Nested MSI Package Does Not Work and Generates an "Invalid File Name" Error Message (310737)



The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
  • Microsoft Windows XP Professional

This article was previously published under Q310737

SYMPTOMS

After you install a Microsoft Installer (MSI) package that contains nested Component Services (COM+) components, Setup may not work, and the following error message may be generated:
Invalid file name
However, you may be able to install this same package correctly on Microsoft Windows 2000 and earlier.

CAUSE

This problem can be caused by a long file name that is incorrectly specified in the MSI package.

RESOLUTION

To work around this problem, manually correct the file name. The format for the file name entry is:

8.3 file name | file name

For example, for the VeryLongFilename.dll file it would be:

VERYLO~1.DLL|VeryLongFilename.dll

NOTE: Microsoft recommends that you verify the short and long file names for the files in question by using the /X switch with the dir command, especially if your installer package contains multiple files with similar names.

To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Windows 2000. For additional information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

260910 How to Obtain the Latest Windows 2000 Service Pack

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed at the beginning of this article. This problem was first corrected in Windows 2000 Service Pack 3.

MORE INFORMATION

A nested MSI package is created when you generate a COM+ component, add a COM+ proxy, and integrate that package in another MSI package.

Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:8/15/2002
Keywords:kbbug kbenv kberrmsg kbWin2000sp3fix KB310737