"HTTP Error 401.1" error message when Msiexec.exe updates an MSI file in Windows Vista, in Windows 7, in Windows Server 2008, or in Windows Server 2008 R2

Assume that you deploy an application to a client computer that is running one of the following operating systems by using System Center Configuration Manager 2012:

• Windows Vista
• Windows 7
• Windows Server 2008
• Windows Server 2008 R2

When the deployment of the application is finished, the Microsoft Installer Package (MSI) file is removed from the local drive. Then, the ConfigMgr client updates the MSI source list by accessing the content server. This behavior is controlled by the self-healing functionality. When the self-healing functionality is triggered, Msiexec.exe tries to access the content path anonymously instead of by using the credentials of the user who currently logs on the client computer. However, the Secure Windows Initiative (SWI) guidelines do not allow anonymous access to content servers. Therefore, you receive the following error message:Note The issue occurs only when the content server is indicated by using a URL.

Update information

This update adds an automatic logon level that determines when it is acceptable for WinHTTP to include the default credentials in a request. The update adds the following logon level:

• WINHTTP_AUTOLOGON_SECURITY_LEVEL_LOW
• WINHTTP_AUTOLOGON_SECURITY_LEVEL_MEDIUM
• WINHTTP_AUTOLOGON_SECURITY_LEVEL_HIGH

By default, the level is set to WINHTTP_AUTOLOGON_SECURITY_LEVEL_MEDIUM. This is the recommended logon level. For more information about optional security levels, visit the following Microsoft website:To set the automatic logon security level, set the following registry entry under the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Installer registry subkey:After you install this update and configure the logon level, Msiexec.exe uses the WinHttpSetCredentials function to pass the required authorization credentials to the content server if the first anonymous access request fails.

How to obtain this update

The following files are available for download from the Microsoft Download Center:
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.

Prerequisites

To apply this update, you must be running one of the following operating systems:

• Windows Vista Service Pack 2 (SP2)
• Windows Server 2008 Service Pack 2 (SP2)
• Windows 7
• Windows 7 Service Pack 1 (SP1)
• Windows Server 2008 R2
• Windows Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1 (SP1)

For more information about how to obtain a Windows Vista service pack, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: For more information about how to obtain a Windows Server 2008 service pack, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: For more information about how to obtain a Windows 7 or a Windows Server 2008 R2 service pack, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Registry information

To use the update in this package, you do not have to make any changes to the registry.

Restart requirement

You must restart the computer after you apply this update.

Update replacement information

This update does not replace a previously released update.

File information

The global version of this update installs files that have the attributes that are listed in the following tables. The dates and the times for these files are listed in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). The dates and the times for these files on your local computer are displayed in your local time together with your current daylight saving time (DST) bias. Additionally, the dates and the times may change when you perform certain operations on the files.

Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 file information notes

• The MANIFEST files (.manifest) and the MUM files (.mum) that are installed for each environment are listed separately in the "Additional file information for Windows Server 2008 and for Windows Vista" section. MUM files and MANIFEST files, and the associated security catalog (.cat) files, are extremely important to maintain the state of the updated components. The security catalog files, for which the attributes are not listed, are signed with a Microsoft digital signature.

For all supported x86-based versions of Windows Server 2008 and of Windows Vista

For all supported x64-based versions of Windows Server 2008 and of Windows Vista

For all supported IA-64-based versions of Windows Server 2008

Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 file information notes

• The MANIFEST files (.manifest) and the MUM files (.mum) that are installed for each environment are listed separately in the "Additional file information for Windows Server 2008 R2 and for Windows 7" section. MUM and MANIFEST files, and the associated security catalog (.cat) files, are extremely important to maintain the state of the updated components. The security catalog files, for which the attributes are not listed, are signed with a Microsoft digital signature.

For all supported x86-based versions of Windows 7

For all supported x64-based versions of Windows 7 and of Windows Server 2008 R2

For all supported IA-64-based versions of Windows Server 2008 R2

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

Additional file information

Additional file information for Windows Vista and for Windows Server 2008

Additional files for all supported x86-based versions of Windows Vista and of Windows Server 2008

Additional files for all supported x64-based versions of Windows Vista and of Windows Server 2008

Additional files for all supported IA-64-based versions of Windows Server 2008

Additional file information for Windows 7 and for Windows Server 2008 R2

Additional files for all supported x86-based versions of Windows 7

Additional files for all supported x64-based versions of Windows 7 and of Windows Server 2008 R2

Additional files for all supported IA-64-based versions of Windows Server 2008 R2