Symptoms

When you try to install a large Microsoft Windows Installer (.msi) package or a large Microsoft Windows Installer patch (.msp) package on a computer that is running Microsoft Windows Server 2003 or Microsoft Windows XP, you receive the following error message:

Error 1718. File FileName was rejected by digital signature policy.

Additionally, the following event may be logged in the Application log:

Type: ErrorSource: MsiInstallerCategory: NoneEvent ID: 1008Date: DateTime: TimeUser: NaComputer: ComputerNameDescription: The installation of FileName is not permitted due to an error in software restriction policy processing. The object cannot be trusted.

Cause

This problem occurs if the Windows Installer process has insufficient contiguous virtual memory to verify that the .msi package or the .msp package is correctly signed.

Resolution

A supported fix is available for Windows Server 2003. There is no fix available for Windows XP.

Windows Server 2003 hotfix information

A supported hotfix is now available from Microsoft. However, it is intended to correct only the problem that is described in this article. Apply it only to systems that are experiencing this specific problem. This hotfix may receive additional testing. Therefore, if you are not severely affected by this problem, we recommend that you wait for the next Microsoft Windows Server 2003 service pack that contains this hotfix.To resolve this problem immediately, contact Microsoft Customer Support Services to obtain the hotfix. For a complete list of Microsoft Customer Support Services telephone numbers and information about support costs, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://support.microsoft.com/contactus/?ws=supportNote In special cases, charges that are ordinarily incurred for support calls may be canceled if a Microsoft Support Professional determines that a specific update will resolve your problem. The usual support costs will apply to additional support questions and issues that do not qualify for the specific update in question.Note Download the hotfix by following the instructions later in this article.

Update for Windows Server 2003 (KB925336)

The following file is available for download from the Microsoft Download Center:DownloadDownload the Update for Windows Server 2003 (KB925336) package now.For more information about how to download Microsoft support files, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

119591 How to obtain Microsoft support files from online servicesMicrosoft 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.

File name

File version

File size

Date

Time

Platform

SP requirement

Service branch

Advapi32.dll

5.2.3790.2895

620,544

07-Mar-2007

07:05

x86

SP1

SP1QFE

Advapi32.dll

5.2.3790.4036

619,008

07-Mar-2007

07:02

x86

SP2

SP2QFE

Update for Windows Server 2003, x64 Edition (KB925336)

The following file is available for download from the Microsoft Download Center:DownloadDownload the Update for Windows Server 2003 x64 Edition (KB925336) package now.For more information about how to download Microsoft support files, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

119591 How to obtain Microsoft support files from online servicesMicrosoft 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.

File name

File version

File size

Date

Time

Platform

SP requirement

Service branch

Advapi32.dll

5.2.3790.2895

1,051,648

07-Mar-2007

07:52

x64

SP1

SP1QFE

Wadvapi32.dll

5.2.3790.2895

620,544

07-Mar-2007

07:52

x86

SP1

SP1QFE\WOW

Advapi32.dll

5.2.3790.4036

1,052,160

07-Mar-2007

16:52

x64

SP2

SP2QFE

Wadvapi32.dll

5.2.3790.4036

619,008

07-Mar-2007

16:52

x86

SP2

SP2QFE\WOW

Update for Windows Server 2003 for Itanium-based Systems (KB925336)

The following file is available for download from the Microsoft Download Center:DownloadDownload the Update for Windows Server 2003 for Itanium-based Systems (KB925336) package now.For more information about how to download Microsoft support files, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

119591 How to obtain Microsoft support files from online servicesMicrosoft 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.

File name

File version

File size

Date

Time

Platform

SP requirement

Service branch

Advapi32.dll

5.2.3790.2895

1,481,216

07-Mar-2007

11:42

IA-64

SP1

SP1QFE

Wadvapi32.dll

5.2.3790.2895

620,544

07-Mar-2007

11:42

x86

SP1

SP1QFE\WOW

Advapi32.dll

5.2.3790.4036

1,482,240

07-Mar-2007

16:53

IA-64

SP2

SP2QFE

Wadvapi32.dll

5.2.3790.4036

619,008

07-Mar-2007

16:53

x86

SP2

SP2QFE\WOW

Prerequisites

No prerequisites are required.

Restart requirement

You must restart your computer after you apply this hotfix.

Hotfix replacement information

This hotfix does not replace any other hotfixes.

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.

Workaround

This workaround applies to Windows Server 2003 and to Windows XP.Important This section, method, or task contains steps that tell you how to modify the registry. However, serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly. Therefore, make sure that you follow these steps carefully. For added protection, back up the registry before you modify it. Then, you can restore the registry if a problem occurs. For more information about how to back up and restore the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

322756 How to back up and restore the registry in WindowsTo work around this problem, change the PolicyScope registry value to 1 before you try to install the package. To do this, follow these steps.Note If the computer is joined to a domain, a domain policy update may override the registry changes that you make. We strongly recommend that you disconnect the computer from the domain before you follow these steps.

  1. Click Start, click Run, type regedit, and then click OK.

  2. In Registry Editor, locate and then click the following registry key:

    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Safer\CodeIdentifiers Note Before you modify this key, we recommend that you back up this key. To do this, right-click CodeIdentifiers, and then click Export. Save the file to a location where you can find it on the computer.

  3. Change the PolicyScope registry value. To do this, double-click PolicyScope, and then change the setting from 0 to 1.

  4. Close Registry Editor.

  5. Click Start, click Run, type cmd, and then click OK to open a Command Prompt window.

  6. At the command prompt, type the following command, and then press ENTER:

    net stop msiserverThis command stops the Windows Installer service if the service is currently running in the background. When the service has stopped, close the Command Prompt window, and then go to step 7.Note If you receive the following message at the command prompt, close the Command Prompt window, and then go to step 7:

    The Windows Installer service is not started

  7. Install the package that you were trying to install when you received the error message that is mentioned in the "Symptoms" section.

  8. After you install the package, repeat steps 1 and 2. Then, change the PolicyScope registry value back to 0.

  9. If you disconnected the computer from a domain, re-join the domain, and then restart the computer.Note If you did not disconnect the computer from a domain, you do not have to restart the computer.

If the previous steps do not resolve the issue, follow these steps:

  1. Click Start, click Run, type control admintools, and then click OK.

  2. Double-click Local Security Policy.

  3. Click Software Restriction Policies. Note If no software restrictions are listed, right-click Software Restriction Policies, and then click Create New Policy.

  4. Under Object Type, double-click Enforcement.

  5. Click All users except local administrators, and then click OK.

  6. Restart the computer.

Important After you follow the previous steps, local administrators can install the .msi package or the .msp package. After the package is installed, reset the enforcement level by following the previous steps. In step 5, click All users instead of All users except local administrators.Notes

  • The workaround may not work in an Active Directory domain environment. In an Active Directory domain environment, a domain policy refresh operation will overwrite the local Software Restriction Policies.

  • Adding more RAM to the computer will not resolve the problem.

More Information

Starting with Microsoft Windows XP, a security policy named Software Restriction Policies (also known as SAFER) was introduced to help users avoid running unsafe files. Windows Installer uses Software Restriction Policies to verify the signatures of signed .msi package files and signed .msp package files. Windows Installer does this to make sure that the files were not tampered with before they are installed on the computer. Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 require the whole .msi package file or the whole .msp package file to be loaded into one contiguous piece of memory in the address space of the Windows Installer process. If a .msi package file or a .msp package file is too large to fit into a contiguous piece of virtual memory, Windows Installer cannot verify that the package is correct. In this scenario, you experience the symptoms that are described in the “Symptoms” section. The fix that is described in this article enables Software Restriction Policies to use less virtual memory to perform the signature verification. Therefore, Windows Installer can verify any size files.

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