Sign in with Microsoft
Sign in or create an account.
Hello,
Select a different account.
You have multiple accounts
Choose the account you want to sign in with.

Summary

This article describes the Microsoft Application Virtualization 5.0 Service Pack 2 Spring 2014 update (also known as Hotfix Package 4 for Microsoft Application Virtualization 5.0 SP2). This cumulative hotfix also contains fixes from Hotfix Package 2 for Application Virtualization 5.0 SP2 (public release).

This hotfix includes a number of significant innovations in Application Virtualization 5.0, focusing on virtualization and deployment scenarios. These include enhancements to application publishing, refresh, and launch performance.

We have also heard your feedback and have made a number of other improvements to App-V. These include enhancements to the package conversion engine and sequencer, improved package conversion rates, and support for a VFS write mode sequencer setting. This last item grants the virtualized application write access to files and folders in the virtualized environment, if required.

Finally, to simplify testing and rollout of new versions of your virtualized applications, we now support parallel deployment and execution of application upgrades while retaining user access to the original application that's running on the same device.

Special note for this and later hotfixes Because of the number and significance of the updates involved, we strongly recommend that you test extensively before you deploy this hotfix package into a production environment.

Note Because App-V hotfixes are cumulative (each new hotfix release contains all the hotfixes and all the security fixes that were included with the previous update package), we recommend that you consider applying the most recent fix release that contains the most recent spring 2014 update (Hotfix 4).


This hotfix package provides the following feature updates and addresses the following issues.

Issue 1

Enhancements to publishing and refresh performance have been made in all App-V deployment scenarios (RDS, Traditional Desktop, and VDI).

Several targeted fixes to the App-V 5.0 SP2 Client or to the Client for RDS have greatly improved publishing and refresh performance. This requires no additional configuration of the client or the environment by the IT administrator.

Note This issue and its resolution are not directly applicable to customers who are using Configuration Manager or System Center Configuration Manager together with App-V 5.0 SP2. For more information, see the Microsoft TechNet documentation.

Issue 2

Publishing and start performance have been implemented in non-persistent VDI or RDS deployments together with a user environment management (UEM) technology.

Previously, the App-V experience in non-persistent environments went as follows:

User logs in, and all global-targeted (computer-wide) and user-targeted (user or user group) virtual applications need to be preconfigured and published to the user each time that the computer state is reverted. In non-persistent VDI, this occurs every time that the user logs-off.
As noted in Issue 1, publishing and refresh performance has been enhanced. However, by following the practices that are described in the Performance Guidance about configuration of the deployment environment, UEM technology and the App-V 5.0 SP2 Client and Client for RDS (after applying Hotfix Package 4 for Application Virtualization 5.0 SP2), the virtual application start, publishing, and refresh functions are significantly faster.

Learn about Performance Guidance in the Application Virtualization topic on the Microsoft TechNet website.

Issue 3

Package converter has reported low success rates and low detection diagnosis.

Changes to the package converter have improved conversion rates. The package converter raises a new warning for App-V 4.5 and 4.6 packages that contain hard-coded paths to a drive letter, as these cannot be converted correctly.

Issue 4

Virtual application packages that require write access to any files and folders in the virtual environment are incompatible with App-V 5.0.

With this hotfix package, the Application Virtualization 5.0 SP2 contains a new sequencer setting that, when it's applied to a virtual application package, provisions the package with write access to any files and folders in the virtual environment.

Issue 5

Upgraded versions of virtual application packages cannot be deployed in parallel with the original version of the package on the client.

After you apply this hotfix package, the Application Virtualization 5.0 SP2 sequencer can support saving an upgraded version of a package as a new package. These packages can be deployed in parallel.

Issue 6

Virtual application packages that contain shortcuts to executable (.exe) files on a network share cannot start those executables if the system account does not have access to the network share.

After this hotfix package is applied, user credentials are used to access and start executable (.exe) files.

Issue 7

App-V Deployment configuration does not handle certain registry settings correctly.

When registry values are set by using the App-V Dynamic Configuration, DWORD, QWORD, and multi-string value types are not captured correctly. Therefore, the registry value is set incorrectly.

After this hotfix package is applied, these registry settings are captured and set correctly.

Issue 8

The Windows PowerShell window is listed on the taskbar during App-V Client startup.

When a user logs on to an AppV Client, a minimized PowerShell window appears on the taskbar. This PowerShell window is visible until the App-V start tasks are completed. If the user pre-emptively cancels the PowerShell execution, App-V does not start as expected.

After this hotfix package is applied, the PowerShell window is hidden and runs in the background.

Issue 9

App-V Service crashes when packages are deployed through System Center Configuration Manager.

When the Configuration Manager Distribution Point is located on a separate LAN from the App-V client, the client may crash intermittently during the publishing process.

After this hotfix package is applied, the service no longer crashes in this scenario when packages are deployed through System Center Configuration Manager.

Resolution

Hotfix information

A supported hotfix is available from Microsoft. However, this hotfix is intended to correct only the problem that is described in this article. Apply this hotfix only to systems that are experiencing the problem described in this article. This hotfix might receive additional testing. Therefore, if you are not severely affected by this problem, we recommend that you wait for the next software update that contains this hotfix.

If the hotfix is available for download, there is a "Hotfix download available" section at the top of this Knowledge Base article. If this section does not appear, contact Microsoft Customer Service and Support to obtain the hotfix.

Note If additional issues occur or if any troubleshooting is required, you might have to create a separate service request. The usual support costs will apply to additional support questions and issues that do not qualify for this specific hotfix. For a complete list of Microsoft Customer Service and Support telephone numbers or to create a separate service request, go to the following Microsoft website:

http://support.microsoft.com/contactus/?ws=supportNote The "Hotfix download available" form displays the languages for which the hotfix is available. If you do not see your language, it is because a hotfix is not available for that language.

Prerequisites

To apply this hotfix, you must have Microsoft Application Virtualization 5.0 Service Pack 2 installed.

If you install the corresponding .msp file, the client and RDS patches require the Microsoft Visual C++ 2013 Redistributable to be installed.

Installation information

Note 1 If the computer that is running the App-V client was originally deployed by using a Windows Installer (.msi) file, then you must also apply the .msp file for the update to succeed. Use the following command to extract the .msp file:AppV5.0SP2-Client-KB2956985.exe /LAYOUT Important When you try to uninstall an update, the attempt fails if a (JIT-V) package is being used.

This issue was introduced with the just-in-time-virtualization (JIT-V) feature in App-V 5.0 Service Pack 2 (SP2). All SP2 hotfix (patch-level) releases may experience this issue if the following conditions are true:

  • You installed by using a Windows Installer file (.msi), and then you apply updates by using a Microsoft Installer Patch File (.msp).

  • You try to uninstall an update by using the Add or Remove Programs item in Control Panel.

  • A JIT-V enabled package is running on the system.


Workaround

  1. Start Local Services.

  2. Stop the Microsoft App-V Client service.

  3. Uninstall the update by using the Add or Remove Programs item in Control Panel.

  4. Start the Microsoft App-V Client service.

Note 2 If your previous installation was configured to run in Shared Content Store (SCS) mode, you might have to reconfigure SCS on the device if the configuration setting is reverted after you install this hotfix.

If configuration is handled through Windows PowerShell, you can work around this issue after you install the update by running the following cmdlet from an elevated PowerShell window:set-appvclientconfiguration –SharedContentStoreMode 1 If configuration is handled through Group Policy, you can work around this issue after you install the update by forcing the policy onto the user’s computer, or by waiting for the Group Policy to be reapplied.

If configuration is handled through Configuration Manager, you can work around this issue after you install the update by redeploying the configuration settings. This should reapply the correct setting.

Restart information

You must restart the computer after you apply this hotfix.

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.

For all supported versions of Microsoft Application Virtualization 5.0 SP2 Client

File name

File version

File size

Date

Time

Appv5.0sp2-client-kb2956985.exe

5.0.3400.0

59,289,864

24-Apr-2014

00:19

Appv5.0sp2-rds-kb2956985.exe

5.0.3400.0

59,298,432

24-Apr-2014

00:26

To deploy an updated version of the Microsoft Application Virtualization 5.0 SP2 Sequencer

File name

File version

File size

Date

Time

Appv5.0sp2-sequencer-kb2956985.exe

5.0.3400.0

79,953,344

23-Apr-2014

23:43


Workaround

There are no workarounds required for these issues. However, there are additional steps required to completely resolve some of these issues.

Issue 1 and Issue 6

There are no additional steps required to resolve these issues.

Issue 2

See the Application Virtualization topic on the Microsoft TechNet website.

Issue 3, Issue 4, and Issue 5

See the "More Information" section for the additional steps to completely resolve these issues.

Issue 7

If the registry setting was configured as part of a UserConfiguration.xml file, the package must be unpublished and then republished for the change to take effect.

If the registry setting was configured as part of a DeploymentConfiguration.xml file, the package must be removed and then re-added for the change to take effect.

More Information

Improvement

More information

Full VFS Write Mode: Hotfix Package 4 for Application Virtualization 5.0 SP2 contains a new sequencer setting that, when applied to a package, provisions the package with write access to any files and folders in the virtual environment.

  • You can enable Full VFS Write Mode for a package by using the Advanced tab in the sequencer during the editing stage.

  • There is now support for saving a sequencer template to automatically enable Full VFS Write Mode.

  • Packages that previously did not have Enforce Security Descriptors enabled are automatically converted when Full VFS Write Mode is enabled.

Consider the following caveats:

  • There is a list of extensions that can’t be modified by the virtual file system (VFS)—for example .exe, .dll, and .bat. See Creating and Managing App-V 5.0 Virtualized Applications for a full list of extensions.

  • Files and folders that are accessed outside the VFS by a virtual package can’t be modified if Full VFS Write Mode is enabled. To work around this issue, add the necessary files or folders to the package.

Save as New Package: Hotfix Package 4 for Application Virtualization 5.0 SP2 sequencer now supports saving an upgraded version of a package as a new package. When this option is used, an upgraded version can be deployed side-by-side with the original version of the package on the computer that's running the App-V 5.0 client.

Consider the following caveat:

To prevent conflicts, make sure that the shortcut names and FTA names are unique across the two versions of the package.

Package converter improvements: Hotfix Package 4 for Application Virtualization 5.0 SP2 contains multiple package converter improvements to improve error detection and reliability of App-V 5.0 package conversion.

Consider the following caveats:

  • The package converter can now detect a hard-coded path, and it returns a warning when it does so. Hard-coded paths rarely convert correctly. If the file is in a critical path, we strongly recommended that the package be resequenced.

  • General improvements have been made to increase the overall APP-V package conversion success rate.

References

Learn about the terminology that Microsoft uses to describe software updates.

Need more help?

Want more options?

Explore subscription benefits, browse training courses, learn how to secure your device, and more.

Communities help you ask and answer questions, give feedback, and hear from experts with rich knowledge.

Was this information helpful?

What affected your experience?
By pressing submit, your feedback will be used to improve Microsoft products and services. Your IT admin will be able to collect this data. Privacy Statement.

Thank you for your feedback!

×