SMSINST: Installer Script Is Limited to 8,192 Lines (178143)

SYMPTOMS

When you attempt to use the Repackage option in the Installation Expert or add script lines manually in the Systems Management Server Installer script editor, you may receive an access violation error if the script exceeds 8,192 lines displayed in the script editor. An IPF script file of 1,141,000 bytes contains approximately 8,192 lines.

CAUSE

The Systems Management Server Installer has a design limit of 8,192 script line items imposed in version 1.0. This includes the number of lines in the Mainline script in combination with the lines from all Include scripts. It may be difficult to assess how many lines a Repackage is actually adding to a script.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Systems Management Server version 1.2 (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.

MORE INFORMATION

If an access violation error does occur during a repackage, use the following steps to troubleshooting the problem:

When you attempt to repackage the application again, click the Change button on the Repackage Application dialog box to display the Repackage Advance Settings dialog box.
Attempt to ignore files (or directories) if the application may try to create a large number of files.
Repackage the application.

If the repackage is successful, use the script editor to modify "Install File(s)" actions which installs a single file, and where possible, change them to use wildcards to install multiple files. This will reduce the number of files the script uses.