PRB: Error Message When You Try to Install from a Network Share: This Installation Package Could Not Be Opened (306437)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows Installer 1.1, when used with:
    • the operating system: Microsoft Windows 98
    • the operating system: Microsoft Windows 95
  • Microsoft Windows Installer 1.2, when used with:
    • the operating system: Microsoft Windows 98
    • the operating system: Microsoft Windows 95
This article was previously published under Q306437

SYMPTOMS

When you attempt to install a Windows Installer package from a network share to a Windows 95 or Windows 98-based computer, you may receive the following error message:
This installation package could not be opened. Verify that the package exists and that you can access it, or contact the application vendor to verify that this is a valid Windows Installer package.

CAUSE

This behavior occurs if both of the following conditions are true:
  • The share name is not a valid short file name.

    -and-
  • You either browse to and double-click the .msi file or run the msiexec.exe command line.
This behavior occurs because Windows Installer views the entire path to the .msi file as a file name. Windows 95 or Windows 98-based computers require the use of valid short file names, and if the network share includes a long file name or an invalid character in a short file name, Windows Installer fails to start the installation.

Valid short file-name syntax consists of a name with eight characters or less, a period (.), and a three-character extension. Because shares do not include extensions, all folder names under the share name should be eight characters or less so that Windows 95 or Windows 98 computers can use the share. Additionally, Windows Installer does not allow the following characters in short file names:

+
,
;
=
[ ]
an embedded space

If any of these characters are present in a share name, Windows Installer fails to install the package.

NOTE: Microsoft Windows NT-based computers can access the .msi file in question without triggering an error message.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this issue, be sure that the name of the share on which the .msi file is located conforms to the valid short file-name syntax. Alternatively, you can map a drive to the .msi package or copy the .msi package to your hard disk.

STATUS

This behavior is by design.

MORE INFORMATION

Steps to Reproduce the Problem

  1. Create a share on a Windows NT or Microsoft Windows 2000-based computer.
  2. On the share, create a folder with a long file name, such as the following:

    LongFileName

  3. Place the .msi package in this folder.
  4. On a Windows 95 or Windows 98-based computer, run the .msi package. To do this, either browse to the .msi file and then double-click the file, or run the msiexec.exe command line.

REFERENCES

For more information about short file names in Windows Installer, browse to the following Windows Installer Help topic:

File Name Conventions

Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:12/15/2003
Keywords:kberrmsg kbprb KB306437
©2003 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.