Hello All,

This is not really a question related to SCCM, but to Windows Installer.

I have an application with a patch file: I install first the msi and then the patch file. The installation runs fine. But each time I start the application I receive an error

"Error opening installation log file. Verify that the specified log file location exists and is writable"

http://sdrv.ms/1be10Hh

After clicking okay the program starts fine. The MSI is from 2006. The operating system is Windows 7 Enterprise 64bit.

Is there a way to fix it? Hopefully there is an easy fix.

Thanks,

Edy

Edy,

Take a look at the following

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2564571/en-us

or try running the .exe in Administrator mode and see if you get the same error

It probably is not writeable.  As part of your install you'll have to find where the log file lives and then open up permissions for users to read and write and that MAY correct the issue.

Hello,

Thanks for the hint. The program creates a folder in Program Files (x86). After I added the SCCM computer account to the security admin group the issue with the "error opening installation log ...." disappeared.

However now for each program start Windows installation runs saying updating the program. It takes a few seconds and then the program starts normally. It appears it finishes installation before it can run the program. Unfortunately it does it now every time too.

I guess quite a similar problem. I used to deploy this program with the Altiris solution which uses a user account and not the system account like SCCM.

Any hint is highly appreciated.

Thanks,

Edy

The program creates a folder in Program Files (x86). After I added the SCCM computer account to the security admin group the issue with the "error opening installation log ...." disappeared

I don't see a connection between the account of the ConfigMgr server and installation software on a client. That account is not used at all in this scenario. It's either system (where the client is running on) or the account of the logged-in user (depending on the settings of the program).
What command line have you used?

Hi,

I use the App Deployment Toolkit which uses Powershell to install the application. There are several steps. Please see the txt file on my Skydrive

http://sdrv.ms/LGgY3w

Thanks,

I don't see any logging options at all. Isn't the app deployment toolkit logging somewhere by default? Have you already examined those logs?

Yes there is a location for logging by default. I only examine the logs when there is an installation error. Here it is more an error with the application.

The default location is C:\Windows\Logs\Software

Do you think this is meant with the log not writeable?

We still don't know the command line that causes the failure from your initial posting; that makes troubleshooting impossible.

Seems like it's not even a problem from the command line as he says that the install and the patch are going well and once he wants to start the application then he gets a warning message where he need to click OK.

I'll advise you to ask to the application vendor as he's responsible for this type of error. Once the app is installed SCCM or Windows installer has nothing to do with it.

This happens if the application does not get the permission it requires. Is that error specific to a particular client, if yes, try resetting all windows permissions to default by running the command line available at the below thread.

http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/d09a393b-68df-43de-9f31-735f83242497/quick-way-to-reset-all-security-permissions-to-default-windows-7this

this worked for me a lot of time ..

ok, so you got rid of the errors by adding appropriate accounts to the necessary folders but now its as if its reinstalling the application........we call that a "self healing package".  I think someone mentioned it but you will either need to repackage the application (if you repackaged it) with the necessary changes of rights for the folders/files or contact the vendor and inform them of the problem and they might be able to send you a new package that is not self healing.  

Dear All,

Many thanks for your inputs so far. To be honest I'm puzzled what really the problem is. I further narrowed it down. The problem is caused of the MSI first installation job and not the Patch MSP I run after the MSI installation.

As I said in my initial post we are able to run this installation with Altiris Deployment Solution successfully. Currently I use the application model of SCCM and run a powershell script from Application Deployment Toolkit. In this script sequence of installation can be run.

The next steps I'm planning to:

- run the MSI directly with the application model of SCCM and not with a Powershell

- for the following sequenze like applying the MSP and copy in some newer I will use the Powershell script..

- as a last resort I will try to repackage the MSI.

The MSI was made for Windows XP. It's from 2006, but since it runs fine with another deployment solution is should work with SCCM too. I don't think I have a permission issue here.

I will keep you posted. In the meantime is it possible to deploy MSP with the application model?

Thanks,