Multiple applications - Error 1606 during installation with UNC paths

[Trevelyan]

The problem is, certain applications will throw an error when attempting an install or configuration (with msiexec) as a domain user; error 1606 (Could not access network location), as well as error 1314 when inspecting msiexec logs.

 

Some background on our infrastructure at where I work:

 

 

 

• We use UEV to virtualise a user's profile. They log on and then the following mappings occur:
  
  • User files for their %homeshare% are stored on a network share, under \\fileserver\home$\username\ (e.g. Documents, Desktop, etc.)
    
  • User settings for %appdata% are stored on a network share, under \\fileserver\setting$\username\
    

   

  [*]Each user has access to their own shares on the paths above and have full permissions over their area.

  [*]Registry settings are as below, for a standard machine:

 

 

This link suggests that the error is to do with registry entries, as do a few other Q&A links. Not to say that this isn't the answer (because changing all those entries does allow an application to successfully finish) but the real issue sounds like its a permissions or availability issue, since we want to be able to use UNC shares. For example, if I change a user's desktop variable from \\fileservc\home$\OTB\Desktop to %USERPROFILE%\Desktop (which is C:\users\otb\desktop), and try and run one of the listed programs below, everything works fine because a local folder is being used. It just seems like MSIs dont like being run where a user's folders are set to UNC paths. Usually.

 

 

Here are some examples of applications we use where I've seen have the errors:

 

 

AutoCAD 2014:

 

• Error 1606 pops up when a user (some users, not all it seems) try to run AutoCAD for the first time. If an administrator (local and domain) tries to launch it, everything runs fine and it appears that settings are stored locally, rather than on their network share storage area for their settings. Sometimes. But if a regular user tries to run it, the message appears that it can't access a folder.
  

 

 

Autograph 3.20:

 

• Error 1606 pops up when trying to install AutoCAD as a domain user. Eventually the installation fails, because it can't access /SendTo or /Documents
  

 

• Examples from the msiexec log:
  

MSI © (40:28) [15:55:12:744]: Note: 1: 1314 2: \\fileservc\settings$\otb\Microsoft\Windows\SendTo\

MSI © (40:28) [15:55:12:744]: Note: 1: 1606 2: \\fileservc\settings$\otb\Microsoft\Windows\SendTo\

Error 1606.Could not access network location \\fileservc\settings$\otb\Microsoft\Windows\SendTo\.

MSI © (40:28) [15:57:45:230]: Product: Autograph 3.20 -- Error 1606.Could not access network location \\fileservc\settings$\otb\Microsoft\Windows\SendTo\.

 

 

 

Cloud Drive Mapper:

 

• This runs for each user when they log on, to map their drive. This involves msiexec, which for most users, results in error 1606 when trying to map their desktop (whether this is what is intended or not isn't the point, its more that the logged on user can access a location that the setup can't seem to)
  
• Examples from the msiexec log:
  

 

 

MSI © (70:04) [10:00:49:185]: Product: Cloud Drive Mapper -- Error 1606. Could not access network location \\fileservc\home$\OTB\Desktop\.

 

MSI © (70:04) [10:00:49:185]: Note: 1: 1314 2: \\fileservc\home$\OTB\Desktop\

MSI © (70:04) [10:00:49:185]: Note: 1: 1606 2: \\fileservc\home$\OTB\Desktop\

MSI © (70:04) [10:00:49:185]: Note: 1: 2262 2: Error 3: -2147287038

 

 

 

 

 

 

I thought perhaps it was an issue with the local host running msiexec as "system", but the error logs seem to indicate that it is running as the logged on account:

 

 

Additionally, the file server shows no error logs in event viewer - I tried to add auditing on a test user's shared folder and checking for failure on all policies under Local Policies/Audit Policy/. Nothing shows up. The only place errors are shown is on msiexec on a local machine.

 

I've also tried trusting the test machine for delegation to the file server, and changing the file server's security settings to add the test computer account's with full access just to cover all bases. No difference.

 

 

Has anyone got any ideas for anything else I could try, or anywhere that would give me more information/logging? I'm kind of stumped now - are we using incorrect settings somewhere? Will MSIs just never work nicely with UNC paths?

 

Update: I worked out that modifying the registry to point to a drive path, mapped to the UNC path, works fine. But this is insane - why can't I just use a UNC path everywhere?

 

Thanks for any suggestions anyone can come up with!

Edited March 16, 2016 by Trevelyan