BUG: You receive a "failed to create MSI engine" error message when you validate a Windows Installer package on Windows Server 2003 (835459)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition
  • Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Standard Edition

SYMPTOMS

When you try to validate a Microsoft Windows Installer package (an .msi file) on a computer that is running the Microsoft Windows Server 2003 operating system, you receive the following error message:
INIT ERROR Failed to create MSI Engine. Could not complete evaluation.

WORKAROUND

To work around this problem, validate the Windows Installer package on a computer that is running Microsoft Windows 2000 or Windows XP.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a bug in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section of this article.

MORE INFORMATION

Steps to reproduce the problem

Note These steps require the Orca database editor. To install the Orca database editor, download the Microsoft Platform SDK. For more information, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://www.microsoft.com/msdownload/platformsdk/sdkupdate/

For additional information about how to use the Orca database editor, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

255905 HOWTO: Use the Orca database editor to edit Windows Installer files

To reproduce this problem, follow these steps:
  1. Click Start, point to All Programs, and then click ORCA. The ORCA window appears.
  2. On the File menu, click Open. The Open dialog box appears.
  3. Locate the folder that contains the Windows Installer package that you want to validate.
  4. Click the Windows Installer package, and then click Open.
  5. On the Tools menu of the ORCA window, click Validate.
Note If you use the MsiVal2.exe file instead of the Orca database editor to validate the Windows Installer package, you may receive the same error message.
Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:11/22/2004
Keywords:kbWinServ2003preSP1fix kbpending kberrmsg kbAppCompatibility kbMSIFAQ kbbug KB835459 kbAudDeveloper kbAudEndUser
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