Error 1603 installing package 1

[xwb]

I've got Windows 2003 Server which, I think is basically Windows XP Server. I've installed Visual Studio 2005 successfully but when I try installing SP1, it results in error 2755. This, translates to error 1603 which has a cryptic message like

ERROR: Applying patch to product {437AB8E0-FB69-4222-B280-A64F3DE22591} failed. Error = 1603

I looked further down the events and I found this

The installation of H:\DOCUME~1\administrator\LOCALS~1\Temp\ZNW581\VS80sp1-KB926601-X86-ENU.msp is not permitted due to an error in software restriction policy processing. The object cannot be trusted.

I really don't understand why Microsoft doesn't trust Microsoft when installing Microsoft software on a Microsoft OS.

I had a look in software restriction policies: none defined. The question is what policy should be enabled to allow stuff to be trusted?

 

[BadBigBen]

You receive an "error 1603: A fatal error occurred during installation" error message when you try to install a Windows Installer package

http://support.microsoft.com/?scid=kb;en-us;834484&x=11&y=7

also see this:

http://consumer.installshield.com/kb.asp?id=Q111019

Ben

"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."

 

[xwb]

Thanks - the first link helped. I had to enable full access on for the SYSTEM account on the installation drive.

 

[BadBigBen]

Glad to have helped... and thank you, also for posting what helped...



Ben

"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."

 

[xwb]

That wasn't the end of the story. It then trundled on for about 20 minutes and stopped. Really annoying: click OK to continue.

Then it went on for another 10 minutes and came up with yet another error. Something to do with the msi file being too big. I had to apply patch WindowsServer2003-KB925336-x86-ENU.exe

This time it finally installed - took at least 2-3 hours using 100% CPU all the way. The installation package must have been written by a very inexperienced team. The way I would have done it is to stick a list in a file and then go through the list. The way they did it was to hog 350Mb memory with an MSI containing MSIs containing MSIs. Great concept but totally impractical.

 

[BadBigBen]

yeah, some of these updates seem kinda strange at times... but I must admit, that I have not come across one that needed 100% cpu time or was hogging 350mb either...


Ben

"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."