Microsoft KB Archive/895627

= You may receive a &quot;Setup cannot copy the file branches.inf&quot; error message when you try to install a hotfix package on a computer that is running Windows Server 2003 or Windows XP =

Article ID: 895627

Article Last Modified on 10/26/2006

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition (32-bit x86)
 * Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Standard Edition (32-bit x86)
 * Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Datacenter Edition (32-bit x86)
 * Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Web Edition
 * Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
 * Microsoft Windows XP Professional

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SYMPTOMS
Consider the following scenario:
 * You are using a computer that is running Microsoft Windows Server 2003 or Microsoft Windows XP.
 * You try to install a hotfix package by using a version of the Update.exe program that is earlier than version 6.1.22.0.

In this scenario, the installation may fail. Additionally, you may experience the following symptoms:  During an attended installation, you receive the following error message:

Setup cannot copy the file branches.inf.

The message prompts you to retry or to cancel the operation. During an unattended installation, the Update.exe program fails and displays error code 0x1603. Error code 0x5 is displayed if you used the /er switch.



CAUSE
This problem occurs because the %windir%\Inf\Branches.inf file is set to read-only.

By default, the Branches.inf file is in the extracted installation package. If the read-only flag is set on the Branches.inf file, installations always fail. The only way to verify the cause of the error is to open the %windir%\KB######.log file for the package and see whether the file contains the following text:

DoInstallation: LoadOrInstallBranchesInf failed to install; error=0x00000005.



RESOLUTION
To resolve this problem, remove the read-only flag from the Branches.inf file on the computer. To do this, follow these steps:
 * 1) Click Start, click Run, type cmd, and then click OK.
 * 2) At the prompt, type attrib –r %windir%\inf\branches.inf, and then press ENTER.

Alternatively, you can use Windows Explorer to remove the read-only flag. To do this, follow these steps:
 * 1) Open the %windir%\Inf folder in Windows Explorer.
 * 2) Right-click the Branches.inf file, click Properties, and then click to clear the Read-only check box.

After you remove this read-only flag, the hotfix package installs correctly.



STATUS
Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the &quot;Applies to&quot; section.

Keywords: kbprb kbtshoot KB895627

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