This section describes common issues encountered when installing and using the Custom Updates Publishing Tool, and possible causes of the issues.

Installing the Custom Updates Publishing Tool

Symptom:

Unable to verify the database connection with the provided information error message occurs when configuring the Remote Database setting in the Custom Updates Publishing Tool Setup.

Cause:

Verify that the Custom Updates Publishing Tool database is present on the remote SQL Server. When using a remote Custom Updates Publishing Tool database, a script must be run on the remote computer to create the mscuptdb database and MS_Custom_Updates_Publishing_Tool_User database role.

Cause:

Verify that the user installing the Custom Updates Publishing Tool has permissions to the remote SQL server computer. The user must have at least User privileges on the remote SQL Server, and have a user login in SQL Server that has the MS_Custom_Updates_Publishing_Tool_User database role membership on the mscuptdb database.

Cause:

The Database Server or SQL Instance setting is invalid for the remote SQL server database. Verify that these settings are correct.

Cause:

A firewall is enabled on the computer hosting the remote database; therefore, you must configure the firewall to allow access to the instance of the Microsoft SQL Server Database Engine.

Symptom:

You are prompted to install SQL 2005 Express Edition, even though the computer where you are installing the Custom Updates Publishing Tool has a local instance of SQL Server 2005 64-bit.

Cause:

To install the Custom Updates Publishing Tool on a local computer running SQL Server 2005 64-bit, you must use the following workaround. First, on the computer running SQL Server 2005 64-bit, follow the procedure in How to Pre-Create the Publishing Tool Database. Then, when you run Setup, you must select Remote Database, even though the database server is local. In the Database Server field, enter the name of the local server.

Symptom:

SiteCode not found. Please enter an existing SiteServer Name error message occurs when enabling the synchronization role and configuring the Site Server setting during the Custom Updates Publishing Tool Setup.

Cause:

The SMS 2003 site server name could not be found. Verify that the site server name is valid.

Cause:

Verify that the permissions to the SMS 2003 site server are correctly configured. The following permissions must be configured:

  • The user installing the Custom Updates Publishing Tool must be a member of the SMS Admins local group on the SMS 2003 site server and SQL Server 2005, if it is remote to the site server.

  • The user must have full security rights to all instances of the Package and Software Updates classes on the SMS 2003 site server.

  • If the SMS 2003 site server or SQL Server 2005 computers are running Windows Server 2003 SP1 or if the publishing tool user is not a local administrator on the SMS 2003 computer, it is likely that DCOM configuration changes must be made.

Symptom:

PackageID not found. Please Select an existing Package Source error message occurs when enabling the synchronization role and configuring the Package source location of Custom Updates scan tool setting during the Custom Updates Publishing Tool Setup.

Cause:

The Inventory Tool for Custom Updates source folder is invalid or cannot be found. You must enter the path to the PkgSource folder for the scan tool. If the inventory tool is installed in the default location, the package source is installed in the %ProgramFiles%\Custom Update Scan Tool\PkgSource local folder and shared as CSTPackageSrc. For a remote site server, enter \\<ServerName>\CSTPackageSrc for the package source location.

For more information about configuring security on a remote publishing tool database, see Security Considerations for the Custom Updates Publishing Tool.

Starting the Custom Updates Publishing Tool

Symptom:

The Publishing Tool is unable to establish a connection to the SQL server database. Please refer to the PublishingTool.log for more detailed information regarding the error condition error message occurs when starting the Custom Updates Publishing Tool.

Cause:

Verify that the user starting the Custom Updates Publishing Tool has a SQL login created. A SQL login that has MS_Custom_Updates_Publishing_Tool_User database role membership to the mscuptdb database must be created for the user.

Cause:

Verify that the user starting the Custom Updates Publishing Tool is an administrator on the local computer.

Symptom: EXECUTE permission denied on object 'usp_info_vendorlist', database 'mscuptdb', schema 'dbo' error message occurs when starting the Custom Updates Publishing Tool.

Cause:

The user starting the Custom Updates Publishing Tool has a SQL login created, but verify that the user also has the MS_Custom_Updates_Publishing_Tool_User database role membership to the mscuptdb database.

Importing Custom Updates Catalogs

Symptom:

This import location is already in the list error message occurs when adding an import location on the Import tab of the Settings dialog box.

Cause:

The import location already exists in the list. There can be only one instance for each import location.

Symptom:

The URL you have entered is not well formed error message occurs when adding a URL path for a new import location on the Import tab of the Settings dialog box.

Cause:

Verify that the URL path is entered in a valid format. For example, http://MyServer/MyCatalogLocation, https://MyServer/MyCatalogLocation, or file://MyServer/MyShare/MyCatalog.cab is a valid path.

Symptom:

CST Compliance failed error message occurs when importing a custom updates catalog.

Cause:

The custom updates catalog that is being imported does not satisfy the predefined schema standard for the Inventory Tool for Custom Updates.

Symptom:

The file specified < file name > does not exist error message occurs when completing the Import Wizard.

Cause:

Verify that the user has access to the folder specified on the Select File page of the Import Wizard. The user must have access to the file.

Publishing Custom Updates Catalogs

Symptom:

One or more updates are not able to be published by the tool error message occurs when trying to flag a custom update for publishing.

Cause:

The custom update is created without any Applicability rules or the MSI-based update has improperly configured Applicability rules.

Synchronizing the Software Updates Catalog to SMS 2003

Symptom:

Synchronization: Error 1: Failed to synchronize error message occurs when completing the Publish Wizard.

Cause:

Verify that the permissions to the SMS 2003 site server are configured correctly. The following permissions must be configured:

  • The user installing the Custom Updates Publishing Tool must be a member of the SMS Admins local group on the SMS 2003 site server and SQL Server 2005, if it is remote to the site server.

  • The user must have full security rights to all instances of the Package and Software Updates classes on the SMS 2003 site server.

  • If the SMS 2003 site server or SQL Server 2005 computers are running Windows Server 2003 SP1 or if the publishing tool user is not a local administrator on the SMS 2003 computer, it is likely that DCOM configuration changes must be made.

Exporting Custom Software Updates

Symptom:

Path does not exist. Verify the correct path was given error message occurs when configuring the Export Path on the Specify Export Path page of the Export Wizard.

Cause:

Verify that the user has access to the selected folder. The user must have Write permissions to the export folder.

Symptom:

Failed to Export at < folder location > error message occurs when completing the Export Wizard.

Cause:

Verify that the user has access to the folder specified on the Specify Export for Test Path page of the Export Wizard. The user must have Write permissions to the folder.

Configuring Publishing Tool Settings

Symptom:

Cannot open database "mscuptdb" requested by the login. The login failed. Login failed for user ' username ' error message occurs when configuring a new server name on the Data Source tab of the Settings dialog box and clicking Test Connection.

Cause:

Verify that the mscuptdb database exists on the SQL Server. If not, run the CreatePubToolDb.sql SQL script, located in <CD Drive>\ITCU\Pubtool on the SMS 2003 R2 CD, to create the mscuptdb database and MS_Custom_Updates_Publishing_Tool_User database role.

Cause:

Verify that the user installing the Custom Updates Publishing Tool has permissions to the SQL server database. The user must have a user login in SQL Server that has the MS_Custom_Updates_Publishing_Tool_User database role membership on the mscuptdb database.

Interpreting Publishing Tool Results

Symptom:

A Windows Installer package is not detected, even though the file was installed on the computer.

Cause:

The MSI was installed per-user. The inventory tool can detect Windows Installer packages only if they are installed per-system. Configure additional detection rules, such as file versions or registry key values, to detect MSIs that were installed per-user.

See Also