I have a script that runs on my server and alerts me to available software updates.
Since 10.2.8's version of the 'softwareupdate' command line tool doesn't let you add/remove ignored updates (like 10.3's does), and since I don't feel like making my stupid script any smarter, I decided to install the QuickTime652-6.5.2 update.
Of course, like previous QuickTime updates, it stalls after printing 'Installing "QuickTime"... 50%' a few times.
A little checking and it looks like there's a perl 'preflight' script that is running and is stalled. Killing it aborts the install.
A quick read-through of the script reveals the secret:
(tcsh syntax)
%setenv COMMAND_LINE_INSTALL 1
Setting that variable will prevent the QT installer from attempting to show the alter/registration dialog and so the headless install can continue.
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AGREED!! We are dying for some DLuke commentary!
If you start the Quicktime 6.5.2 (and 6.5.1) install on an Xserve remotely using Server Admin, you will encounter this problem as well. The need for a dialog seems to have the updater create a loginwindow process under the root or one of the administrator users. If you find this loginwindow process using ps and kill it (as root), the installation will continue and complete. Just make sure that you you know that there is no user actually logged in via a remote desktop client or such or you will kill their session (this tip is only useful for an administrator who administers almost entirely through Server Admin and command line and thus never actually logs in to the server, thus the loginwindow process is anomalous)!