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Windows Client Branding

Gang Xu
Updated

In Centrestack, admins can brand windows client. There are two types of windows client branding.

. brand icons and language

As admin, in windows client branding, specify the Application Icon, Drive Icon and UI Language, click 'APPLY'.

BrandWC-Icons.png

Here, the application and drive icon have to be valid .ico files. Should not use other type of image files and rename it to .ico suffix. 

The branding will not touch the installation package. When download windows client from web portal, it will still use the default white labeled package in Centrestack. After the client is installed, it reads the branding icons/language configuration from Centrestack server and use them in windows client display.

. deep brand with manufacture name, support info and EULA

Admin can brand the windows client with it's own EULA and manufacture name. In windows client branding, specify the Manufacture name, the support email and the EULA. Here, the EULA has to be in rtf format.

When brand this way, Centrestack will expand the installation package and replace the files inside. Then re-build the installation package. The process will break the code sign in the original installation package. Thus need to specify the admin's own code sign certificate and password. The branding will use the new code sign certificate to sign the exe files in the package, and the package itself.

BrandWC-Deep.png

After specify the information, click BRAND MSI to brand the package. The process will also create windows client/server agent upgrade package, to use the branded files.

On the background, Centrestack will create temp folder under 'C:\Program Files (x86)\Gladinet Cloud Enterprise\portal\gcebranding'. The temp folder has name like '228284953'. Inside the folder, the branding task will expand the installation package, replace files like EULA, sign the exe files, then recreate the package and sign it.

After that, the final branded packages will be uploaded to 43811DCD-8C5A-4EF9-B903-2EEA9CE88487\CSBranding folder under the admin's home folder.

. When there is any issue with process, the branding task may hit error. 

BrandWC-Error.png

In case like this, need to enable trace on Centrestack server, setup dbgview and retry the branding task. We can check the dbgview trace on what has failed. See the article here on how to collect trace on Centrestack server.

Most of the time the issue is related with the code sign process. The dbgview may show error like:

00000838	23.48246384	[5836] [csb][e]Sign Fail, cmd like below 
00000839	23.48746109	[5836] [csb][e]sign /t http://timestamp.comodoca.com/authenticode /f "C:\Program Files (x86)\Gladinet Cloud Enterprise\portal\gcebranding\228284953\sign.pfx" /p "signpwd" /d "Brand Client Drive" "C:\Program Files (x86)\Gladinet Cloud Enterprise\portal\gcebranding\228284953\UpgradePackage\WindowsPkg\CoDesktopClient.exe.exe"

Here, need to RDP to Centrestack server and open command prompt. In the command prompt, go to 'C:\Program Files (x86)\Gladinet Cloud Enterprise\portal\gcebranding' and run signtool.exe with the parameters recorded in the dbgview trace. For example:
signtool.exe sign /t http://timestamp.comodoca.com/authenticode /f "C:\Program Files (x86)\Gladinet Cloud Enterprise\portal\gcebranding\228284953\sign.pfx" /p "signpwd" /d "Brand Client Drive" "C:\Program Files (x86)\Gladinet Cloud Enterprise\portal\gcebranding\228284953\UpgradePackage\WindowsPkg\CoDesktopClient.exe.exe"

Check the output from the command line and fix the error.

 

. Deep brand with EV code sign certificate

If you are using the new EV code sign certificate, it requires USB key. The web branding will fail. In the case, can use a command tool.

  1. Follow the web branding to setup windows client branding with icon, EULA, code sign certificate. Click Brand. The brand task will fail. However, all the required components, including icons/EULA, will be saved.
  2. RDP to Centrestack server. Here, open command prompt and run:
    "c:\Program Files (x86)\Gladinet Cloud Enterprise\portal\gcebranding\csbrand\CSBrand.exe"
    When run the command without any parameter, it displays the help.
    C:\>"c:\Program Files (x86)\Gladinet Cloud Enterprise\portal\gcebranding\csbrand\CSBrand.exe"
    CSBrand /c certpath /p certpwd /u username /up password
    CSBrand /ev EVCertName /u username /up password
  3. Connect the EV USB key to the Centrestack server. Follow the instruction you have from your code sign certificate vendor to set it up.
  4. To run the command, need 3 parameters.
    /ev EVCertName: Here, the EVCertName is the name of your EV code sign certificate
    /u username: The username is the cluster admin email
    /up password: The password is the cluster admin password
    The command will brand the windows client/server agent and sign it with the EV code sign certificate.
  5. After the command finishes successfully, login to web portal and download the windows client. It should be branded with your own code sign certificate.

If your Centrestack server is a HyperV VM, you may hit issue to connect to the EV USB key on the HyperV machine. One of our customers shared the tips here with us. 

To make a USB key work in HyperV, you will need a 3rd party software.  One tool to try is  https://www.virtualhere.com/ .  The trial version will work to complete the signing.

    1. Install the server software on the physical box that has the USB key inserted
    2. Install the client software on the CentreStack server
    3. Follow the instructions from the Virtual Here site to connect the USB device

 

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