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Pro/Enterprise Installation Procedures

This guide walks the complete ScrewDrivers Pro/Enterprise installation at a high level, in order. Each phase covers the essential steps and links to a detailed guide where one exists — follow the phases top to bottom for a new deployment.

Before You Begin

Review the Installation Requirements to verify your environment meets all prerequisites.

Installation overview​

  1. Infrastructure — SQL Server, License Server, .NET 4.8
  2. Database — the once-per-environment ScrewDrivers Database installer
  3. Management — ScrewDrivers Administration
  4. Core components — session host agents
  5. Optional components — print servers, Gateway, client endpoints
  6. Verification — testing and validation

Estimated time: 2–4 hours for a complete new installation, depending on environment complexity.

Pre-installation checklist​

  • Installation Requirements reviewed
  • Windows Server(s) prepared (one for a POC, multiple for production)
  • .NET Framework 4.8 installed on all servers (or ready to install — it requires a reboot)
  • SQL Server installed and reachable (or SQL Express installer ready)
  • Latest ScrewDrivers installers downloaded (your Tricerat account team or Tricerat Support provides the downloads link)
  • v7 licenses obtained (activation code for the License Server, or nodelock keys)
  • Administrator credentials for all servers
  • Maintenance windows scheduled (for reboots)
  • Network firewall rules planned

Phase 1: Infrastructure​

SQL Server​

ScrewDrivers stores configuration, assignments, profiles, and audit data in SQL Server (2012 or newer; SQL Express is fine for most deployments). If you don't have a server ready, or need to check TCP/IP, ports, permissions, or named-instance details:

→ Setting Up SQL Server for ScrewDrivers

Using an existing SQL Server? Confirm connectivity (Test-NetConnection -ComputerName sql-server.domain.com -Port 1433) and have credentials with the dbcreator role ready for Phase 2.

License Server (CCS/CCU licensing only)​

Concurrent licensing needs a Tricerat License Server installed and activated before components come online — nodelocked (NLS) deployments skip it and enter keys during component installs:

→ Installing the Tricerat License Server

.NET Framework 4.8​

Required on every system that runs a ScrewDrivers component: session hosts, print servers, Administration workstations, the License Server host, and Gateway servers. Windows Server 2022+, Windows 11, and Windows 10 1903+ include it already. On older systems, install it (ndp48-x86-x64-allos-enu.exe, silent: /q /norestart) and reboot. Verify anywhere with:

Get-ChildItem 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\NET Framework Setup\NDP\v4\Full\' |
Get-ItemPropertyValue -Name Release |
ForEach-Object { $_ -ge 528040 }
# Returns True if .NET 4.8 or higher is installed

Background on the prerequisite: What Changed in ScrewDrivers v7.

Phase 2: Create the database​

Run the ScrewDrivers Database installer (ScrewDriversDatabase_<version>_x64.exe) once per environment, from any machine with .NET 4.8 and network access to SQL Server. It performs every high-permission database action — creation, initialization, schema upgrades — so nothing after this phase needs elevated database rights.

  1. Enter the SQL Server name (SERVERNAME\SQLEXPRESS for Express, or hostname/IP — name syntax), choose Windows or SQL authentication, and click Test Connection.
  2. Accept the default database name (ScrewDrivers) or set your organization's.
  3. Install — database creation takes a minute or two.

The installer also initializes ScrewDrivers Administration's authorization: initially, only Domain Admins, Local Admins of this machine, and the account running the installer can use Administration. Grant others access later from its Permissions tab.

Verify: the ScrewDrivers database exists on the server (sqlcmd -S SERVERNAME\SQLEXPRESS -Q "SELECT name FROM sys.databases WHERE name = 'ScrewDrivers'"). Connection trouble? Check TCP/IP, the dbcreator role, and port 1433 — details in the SQL guide.

Phase 3: Install ScrewDrivers Administration​

Install the management console on your admin workstation or management server (Windows 10/11 or Windows Server, .NET 4.8, network access to SQL):

  1. Run ScrewDriversProOrEnterprise_<version>_x64.exe as administrator.
  2. Component selection: check Administrative Console only.
  3. Database connection: the same server and database from Phase 2; Test Connection.
  4. Licensing: License Server address (port 6200) for CCS/CCU, or your nodelock key for NLS.
  5. Install, then launch ScrewDrivers Administration from the Start menu — it should connect and display the console with no errors.

Phase 4: Install session host agents​

Install on every RDS server and VDI virtual machine where users connect. For fleets, use silent installation or Intune; interactively:

  1. Confirm the host has .NET 4.8 and connectivity to SQL and the License Server.
  2. Run ScrewDriversProOrEnterprise_<version>_x64.exe as administrator.
  3. Component selection: check Session Host Agent (plus Print Server Service only if this machine doubles as a print server); uncheck the console.
  4. Architecture selection (Pro): print server printing, or Direct IP.
  5. Enter the database connection and licensing as in Phase 3.
  6. Reboot — the installation isn't complete until the host restarts.

Verify after reboot: Get-Service -Name "Tricerat*" shows the services running. For VDI, install in the template before sealing/snapshotting.

Phase 5: Print servers (optional)​

Required for Pro print-server architecture and Enterprise mobile printing; skip for Direct IP or remote/cloud-only deployments. Preparing the Windows role and queues, installing the Print Server service, and registering it in Administration:

→ Installing the ScrewDrivers Print Server Service

Phase 6: Gateway (Enterprise only)​

Required for mobile printing, TCP/IP clients, and remote/cloud printing. Ports, installation, and connectivity verification:

→ Installing the ScrewDrivers Gateway

Phase 7: Client endpoints (optional)​

For client-side printer redirection, deploy the client to workstations — interactively, via silent install, or Intune:

Phase 8: Verify the deployment​

Component communication — in ScrewDrivers Administration, confirm your session hosts and print servers appear with their expected status, and licensing shows the correct counts with licenses checking out. On each host, Get-Service -Name "Tricerat*" shows services running.

Functional validation — run the Print Environment Validation Checklist: printer building as a test user, test prints per printer type, scanning, license checkout, client plugin versions, and platform spot checks.

If something's wrong — enable diagnostic logging and check C:\ProgramData\Tricerat\Logs. Common patterns:

SymptomLikely causeSolution
Printers don't appearSession host can't reach SQL ServerVerify SQL connectivity, check firewall
License errorsLicense Server unreachable or licenses exhaustedSee Troubleshooting License Issues
Print jobs failPrint server unreachable or queue offlineVerify print server connectivity, check Windows print queues
Mobile printing failsGateway unreachable or port blockedVerify port 4600 is open, check the Gateway service

Legacy references (v6, still useful background): Identifying Installer Prerequisite Issues, Troubleshooting Failed Installs.

After installation​

Configuration happens in ScrewDrivers Administration — the Administrator's Guide is the complete manual. Usual first stops: printer profiles, assignments, maps for location-based printing, and reports.

Upgrading instead of installing fresh? The Upgrades section routes you: v7 to a newer release (in-place, with a pilot/validation stage) or v6 to v7. Running v6 and v7 side by side during migration: Side-by-Side Install (v6 archive).

Uninstalling: Control Panel → Programs and Features → Tricerat ScrewDrivers → Uninstall (silent: msiexec /x {PRODUCT-CODE} /qn).

Support​