Here’s a good reminder to everyone to try and keep their software updated. Last week I tried installing Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 on a virtual machine, just so that our team can have a play with it and kept running into this error:
The ordinal 242 could not be located in the dynamic link library msi.dll
It came up on the trial version, so I went ahead and downloaded the full version to try and install that. Same problem; so the issue wasn’t down to my installation file. I scoured the Web, but no one seemed to have that issue; an issue not with CRM, but with the installer that was trying to deploy it for me.
Anyway, to cut a long story short, I noticed that the Windows 2003 installation I had on the VM didn’t have any service packs installed on it. I have no idea where I got this ancient version from, but the fact that it didn’t have any connection to the Internet meant I wasn’t too fussed about security patches, but in one of the service packs they must have rolled out some changes to msi.dll, because installing Windows 2003 Service Pack 2 cured the issue. Now, if only the error message had been more helpful I would have found the answer soon, but at least I managed to solve it before taking one of my colleague’s Adams golf drivers to my computer screen.
On the bright side, once I got the installer running, it identified what components I had missing on my installation (.Net Framework, XML Core Services, Application Error Reporting, yadda, yadda) and is happily installing all the prerequisites for me.
Interesting read. Not something that I would normally have a problem with, but enjoyable none the less.
ReplyDeleteGreat blog, I'll be sure to check back in.
Glad to all worked out for you.
ReplyDeleteI'm lazy when it comes to updates...always bites me in the arse
ReplyDeleteVery technical stuff here... nice blog!
ReplyDeleteIf memory serves, didn't Service Pack 2 come out in 2003? So that release you were using must've just missed the cut... Certainly a weird issue to run into!
ReplyDeleteI'm following you in hopes of obtaining some of your knowledge .__.
ReplyDeleteI have no knowledge on this stuff.
Good info. Thanks for this!
ReplyDeletekeep up the awesome work mike, frustrating at times, but im sure its well worth it!
ReplyDeletegood info, thanks!
ReplyDelete@Aaron -- Exactly. This stuff sits mouldering in server rooms for the better part of a decade before something goes wrong and they call in a consultant; most corporations don't know the meaning of planned obsolescence, and have burned through 10 documentation-impaired sysadmins since the boxes were originally installed. It's one of the most frustrating things about enterprise IT.
ReplyDelete