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Administration Guide

Installing FortiClient using the CLI

Installing FortiClient using the CLI

You can install FortiClient using the CLI. When an EMS administrator creates a FortiClient installer as Adding a FortiClient deployment package describes, EMS creates .exe and .msi installers. You can use either to install FortiClient:

Installer file

Description

.exe

Includes custom modifications as configured when creating the deployment package. You can double-click the file to run the installer, or install FortiClient in the CLI.

.msi

You must use the .msi installer in combination with the .mst file., as the .msi file does not include any custom modifications configured when creating the deployment package. If using the .msi file, you must install FortiClient using the CLI so that you can provide the accompanying .mst file. Otherwise, the custom modifications are unavailable to FortiClient after installation.

The following table summarizes the installation options available when using the CLI. These options are available whether you use the .exe file or the .msi file with the .mst file:

Option

Description

/quiet

Installation is in quiet mode and requires no user interaction.

/passive

Installation is in unattended mode, showing only the progress bar.

/norestart

Does not restart the machine after installation is complete.

/promptrestart

Prompts you to restart the machine if necessary.

/forcerestart

Always restarts the machine after installation.

/uninstallfamilys

Uninstalls FortiClient. With this option, the FortiClient installer detects whatever version of FortiClient is installed and uninstalls it. For example, a FortiClient 7.0.5 installer can detect and uninstall an installed copy of FortiClient 7.0.0.

/log <path to log file>

Creates a log file in the specified directory with the specified name.

The following example installs FortiClient build 1131 in quiet mode, does not restart the machine after installation, and creates a log file with the name "example" in the c:\temp directory, using the .exe file:

FortiClientSetup_7.0.5.1131_x64.exe /quiet /norestart /log c:\temp\example.log

The following example installs FortiClient using the .msi and .mst files, and creates a log file with the name "output":

msiexec.exe /i "FortiClient.msi" TRANSFORMS="FortiClient.mst" /log output.log

FortiClient supports the following CLI installation options with FortiESNAC.exe for endpoint control:

Usage:
c:\Program Files\Fortinet\FortiClient\FortiESNAC.exe -r|--register <address/invitation> [-p|--port <port>] [-v|--vdom <site>]
c:\Program Files\Fortinet\FortiClient\FortiESNAC.exe -u|--unregister
c:\Program Files\Fortinet\FortiClient\FortiESNAC.exe -d|--details

Options:
  -h --help Show the help screen
  -r --register Register using an EMS address or an invitation code
  -p --port EMS port, ignored if registering by invitation code (Optional, 8013 by default)
  -v --vdom EMS site, ignored if registering by invitation code (Optional, "Default" by default)
  -u --unregister Unregister from the current EMS
  -k --key Key for registering/deregistering from EMS if required.
                   Will prompt for user input if key verification fails or no key is given.
  -m --remember Remember the given connection key specified by -k|--key when registering to EMS
                   (Optional, will not remember the key by default)
  -d --details Show telemetry details and status

Installing FortiClient using the CLI

You can install FortiClient using the CLI. When an EMS administrator creates a FortiClient installer as Adding a FortiClient deployment package describes, EMS creates .exe and .msi installers. You can use either to install FortiClient:

Installer file

Description

.exe

Includes custom modifications as configured when creating the deployment package. You can double-click the file to run the installer, or install FortiClient in the CLI.

.msi

You must use the .msi installer in combination with the .mst file., as the .msi file does not include any custom modifications configured when creating the deployment package. If using the .msi file, you must install FortiClient using the CLI so that you can provide the accompanying .mst file. Otherwise, the custom modifications are unavailable to FortiClient after installation.

The following table summarizes the installation options available when using the CLI. These options are available whether you use the .exe file or the .msi file with the .mst file:

Option

Description

/quiet

Installation is in quiet mode and requires no user interaction.

/passive

Installation is in unattended mode, showing only the progress bar.

/norestart

Does not restart the machine after installation is complete.

/promptrestart

Prompts you to restart the machine if necessary.

/forcerestart

Always restarts the machine after installation.

/uninstallfamilys

Uninstalls FortiClient. With this option, the FortiClient installer detects whatever version of FortiClient is installed and uninstalls it. For example, a FortiClient 7.0.5 installer can detect and uninstall an installed copy of FortiClient 7.0.0.

/log <path to log file>

Creates a log file in the specified directory with the specified name.

The following example installs FortiClient build 1131 in quiet mode, does not restart the machine after installation, and creates a log file with the name "example" in the c:\temp directory, using the .exe file:

FortiClientSetup_7.0.5.1131_x64.exe /quiet /norestart /log c:\temp\example.log

The following example installs FortiClient using the .msi and .mst files, and creates a log file with the name "output":

msiexec.exe /i "FortiClient.msi" TRANSFORMS="FortiClient.mst" /log output.log

FortiClient supports the following CLI installation options with FortiESNAC.exe for endpoint control:

Usage:
c:\Program Files\Fortinet\FortiClient\FortiESNAC.exe -r|--register <address/invitation> [-p|--port <port>] [-v|--vdom <site>]
c:\Program Files\Fortinet\FortiClient\FortiESNAC.exe -u|--unregister
c:\Program Files\Fortinet\FortiClient\FortiESNAC.exe -d|--details

Options:
  -h --help Show the help screen
  -r --register Register using an EMS address or an invitation code
  -p --port EMS port, ignored if registering by invitation code (Optional, 8013 by default)
  -v --vdom EMS site, ignored if registering by invitation code (Optional, "Default" by default)
  -u --unregister Unregister from the current EMS
  -k --key Key for registering/deregistering from EMS if required.
                   Will prompt for user input if key verification fails or no key is given.
  -m --remember Remember the given connection key specified by -k|--key when registering to EMS
                   (Optional, will not remember the key by default)
  -d --details Show telemetry details and status