Group Policy Software Installation does not function correctly for users who have roaming user profiles on Windows XP-based client computers (909985)

SYMPTOMS

You configure Group Policy Software Installation in a Group Policy object (GPO) to install and remove software for users who have roaming profiles on Microsoft Windows XP-based client computers. However, you may notice that Group Policy Software Installation does not function correctly in certain situations.

For example, you configure Group Policy Software Installation to advertise software for a user who has a roaming profile. Additionally, you configure Group Policy Software Installation to remove the software when it falls out of the scope of the GPO for the user. You configure Group Policy Software Installation at the workstation level and at the user level in the GPO. When the user logs on to a Windows XP-based client computer after the advertised software falls out of scope, the software is removed from the computer. However, when the same user logs on to a different Windows XP-based client computer, the software is not removed. Additionally, the user receives the following error message:

ERROR_INSTALL_SOURCE_ABSENT 1612 The installation source for this product is not available. Verify that the source exists and that you can access it.

RESOLUTION

Hotfix information

A supported hotfix is now available from Microsoft, but it is only intended to correct the problem that is described in this article. Only apply it to systems that are experiencing this specific problem. This hotfix may receive additional testing. Therefore, if you are not severely affected by this problem, we recommend that you wait for the next Windows XP service pack that contains this hotfix.

To resolve this problem immediately, contact Microsoft Product Support Services to obtain the hotfix. For a complete list of Microsoft Product Support Services telephone numbers and information about support costs, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://support.microsoft.com/contactus/?ws=support

Note In special cases, charges that are ordinarily incurred for support calls may be canceled if a Microsoft Support Professional determines that a specific update will resolve your problem. The usual support costs will apply to additional support questions and issues that do not qualify for the specific update in question.

Prerequisites

You must have Windows XP Service Pack 1 (SP1) or Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) installed before you apply this hotfix. For more information about how to obtain the latest Windows XP service pack, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

322389 How to obtain the latest Windows XP service pack

Restart requirement

You must restart the computer after you apply this hotfix.

Hotfix replacement information

This hotfix does not replace any other hotfixes.

File information

The English version of this hotfix has the file attributes (or later file attributes) that are listed in the following table. The dates and times for these files are listed in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). When you view the file information, it is converted to local time. To find the difference between UTC and local time, use the Time Zone tab in the Date and Time tool in Control Panel.

File name	File version	File size	Date	Time	Platform	SP requirement	Service branch
Appmgmts.dll	5.1.2600.1766	156,672	01-Nov-2005	03:22	x86	SP1	SP1QFE
Appmgmts.dll	5.1.2600.2786	167,936	01-Nov-2005	03:37	x86	SP2	SP2QFE

MORE INFORMATION

Steps to reproduce the problem

Configure a Windows Server 2003-based computer as a domain controller.
Join two Windows XP-based client computers to the Windows Server 2003 domain.
Create a user who has no administrative permissions.
Create a security group.
Create a share that contains an .msi file for the user to install.
Create a GPO that applies only to the newly created security group.
Create an assigned software installation that does not automatically install the software when a user logs on to the computer. Therefore, the user is only notified about the available software when the user logs on to the computer.
Configure Group Policy Software Installation to remove the software if the software falls out of scope.
Configure a roaming user profile for the user that you created in step 3.
Add the user to the security group that you created in step 4.
Log on to the first Windows XP-based client computer by using the user account that you created in step 3.
You will notice that the software is advertised on this computer. Do not install the software.
Log off the computer.
Log on to the second Windows XP-based client computer by using the same user account.

The software is advertised on the computer. Do not install the software.
Log off the computer.
Remove the user account from the security group in which software is removed when it falls out of scope.
Remove the source .msi file from the share.
Log on to the first Windows XP-based client computer by using the same user account.

The software advertisement is removed without the use of the source .msi file.
Log off the computer.
Log on to the second Windows XP-based client computer by using the same user account.

The software advertisement is not removed. Additionally, you receive the error message that is mentioned in the "Symptoms" section. After you receive the error message, the GPO software processing will not function. This occurs because the GPO extension cannot remove the software.

For more information about standard terminology that is used to describe Microsoft software updates, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

824684 Description of the standard terminology that is used to describe Microsoft software updates