KnowledgeBase Archive

An Archive of Early Microsoft KnowledgeBase Articles

View on GitHub

Q185902: SMSINST: %SystemRoot% Values Not Written to Registry Correctly

Article: Q185902
Product(s): Microsoft Systems Management Server
Version(s): WINDOWS:1.0
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): smsinst
Last Modified: 12-APR-2001

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Systems Management Server Installer version 1.0 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SYMPTOMS
========

When Windows NT environment variables (such as %SystemRoot%) are added to the
registry during a repackage, they are captured by a repackage process, but the
resulting script does not write the correct value(s) to the registry on the
client during the Systems Management Server Installer installation routine.

CAUSE
=====

Systems Management Server Installer uses the syntax %VARIABLENAME% to denote
internal script variable values. For example, if the Installer variable USER is
set to a value of 'John Smith', using the %USER% syntax would cause 'John Smith'
to be substituted wherever %USER% appeared.

Windows NT utilizes the same syntax to denote the value of environment variables.
When the Systems Management Server Installer run-time encounters the value
%SystemRoot% in an Edit Registry script item, it interprets this as the
Installer variable value for %SystemRoot%, rather than the Windows NT
environment variable value. Usually the Installer does not have a specific value
defined for this, so nothing is actually written to the registry.

WORKAROUND
==========

Using %SystemRoot% as an example, you would change the string %SystemRoot% to
%%SystemRoot%% wherever it exists in the Installer script. This causes the
literal value %SystemRoot% to be written to the system, which allows the
environment variable to be resolved correctly.

STATUS
======

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Microsoft Systems Management
Server Installer version 1.0. We are researching this problem and will post new
information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.


Additional query words: prodsms

======================================================================
Keywords          : smsinst 
Technology        : kbSMSSearch kbSMSI100
Version           : WINDOWS:1.0
Issue type        : kbbug
Solution Type     : kbpending

=============================================================================

THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY.