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Remote Packager does not work at all!

Hello everyone!

I am tring out the trial, since i think we are moving to adminstudio from Wise studio.

We are moving our production and our training to this product, if it turns out good but until now i have not had good experiences!

First thing i wanted to try was the remote packager! since this is the tool i use the most!

Problem is, i can't get it working!

First i tried a Windows 7 Danish and got this error:

Image no longer available.

The danish message says that the program cannot start since it is missing the dll file!

I tried the same on a danish XP and a UK XP, same error!

Then i left it there for a week, and today i triewd on another machine just to see if i was lucky!

a clean Windows 7 DK

then i got this error:

Image no longer available.


I have been following the guides!
But the guide in the help is not correct i think?
I found a undocumented setup file for the remote packager. i think it just creates the shortcuts?
But i have been using that one.

I have shared

C:\Program Files (x86)\AdminStudio
and point the packager path to the packager folder in the dir

and the adminstudio shared folder:
C:\AdminStudio Shared


i am running all OS'et in VMWare Workstation 7


Anyone what to do? i cannot find any help on google!

I am very experienced in MSI packaging and Wise studio.

Best Regards

Jakob

Coretech A/S
http://www.coretech.dk
http://blog.coretech.dk

(16) Replies
Hi Jakob,

Unfortunately, in recent releases of AdminStudio, running Repackager remotely with an evaluation version is not supported. So you will not be able to evaluate the remote Repackager functionality.

Instead please consider installing the full AS eval on the machine where you want to repackage to evaluate the Repackager. I know that this approach is against best practices because installing AS dirties the machine, but you should be able to evaluate the Repackager functionality this way. You can deselect most of the other features besides Repackager to install a smaller footprint (I think you can deselect all but Distribution Wizard and Repackager).

Hope this helps!
-Ajay
We had a similar problem with a fully licensed version of AdminStudio 9.5 and it was because in 9.5 the AdminUIFramework.dll file doesn't live in the folder the Repackager is in, so when you are running it remotely it is unable to locate the ADminUIFramework.dll file.

9.5 SP1 fixes this by including a cut down AdminUIFramework.dll file in the Repackager folder.
i've the same problem using SP3 .. and no dll is in the specified folder
changing the shortcut, start in common folder, no error mesasage, but the repackager did not start
:mad:
To all that have the AdminUIFramework.DLL is missing ..

reason is either:
1. Evaluation version of AdminStudio used ( cannot use remote repackager)
2. Activation of AdminStudio not done ..yet ( activation will inject license info etc.)

let me know.

Jeroen
I had the same problem and was able to solve it.

2 things you have to do to use remote packager that aren't well documented

1. Make sure the \\server\c$\Program files\adminstudio\X.X\common\ folder on the server is accessible and add it to your path statement. (this gets rid of the dll missing error)

2. Install the Visual C++ 2008 runtime from MS. (without this the program launches for 2 seconds then closes)

BTW - you can use the remote packager when running in eval mode.
Paulforey wrote:
I had the same problem and was able to solve it.

2 things you have to do to use remote packager that aren't well documented

1. Make sure the \\server\c$\Program files\adminstudio\X.X\common\ folder on the server is accessible and add it to your path statement. (this gets rid of the dll missing error)

2. Install the Visual C++ 2008 runtime from MS. (without this the program launches for 2 seconds then closes)

BTW - you can use the remote packager when running in eval mode.


I don't recommend adding the Common folder to your path statement. This will require activation on every remote machine you are using the Repackager on once the Eval period expires.

Just FYI.
Paulforey wrote:
I had the same problem and was able to solve it.

2 things you have to do to use remote packager that aren't well documented

1. Make sure the \\server\c$\Program files\adminstudio\X.X\common\ folder on the server is accessible and add it to your path statement. (this gets rid of the dll missing error)

2. Install the Visual C++ 2008 runtime from MS. (without this the program launches for 2 seconds then closes)

BTW - you can use the remote packager when running in eval mode.


Hi, how do I add it to my path statement?

My Common folder is accessible on my Server.

Thanks
midimanpkg wrote:
Hi, how do I add it to my path statement?
My Common folder is accessible on my Server.


If your Remote Repackager capture machine is running Windows 7 or Windows 8, you can modify your path statement by performing the following steps:

1. open an elevated administrator command prompt
2. type sysdm.cpl
this opens the System Properties Control Panel applet.
3. Click the Advanced tab
4. Click the Environment Variables... button
this opens the Environment Variables dialog.
5. At the bottom of the Environment Variables dialog, highlight Path in the list of system environment variables and click the Edit... button. Make sure you are clicking the Edit... button at the bottom of the dialog...it's the one directly above the OK button.
6. At the end of the Path statement, add a semicolon and the path to your AdminStudio Common folder.
ex: I am adding ;Z:\PackagingServer\AdminStudioCommon\


-Evan
Evan Border wrote:
If your Remote Repackager capture machine is running Windows 7 or Windows 8, you can modify your path statement by performing the following steps:

1. open an elevated administrator command prompt
2. type sysdm.cpl
this opens the System Properties Control Panel applet.
3. Click the Advanced tab
4. Click the Environment Variables... button
this opens the Environment Variables dialog.
5. At the bottom of the Environment Variables dialog, highlight Path in the list of system environment variables and click the Edit... button. Make sure you are clicking the Edit... button at the bottom of the dialog...it's the one directly above the OK button.
6. At the end of the Path statement, add a semicolon and the path to your AdminStudio Common folder.
ex: I am adding ;Z:\PackagingServer\AdminStudioCommon\


-Evan


Hi Evan,

I have managed to get everything working so far thanks to your help.

I'm now getting a message about the mfc100.dll not being on my PC.

I tried installing the C++ 2008 x64 redis on the machine but it's coming up with the same error.

Or do I have to install it on my AS Server, share the folder where the dll is located, and then add the location to the path on machine where I installed the remote packager?

Thanks
midimanpkg wrote:
Hi Evan,

I have managed to get everything working so far thanks to your help.

I'm now getting a message about the mfc100.dll not being on my PC.

I tried installing the C++ 2008 x64 redis on the machine but it's coming up with the same error.

Or do I have to install it on my AS Server, share the folder where the dll is located, and then add the location to the path on machine where I installed the remote packager?

Thanks


mfc100.dll is part of the Microsoft Visual C++ 2010 SP1 Redistributable. You should copy those files to the Repackager folder on the AdminStudio Client Tools machine.

Here are the directions:
copy the Visual C++ 2010 SP1 redistributable files to your Repackager folder (on your AdminStudio Client Tools machine, not your clean Remote Repackager capture machine)

If you need the VC++ 2010 SP1 files, download the Microsoft Visual C++ 2010 SP1 x86 redistributable from microsoft.com
Install the VC++ 2010 SP1 x86 runtime on one of your machines, but not on your Remote Repackager capture machine (as that would dirty it up).


Although probably only a few of the following files are needed by Repackager, I would recommend copying all of the Microsoft Visual C++ 2010 SP1 x86 redistributable files to your Repackager folder:

atl100.dll
mfc100.dll
mfc100chs.dll
mfc100cht.dll
mfc100deu.dll
mfc100enu.dll
mfc100esn.dll
mfc100fra.dll
mfc100ita.dll
mfc100jpn.dll
mfc100kor.dll
mfc100rus.dll
mfc100u.dll
mfcm100.dll
mfcm100u.dll
msvcp100.dll
msvcr100.dll
vcomp100.dll


-If the OS is 64-bit, go to C:\Windows\SysWOW64\ and copy those files to your AdminStudio Client Tools Repackager folder.
By default, the Repackager folder on 64-bit machines is located at:
C:\Program Files (x86)\AdminStudio\2013\Repackager\


-If the OS is 32-bit, go to C:\Windows\System32\ and copy the C++ files to your AdminStudio Client Tools Repackager folder.
By default, the Repackager folder on 32-bit machines is located at:
C:\Program Files\AdminStudio\2013\Repackager\



I hope this helps,
-Evan
Hi,

Hmmm something didn't work right there.

I'm now getting (The application islc.exe was unable to start correctly (0xc000007b) Click ok to close the application.

My Admin Studio Server is a x64 Windows Server 2012 machine. It has all of dlls you mentioned, but they are stored in two locations.

1. C:\Windows\System32
2. C:\Windows\SysWOW64

This is what I done.

1. I copied all of the x64 dlls from the C:\Windows\SysWOW64 location into the Repackager directory on my Admin Studio Server.

2. Then I went to my Windows 7 x64 packaging machine and tried to run the Remote Packager. This didn't work.

3. So I copied all of the x86 dlls from the C:\Windows\System32 location into the Repackager directory on my Admin Studio Server.

4. Then I went to my Windows 7 x64 packaging machine and tried to run the Remote Packager. This is when I got the error message.

Just to make sure I have the right directory on the Admin Studio Server, my repackager directory contains some of the following folders.

Objects
Program
Redist
Remote Repackager
Script
SetupPrerequisites
etc...

It started to get a bit messy.

I will have to clean the Repackager directory up and try again.

Thanks
midimanpkg wrote:
I'm now getting (The application islc.exe was unable to start correctly (0xc000007b) Click ok to close the application.

I can't recommend running islc.exe from the Remote Repackager clean capture machine. I recommend only using repack.exe (which is the Repackaging Wizard, used for capturing legacy setup exe's) or OSSnapshot.exe (which is the OS Snapshot Wizard, used for capturing the OS so that you can run conflict analysis against it).
I recommend performing your exclusions and .ism\.msi\virtual package building on the AdminStudio Client Tools system, not the Remote Repackager clean capture system. islc.exe requires some additional files (parts of the VC++ 2008 x86 runtime) in order to perform some operations such as virtual package building. repack.exe and OSSnapshot.exe don't have those additional requirements.



1. I copied all of the x64 dlls from the C:\Windows\SysWOW64 location into the Repackager directory on my Admin Studio Server.

Actually the SysWOW64 folder contains the x86 files. Those are the ones that you need in the Repackager folder.
The x64 files are in the System32 folder.
(I know the naming is sort of strange for those folders, but that's how it is)

2. Then I went to my Windows 7 x64 packaging machine and tried to run the Remote Packager. This didn't work.

What did it say? Is there anything showing up in the Event Viewer?


3. So I copied all of the x86 dlls from the C:\Windows\System32 location into the Repackager directory on my Admin Studio Server.

The System32 folder actually contains the x64 dll's.

4. Then I went to my Windows 7 x64 packaging machine and tried to run the Remote Packager. This is when I got the error message.

The error message was probably because the x64 edition of the VC++ files were in the Repackager folder instead of the x86 edition. Repackager needs the x86 edition of the VC++ files.

Just to make sure I have the right directory on the Admin Studio Server, my repackager directory contains some of the following folders.

Objects
Program
Redist
Remote Repackager
Script
SetupPrerequisites
etc...

Yes, that is the correct folder.


I recommend trying it again, being sure to use the x86 edition of the VC++ 2010 SP1 files. Also, post any errors that you see in the Event Viewer.
Hi I've done all of that.

I,m getting the following error in the application evt log on my packaging machine when trying to run the Repackaging Wizard.

Activation context generation failed for "\\adminstudioserver\appstudio\common\TPSConfig.exe" Assembly Microsoft.VC90.MFC processorArchitecture="x86" version"9.0.21022.8" could not be found.

I take it that it's missing a dll from the Repackager share?

So I installed the Microsoft Visual C++ 2008 Redistributable Package (x86) and copied the msvcp90.dll ver (9.00.21022.8) to the Repackager folder.

But i'm still get the same message in the evt log.

I'm using the eval version of Admin Studio 2013.

When I tried to run the TPSConfig.exe from the Repackager share it opened a dialog to enter a serial.

I have hit a roadblock here and I can't download the standalone packager either. Both of these require the serial key of the product.
midimanpkg wrote:
I'm using the eval version of Admin Studio 2013.

Ah, that's the problem. The eval version will behave in this way. If you are using an activated copy of AdminStudio 2013 you would not see this issue.

I have hit a roadblock here and I can't download the standalone packager either. Both of these require the serial key of the product.

Yes, the eval version is restricted and does not allow for using the Remote Repackager.
Evan Border wrote:
Ah, that's the problem. The eval version will behave in this way. If you are using an activated copy of AdminStudio 2013 you would not see this issue.


Yes, the eval version is restricted and does not allow for using the Remote Repackager.


And I can't use that standalone packager?

So how can I package something?

Thanks
midimanpkg wrote:
And I can't use that standalone packager?

No, the Standalone Repackager would require you to enter a valid AdminStudio 2013 serial number.

So how can I package something?

You can either run the Repackaging Wizard on your AdminStudio Client Tools machine, or you could install another copy of the AdminStudio 2013 eval on your clean capture machine (of course it would no longer really be a clean machine anymore, but it's close enough for you to get the feel for using AdminStudio).