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Q263402: SMS: Msiexec.exe Cannot Process an MSI File

Article: Q263402
Product(s): Microsoft Systems Management Server
Version(s): 2.0 SP2
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbsms200 kbsms200bug kbSoftwareDist kbsms200preSP3 kbsms200preSP4fix
Last Modified: 09-MAY-2002

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Systems Management Server version 2.0 SP2 
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SYMPTOMS
========

When you try to run an .msi file by specifying the name of the file at a command
prompt, the Msiexec.exe program cannot process the .msi file.

CAUSE
=====

When you run .msi files by just specifying the name of the .msi file, no command
prompt parameters are passed to the Msiexec.exe program, so the Msiexec.exe
program cannot process the .msi file.

WORKAROUND
==========

To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Systems Management
Server version 2.0. For additional information, please see the following article
in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

  Q236325 How to Obtain the Latest Systems Management Server 2.0 Service Pack

To work around this problem, include an explicit call to the Msiexec.exe program
at the command prompt when you want to advertise programs. You must also type
the appropriate command-line switch with the Msiexec.exe program, such as /I (to
install) or /f (to repair the installation). For a complete list of command-line
switches that you can use with the Msiexec.exe program, view the following
Microsoft Knowledge Base article:

  Q227091 Command-Line Switches for the Microsoft Windows Installer Tool

STATUS
======

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Microsoft products that are
listed at the beginning of this article. This problem was first corrected in
Systems Management Server 2.0 Service Pack 4.

MORE INFORMATION
================

You can run Windows Installer packages (.msi packages) by either double-clicking
the .msi file itself or by calling it by using the Msiexec.exe program from a
command prompt.

When you use System Management Server (SMS) 2.0, you can advertise and run .msi
packages only by explicitly calling the command prompt and specifying the name
of the .msi file that you want to run.

Additional query words: prodsms c line

======================================================================
Keywords          : kbsms200 kbsms200bug kbSoftwareDist kbsms200preSP3 kbsms200preSP4fix 
Technology        : kbSMSSearch kbSMS200SP2
Version           : :2.0 SP2
Issue type        : kbbug
Solution Type     : kbnofix

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