Windows 7 XP Mode – MSI install error over RDP

I came across this issue when trying to setup a program to run in XPmode on my Windows 7 box.

“The Windows Installer does not permit installation from a Remote Desktop Connection)”

While the error seems to point at RDP connection being the issue (and it is sort of) it is actually due to the fact that I am trying to run the installer from one of the Terminal Services file shares (\\tsclient).

To get round this error do 1 of the following

1. Copy the file to the XPMode local drive (C:, for example)

2. connect to your machine via a UNC (i.e \\192.x.x.x. or \\<machine-name>)

3.Map a drive to the tsclient (i.e \\tsclient\C , \\tsclient\D)

Cheers

Windows 7 XP Mode – MSI install error over RDP

Windows 2008 x64 – Server Manager Errors (HRESULT:0x800F0818 / HRESULT:0x800B0100)

I inherited a number of Windows 2008 x64 boxes with the server manager utility failing with the error code HRESULT:0x800F0818.

Only having limited time and the fact that the servers functioned and updated, it was deemed not critical. However with the server manager not functioning you will soon discover you cannot change the function of the server. Add/Chaging roles or windows features becomes impossible.

I recently came across the article and it has solved my issue

http://blogs.technet.com/roplatforms/archive/2010/05/12/how-to-fix-server-manager-errors-after-installing-updates-hresult-0x800f0818-hresult-0x800b0100.aspx

What I want to do is detail how I ran through the procedure. Please ensure you reference the blog above, I used the reg files to enable take ownership in the context menus and that works treat.

The fix hangs around the System Readiness Tool, available from MS. This tool is often updated so ensure you have the latest version.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/947821

This tool will attempt to fix some problems automatically, so what I do is run this tool twice. This really just makes the log easier to read, as the log on the second run is just errors and does not include the fixes it did on the first run.

At the bottom of the log it will list all the errors (see below)

Unavailable repair files:
    servicing\packages\Package_for_KB969897~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~6.0.1.0.mum
    servicing\packages\Package_for_KB972260~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~6.0.1.1.mum
    servicing\packages\Package_for_KB972594~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~6.0.1.0.mum
    servicing\packages\Package_for_KB973346~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~6.0.1.0.mum
    servicing\packages\Package_for_KB973525~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~6.0.1.3.mum
    servicing\packages\Package_for_KB973565~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~6.0.1.0.mum
    servicing\packages\Package_for_KB974455~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~8.0.1.0.mum
    servicing\packages\Package_for_KB974469~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~6.0.1.0.mum
    servicing\packages\Package_for_KB969897~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~6.0.1.0.cat
    servicing\packages\Package_for_KB972260~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~6.0.1.1.cat
    servicing\packages\Package_for_KB972594~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~6.0.1.0.cat
    servicing\packages\Package_for_KB973346~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~6.0.1.0.cat
    servicing\packages\Package_for_KB973525~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~6.0.1.3.cat
    servicing\packages\Package_for_KB973565~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~6.0.1.0.cat
    servicing\packages\Package_for_KB974455~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~8.0.1.0.cat
    servicing\packages\Package_for_KB974469~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~6.0.1.0.cat

Use this list to grab the updates you require. In my experiences for the IE updates make sure you grab the right update, some will be for IE7 and some for IE8 (if installed).

The procedure is a pain in the ass, but I found downloading the updates first and then go about extracting and renaming the files was the best option as you get into a routine. Once renamed I would copy into the packages folder.

Then run the SUR tool again, and hopefully no more errors… :o)

Additonal benefit on failed KB951847 .Net update

As an aside I had an additional issue on a couple of boxes in that I could not apply the following update. KB951847 .NET Framework 3.5 Service Pack 1. I had the full standalone update. I would try and install this update, and it would instantly error (ungracefully).
However after fixing the server manager issue, I have been able to install the update.

A word of warning, I installed the KB951847 update after fixing server manager on a web server running IIS and the server stopped serving webpages. I had to reboot, and then after restart the web service did not start automatically, had to manually start the web service, however since then it has been fine. I believe the issue was due to combination of the two as I have fixed the server manager on other servers and that has not stopped the server serving pages. In addition I have installed the .NET update KB951847 and this too has not affected the server.

Windows 2008 x64 – Server Manager Errors (HRESULT:0x800F0818 / HRESULT:0x800B0100)

SQL Server 2005 update failure

I recently had to apply a patch to a SQL Server 2005 machine, the patch was KB970892. However it failed, I would like to detail what I found and why the install failed.

SQL Server SP3 had been applied to the SQL Server instance

Post initial installation of SQL SERVER I had move the MASTER, MODEL, MSDB and TEMPDB to new locations. As it turns out this is what caused  me the grief. However trying to get to that point was a journey.

The initial log that the failed update asks you to review is massive, and I failed to see any useful failure information from that log. However while trawling the internet I came across the following log file

%programfiles%\Microsoft SQL Server\90\Setup Bootstrap\LOG\Hotfix\Summary.txt

The error I got in this file was

MSP Error: 29538  SQL Server Setup did not have the administrator permissions required to rename a file: d:\SQLData\mssqlsystemresource1.ldf. To continue, verify that the file exists, and either grant administrator permissions to the account currently running Setup or log in with an administrator account. Then run SQL Server Setup again.

It was this file that began to lead me to what was going on.

I eventually came across this forum post.

http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/sqlsetupandupgrade/thread/fc411c55-f26b-48d4-9bf7-a333a87bc6de?prof=required

So what is going on, well it appears that if you move the master.mdf file, you need to manually move the following mdf and ldf files to the same location. These files are support files I believe for various things like replication.

• mssqlsystemresource.mdf
• mssqlsystemresource.ldf
• distmdl.mdf
• distmdl.ldf

e.g

master.mdf moved to d:\sqlData\

I had to move the four files listed above to this folder. Then the update ran successfully. I realise the error message has a 1 in the filename, but I did not rename my files to match and the update completed successfully. That said the files remained untouched!

Hope this helps someone.

SQL Server 2005 update failure

SQL Server – Environment Variables in (OS) CMDExec job step

Recently I had to try and use an environment variable in a SQL job step. However I came across an issue where it would not resolve the environment variable.

I wanted to use %COMPUTERNAME%, to allow me to script the job and deploy to other servers without modifying it.

It was a weird probablem, if I ECHO the command line, it would resolve the %COMPUTERNAME%, taking the output from  the step output file I was able to run the command.  However remove the ECHO and it would fail to run the command.

After trying many different things, including trying CMD /c “command”, I tried putting CALL on the beginning of the command. This is the solution.

i.e

Original Command (not working in sql job step)

xcopy  “%COMPUTERNAME%\sourcefolder” “destinationfolder”

Fixed command

CALL xcopy “%COMPUTERNAME%\sourcefolder” “destinationfolder”

SQL Server – Environment Variables in (OS) CMDExec job step