"The data is invalid" error message when you try to apply a hotfix or a security update in Windows Server 2003 (888187)


The information in this article applies to:

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

SYMPTOMS

When you try to apply a hotfix or a security update in Microsoft Windows Server 2003, you receive the following error message:
The data is invalid.
In this scenario, you cannot finish applying the hotfix or the security update.

CAUSE

This issue may occur if your computer has a catalog (.cat) file that is corrupted. When the Update.exe tool that you use to apply a hotfix or a security update starts, it verifies the digital signatures of all .cat files. If Update.exe parses a corrupted .cat file, you receive the error message that is specified in the "Symptoms" section.

Note This issue may also occur if you download the update package from the Windows Update Web site and if your computer does not have Internet access when you apply the update package. The update package must contact the Windows Update Web site to be correctly applied.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this issue, follow these steps:
  1. Verify your Internet connectivity. If you downloaded the hotfix or the security update and then tried to apply it, make sure that you have Internet connectivity. If you have Internet connectivity, and you still experience this issue, go to step 2.
  2. Determine whether one or more of the .cat files are corrupted. To do this, follow these steps:
    1. Click Start, click Run, type sigverif in the Open box, and then click OK.
    2. In the File Signature Verification dialog box that appears, click Advanced.
    3. Click Look for other files that are not digitally signed, and then type C:\Windows\System32\Catroot in the Look in this folder box.

      Note If Windows is not installed in the C:\Windows folder, modify this entry accordingly.
    4. Click to select the Include subfolders check box, click OK, and then click Start.
    All the unsigned files appear in the following list in the Signature Verification Results window:

    The following files have not been digitally signed



    Note These results also appear in the C:\Windows\Sigverif.txt file that is automatically generated. For an example of a Sigverif.txt file, see the "More information" section.
  3. Delete any unsigned .cat files from the Catroot folder. To do this, follow these steps.

    Note This procedure applies only to .cat files that are not digitally signed. It does not apply to other files that are not digitally signed.
    1. Start Windows Explorer.
    2. In the %Windir%\System32\Catroot folder, delete the .cat files that are not digitally signed.
  4. Restart the computer.

MORE INFORMATION

In the following sample Sigverif.txt file, the Oem4.cat file is identified as "Not Signed":

********************************

Microsoft Signature Verification

Log file generated on 11/16/2004 at 2:26 PM
OS Platform:  Windows (x86), Version:  5.2, Build: 3790, CSDVersion:  
Scan Results:  Total Files: 57, Signed: 55, Unsigned: 2, Not Scanned: 0

User-specified search path:  *.*
User-specified search pattern:  C:\WINDOWS\system32\catroot

File                      Modified       Version             Status              Catalog              Signed By
------------------      ------------   -----------        ------------        -----------          -------------------
[c:\windows\system32\catroot\{127d0a1d-4ef2-11d1-8608-00c04fc295ee}]
timestamp                3/18/2003      None                Not Signed          N/A                 
[c:\windows\system32\catroot\{f750e6c3-38ee-11d1-85e5-00c04fc295ee}]
adminpak.cat             3/25/2003      2:5.2               Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows Publisher
admt.cat                 3/25/2003      2:5.2               Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows Publisher
fp5.cat                  3/25/2003      2:5.2               Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows Publisher
fxscat.cat               3/25/2003      2:5.2               Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows Publisher
iasnt4.cat               3/25/2003      2:5.0               Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows Publisher
ims.cat                  3/25/2003      2:5.2               Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows Publisher
ins.cat                  3/25/2003      2:5.2               Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows Publisher
kb819696.cat             5/13/2003      2:5.2               Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows XP Publisher
kb823182.cat             7/10/2003      2:5.2               Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows XP Publisher
kb823353.cat             6/22/2004      2:5.2               Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows Publisher
kb823559.cat             6/29/2003      2:5.2               Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows XP Publisher
kb824105.cat             7/18/2003      2:5.2               Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows XP Publisher
kb824141.cat             8/6/2003       2:5.2               Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows XP Publisher
kb824145.cat             10/24/2003     2:5.2               Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows Publisher
kb824146.cat             8/23/2003      2:5.2               Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows XP Publisher
kb824151.cat             9/24/2004      2:5.2               Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows Publisher
kb825119.cat             8/25/2003      2:5.2               Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows XP Publisher
kb828035.cat             10/23/2003     2:5.2               Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows Publisher
kb828741.cat             3/15/2004      2:5.2               Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows Publisher
kb829558.cat             10/2/2003      2:5.2               Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows Publisher
kb833987.cat             3/23/2004      2:5.2               Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows Publisher
kb834707.cat             9/29/2004      2:5.2               Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows Publisher
kb835732.cat             3/15/2004      2:5.2               Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows Publisher
kb837001.cat             3/6/2004       2:5.2               Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows Publisher
kb839643.cat             5/7/2004       20040507131540      Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows Publisher
kb839645.cat             5/12/2004      2:5.2               Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows Publisher
kb840315.cat             6/22/2004      2:5.2               Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows Publisher
kb840374.cat             4/15/2004      2:5.2               Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows Publisher
kb840987.cat             9/27/2004      2:5.2               Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows Publisher
kb841356.cat             9/24/2004      2:5.2               Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows Publisher
kb841533.cat             9/24/2004      2:5.2               Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows Publisher
kb867460.cat             7/24/2004      2:5.2               Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows Publisher
kb870669.cat             6/18/2004      2:5.x               Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows Component Publisher
kb873376.cat             9/24/2004      2:5.2               Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows Publisher
kb883935.cat             9/25/2004      2:5.2               Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows Publisher
kb885881.cat             9/26/2004      2:5.2               Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows Publisher
mstsweb.cat              3/25/2003      2:5.2               Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows Publisher
nt5.cat                  3/25/2003      2:5.2               Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows Publisher
nt5iis.cat               3/25/2003      2:5.2               Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows Publisher
nt5inf.cat               3/25/2003      2:5.2               Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows Publisher
ntprint.cat              3/25/2003      2:5.0,2:5.1,2:5.2   Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows Publisher
oem0.cat                 10/9/2003      PCI\VEN_5333&DEV_881Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows Hardware Compatibility Publisher
oem1.cat                 10/3/2003      CNTX_VPCNETS2_MP    Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows Hardware Compatibility Publisher
oem2.cat                 10/3/2003      CNTX_VPCNETS2_MP    Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows Hardware Compatibility Publisher
oem3.cat                 10/9/2003      2:5.0,2:5.1,2:5.2   Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows XP Publisher
oem4.cat                 2/9/2004       2:5.0,2:5.1,2:5.2   Not Signed          N/A                 Microsoft Windows XP Publisher
oem5.cat                 7/14/2004      PCI\VEN_5333&DEV_881Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows Hardware Compatibility Publisher
oem6.cat                 7/14/2004      PNP030B             Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows Hardware Compatibility Publisher
oem7.cat                 7/14/2004      PNP0F03             Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows Hardware Compatibility Publisher
oem8.cat                 12/15/2003     2:5.0,2:5.1,2:5.2   Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows Component Publisher
oembios.cat              3/25/2003      2:5.2               Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows Publisher
q828026.cat              9/18/2003      0                   Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows Component Publisher
sasetup.cat              3/25/2003      2:5.2               Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows Publisher
timestamp                11/16/2004     None                Not Signed          N/A                 
uddi.cat                 3/25/2003      2:5.2               Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows Publisher
wmsocm.cat               3/25/2003      2:5.2               Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows Publisher

Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:12/3/2004
Keywords:kbwinservsetup kberrmsg kbtshoot kbprb KB888187 kbAudITPRO
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