SMS: Inventory Processor Fails on RAW to MIF Conversion (160776)

SYMPTOMS

Machine inventory records do not receive updates in the Systems Management Server database. You may be notice this problem after recently distributing a custom MIF form to clients.

This problem can also be verified by examining the Invproc.log file, located in the Logs directory of the client's site server. A "Compilation failed" entry appears immediately after "Processing Machine ISV MIF Files."

CAUSE

The Systems Management Server Inventory Processor is rejecting RAW files because one or more custom MIF attribute names contains a trailing space. This is generally caused when you generate the custom MIF form with the Systems Management Server MIF Form Generator (MIFGEN), and a space is accidentally added to the end of a field name.

You can check whether there is a trailing space character by examining the custom MIF file that is output by the MIF Entry Form (MIFWIN). The following sample section of a custom MIF output contains a space after the PC Asset Number, and would therefore cause the Inventory Processor to fail compilation:

   Start Attribute
         Name = "PC Asset Number "
         ID = 1
         Type = String(35)
         Storage = Specific
         Value = "2485798"
   End Attribute

Other problems with a MIF that will cause a Compilation Failed error include having any field name, data or text, that contains a " (quotation mark symbol). This will cause INVPROC to produce a "Compilation failed" also.

WORKAROUND

To work around this problem, use the following steps:

Reload the custom MIF form into the MIFGEN utility.
Edit the offending field identified as having trailing spaces in the MIF, typing the item name again, with no trailing space.
As a test, place the XNF file in the Ms\Sms\Bin directory of a client. Remove the .sev and .mif files from the Noidmifs directory for the XNF name (if the XNF file was previously distributed to the client).
Before redistributing the XNF file to clients, or as part of the distribution process, you must remove the .sev and .mif files for the named XNF from the client's Noidmifs directory. Failure to do so will produce a "Form template file is corrupted" error message from MIFWIN on the client.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Microsoft Systems Management Server versions 1.0, 1.1, and 1.2. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.