Error Installing MSXML4 on Vista

[Jamie Hornstein]

I've been fighting this for weeks (maybe months?!) and several programs won't
install because of it.

Several programs (Dynamics NAV, Jet Reports, others) seems to require MSXML4
to function and I must have a corrupted install. I've spent tons of time
researching this and it seems this is a known problem and I've seen several
recommendations on fixing it: disable anti-virus/spysweeper, uninstall MSXML4
and re-install (it's not in my list of programs/features or program updates
so I can't un-install).

I think my issue might be slightly different. I downloaded MSXML.MSI
manually and when I use verbose logging, the install fails here:

MSI (s) (28:F4) [18:37:29:850]: Executing op: SetTargetFolder(Folder=C:\SXS\)
MSI (s) (28:F4) [18:37:29:850]: Executing op: SetSourceFolder(Folder=1\SXS\)
MSI (s) (28:F4) [18:37:29:850]: Executing op:
AssemblyCopy(SourceName=msxml4.dll,SourceCabKey=msxml4.dll.sxs.2E8D8EBB_CC16_45E1_BBCA_CB1ED881EDB7,DestName=msxml4.dll,Attributes=512,FileSize=1233920,PerTick=32768,,VerifyMedia=1,,,,,ComponentId={303994BA-6487-47AE-AF1D-7AF6088EEBDB},,,,AssemblyMode=0,)
MSI (s) (28:F4) [18:37:29:851]: Assembly Error:The system cannot find the
path specified.

MSI (s) (28:F4) [18:37:29:851]: Note: 1: 1935 2:
{303994BA-6487-47AE-AF1D-7AF6088EEBDB} 3: 0x80070003 4: IAssemblyCache 5:
CreateAssemblyCacheItem 6:
Microsoft.MSXML2,publicKeyToken="6bd6b9abf345378f",version="4.20.9818.0",type="win32",processorArchitecture="x86"
MSI (s) (28:F4) [18:37:29:851]: Assembly Error (sxs): To get more diagnostic
information, enable the Component Based Servicing Log.
Error 1935. An error occured during the installation of assembly component
{303994BA-6487-47AE-AF1D-7AF6088EEBDB}. HRESULT: 0x80070003. assembly
interface: IAssemblyCache, function: CreateAssemblyCacheItem, assembly name:
Microsoft.MSXML2,publicKeyToken="6bd6b9abf345378f",version="4.20.9818.0",type="win32",processorArchitecture="x86"
MSI (s) (28:F4) [18:37:33:310]: Product: MSXML 4.0 SP2 Parser and SDK --
Error 1935. An error occured during the installation of assembly component
{303994BA-6487-47AE-AF1D-7AF6088EEBDB}. HRESULT: 0x80070003. assembly
interface: IAssemblyCache, function: CreateAssemblyCacheItem, assembly name:
Microsoft.MSXML2,publicKeyToken="6bd6b9abf345378f",version="4.20.9818.0",type="win32",processorArchitecture="x86"

The weird thing I see is the "C:\SXS" target path...that path doesn't exist
(my research tells me that's the side-by-side dll install folder for multiple
version). I believe the correct path should be "C:\windows\winsxs" (which
seems to be protected by the system and can be only written to by installers
that are signed or something).

I'm completely stuck, I have no idea what to do to fix this.

 

[Jamie Hornstein]

A little more info, if I check in the CBS.log, it appears that (these are the
only entries during an install attempt) that the error is trying to
un-install msxml4:
2008-07-27 09:59:42, Info CBS Loaded Servicing Stack
v6.0.6001.18000 with Core:
C:\Windows\winsxs\x86_microsoft-windows-servicingstack_31bf3856ad364e35_6.0.6001.18000_none_095f6148c74a7a64\cbscore.dll
2008-07-27 09:59:42, Info CSI
00000001@2008/7/27:13:59:42.636 WcpInitialize (wcp.dll version 0.0.0.5)
called (stack @0x5f0a8504 @0x5ff28439 @0x5ff062a3 @0xfa1392 @0xfa1ed4
@0xfa17cb)
2008-07-27 09:59:42, Info CSI
00000002@2008/7/27:13:59:42.644 WcpInitialize (wcp.dll version 0.0.0.5)
called (stack @0x5f0a8504 @0x5ff5e615 @0x5ff40dec @0xfa1392 @0xfa1ed4
@0xfa17cb)
2008-07-27 09:59:42, Info CSI
00000003@2008/7/27:13:59:42.645 WcpInitialize (wcp.dll version 0.0.0.5)
called (stack @0x5f0a8504 @0x70841a0d @0x70841794 @0xfa360b @0xfa2be3
@0xfa17cb)
2008-07-27 09:59:42, Info CBS NonStart: Checking to
ensure startup processing was not required.
2008-07-27 09:59:42, Info CSI 00000004
IAdvancedInstallerAwareStore_ResolvePendingTransactions (call 1) (flags =
00000004, progress = NULL, phase = 0, pdwDisposition = @0x107fdd0
2008-07-27 09:59:42, Info CBS NonStart: Success, startup
processing not required as expected.
2008-07-27 09:59:42, Info SXS Uninstall Assembly:
Microsoft.MSXML2,publicKeyToken="6bd6b9abf345378f",version="4.20.9818.0",type="win32",processorArchitecture="x86"
2008-07-27 09:59:42, Info SXS Submitting uninstall
transaction
2008-07-27 09:59:42, Info CSI 00000005 Performing 1
operations; 1 are not lock/unlock and follow:
Uninstall (6): flags: 1 tlc: [Microsoft.MSXML2, Version = 4.20.9818.0, pA
= PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE_INTEL (0), Culture neutral, VersionScope neutral,
PublicKeyToken = {l:8 b:6bd6b9abf345378f}, Type = [l:10{5}]"win32", TypeName
neutral, PublicKey neutral]) ref: ( flgs: 00000000 guid:
{27dec61e-b43c-4ac8-88db-e209a8242d90} name: [l:0]"" ncdata: [l:0]"")
2008-07-27 09:59:42, Info CSI 00000006 Call to uninstall
failed, the TLC is not currently installed by that installer
2008-07-27 09:59:42, Info CSI 00000007 Component change
list:
2008-07-27 09:59:42, Info CSI 00000008 Creating NT
transaction (seq 1), objectname [6]"(null)"
2008-07-27 09:59:42, Info CSI 00000009 Created NT
transaction (seq 1) result 0x00000000, handle @0x248
2008-07-27 09:59:45, Info CSI
0000000a@2008/7/27:13:59:45.746 CSI perf trace:
CSIPERF:TXCOMMIT;2527622
2008-07-27 09:59:45, Info CSI 0000000b Creating NT
transaction (seq 2), objectname [6]"(null)"
2008-07-27 09:59:45, Info CSI 0000000c Created NT
transaction (seq 2) result 0x00000000, handle @0x23c
2008-07-27 09:59:47, Info CSI
0000000d@2008/7/27:13:59:47.261 CSI perf trace:
CSIPERF:TXCOMMIT;1547096

I've been fighting this for weeks (maybe months?!) and several programs won't
install because of it.

Several programs (Dynamics NAV, Jet Reports, others) seems to require MSXML4
to function and I must have a corrupted install. I've spent tons of time
researching this and it seems this is a known problem and I've seen several
recommendations on fixing it: disable anti-virus/spysweeper, uninstall MSXML4
and re-install (it's not in my list of programs/features or program updates
so I can't un-install).

I think my issue might be slightly different. I downloaded MSXML.MSI
manually and when I use verbose logging, the install fails here:

MSI (s) (28:F4) [18:37:29:850]: Executing op: SetTargetFolder(Folder=C:\SXS\)
MSI (s) (28:F4) [18:37:29:850]: Executing op: SetSourceFolder(Folder=1\SXS\)
MSI (s) (28:F4) [18:37:29:850]: Executing op:
AssemblyCopy(SourceName=msxml4.dll,SourceCabKey=msxml4.dll.sxs.2E8D8EBB_CC16_45E1_BBCA_CB1ED881EDB7,DestName=msxml4.dll,Attributes=512,FileSize=1233920,PerTick=32768,,VerifyMedia=1,,,,,ComponentId={303994BA-6487-47AE-AF1D-7AF6088EEBDB},,,,AssemblyMode=0,)
MSI (s) (28:F4) [18:37:29:851]: Assembly Error:The system cannot find the
path specified.

MSI (s) (28:F4) [18:37:29:851]: Note: 1: 1935 2:
{303994BA-6487-47AE-AF1D-7AF6088EEBDB} 3: 0x80070003 4: IAssemblyCache 5:
CreateAssemblyCacheItem 6:
Microsoft.MSXML2,publicKeyToken="6bd6b9abf345378f",version="4.20.9818.0",type="win32",processorArchitecture="x86"
MSI (s) (28:F4) [18:37:29:851]: Assembly Error (sxs): To get more diagnostic
information, enable the Component Based Servicing Log.
Error 1935. An error occured during the installation of assembly component
{303994BA-6487-47AE-AF1D-7AF6088EEBDB}. HRESULT: 0x80070003. assembly
interface: IAssemblyCache, function: CreateAssemblyCacheItem, assembly name:
Microsoft.MSXML2,publicKeyToken="6bd6b9abf345378f",version="4.20.9818.0",type="win32",processorArchitecture="x86"
MSI (s) (28:F4) [18:37:33:310]: Product: MSXML 4.0 SP2 Parser and SDK --
Error 1935. An error occured during the installation of assembly component
{303994BA-6487-47AE-AF1D-7AF6088EEBDB}. HRESULT: 0x80070003. assembly
interface: IAssemblyCache, function: CreateAssemblyCacheItem, assembly name:
Microsoft.MSXML2,publicKeyToken="6bd6b9abf345378f",version="4.20.9818.0",type="win32",processorArchitecture="x86"

The weird thing I see is the "C:\SXS" target path...that path doesn't exist
(my research tells me that's the side-by-side dll install folder for multiple
version). I believe the correct path should be "C:\windows\winsxs" (which
seems to be protected by the system and can be only written to by installers
that are signed or something).

I'm completely stuck, I have no idea what to do to fix this.