controller upgrade. Usually, any site test failures are ignored and the upgrade proceeds. If omitted (or set to false), any site test failure causes the installer to fail, without performing the upgrade. Default = false

    During an upgrade, this option is ignored if an unsupported SQL Server version is detected. For details, see SQL Server version check.

  • /installdir directory

    Existing empty directory where components will be installed. Default = c:\Program Files\Citrix.

  • /logpath path

    Log file location. The specified folder must exist. The installer does not create it. Default = TEMP%\Citrix\XenDesktop Installer

  • /no_pending_reboot_check

    When installing or upgrading core components, prevents checking for a pending restart from a previous Windows installation on the machine.

  • /no_remote_assistance

    Valid only when installing Director. Disables the user shadowing feature that uses Windows Remote Assistance.

  • /noreboot

    Prevents a restart after installation. (For most core components, a restart is not enabled by default.)

  • /noresume

    By default, when a machine restart is needed during an installation, the installer resumes automatically after the restart completes. To override the default, specify /noresume. This can be helpful if you must remount the media or want to capture information during an automated installation.

  • /nosql

    Prevents installation of Microsoft SQL Server Express on the server where you are installing the Controller. If this option is omitted, SQL Server Express is installed for use as the site database.

    This option has no effect on the installation of SQL Server Express LocalDB used for Local Host Cache.

  • /quiet or /passive

    No user interface appears during the installation. The only evidence of the installation process is in Windows Task Manager. If this option is omitted, the graphical interface launches.

  • /remove

    Removes the core components specified with the /components option.

  • /removeall

    Removes all installed core components.

  • /sendexperiencemetrics

    Automatically sends analytics collected during the installation, upgrade, or removal to Citrix. If this option is omitted (or /disableexperiencemetrics is specified), the analytics are collected locally, but not sent automatically.

  • /tempdir directory

    Directory that holds temporary files during installation. Default = c:\Windows\Temp.

  • /xenapp

    Installs Citrix Virtual Apps. If this option is omitted, Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops is installed.

Examples of installing core components

The following command installs a Delivery Controller, Studio, Citrix Licensing, and SQL Server Express on a server. Firewall ports required for component communications are opened automatically.

\x64\XenDesktop Setup\XenDesktopServerSetup.exe /components controller,desktopstudio,licenseserver /configure_firewall

The following command installs a Citrix Virtual Apps Controller, Studio, and SQL Server Express on the server. Firewall ports required for component communication are opened automatically.

\x64\XenDesktop Setup\\XenDesktopServerSetup.exe /xenapp /components controller,desktopstudio /configure_firewall

Use a standalone VDA installer

Citrix account credentials are required to access the download site. You must either have elevated administrative privileges before starting the installation, or use Run as administrator.

  1. Download the appropriate package from Citrix:
    • Multi-session OS Virtual Delivery Agent: VDAServerSetup.exe
    • Single-session OS Virtual Delivery Agent: VDAWorkstationSetup.exe
    • Single-session OS Core Services Virtual Delivery Agent: VDAWorkstationCoreSetup.exe
  2. Either extract the files from the package to an existing directory first and then run the installation command, or simply run the package.

    To extract the files before installing them, use /extract with the absolute path, for example .\VDAWorkstationCoreSetup.exe /extract %temp%\CitrixVDAInstallMedia. The directory must exist. Otherwise, the extract fails. Then in a separate command, run the appropriate command, using the valid options listed in this article.

    • For VDAServerSetup_XXXX.exe, run <extract folder>\Extract\Image-Full\x64\XenDesktop Setup\XenDesktopVDASetup.exe

    • For VDAWorkstationCoreSetup_XXXX.exe, run <extract folder>\Extract\Image-Full\x64\XenDesktop Setup\XenDesktopRemotePCSetup.exe

    • For VDAWorkstationSetup_XXXX.exe, run <extract folder>\Extract\Image-Full\x64\XenDesktop Setup\XenDesktopVDASetup.exe

    To run the downloaded package, run its name: VDAServerSetup.exe, VDAWorkstationSetup.exe, or VDAWorkstationCoreSetup.exe. Use the valid options listed in this article.

If you are familiar with the full product installer:

  • Run the standalone VDAServerSetup.exe or VDAWorkstationSetup.exe installer as if it was the XenDesktopVdaSetup.exe command in everything except its name.

  • The VDAWorkstationCoreSetup.exe installer is different, because it supports a subset of the options available to the other installers.

Command-line options for installing a VDA

The following options are valid with one or more of the following commands (installers): VDAServerSetup_xxxx.exe, VDAWorkstationSetup_xxxx.exe, and VDAWorkstationCoreSetup_xxxx.exe.

For more detail about options, see Install VDAs.

  • /components component[,component]

    Comma-separated list of components to install or remove. Valid values are:

    • VDA: Virtual Delivery Agent
    • PLUGINS: Citrix Workspace app for Windows

    To install the VDA and Citrix Workspace app for Windows, specify /components vda,plugins.

    If this option is omitted, only the VDA is installed (not the Citrix Workspace app).

    This option is not valid when using the VDAWorkstationCoreSetup_xxxx.exe installer. That installer cannot install the Citrix Workspace app.

  • /controllerscontroller [controller]”

    Space-separated FQDNs of Controllers with which the VDA can communicate, enclosed in straight quotation marks. Do not specify both the /site_guid and /controllers options.

  • /disableexperiencemetrics

    Prevents the automatic upload of analytics collected during installation, upgrade, or removal to Citrix.

  • /enable_hdx_ports

    Opens ports in the Windows firewall required by the VDA and enabled features (except Windows Remote Assistance), if the Windows Firewall Service is detected, even if the firewall is not enabled. If you are using a different firewall or no firewall, you must configure the firewall manually. For port information, see Network ports.

    To open the UDP ports that HDX adaptive transport uses, specify the /enable_hdx_udp_ports option, in addition to this /enable_hdx_ports option.

  • /enable_hdx_udp_ports

    Opens UDP ports in the Windows firewall that HDX adaptive transport uses, if the Windows Firewall Service is detected, even if the firewall is not enabled. If you are using a different firewall or no firewall, you must configure the firewall manually. For port information, see Network ports.

    To open extra ports that the VDA uses, specify the /enable_hdx_ports option, in addition to this /enable_hdx_udp_ports option.

  • /enable_real_time_transport

    Enables or disables use of UDP for audio packets (RealTime Audio Transport for audio). Enabling this feature can improve audio performance. Include the /enable_hdx_ports option if you want the UDP ports opened automatically when the Windows Firewall Service is detected.

  • /enable_remote_assistance

    Enables the shadowing feature in Windows Remote Assistance for use with Director. If you specify this option, Windows Remote Assistance opens the dynamic ports in the firewall.

  • /enablerestore or /enablerestorecleanup

    (Valid only for single-session VDAs) Enables automatic return to the restore point, if the VDA install or upgrade fails.

    If the install/upgrade completes successfully:

    • /enablerestorecleanup instructs the installer to remove the restore point.
    • /enablerestore instructs the installer to retain the restore point, even though it was not used.

    For details, see Restore on install or upgrade failure.

  • /enable_ss_ports

    Opens ports in the Windows Firewall that are required for screen sharing, if the Windows Firewall Service is detected, even if the firewall is not enabled. If you are using a different firewall or no firewall, you must configure the firewall manually.

  • /excludecomponent”[,”component”]

    Prevents installation of one or more comma-separated optional components, each enclosed in straight quotation marks. For example, installing or upgrading a VDA on an image that is not managed by MCS does not require the Machine Identity Service component. Valid values are as follows:

    Multi-session OS Single-session OS Single-session OS Core Services
    Citrix Authentication Identity Assertion VDA Plug-in Citrix Authentication Identity Assertion VDA Plug-in Citrix Authentication Identity Assertion VDA Plug-in
    Citrix Backup and Restore Citrix Backup and Restore Citrix Browser Content Redirection
    Citrix Browser Content Redirection Citrix Browser Content Redirection Citrix Personalization for App-V - VDA
    Citrix MCS IODriver Citrix MCS IODriver Citrix Telemetry Service
    Citrix Personalization for App-V - VDA Citrix Personalization for App-V - VDA Citrix Universal Print Client
    Citrix Profile Management Citrix Profile Management Citrix Vda Log Capture Service
    Citrix Profile Management WMI Plug-in Citrix Profile Management WMI Plug-in CSE Component
    Citrix Rendezvous V2 Citrix Rendezvous V2 Director VDA Plug-in
    Citrix Supportability Tools Citrix Supportability Tools Machine Management Provider
    Citrix Telemetry Service Citrix Telemetry Service VDA Monitor Plug-in
    Citrix Universal Print Client Citrix Universal Print Client VDA WMI Proxy Plug-in
    Citrix Vda Log Capture Service Citrix Vda Log Capture Service  
    Citrix VDA Upgrade Agent Citrix VDA Upgrade Agent  
    Citrix WEM Agent Citrix WEM Agent  
    CSE Component CSE Component  
    Director VDA Plug-in Director VDA Plug-in  
    Machine Identity Service Machine Identity Service  
    Machine Management Provider Machine Management Provider  
    VDA Monitor Plug-in User Personalization Layer  
    VDA WMI Proxy Plug-in VDA Monitor Plug-in  
      VDA WMI Proxy Plug-in  

    Excluding Citrix Profile Management from the installation (/exclude "Citrix Profile Management") affects monitoring and troubleshooting of VDAs with Citrix Director. On the User details and EndPoint pages, the Personalization panel and the Logon Duration panel fail. On the Dashboard and Trends pages, the Average Logon Duration panel displays data only for machines that have Profile Management installed.

    Even if you are using a third-party user profile management solution, Citrix recommends that you install and run the Citrix Profile Management Service. Enabling the Citrix Profile Management Service is not required.

    If you specify both /exclude and /includeadditional with the same component name, that component is not installed.

    This option is not valid when using the VDAWorkstationCoreSetup.exe installer. That installer automatically excludes many of these items.

  • /h or /help

    Displays command help.

  • /includeadditionalcomponent”[,”component”]

    Includes installation of one or more comma-separated optional components, each enclosed in straight quotation marks. This option can be helpful when you are creating a Remote PC Access deployment, and want to install other components that are not included by default. Valid values are as follows:

    Multi-session OS Single-session OS
    Citrix Backup and Restore Citrix Backup and Restore
    Citrix MCS IODriver Citrix MCS IODriver
    Citrix Personalization for App-V - VDA Citrix Personalization for App-V - VDA
    Citrix Profile Management Citrix Profile Management
    Citrix Profile Management WMI Plug-in Citrix Profile Management WMI Plug-in
    Citrix Rendezvous V2 Citrix Rendezvous V2
    Citrix Supportability Tools Citrix Supportability Tools
    Citrix VDA Upgrade Agent Citrix VDA Upgrade Agent
    Citrix WEM Agent Citrix WEM Agent
    Machine Identity Service Machine Identity Service
      User Personalization Layer

    If you specify both /exclude and /includeadditional with the same component name, that component is not installed.

  • /installdir directory

    Existing empty directory where components will be installed. Default = c:\Program Files\Citrix.

  • /install_mcsio_driver

    Do not use. Instead, use /includeadditional "Citrix MCS IODriver" or /exclude "Citrix MCS IODriver"

  • /logpath path

    Log file location. The specified folder must exist. The installer does not create it. Default = “%TEMP%\Citrix\XenDesktop Installer”

    This option is not available in the graphical interface.

  • /masterimage

    Valid only when installing a VDA on a VM. Sets up the VDA as an image to be used to create other machines. This option is equivalent to /mastermcsimage.

    This option is not valid when using the VDAWorkstationCoreSetup_xxxx.exe installer.

  • /mastermcsimage

    Specifies that this machine will be used as an image with Machine Creation Services. This option is equivalent to /masterimage.

  • /masterpvsimage

    Specifies that this machine will be used as an image with either Citrix Provisioning or a third-party provisioning tool (such as Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager) to provision VMs.

  • /no_mediafoundation_ack

    Acknowledges that Microsoft Media Foundation is not installed, and several HDX multimedia features will not be installed and will not work. If this option is omitted and Media Foundation is not installed, the VDA installation fails. Most supported Windows editions come with Media Foundation already installed, except N editions.

  • /nodesktopexperience

    The Enhanced Desktop Experience feature is no longer available. This option (and policy setting) is ignored, if specified.

    Valid only when installing a VDA for multi-session OS. Prevents enabling of the Enhanced Desktop Experience feature. This feature is also controlled with the Enhanced Desktop Experience Citrix policy setting.

  • /noreboot

    Prevents a restart after installation. The VDA cannot be used until after a restart.

  • /noresume

    By default, when a machine restart is needed during an installation, the installer resumes automatically after the restart completes. To override the default, specify /noresume. This can be helpful if you must remount the media or want to capture information during an automated installation.

  • /portnumber port

    Valid only when the /reconfig option is specified. Port number to enable for communications between the VDA and the Controller. The previously configured port is disabled, unless it is port 80.

  • /proxyconfigaddress or PAC file path

    Valid only if command contains /includeadditional “Citrix Rendezvous V2”. The address or PAC file path of the proxy for use with the Rendezvous protocol. For feature details, see Rendezvous protocol.

    • Proxy address format: http://<url-or-ip>:<port>
    • PAC file format: http://<url-or-ip>:<port>/<path>/<filename>.pac
  • /quiet or /passive

    No user interface appears during the installation. The only evidence of the installation and configuration process is in Windows Task Manager. If this option is omitted, the graphical interface launches.

  • /reconfigure

    Customizes previously configured VDA settings when used with the /portnumber, /controllers, or /enable_hdx_ports options. If you specify this option without also specifying the /quiet option, the graphical interface for customizing the VDA launches.

  • /remotepc

    Valid only for Remote PC Access deployments (single-session OS) or brokered connections (multi-session OS). Excludes installation of any additional components (see component lists with /exclude and /includeadditional options).

    This option is not valid when using the VDAWorkstationCoreSetup.exe installer. That installer automatically excludes installation of these components.

    /remotepc is not compatible with the /servervdi option.

  • /remove

    Removes the components specified with the /components option.

  • /remove_appdisk_ack

    Authorizes the VDA installer to uninstall the AppDisks VDA plug-in if it’s installed.

  • /remove_pvd_ack

    Authorizes the VDA installer to uninstall Personal vDisk if it’s installed.

  • /removeall

    Removes the VDA. It does not remove the Citrix Workspace app (if installed).

  • /sendexperiencemetrics

    Automatically sends analytics collected during the installation, upgrade, or removal to Citrix. If this option is omitted (or the /disableexperiencemetrics option is specified), analytics are collected locally, but not sent automatically.

  • /servervdi

    Installs a VDA for single-session OS on a supported Windows multi-session machine. Omit this option when installing a VDA for multi-session OS on a Windows multi-session machine.

    Before using this option, see Server VDI.

    Use this option only with the full-product VDA installer.

  • /site_guid guid

    Globally Unique Identifier of the site Active Directory Organizational Unit (OU). This associates a virtual desktop with a site when you are using Active Directory for discovery (auto-update is the recommended and default discovery method). The site GUID is a site property displayed in Studio. Do not specify both the /site_guid and /controllers options.

  • /tempdir directory

    Directory to hold temporary files during installation. Default = c:\Windows\Temp.

    This option is not available in the graphical interface.

  • /virtualmachine

    Valid only when installing a VDA on a VM. Overrides detection by the installer of a physical machine, where BIOS information passed to VMs makes them appear as physical machines.

    This option is not available in the graphical interface.

  • /wem_add_firewall_rules

    Adds WEM agent firewall rules.

  • /wem_agent_cache_location

    Alternative WEM agent cache location.

  • /wem_agent_port

    Port that WEM agent uses to communicate with WEM infrastructure server.

  • /wem_cached_data_sync_port

    Port that WEM agent uses to synchronize cache with WEM infrastructure server.

  • /wem_cloud_connectors

    Comma-separated list of Citrix Cloud Connectors in the resource location containing the WEM deployment.

  • /wem_server

    FQDN or IP address of the WEM infrastructure server.

  • /xendesktopcloud

    Indicates that the VDA is installed in a Citrix DaaS (Citrix Cloud) deployment.

Examples of installing a VDA

Install a VDA with the full-product installer:

The following command installs a VDA for single-session OS and Citrix Workspace app to the default location on a VM. This VDA will be used as an image and use MCS to provision VMs. The VDA will register initially with the Controller on the server named Contr-Main in the domain mydomain. The VDA will use user personalization layer and Windows Remote Assistance.

\x64\XenDesktop Setup\XenDesktopVdaSetup.exe /quiet /components vda,plugins /controllers "Contr-Main.mydomain.local" /enable_hdx_ports /includeadditional "user personalization layer" /mastermcsimage /enable_remote_assistance

Install a single-session OS VDA with the VDAWorkstationCoreSetup standalone installer:

The following command installs a Core Services VDA on a single-session OS for use in a Remote PC Access or VDI deployment. Citrix Workspace app and other non-core services are not installed. The address of a Controller is specified, and ports in the Windows Firewall Service will be opened automatically. The administrator will handle restarts.

VDAWorkstationCoreSetup .exe /quiet /controllers "Contr-East.domain.com" /enable_hdx_ports /noreboot

Customize a VDA

After you install a VDA, you can customize several settings. From the \x64\XenDesktop Setup directory on the product media, run XenDesktopVdaSetup.exe, using one or more of the following options, which are described in Command-line options for installing a VDA.

  • /reconfigure (required when customizing a VDA)
  • /h or /help
  • /quiet
  • /noreboot
  • /controllers
  • /portnumber port
  • /enable_hdx_ports

Troubleshoot VDAs

  • In the Studio display for a delivery group, the Installed VDA version entry in the Details pane might not be the version installed on the machines. The machine’s Windows Programs and Features display shows the actual VDA version.

  • After a VDA is installed, it cannot deliver apps or a desktop to users until it registers with a Delivery Controller.

    To learn about VDA registration methods and how to troubleshoot registration issues, see VDA registration.

Command-line options for installing a Universal Print Server

The following option is valid with the XenDesktopPrintServerSetup.exe command.

  • /enable_upsserver_port
Software Folder File name
Microsoft Visual C++ 2017 Runtime, 32-bit and 64-bit Support > VcRedist_2017 vcredist_x64.exe and vcredist_x86.exe
Citrix Diagnostic Facility x64 > Virtual Desktop Components cdf_x64.msi
Universal Print Server server component x64 > Universal Print Server UpsServer_x64.msi

When this option is not specified, the installer displays the Firewall page from the graphical interface. Select Automatically to have the installer automatically add the Windows firewall rules, or Manually to let the administrator manually configure the firewall.

After installing the software on your print servers, configure the Universal Print Server using the guidance in Provision printers.

More information

For information about how Citrix reports the result of component installations, see Citrix installation return codes.