AppV Application Slow to open

I've recently sequenced a Pathology application that we use in the NHS that uses a Terminal Emulator to retrieve bloods direct from the Lab.

I had managed to sequence it fine but the package was taking an age to load up and sometimes timing out completely.

After looking at the SFTLOG (C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Application Virtualization Client) I noticed an error: 4636126-0B01FD04-0000041E

As per AppV error format:

App-V Error 04-0000041E

Event:
Starting/Running the application
Error Message / Symptoms:
It took to long until the application was ready for interaction with the users.
The application shuts down after about 5 minutes
Potential Causes:
The application is a Java or DOS like application. App-V can not determine that the application is ready for User Input, because the app does not use default Windows Classes.
Potential Solutions:
In the OSD file, SUBSYSTEM VALUE has to be changed from "windows" to "console" (case sensitive).
If it is an 16-bit application, also the VM VALUE should be set from "Win32" to "Win16"
References:
Microsoft Knowledgebase Article: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/931112. This articles lists a set of potential causes, however the most common reason (SUBSYSTEM "windows") is not listed there.

Thanks to Falko at  Kirx.org for the above.

Once I'd made these changes I updated the package and viola, Bob's your aunties live-in lover!

OnContentAvailable program 0x80091007

Symptoms:

When deploying software to a collection the client execmgr.log shows the following error:

OnContentAvailable program 0x80091007

You will notice a hash mismatch also " SoftDistAdvertHashMismatchEvent" - when checking the CAS.log you will see

"Hash matching failed."

Cause: 

SCCM is a temperamental bitch

Solution:

Goto the package in question and right click on Distribution Points and click "Manage Distribution Points".  Choose "Update all distribution points with a new package source version" - and thats exactly what happens.
Kick of a hardware policy cycle on the client and watch the magic.

SCCM using wrong drive as distribution share

Due to the unnecessarily greedy nature of SCCM if when you create a package distribution point there is more than one drive available to the server it will always opt for the drive with most space.

Our server has 3 drives:

C:\ = 50GB System Drive (for OS etc)
D:\ = 200GB Data Drive (for package storage etc)
P:\ = 50GB Page File (it's an old VM)

It got to the point where our data drive got to 151GB capacity (49GB free) and discovered that the P:\ drive actually had 50GB available.... So it helped its self and created an SMSPKGP$ folder and proceeded to fill it up.

Then when P:\ got to 10GB free it realsied that C:\ had about 40GB free and proceeded to create a SMSPKG$ folder and so on and so forth.

This only became apparent to me after it had been utilising this space for a while so I discovered a nice little easter egg that isn't widely publicised by M$.

If there are drives on your SCCM server you don't want it to use simply create a file on the root of the drive named

NO_SMS_ON_DRIVE.SMS

I've seen various versions of this listed on different sites such as "nosmsondrive.sms"; let me tell you now - this doesn't work (or didn't for me).

I know now that the correct syntax is NO_SMS_ON_DRIVE.SMS as I had a "Install retrying" notice on an AppV package DP install and it stuck until I deleted this file.

Hope this can help someone else one day...

C

Task Sequence Fails Error 0x80040104

More fun and games with OSD Task Sequences - this time in the form of error 0x80040104.

The error as it was displayed on the clients screen was:

This task sequence cannot be run because a package referenced by the task sequence could not be found. For more information, please contact your system administrator or helpdesk operator.

This happened immediately after selecting the task sequence and processing the dependencies.

Upon viewing the SMSTS.log we spotted the error

Failed to resolve selected task sequence dependencies. Code(0x80040104)


The only change made to the TS since yesterday was a new driver package for the Lenovo X220T tablets.  The reference to a missing package reminded me of a post I made once in reference to drivers and driver packages - that if you leave the distribution point on Source version 1 it will just bomb out.  Refreshing the DP didn't help so went via "Manage" and created a new source version.


As if by magic..... It worked!

SMSTS.log

verifying content availability for package optional program *

I have a task sequence setup for quick deployment of corporate apps to machines that haven't yet got complete driver packages and get a vanilla install of Windows 7 x64 deployed.

This TS was recently failing when run from "Run Advertised Programs" with the error:

verifying content availability for package optional program *

It turned out my Java Package didn't have program selected due to the it being disabled from the actual packages program its self.  I've highlighted it below.  If you do get the error it's worth checking your TS programs - unfortunately SCCM doesn't always give the most comprehensive of error messages - I hope this helps someone else.

Know your Boundaries!

Recently I've had issues with software/clients deploying to machines out in our environment.  I came across a few suggestion of checking boundaries as our discovery was set to AD Sites and Services.  Sure enough after comparing a list of subnets known to SCCM to a total list of subnets I discovered Sites and Services wasn't up to date following the acquisition and subsequent migration of approx 4000 machines from other organisations; a job now handed to the 3rd party managing our forest.

Just to prove my theory of the missing subnets having an impact on the ability to deploy software I used a collection of PCs as a test subject as this was the log from one machine that a package wasn’t installing on.

Please excuse the 80’s colour scheme….

You can see in the below logs that even though the SCCM client recognised there was content available to it, it didn’t download and initialise the install.  This client resolved to x.x.x.x and sure enough X.X.X.x is listed as one of the unknown subnets.  Upon adding this subnet as a boundary after the 13:45 content request you can see that an hour later on the next discovery cycle the client recognised it is within the boundary, downloads the content and executes it successfully.

ContentAvailable ignoring update with no DPs for content request ID {0F3749A8-2C2C-4671-90BA-58051CF78713}                execmgr              11/06/2012 09:45:11        1448 (0x05A8)

ContentAvailable ignoring update with no DPs for content request ID {0F3749A8-2C2C-4671-90BA-58051CF78713}                execmgr              11/06/2012 10:45:13        2668 (0x0A6C)

ContentAvailable ignoring update with no DPs for content request ID {0F3749A8-2C2C-4671-90BA-58051CF78713}                execmgr              11/06/2012 11:45:15        880 (0x0370)

ContentAvailable ignoring update with no DPs for content request ID {0F3749A8-2C2C-4671-90BA-58051CF78713}                execmgr              11/06/2012 12:45:16        2004 (0x07D4)

Mandatory execution requested for program * and advertisement x20128     execmgr              11/06/2012 13:28:06        3628 (0x0E2C)

Creating mandatory request for advert x20128, program *, package x0017C               execmgr              11/06/2012 13:28:06                3628 (0x0E2C)

Policy is updated for Program: *, Package: x0017C, Advert: x20128  execmgr              11/06/2012 13:28:06        2436 (0x0984)

A duplicate execution request is found for program *     execmgr              11/06/2012 13:28:06        3628 (0x0E2C)

Execution Request for package x0017C program * state change from WaitingContent to WaitingDependency execmgr                11/06/2012 13:28:06        2436 (0x0984)

Execution Request for package x0017C program * state change from WaitingDependency to WaitingContent execmgr                11/06/2012 13:28:06        2436 (0x0984)

ContentAvailable ignoring update with no DPs for content request ID {0F3749A8-2C2C-4671-90BA-58051CF78713}                execmgr              11/06/2012 13:45:18        1568 (0x0620)

Policy is updated for Program: INSTALL - PC Name 1.5.1, Package: x0008B, Advert: x2012C   execmgr              11/06/2012 13:47:36               2716 (0x0A9C)

Execution Request for package x0008B program INSTALL - PC Name 1.5.1 state change from WaitingContent to WaitingContent                execmgr              11/06/2012 13:47:36        2716 (0x0A9C)

Policy is updated for Program: *, Package: x0017C, Advert: x20128  execmgr              11/06/2012 13:47:36        3364 (0x0D24)

Execution Request for package X0017C program * state change from WaitingContent to WaitingDependency execmgr                11/06/2012 13:47:36        3364 (0x0D24)

Execution Request for package X0017C program * state change from WaitingDependency to WaitingContent execmgr                11/06/2012 13:47:36        3364 (0x0D24)

Policy is updated for Program: *, Package: X0017C, Advert: X20128  execmgr              11/06/2012 14:04:54        3364 (0x0D24)

Execution Request for package X0017C program * state change from WaitingContent to WaitingDependency execmgr                11/06/2012 14:04:54        3364 (0x0D24)

Mandatory execution requested for program * and advertisement X20128     execmgr              11/06/2012 14:04:54        3724 (0x0E8C)

Execution Request for package X0017C program * state change from WaitingDependency to WaitingContent execmgr                11/06/2012 14:04:54        3364 (0x0D24)

Creating mandatory request for advert X20128, program *, package X0017C               execmgr              11/06/2012 14:04:54                3724 (0x0E8C)

A duplicate execution request is found for program *     execmgr              11/06/2012 14:04:54        3724 (0x0E8C)

Content is available for program *.          execmgr              11/06/2012 14:45:19        2608 (0x0A30)

Execution Request for package X0017C program * state change from WaitingContent to WaitingDependency execmgr                11/06/2012 14:45:19        2608 (0x0A30)

CExecutionRequest::Service Windows Manager has allowed us to run.  execmgr              11/06/2012 14:45:19        2608 (0x0A30)

Executing program  in Admin context     execmgr              11/06/2012 14:45:19        2608 (0x0A30)

Execution Manager timer has been fired.             execmgr              11/06/2012 14:45:19        3296 (0x0CE0)

Executing program msiexec.exe /i PCName.msi /qn in Admin context    execmgr              11/06/2012 14:49:13        3296 (0x0CE0)

Execution Manager timer has been fired.             execmgr              11/06/2012 14:49:13        2712 (0x0A98)

Execution Request for package X0008B program INSTALL - PC Name 1.5.1 state change from Ready to NotifyExecution                execmgr              11/06/2012 14:49:13        3296 (0x0CE0)

Checking content location C:\WINDOWS\system32\CCM\Cache\X0008B.4.System for use       execmgr              11/06/2012 14:49:13               3296 (0x0CE0)

Successfully selected content location C:\WINDOWS\system32\CCM\Cache\X0008B.4.System              execmgr                11/06/2012 14:49:13        3296 (0x0CE0)

GetFileVersionInfoSize failed for file C:\WINDOWS\system32\CCM\Cache\X0008B.4.System\msiexec.exe, error 1812                execmgr              11/06/2012 14:49:13        3296 (0x0CE0)

Executing program as a MSI script            execmgr              11/06/2012 14:49:13        3296 (0x0CE0)

Valid MSI Package path = C:\WINDOWS\system32\CCM\Cache\X0008B.4.System\PCName.msi            execmgr                11/06/2012 14:49:13        3296 (0x0CE0)

Found executable file msiexec.exe with complete path C:\WINDOWS\system32\msiexec.exe   execmgr              11/06/2012 14:49:13               3296 (0x0CE0)

Successfully prepared command line "C:\WINDOWS\system32\msiexec.exe" /i PCName.msi /qn             execmgr                11/06/2012 14:49:13        3296 (0x0CE0)

Current MSI script is an installation script              execmgr              11/06/2012 14:49:13        3296 (0x0CE0)

Advertising MSI package C:\WINDOWS\system32\CCM\Cache\X0008B.4.System\PCName.msi to user              execmgr                11/06/2012 14:49:13        3296 (0x0CE0)

Command line = "C:\WINDOWS\system32\msiexec.exe" /i PCName.msi /qn, Working Directory = C:\WINDOWS\system32\CCM\Cache\X0008B.4.System\          execmgr              11/06/2012 14:49:17        3296 (0x0CE0)

Created Process for the passed command line   execmgr              11/06/2012 14:49:17        3296 (0x0CE0)

Raising event:

[SMS_CodePage(437), SMS_LocaleID(1033)]

instance of SoftDistProgramStartedEvent

{

                AdvertisementId = "X2012C";

                ClientID = "GUID:59970A24-DC2E-4E78-B2D6-555980E9EE22";

                CommandLine = "\"C:\\WINDOWS\\system32\\msiexec.exe\" /i PCName.msi /qn";

                DateTime = "20120611134917.899000+000";

                MachineName = "PCIU11128L";

                PackageName = "X0008B";

                ProcessID = 1672;

                ProgramName = "INSTALL - PC Name 1.5.1";

                SiteCode = "X";

                ThreadID = 3296;

                UserContext = "NT AUTHORITY\\SYSTEM";

                WorkingDirectory = "C:\\WINDOWS\\system32\\CCM\\Cache\\X0008B.4.System\\";

};

                execmgr              11/06/2012 14:49:17        3296 (0x0CE0)

Raised Program Started Event for Ad:X2012C, Package:X0008B, Program: INSTALL - PC Name 1.5.1   execmgr                11/06/2012 14:49:17        3296 (0x0CE0)

Program exit code 0        execmgr              11/06/2012 14:49:19        3296 (0x0CE0)

Looking for MIF file to get program status            execmgr              11/06/2012 14:49:19        3296 (0x0CE0)

Script for  Package:X0008B, Program: INSTALL - PC Name 1.5.1 succeeded with exit code 0       execmgr              11/06/2012 14:49:19               3296 (0x0CE0)

These machines have been sat in this collection for approx. 5 days now and not done anything – as soon as the boundary is configured and the policy is received it triggered.