failed admin pak installation - w2k3

[Mark Clark]

Hello

We are trying to install the Windows Servers 2003 SP1 admin pak on many of
our production servers and the installation fails with "Windows File
Protection " error.
I can install this software in our test enviornment without any problem.

I have done some searching and short of disabling this service, via
modifying the registry, the only answer that I can come up with is that the
operating system may contain some corrupt files.

Has anyone experienced this issue?
It does seem to be recoverable by loading the operating system CD when
prompted.

My concerns are as follows;

If the operating system is corrupt, should we wipe out the servers and
preform a clean installation? One of the suspect servers was going to become
a DC on our domain. This installation also fails on member servers.
I am not sure if repairing the operating system is a best practice? These
are production servers.
Is there any way to verify a clean installation of servers? We use a emplate
server image for building our servers and I am worried that we have
replciated a corrupt operating system to many machines. (We use virtual
server software, thus why we copy images of basic server builds. This is also
done in our test environment, which as I stated does not have any problems.

Thank you very much for your assistance.

Mark Clark

[Doug Sherman [MVP]]

The 2 most common issues are:

1. If you previously installed the old version and did not uninstall it
before applying SP1, and you are now trying to install the SP1 version; see
this: http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;en-us;892409

2. If you haveWindows Server 2003 64-bit, you need Wadminpak.msi. See:
http://support.microsoft.com/default...#XSLTH31611211
22120121120120

[Mark Clark]

Thanks Doug

But niether of these artciles seem to apply to my situation.
I receive a Windows File Protection error during setup of the admin pak.
The point at setup is when trying to copy files, specifically the
rasuser.hlp file. At this point I am prompted for the Windows 2003 Server CD.

[Jabez Gan [MVP]]

Please try:

Disable Windows File Protection.
Install Adminpack
Once done, do a:
sfc /scannow

More info on SFC: http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=310747

Note down the files that is being restored.

Now, see if the adminpack is working properly.

[Mark Clark]

Our problem is not that the admin pak functions normally, but rsatehr it will
not install.

This system is running Windows Server 2003 SP1. This is also the version of
admin pak that I am trying to install.

I do recieve an error in the Application Log for MSI Installer Error 1933,
canmnot update one or more protected Windows files. SFP error: 1223

[Mark Clark]

It consistentnly fails when copying files during the admin pak installations.
Specifically the rasuser.hlp file.

I am puzzled, I just tried uninstalling and reinstalling SP1.

I can install this admin pak in my test environment w/o any issue. I am
having trouble figuring out what is different between our test and production
environment.

[Louis Vitiello Jr.]

Your error indicates:
The Windows Installer service cannot update one or more protected Windows
files. SFP Error: [2]. List of protected files:\r\n[3]

Thus your files are being protected by Windows, verified by you stating:
"Windows File Protection error"

Jabez stated: "Disable Windows File Protection." This should resolve the
problem, have you tried to Disable the Protection Service?

[Mark Clark]

Hello

Yes, I have tried to disable the service via registry modification. (SFC
Disable - value 0) However, I cannot plug in a null modem because this server
is a Virtual Machine.

We have attempted to run sfc /scannow, but have issues when prompted for the
CD. We put the CD in (or an iso via virtual cd mapping) and receive prompt
for another version of windows server 2003. Oddly enough, it was the corrcet
version.

I was wondering if this template image for the server was notupdate via an
inplace upgrade? Instead of a clean operting install. *thinking w2k to w2k3.

[Jabez Gan [MVP]]

On inserting the CD, you will need to slipstream a Win2003 SP1 CD (Since you
are are using W2k3 SP1). If the OS is a W2k3 RTM, only then you can use the
original W2k3 CD.

Please try disabling WFP on a production machine, reboot and reinstall. Make
sure that you backup your production before attempting.

Update us on this issue. :)

[Mark Clark]

Well, we were unable to resolve with various CD's. All the flavors of windows
2003 server were prompted; Standard, Enterprise, ect..
Project deadlines are now becoming an iusse and we are not comfortable with
using these machines for our W2K3 domain upgrade, so we will be rebuilding.

Disabling is not a valid option for us in production as a null modem is
required. These are VM's.

THanks for all the input.

[DaveH]

I had a similar issue:

SMS was pushing out the adminpak but it failed on a few machines but succeeded on others. I then tried installing manually via RDP and had the same problem.

The installer needs to access files in the sp1 i386 directory. If you use mstsc /console view you will see the popup asking for the windows CD - whereas you wont see this via normal rdp session.

I then edited the registry to point to the correct location of the i386 directory (the original network location had changed) and it now works a treat

reg keys:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Setup
SourcePath
servicepacksourcepath