SMS: You Cannot Type a Share Name That is Longer Than 64 Characters When You Create Packages

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This article was previously published under Q303848

SYMPTOMS

When you create a new package in the Systems Management Server (SMS) Administrator console, you cannot type more than 64 characters in the Share name box on the Data Access tab.

Note that you type a share name in the Share name box when you want to create a package share on distribution points rather than using the default SMSPKGx$ share.

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RESOLUTION

Service Pack Information

To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Microsoft Systems Management Server 2.0. For additional information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

288239 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/288239/EN-US/ ) How to Obtain the Latest Systems Management Server 2.0 Service Pack

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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 this specific problem.

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, submit a request to 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, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://support.microsoft.com/contactus/?ws=support (http://support.microsoft.com/contactus/?ws=support)

Note 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. The English-language version of this fix for SMS Service Pack 3 (SP3) sites should have the following file attributes or later:

   Date         Time   Version         Size     File name     Platform
   -------------------------------------------------------------------
   01-Mar-2001  11:25  2.00.1493.3181  127,168  Sms_ppkg.dll  Intel
   05-Sep-2001   9:37                    3,395  Update.sql    Intel
   01-Mar-2001  11:25  2.00.1493.3181  264,464  Sms_ppkg.dll  Alpha
   05-Sep-2001   9:37                    3,395  Update.sql    Alpha

Post-SP4 hotfix information:

  
   Date         Time   Size     File name     Platform  Version
   ------------------------------------------------------------------
   01-Mar-2002  08:00  127,168  Sms_ppkg.dll  Intel     2.0.1493.4101
   26-Nov-2001  15:50    3,395  Update.sql    Intel
   01-Mar-2002  08:00  264,464  Sms_ppkg.dll  Alpha     2.0.1493.4101

NOTE: Due to file dependencies, the most recent hotfix or feature that contains the above files may also contain additional files.

After you install this hotfix, you can type up to 127 characters in the Share name box.

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How to Install the Hotfix

To install the hotfix, use one of the following methods. Note that you should install the hotfix on primary site servers and computers that are running the SMS Administrator console. You do not need to install the fix on secondary site servers.

How to Use the Hotfix Installer on Site Servers and Computers That Are Running the SMS Administrator Console

NOTE: You can use this method only on Intel-based computers.

To use the hotfix installer on site servers and computers that are running the SMS Administrator console:

Create a folder in a location that is accessible to your SMS site server or site servers.
Log on to your site server by using an account with administrative privileges.
Copy the Q303848.exe update file and platform folders to the new folder. The Q303848.exe file must be one folder higher than the platform folders.
From each of the primary SMS site servers and from the computers with the SMS Administrator console installed, run Q303848.exe. Follow the prompts to install the hotfix.

How to Manually Install the Hotfix on Site Servers

To manually install the hotfix on site servers:

Copy the hotfix folder structure to a local subfolder on your site server or to a share on your network.
Close the SMS Administrator console and stop all SMS services.
Replace the Sms_ppkg.dll file in the Sms_root_folder\Bin\Platform folder with the version of the file that you obtained from the hotfix.
Run the SQL Query Analyzer tool (Isqlw.exe). Note that you must:
1. Click Change Database on the Query menu.
2. Click the SMS database.
3. Click Open on the File menu.
4. Locate and click the Update.sql script that is included with this hotfix, and then press ENTER.
5. Click Execute on the Query menu to run the script.
Restart all SMS services.

How to Manually Install the Hotfix on Computers That Have the SMS Administrator Console Installed

To manually install the hotfix on computers that have the SMS Administrator console installed:

Copy the hotfix folder structure to a local subfolder on your computer or to a share on your network.
Close the SMS Administrator console.
Replace the Sms_ppkg.dll file in the Smsadmin\Bin\Platform folder with the version of the file that you obtained from the hotfix.

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WORKAROUND

To work around this problem, organize distribution points so that paths to package shares are less than 64 characters in length. Note that the server name is not part of the path that you type in the Share name box.

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STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed at the beginning of this article. This problem was first corrected in Microsoft Systems Management Server 2.0 Service Pack 5.

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