You cannot use PatchInstall to install custom updates of the .msu file type on some Systems Management Server 2003 clients

In a Microsoft Systems Management Server (SMS) 2003 environment, you use PatchInstall to install custom updates on some SMS clients. The custom updates are of the Microsoft Update Standalone Package file type. However, the installation of these updates does not start on the SMS clients.

Notes

• The Microsoft Update Standalone Package file type has an .msu extension.
• Software updates for Windows Vista and for Windows Server 2008 are available in .msu files.
• To use the Custom Updates Publishing Tool to author or publish updates of the .msu file type, you must have hotfix 953592 installed.

This problem occurs because the Patch Installation Agent (PatchInstall) on SMS clients only supports updates that are available in the following file types:

• Command Line Installation (.exe)
• Windows Installer File (.msi)
• Windows Installer Patch (.msp)

To resolve this problem, deploy this hotfix to all SMS clients that are running Windows Vista or Windows Server 2008.

Download information

The following file is available for download from the Microsoft Download Center:

Download the R2MSUSupportEN.exe package now. (http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=fb5d901a-7cf0-466c-b9c1-25999860f4d2&DisplayLang=en)

For more information about how to download Microsoft support files, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: Microsoft scanned this file for viruses. Microsoft used the most current virus-detection software that was available on the date that the file was posted. The file is stored on security-enhanced servers that help prevent any unauthorized changes to the file.

Hotfix information

Prerequisites

To apply this hotfix, you must make sure that the management server is running Systems Management Server 2003 Service Pack 3.

Restart requirement

You do not have to restart the computer after you apply this hotfix.

Hotfix replacement information

This hotfix does not replace any previously released hotfixes.

Hotfix installation instructions

To apply this hotfix, follow these steps:

1. Run the R2MSUSupportEN.exe package that you obtained from Microsoft Download Center.
2. Specify where you want to extract the hotfix files.
   
   Note The package that you downloaded includes two hotfixes. Both hotfixes are extracted into the specified location.
3. Among the files that you extracted, find the following file:
   sms2003-sp3-kb953591-x86-enu.exe
4. Deploy the file that you found in step 3 to all SMS clients that are running Windows Vista or Windows Server 2008.

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 item in Control Panel.

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

For more information about hotfix 953592, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: For more information about software update terminology, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: