TightVNC for Windows: Installing from MSI Packages

TightVNC Version 2.7

Copyright © 2012 GlavSoft LLC.

TightVNC is distributed as a Microsoft Windows Installer (MSI) file. These files can be installed in
two ways.
• Using the installation wizard
Simply double-click an MSI file in the file explorer and follow the on-screen instructions.
• Silent (unattended) installation
With this option, you can automate TightVNC installation on one or multiple computers as it
does not require user input. Simply create a script that automatically installs TightVNC, or
install it through a terminal connection (for example, Telnet).
All available options for silent installation are found below.

System Requirements
TightVNC runs basically on any version of Windows:
• Windows XP / Vista / 7 / 8
• Windows Server 2003 / 2008 / 2008 R2 / 2012
Both 32-bit (x86) and 64-bit (x64) systems are supported.
There are no minimum disk space or RAM requirements. TightVNC uses so little space and
memory that it can run anywhere Windows is running.

32-bit and 64-bit Packages

For Windows, separate TightVNC versions are available for 32-bit and 64-bit systems. These are
(2.7.1 matches a version number):
• tightvnc-2.7.1-setup-32bit.msi
• tightvnc-2.7.1-setup-64bit.msi
Please check My Computer > Properties to download and install the correct version for your
system. (It is not recommended to run a 32-bit version on a 64-bit system, as it can cause lower
performance.)

Silent Installation
To install an MSI package silently from the command line, you should run the msiexec tool with /i
and /quiet options (where /i stands for install, /quiet sets silent mode). For TightVNC, it would be a
good idea to add the /norestart option, to prevent rebooting the system after installing the software.
If everything is good, TightVNC installation should not require restart even if its previous version is
running as a service. The installer should upgrade the system correctly, by shutting down old
service, installing the files and then starting new service.
Here is the simplest example of installing TightVNC in a silent mode:
• msiexec /i tightvnc-2.7.1-setup-64bit.msi /quiet /norestart
This command should install TightVNC with default settings. However, MSI allows you to
customize installation via so called MSI properties. The general syntax is the following:
• msiexec /i tightvnc-2.7.1-setup-64bit.msi /quiet /norestart
PROPERTY1=value1 PROPERTY2=value2 PROPERTY3=value3
There is a number of standard properties which are supported by every package (e.g. ADDLOCAL
for selecting components to be installed). Also, each package can add its own MSI properties to
perform some package-dependent customization. In next sections, all TightVNC-specific MSI
properties will be documented.

Components to Install
If you would like to install a specific component of TightVNC, use the standard MSI property
named ADDLOCAL. The following three commands install only the server part, only the client part
and both parts, correspondingly:
• msiexec /i tightvnc-2.7.1-setup-64bit.msi /quiet /norestart
ADDLOCAL=Server
• msiexec /i tightvnc-2.7.1-setup-64bit.msi /quiet /norestart
ADDLOCAL=Viewer
• msiexec /i tightvnc-2.7.1-setup-64bit.msi /quiet /norestart
ADDLOCAL="Server,Viewer"

Properties, Part 1: Installation Options

All available installation options listed below work only in the silent mode (with /quiet option).
Properties which are related to the TightVNC Viewer installation configuration begin with
VIEWER_ prefix, and server installation properties begin with SERVER_ prefix. Notice that a
property will have an effect only if you install the component associated with it.
Property Value

VIEWER_ASSOCIATE_VNC_EXTENSION 0 – do not associate the ".vnc" file extension with tvnviewer.exe

1 – associate the ".vnc" file extension with tvnviewer.exe
Default value: 1
SERVER_REGISTER_AS_SERVICE 0 – do not register the server as a service
1 – register the server as a service
Default value: 1
SERVER_ADD_FIREWALL_EXCEPTION 0 – do not add firewall exception for the TightVNC Server
1 – add firewall exception for the TightVNC Server
Default value: 1
VIEWER_ADD_FIREWALL_EXCEPTION 0 – do not add firewall exception for the TightVNC Viewer
1 – add firewall exception for the TightVNC Viewer
Default value: 1
SERVER_ALLOW_SAS 0 – do not allow generating the "Ctrl+Alt+Del" combination (also known as SAS)
programmatically
1 – allow generating the "Ctrl+Alt+Del" combination programmatically
Default value: 1

Table 1: Installation options

Properties, Part 2: TightVNC Server Configuration (Service Mode)

You can preconfigure your TightVNC Server during installation, by specifying configuration-
related properties in the command line. This will affect service mode only, it will not alter settings
of application-mode TightVNC Server.
Each configuration option (e.g. ALLOWLOOPBACK) is controlled via a pair of MSI properties
with different prefixes (SET_ALLOWLOOPBACK and VALUE_OF_ALLOWLOOPBACK in this
example).
SET_* properties control if the respective option should be modified. They accept the following
values:
• 1 – set the configuration option (you should provide the corresponding VALUE_OF_*
property);
• 0 – do not change the option;
• −1 – remove the option from the server configuration (this should result in resetting the
option to its default value).
VALUE_OF_* properties provide actual values for the configuration options, but they take effect
only if the corresponding SET_* properties have been set to 1. Thus, to set each individual
configuration option XXX, you must specify both SET_XXX and VALUE_OF_XXX properties. For
example, to disable incoming connections in your newly installed server, you should install
TightVNC with a command like this:
• msiexec.exe /i tightvnc-2.7.1-setup-64bit.msi /quiet /norestart
SET_ACCEPTRFBCONNECTIONS=1 VALUE_OF_ACCEPTRFBCONNECTIONS=0
Here is a list of all server options configurable via MSI properties:
MSI Property Names Option Value (for VALUE_* Properties) Configuration Window
SET_ACCEPTHTTPCONNECTIONS Enables Java Viewer (on HTTP connections) Server/Web Access
0 – do not serve Java Viewer to Web clients
VALUE_OF_ACCEPTHTTPCONNECTIONS
1 – serve Java Viewer to Web clients
Default value: 1

SET_ACCEPTRFBCONNECTIONS 0 – do not accept incoming connections Server/Incoming Viewer

1 – accept incoming connections Connections
VALUE_OF_ACCEPTRFBCONNECTIONS
Default value: 1
SET_ALLOWLOOPBACK 0 – do not allow loopback connections Access Control/Loopback
1 – allow loopback connections connections
VALUE_OF_ALLOWLOOPBACK
Default value: 0

SET_ALWAYSSHARED Defines server behaviors on a new connection Administration/Session

0 – allow non-shared connections Sharing
VALUE_OF_ALWAYSSHARED
1 – always treat new connections as shared
Default value: 0

If both ALWAYSHARED and NEVERSHARED are false

then the type of connection is determined by client
settings

Note: this option is described further in the section

"Properties, Part 3: Server behavior on new connections"
SET_BLOCKLOCALINPUT 0 – allow local input during client sessions Server/Web Access
1 – block local input during client sessions
VALUE_OF_BLOCKLOCALINPUT
Default value: 0
SET_BLOCKREMOTEINPUT 0 – allow remote input events Server/Input Handling
1 – block remote input events
VALUE_OF_BLOCKREMOTEINPUT
Default value: 0
SET_DISCONNECTACTION Defines an action that will be performed when last client Administration/When Last
disconnects: Client Disconnects
VALUE_OF_DISCONNECTACTION
0 – do nothing
1 – lock desktop
2 – log off current user
Default value: 0
MSI Property Names Option Value (for VALUE_* Properties) Configuration Window
SET_DISCONNECTCLIENTS Defines server behaviors on a new connection Administration/Session
0 – disconnect existing clients on new non-shared Sharing
VALUE_OF_DISCONNECTCLIENTS
connection
1 – block new non-shared connection if someone is
already connected
Default value: 1

DISCONNECTCLIENTS does not work if

ALWAYSSHARED is set to 1

Note: this option is described further in this section

"Properties, Part 3: Server behavior on new connections"
SET_EXTRAPORTS Mapping of additional listening TCP ports to selected Extra ports/Extra ports
screen area
VALUE_OF_EXTRAPORTS
Type: string in format
"PORT:WIDTHxHEIGHT+LEFT+TOP"
For example:
"5901:1280x1024+0+0,5902:1280x1080+1280+0"
Default value: ""
SET_GRABTRANSPARENTWINDOWS 0 – do not grab transparent windows Server/Update Handling
1 – grab transparent windows
VALUE_OF_GRABTRANSPARENTWINDOWS
Default value: 0
SET_HTTPPORT Web access port Server/Web Access
Type: DWORD
VALUE_OF_HTTPPORT
Default value: 5800
SET_IPACCESSCONTROL Set rules for IP ranges Access Control/Rules
Type: string in format "IP1-IP2:{0|1|2}", where:
VALUE_OF_IPACCESSCONTROL
0 – allow connections
1 – deny connections
2 – set query action
Multiple rules should be separated with commas.

For example:
"0.0.0.0-255.255.255.255:2" – set the query action for all
incoming connections.
Default value: ""
SET_LOCALINPUTPRIORITY 0 – allow remote input on local activity Server/Input Handling
1 – block remote input on local activity
VALUE_OF_LOCALINPUTPRIORITY
Default value: 0
SET_LOCALINPUTPRIORITYTIMEOUT Allows to change inactivity time (in seconds) belonged Server/Input Handling
with the option "Block remote input on local activity"
VALUE_OF_LOCALINPUTPRIORITYTIMEOUT
Type: DWORD
Default value: 3
SET_LOGLEVEL Log verbosity level Administration/Logging
Value range: 0-9 (0 – disable logging)
VALUE_OF_LOGLEVEL
Default value: 0
SET_LOOPBACKONLY 0 – allow Access Control/Loopback
1 – allow only loopback connections Connections
VALUE_OF_LOOPBACKONLY
Default value: 0
SET_NEVERSHARED Defines server behaviors on a new connection Administration/Session
0 – allow shared connections Sharing
VALUE_OF_NEVERSHARED
1 – never treat new connection as shared
Default value: 0

If both ALWAYSHARED and NEVERSHARED are false

then the type of connection is determined by the client's
setting

Note: this option is described further in this section

"Properties, Part 3: Server behavior on new connections"
SET_POLLINGINTERVAL Screen polling cycle time (in milliseconds) Server/Update Handling
Type: DWORD
VALUE_OF_POLLINGINTERVAL
Default value: 1000
SET_QUERYACCEPTONTIMEOUT The setting is effective only for IP-addresses with access Access Control/Query
rule action "Query local user": Settings
VALUE_OF_QUERYACCEPTONTIMEOUT
0 – reject connection on timeout
1 – accept connection on timeout
Default value: 0
MSI Property Names Option Value (for VALUE_* Properties) Configuration Window
SET_QUERYTIMEOUT Query timeout (in seconds) Access Control/Query
Type: DWORD Settings
VALUE_OF_QUERYTIMEOUT
Default value: 30
SET_REMOVEWALLPAPER 0 – show wallpaper Server/Miscellaneous
1 – hide desktop wallpaper
VALUE_OF_REMOVEWALLPAPER
Default value: 1
SET_REPEATCONTROLAUTHENTICATION 0 – ask for administrative password only once (for this Administration/Control
control interface) Interface
VALUE_OF_REPEATCONTROLAUTHENTICATION
1 – ask for administrative password for each server
operation
Default: 0
SET_RFBPORT Main server port Server/Incoming Viewer
Type: DWORD Connections
VALUE_OF_RFBPORT
Default value: 5900
SET_RUNCONTROLINTERFACE 0 – do not show service icon in the notification area Server/Miscellaneous
1 – show service icon in the notification area
VALUE_OF_RUNCONTROLINTERFACE
Default value: 1
SET_SAVELOGTOALLUSERSPATH 0 – make log file private for each user Administration/Logging
1 – make log file available to all users
VALUE_OF_SAVELOGTOALLUSERSPATH
Default value: 0
SET_USEMIRRORDRIVER 0 – do not use mirror driver Server/Update Handling
1 – use mirror driver if available
VALUE_OF_USEMIRRORDRIVER
Default value: 1

Table 2: Server configuration options

Properties, Part 3: Server Behavior on New Connections

Server behavior and connection types are controlled by ALWAYSHARED, NEVERSHARED and
DISCONNECTCLIENTS options and their combinations. The meaningful combinations are shown
in the following table.
ALWAYSSHARED NEVERSHARED DISCONNECTCLIENTS Description
0 0 0 Block new non-shared connection if someone is already connected
0 0 1 Disconnect existing clients on new non-shared connection
0 1 0 Never treat connections as shared, disable new clients if there is one
already
0 1 1 Never treat connections as shared, disconnect existing client on new
connections
1 0 0, 1 (not significant) Always treat connection as shared, add new clients and keep old
connections

Table 3: Server session sharing options

In the first two examples the resulting connection type is determined by the client setting (the check
box "Request shared session" in the "Connection options" window). In the remaining cases that
client setting is ignored.

Properties, Part 4: Password Protection (Service Mode)

The server settings in the table 2 work in any installation mode, but there are some server options
concerned with password settings which are effective only during silent installation.
To protect your TightVNC Server, you can set passwords for control interface and VNC client
authentication. Settings responsible for enabling authentication are
USECONTROLAUTHENTICATION and USEVNCAUTHENTICATION.
If USECONTROLAUTHENTICATION option is set to 1, the server will require the authentication
for most of control operations. The USEVNCAUTHENTICATION option is responsible for
requiring VNC authentication of incoming connections, which can have view-only or full-control
access type. You can set passwords for both of them.
To add a password, first you need to set "use corresponding authentication" property to 1 and then
add necessary passwords. All available password options are presented in the table 4. Do not forget
to use SET_/VALUE_OF_ pair.
MSI Property Names Option Value (for VALUE_* Properties) Configuration Window
SET_USECONTROLAUTHENTICATION 0 – do not protect control operations with an administrative Administration/Control
password Interface
VALUE_OF_USECONTROLAUTHENTICATION
1 – protect control operations with an administrative
password
Default value: 0
SET_USEVNCAUTHENTICATION 0 – do not require VNC authentication on establishing Server/Incoming Viewer
connection Connections
VALUE_OF_USEVNCAUTHENTICATION
1 – require VNC authentication on establishing connection
Default value: 1
SET_CONTROLPASSWORD Password required to run the server control interface [Administration/Control
Type: string Interface]Password
VALUE_OF_CONTROLPASSWORD
Default value: ""
Requires USECONTROLAUTHENTICATION to be set to 1
SET_PASSWORD Password used as primary for incoming connections [Server/Incoming Viewer
Type: string Connections]Primary
VALUE_OF_PASSWORD
Default value: "" password
Requires USEVNCAUTHENTICATION to be set to 1
SET_VIEWONLYPASSWORD Password used as "view-only" for incoming connections [Server/Incoming Viewer
Type: string Connection]View-only
VALUE_OF_VIEWONLYPASSWORD
Default value: "" password
Requires USEVNCAUTHENTICATION to be set to 1

Table 4: Password protection options

The specific examples of setting passwords are considered in the next section.

Sample Command Line to Preset All Passwords

Here we explore specific examples of setting passwords with MSI properties.
To set a main password for VNC authentication, you should use following commands:
• SET_USEVNCAUTHENTICATION=1
VALUE_OF_USEVNCAUTHENTICATION=1
SET_PASSWORD=1
VALUE_OF_PASSWORD=PASS
Also, you can set view-only password:
• SET_VIEWONLYPASSWORD=1
VALUE_OF_VIEWONLYPASSWORD=VIEWPASS
And if you would like to configure the administrative password (protect the user interface of the
TightVNC Server), set the following values as well:
• SET_USECONTROLAUTHENTICATION=1
VALUE_OF_USECONTROLAUTHENTICATION=1
SET_CONTROLPASSWORD=1
VALUE_OF_CONTROLPASSWORD=ADMNPASS
Finally, lets set all the passwords in one command line:
• msiexec.exe /i tightvnc-2.7.1-setup-64bit.msi /quiet /norestart
SET_USEVNCAUTHENTICATION=1
VALUE_OF_USEVNCAUTHENTICATION=1
SET_PASSWORD=1
VALUE_OF_PASSWORD=mainpass
SET_VIEWONLYPASSWORD=1
VALUE_OF_VIEWONLYPASSWORD=viewpass
SET_USECONTROLAUTHENTICATION=1
VALUE_OF_USECONTROLAUTHENTICATION=1
SET_CONTROLPASSWORD=1
VALUE_OF_CONTROLPASSWORD=admpass