KB2918614 breaks Windows Installer Service

This is the word from the MS Enterprise Support folks.

Apparently they are not aware of any fix to this. At-least as of now.

All they are saying that this KB is to fix a security loophole.

I don't understand what kind of a security fix this is- one that allows a Fresh Install without an UAC prompt, but throws an UAC prompt only for the Upgrade.

**Workaround 1:**Distributing hash.

Capture the Hash file* in one machine and distribute them to other machines.

Hash files are created under “%windir%\installer” directory. The naming convention is as follows: “SourceHash<product GUID>

* This file is created only when a Product is installed with KB2918614 installed on the machine.This directory is hidden. Open cmd prompt using 'run as administrator'. Traverse to this path and open the folder using "explorer ." command.

[I couldn't solve the issue using this approach- may be because accessing this directory requires administrator privileges which the Windows Installer itself might not have]

**Workaround 2:**Whitelisting.

Only if you trust the application that it is always digitally signed and doesn't contain anything malicious(even in the future).

Step 1: Enable Whitelisting

Under Key “HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Installer”, create a DWORD: “SecureRepairPolicy” and set its Value to 2.

Step 2: Add the application to the whitelist

Create a new key “SecureRepairWhitelist” under "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Installer” and create StringValues with the product codes(Including flower brackets {}) of the product.

Sadly though, both these workarounds need admin privileges!

I doubt it. This thread was created as a discussion. Even if it was a question there is a high chance they still wouldn't see it since this is a community built by Microsoft for peer to peer help. They do monitor it but in a very limited capacity.

They determine when an issue has come up using a few places. The most useful are support calls to the individual user support and the enterprise support and onsite techs. If you call the update support they will most likely ask for a verbose update log and it will help determine the issue. They will explain how to get what they need. Good luck

Sorry, my mistake. About a month ago, J M Cooper reported that he'd managed to reproduce the problem and I wrongly assumed he was someone from Microsoft.

So....  as far as we know, nobody from Microsoft has even seen this thread yet?

It is impossible to fix something that can't be reproduced since you would have no clue what needs fixing. The issue could be security software, network issues and tons of other things including registry cleaners or other programs incorrectly modifying the registry. Even malware or malware that wasn't properly removed. Have you contacted Microsoft through the free update help to let them know it is broken? If they haven't added it to known issues are suggested a workaround they probably don't know.

I have never known them to ignore an issue like this. Maybe if it was a display issue that is non-essential but an update issue is always on top of the list.

It could be they looked in to it and confirmed its a third party software or PC config that is causing it. I bet calling them will help

The issue is it most likely isn't the OS causing it and it is a specific set up that is the root issue. Not to sound like I'm making excuses for MSFT

One problem here is that this thread has ended up getting polluted with other problems which have nothing to do with the original issue. The original issue was that installing KB2918614 on some systems was making it impossible (from then on) to use an msi installer. It's difficult to see how this could be anyone's fault apart from Microsoft's.

Rather than waiting until they can reproduce the problem, someone at Microsoft should be examining KB2918614 and trying to figure out what it does which could potentially introduce this problem. And if they can't figure it out they should retract KB2918614 temporarily until they can either reproduce it reliably - or one of their developers has a sudden flash of inspiration. Simply leaving their customers unable to install future software is TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE.

I don't wish to sound like Mr Angry or anything but TWO MONTHS have passed since this was originally reported.  Surely enough people have reported the same experiences for it to be getting taken seriously now (or at least, a lot more seriously than it seems to be getting taken).