Error message when you view or modify the migrated Group Policy objects in Windows Server 2008 R2: "Attribute cannot be empty"

Article ID: 979039 - View products that this article applies to.
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SYMPTOMS

Consider the following scenario:
  • You migrate some Group Policy objects (GPO) from a computer that is running Windows Server 2003 to a computer that is running Windows Server 2008 R2.
  • You try to use the Group Policy Management Editor or the Local Group Policy Editor to view or to modify these GPOs.
In this scenario, the operation fails and generates the following error message:

Encountered an error while parsing.
Attribute 'attribute name' cannot be empty. File: file name
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CAUSE

This problem occurs because the Group Policy Management Editor or the Local Group Policy Editor validates an .admx file incorrectly when one or more attributes have an empty value.
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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, 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.

Prerequisites

To apply this hotfix, your computer must be running Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7.

Registry information

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

Restart requirement

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

Hotfix replacement information

This hotfix does not replace a previously released hotfix.

File information

The global version of this hotfix 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 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 file information notes
Important Windows 7 hotfixes and Windows Server 2008 R2 hotfixes are included in the same packages. However, hotfixes on the Hotfix Request page are listed under both operating systems. To request the hotfix package that applies to one or both operating systems, select the hotfix that is listed under "Windows 7/Windows Server 2008 R2" on the page. Always refer to the "Applies To" section in articles to determine the actual operating system that each hotfix applies to.
  • 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 maintaining the state of the updated component. 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
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File nameFile versionFile sizeDateTimePlatform
Scrptadm.dll6.1.7600.20615464,89612-Jan-201006:42x86
Admtmpl.dll6.1.7600.20615438,27212-Jan-201006:41x86
For all supported x64-based versions of Windows 7 and of Windows Server 2008 R2
Collapse this tableExpand this table
File nameFile versionFile sizeDateTimePlatform
Scrptadm.dll6.1.7600.20615568,83212-Jan-201016:49x64
Admtmpl.dll6.1.7600.20615577,02412-Jan-201016:44x64
For all supported IA-64-based versions of Windows Server 2008 R2
Collapse this tableExpand this table
File nameFile versionFile sizeDateTimePlatform
Scrptadm.dll6.1.7600.206151,018,88012-Jan-201006:07IA-64
Admtmpl.dll6.1.7600.206151,060,35212-Jan-201006:02IA-64
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WORKAROUND

To work around this problem, replace all empty values with a space character in the problematic .admx files.

Note A space character is entered when you press the SPACEBAR one time.
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STATUS

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

For more information about the .admx files, visit the following Web site:
ADMX Technology Review
(http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc749513(WS.10).aspx)
For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
979293
(http://support.microsoft.com/kb/979293/ )
Error message when you view or modify the migrated Group Policy objects in Windows Server 2008: "Attribute cannot be empty"
For more information about software update terminology, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
824684
(http://support.microsoft.com/kb/824684/ )
Description of the standard terminology that is used to describe Microsoft software updates

Additional file information

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

Additional files for all supported x86-based versions of Windows 7
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File nameUpdate.mum
File versionNot Applicable
File size1,450
Date (UTC)12-Jan-2010
Time (UTC)19:16
PlatformNot Applicable
File nameX86_4b576151ecb1db7a35b95bc54228870a_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7600.20615_none_9bb2a678cf0a6f99.manifest
File versionNot Applicable
File size714
Date (UTC)12-Jan-2010
Time (UTC)19:16
PlatformNot Applicable
File nameX86_993c1e8db24418a4c4ceddcfbc9a1ec6_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7600.20615_none_f70b4c9c219c846d.manifest
File versionNot Applicable
File size713
Date (UTC)12-Jan-2010
Time (UTC)19:16
PlatformNot Applicable
File nameX86_microsoft-windows-g..licy-admin-scrptadm_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7600.20615_none_d21535eddf09ec24.manifest
File versionNot Applicable
File size20,656
Date (UTC)12-Jan-2010
Time (UTC)07:04
PlatformNot Applicable
File nameX86_microsoft-windows-g..olicy-admin-admtmpl_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7600.20615_none_f267b13f3407df89.manifest
File versionNot Applicable
File size17,592
Date (UTC)12-Jan-2010
Time (UTC)07:12
PlatformNot Applicable
Additional files for all supported x64-based versions of Windows 7 and of Windows Server 2008 R2
Collapse this tableExpand this table
File nameAmd64_240b2cdd3196c41463a096f333a811ca_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7600.20615_none_aa9b5d247eba553e.manifest
File versionNot Applicable
File size1,076
Date (UTC)12-Jan-2010
Time (UTC)19:16
PlatformNot Applicable
File nameAmd64_3014ceaa01801beaf7e628f94d4ca38a_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7600.20615_none_6866f1b88c5cfe6c.manifest
File versionNot Applicable
File size1,074
Date (UTC)12-Jan-2010
Time (UTC)19:16
PlatformNot Applicable
File nameAmd64_microsoft-windows-g..licy-admin-scrptadm_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7600.20615_none_2e33d17197675d5a.manifest
File versionNot Applicable
File size20,662
Date (UTC)12-Jan-2010
Time (UTC)17:28
PlatformNot Applicable
File nameAmd64_microsoft-windows-g..olicy-admin-admtmpl_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7600.20615_none_4e864cc2ec6550bf.manifest
File versionNot Applicable
File size17,598
Date (UTC)12-Jan-2010
Time (UTC)17:35
PlatformNot Applicable
File nameUpdate.mum
File versionNot Applicable
File size1,458
Date (UTC)12-Jan-2010
Time (UTC)19:16
PlatformNot Applicable
File nameX86_microsoft-windows-g..licy-admin-scrptadm_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7600.20615_none_d21535eddf09ec24.manifest
File versionNot Applicable
File size20,656
Date (UTC)12-Jan-2010
Time (UTC)07:04
PlatformNot Applicable
File nameX86_microsoft-windows-g..olicy-admin-admtmpl_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7600.20615_none_f267b13f3407df89.manifest
File versionNot Applicable
File size17,592
Date (UTC)12-Jan-2010
Time (UTC)07:12
PlatformNot Applicable
Additional files for all supported IA-64-based versions of Windows Server 2008 R2
Collapse this tableExpand this table
File nameIa64_7df96edfa609568c8ad001461d42d850_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7600.20615_none_3572e8d7bea06d3c.manifest
File versionNot Applicable
File size1,072
Date (UTC)12-Jan-2010
Time (UTC)19:16
PlatformNot Applicable
File nameIa64_e5680bbbc33bb25276771049c5cad615_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7600.20615_none_31d9a07dfd831fb2.manifest
File versionNot Applicable
File size1,074
Date (UTC)12-Jan-2010
Time (UTC)19:16
PlatformNot Applicable
File nameIa64_microsoft-windows-g..licy-admin-scrptadm_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7600.20615_none_d216d9e3df07f520.manifest
File versionNot Applicable
File size20,659
Date (UTC)12-Jan-2010
Time (UTC)07:40
PlatformNot Applicable
File nameIa64_microsoft-windows-g..olicy-admin-admtmpl_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7600.20615_none_f26955353405e885.manifest
File versionNot Applicable
File size17,595
Date (UTC)12-Jan-2010
Time (UTC)07:47
PlatformNot Applicable
File nameUpdate.mum
File versionNot Applicable
File size1,454
Date (UTC)12-Jan-2010
Time (UTC)19:16
PlatformNot Applicable
File nameX86_microsoft-windows-g..licy-admin-scrptadm_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7600.20615_none_d21535eddf09ec24.manifest
File versionNot Applicable
File size20,656
Date (UTC)12-Jan-2010
Time (UTC)07:04
PlatformNot Applicable
File nameX86_microsoft-windows-g..olicy-admin-admtmpl_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7600.20615_none_f267b13f3407df89.manifest
File versionNot Applicable
File size17,592
Date (UTC)12-Jan-2010
Time (UTC)07:12
PlatformNot Applicable
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Properties

Article ID: 979039 - Last Review: February 9, 2010 - Revision: 1.0
APPLIES TO
  • Windows 7 Enterprise
  • Windows 7 Professional
  • Windows 7 Ultimate
  • Windows Server 2008 R2 Standard
  • Windows Server 2008 R2 Enterprise
  • Windows Server 2008 R2 Datacenter
Keywords: 
kbprb kbsurveynew kbexpertiseadvanced kbhotfixserver kbautohotfix kbqfe kbfix KB979039
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