Desktop Central Agent Issue

They were part of the original vendor provided .pkg file that I converted to source.

They were part of the original vendor provided .pkg file that I converted to source.

Is there a reason you converted a vendor supplied installer pkg to a source? I generally consider that to be a no-no, unless you must deconstruct what's going on in a pkg install. But if it was just for that, there are better tools to pull apart a package, like Suspicious Package and others.

Anyway I agree with @mainelysteve above. I'd like to see what's going on in those scripts, since how your Composer source is built, it's dropping an installer pkg into /Users/Shared/ and, (presumably?) doing something with it in those scripts, like running the installer. But without seeing them, we don't have a way of knowing why it's failing.

Is there a reason you converted a vendor supplied installer pkg to a source? I generally consider that to be a no-no, unless you must deconstruct what's going on in a pkg install. But if it was just for that, there are better tools to pull apart a package, like Suspicious Package and others.

Anyway I agree with @mainelysteve above. I'd like to see what's going on in those scripts, since how your Composer source is built, it's dropping an installer pkg into /Users/Shared/ and, (presumably?) doing something with it in those scripts, like running the installer. But without seeing them, we don't have a way of knowing why it's failing.

The reason I converted to source is that I am unfamiliar with Jamf and that was my understanding of how to get the settings into .pkg file.

According to the vendor, I need to original .pkg and the server.plist in the same folder in order for the install to work properly. I Found the Jamf Nation article I referenced above (re-posted below) and tried to follow it. In step 2 of the article listed above, the OP says to drag the .pkg into the composer window and the only way I saw to do that was on the left hand pane. The only option that gives is to Convert to source.

I know I am missing something fundamental, but I am not sure what. Running the package as supplied from the vendor fails, and following the article (as I understand it) also fails. I appreciate any thoughts or feedback you might have.

https://community.jamf.com/t5/jamf-pro/manage-engine-desktop-central/m-p/237301

Preinstall/postinstall scripts appear to be the same.

#!/bin/bash

echo "num of args"$#
echo $*

pkgfullpath=$1

targetfolder=$2

if [[ $targetfolder == *"DesktopCentral_Agent"* ]]; then
productname="DC"
elif [[ $targetfolder == *"RemoteAccessPlus_Agent"* ]]; then
productname="RAP"
else
productname="PMP"
fi

if [[ $productname == "DC" ]]; then
echo "Product name : DC"
pkgpath=${pkgfullpath%Desk*pkg}
elif [[ $productname == "RAP" ]]; then
echo "Product name : RAP"
pkgpath=${pkgfullpath%Remote*pkg}
else
echo "Product name : PMP"
pkgpath=${pkgfullpath%Patch*pkg}
fi

echo "targetfolder: "$targetfolder
echo "pkgpath: "$pkgpath

confpath=$pkgpath"serverinfo.plist"
echo "confpath: "$confpath

depfile=$pkgpath"domainname.json"

serviceplistpath="/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.manageengine.desktopcentral.dcagentservice.plist"
upgraderplistpath="/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.manageengine.desktopcentral.dcagentupgrader.plist"
dcnotifyplistpath="/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.manageengine.desktopcentral.dcnotifyservice.plist"
peruserplistpath="/Library/LaunchAgents/com.manageengine.desktopcentral.peruseragent.plist"
preloginpath = "/Library/LaunchAgents/com.manageengine.desktopcentral.prelogin.plist"

FILE=$confpath

if [ -f "$FILE" ];
then
echo "File $confpath exists"
agentbinpath=$2"/data/serverinfo.plist"
echo "binpath: "$agentbinpath

rds_log=$(defaults read /Library/DesktopCentral_Agent/data/serverinfo.plist AGENTVERSION)

if [ "${rds_log:5:3}" -le 297 ]; then
rm -f "/Library/DesktopCentral_Agent/logs/dcrds.log"
rm -f "/Library/DesktopCentral_Agent/logs/dcrds0.log"
rm -f "/Library/DesktopCentral_Agent/logs/dcrds1.log"
rm -f "/Library/DesktopCentral_Agent/logs/dcrds2.log"
rm -f "/Library/DesktopCentral_Agent/logs/dcrds3.log"
rm -f "/Library/DesktopCentral_Agent/logs/dcrds4.log"
rm -f "/Library/DesktopCentral_Agent/logs/dcrds5.log"
rm -f "/Library/DesktopCentral_Agent/logs/dcrds6.log"
rm -f "/Library/DesktopCentral_Agent/logs/dcrds7.log"
rm -f "/Library/DesktopCentral_Agent/logs/dcrds8.log"
rm -f "/Library/DesktopCentral_Agent/logs/dcrds9.log"
rm -f "/Library/DesktopCentral_Agent/logs/dcrds10.log"
rm -f "/Library/DesktopCentral_Agent/logs/UserLogs/dcrds.log"
rm -f "/Library/DesktopCentral_Agent/logs/UserLogs/dcrds0.log"
rm -f "/Library/DesktopCentral_Agent/logs/UserLogs/dcrds1.log"
rm -f "/Library/DesktopCentral_Agent/logs/UserLogs/dcrds2.log"
rm -f "/Library/DesktopCentral_Agent/logs/UserLogs/dcrds3.log"
rm -f "/Library/DesktopCentral_Agent/logs/UserLogs/dcrds4.log"
rm -f "/Library/DesktopCentral_Agent/logs/UserLogs/dcrds5.log"
rm -f "/Library/DesktopCentral_Agent/logs/UserLogs/dcrds6.log"
rm -f "/Library/DesktopCentral_Agent/logs/UserLogs/dcrds7.log"
rm -f "/Library/DesktopCentral_Agent/logs/UserLogs/dcrds8.log"
rm -f "/Library/DesktopCentral_Agent/logs/UserLogs/dcrds9.log"
rm -f "/Library/DesktopCentral_Agent/logs/UserLogs/dcrds10.log"
fi

cp "$confpath" "$agentbinpath"

if [[ $productname == "DC" ]]; then
cp com.manageengine.desktopcentral.dcnotifyservice.plist /Library/LaunchDaemons/com.manageengine.desktopcentral.dcnotifyservice.plist
cp com.manageengine.desktopcentral.peruseragent.plist /Library/LaunchAgents/com.manageengine.desktopcentral.peruseragent.plist
cp com.manageengine.desktopcentral.prelogin.plist /Library/LaunchAgents/com.manageengine.desktopcentral.prelogin.plist
elif [[ $productname == "PMP" ]]; then
cp pmpscripts/com.manageengine.desktopcentral.dcnotifyservice.plist /Library/LaunchDaemons/com.manageengine.desktopcentral.dcnotifyservice.plist
cp pmpscripts/com.manageengine.desktopcentral.peruseragent.plist /Library/LaunchAgents/com.manageengine.desktopcentral.peruseragent.plist
cp pmpscripts/com.manageengine.desktopcentral.prelogin.plist /Library/LaunchAgents/com.manageengine.desktopcentral.prelogin.plist
else
cp rapscripts/com.manageengine.desktopcentral.dcnotifyservice.plist /Library/LaunchDaemons/com.manageengine.desktopcentral.dcnotifyservice.plist
cp rapscripts/com.manageengine.desktopcentral.peruseragent.plist /Library/LaunchAgents/com.manageengine.desktopcentral.peruseragent.plist
cp rapscripts/com.manageengine.desktopcentral.prelogin.plist /Library/LaunchAgents/com.manageengine.desktopcentral.prelogin.plist
fi

#Change permission settings
chown root:wheel $serviceplistpath
echo "Return code of chown serviceplist:$?"

chown root:wheel $dcnotifyplistpath
echo "Return code of chown dcnotifyplist:$?"

chown root:wheel $peruserplistpath
echo "Return code of chown peruserplist:$?"

chown root:wheel $preloginpath
echo "Return code of chown preloginplist:$?"

chown root:wheel $upgraderplistpath
echo "Return code of chown upgraderplist:$?"


chmod 644 $dcnotifyplistpath
chmod 644 $peruserplistpath
chmod 644 $preloginpath
chmod 644 $serviceplistpath
chmod 644 $upgraderplistpath

launchctl load -wF $dcnotifyplistpath
echo "Return code of launchctl dcnotifyplist:$?"
launchctl load -wF $preloginpath
echo "Return code of launchctl preloginplist:$?"

chmod -R 755 $targetfolder/
chmod 774 $targetfolder/bin/consoleuser.plist
chmod -R 644 $targetfolder/logs/
chmod 755 $targetfolder/logs/
chmod -R 777 $targetfolder/data/
chmod -R 777 $targetfolder/client-data/
chmod -R 777 $targetfolder/SystemData/
chmod -R 755 $targetfolder/scripts/
chmod -R 777 $targetfolder/scripts/user
chmod -R 777 $targetfolder/history/
chmod 754 $targetfolder/logs/collectlogs.sh
chmod -R 777 $targetfolder/logs/UserLogs
chmod -R 777 $targetfolder/Software_Catalog/
chmod -R 777 "$targetfolder/bin/static/"
chmod -R 777 $targetfolder/rds/

chown root:staff $targetfolder/logs/collectlogs.sh
chown -R root:staff $targetfolder/ManageEngine\\ Desktop\\ Central\\ -\\ Agent.app
chown root:staff $targetfolder/logs/UserLogs/
chown -R root:staff $targetfolder/data/
chown -R root:staff $targetfolder/client-data/
chown -R root:staff $targetfolder/bin/
chown -R root:staff $targetfolder/history/
chown root:staff $targetfolder/scripts/
chown root:staff $targetfolder/scripts/computer/
chown -R :staff $targetfolder/scripts/
chown -R root:staff $targetfolder/store/
chown -R root:staff $targetfolder/SystemData/
chown -R root:staff $targetfolder/uninstall/
chown -R root:staff $targetfolder/rds/
chown -R root:staff $targetfolder/updates/
chown root:staff $targetfolder
chown -R :staff $targetfolder/logs/
chown root $targetfolder/logs/
chown root $targetfolder/logs/UserLogs

echo "calling dcconfig process to send statusupdate"

cd $targetfolder/bin

if [ -f "$depfile" ]
then
./dcconfig "script" "statusupdate" "$depfile"
else
./dcconfig "script" "statusupdate"
fi

echo "starting dcagentservice Daemon"

launchctl load -wF $serviceplistpath

echo "Return code of launchctl serviceplist:$?"


launchctl unload -wF $upgraderplistpath

echo "Return code of unload launchctl upgraderplist :$?"

# /** The below lines will be removed in future. These files were previously used and now they renamed and moved to different path.
launchctl unload -wF "/System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.desktopcentral.dcagentupgrader.plist"

echo "Return code of launchctl to disable previous dcagentupgrader:$?"

rm -f "/System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.desktopcentral.dcagentupgrader.plist"

echo "return code of deletion of com.desktopcentral.dcagentupgrader.plist:$?"

rm -f "/System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.desktopcentral.dcagentservice.plist"

echo "return code of deletion of com.desktopcentral.dcagentservice.plist:$?"


launchctl unload -wF "/System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.manageengine.desktopcentral.dcagentupgrader.plist"

echo "Return code of launchctl to disable previous dcagentupgrader:$?"

rm -f "/System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.manageengine.desktopcentral.dcagentupgrader.plist"

echo "return code of deletion of com.manageengine.desktopcentral.dcagentupgrader.plist:$?"

launchctl unload -wF "/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.manageegine.desktopcentral.dcagentupgrader.plist"

echo "Return code of launchctl to disable previous dcagentupgrader:$?"

rm -f "/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.manageegine.desktopcentral.dcagentupgrader.plist"

echo "return code of deletion of com.manageegine.desktopcentral.dcagentupgrader.plist:$?"

launchctl unload -wF "/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.manageegine.desktopcentral.dcnotifyservice.plist"

echo "Return code of launchctl to disable previous dcnotifyservice:$?"

rm -f "/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.manageegine.desktopcentral.dcnotifyservice.plist"

echo "return code of deletion of com.manageegine.desktopcentral.dcnotifyservice.plist:$?"

rm -f "/System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.manageengine.desktopcentral.dcagentservice.plist"

echo "return code of deletion of com.manageengine.desktopcentral.dcagentservice.plist:$?"

#**/



#//
rm -rf "$targetfolder/updates/dupserverinfo.plist"

echo "return code of deletion of $targetfolder/updates/dupserverinfo.plist:$?"


launchctl load -wF $upgraderplistpath

echo "Return code of launchctl to dcagentupgraderplist:$?"

else
echo "File $confpath file does not exists!"
exit 1
fi

echo "finished dcagent postinstallation..."
exit 0

If your clients are on recent versions of MacOS(10.15 or newer) the chunk below is probably your issue:

I would see if you can regenerate the agent installer if that's possible.