Microsoft KB Archive/299803

= PRB: Error 1706 &quot;No Valid Source Could Be Found&quot; When Installing MSI File from Removable Media =

Article ID: 299803

Article Last Modified on 10/2/2003

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Windows Installer 1.1
 * Microsoft Windows Installer 1.2
 * Microsoft Windows Installer 2.0

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This article was previously published under Q299803



IMPORTANT: This article contains information about modifying the registry. Before you modify the registry, make sure to back it up and make sure that you understand how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For information about how to back up, restore, and edit the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

256986 Description of the Microsoft Windows Registry



SYMPTOMS
When you install a Windows Installer (MSI) package from removable media, such as a CD-ROM or DVD, and the MSI file doesn't reside on the root folder of the media, the following error message may appear:

Error 1706, &quot;No valid source could be found…&quot;

This occurs if the Installer needs to query the source. Browsing to the MSI package does not resolve this error.



CAUSE
The MEDIAPACKAGEPATH property wasn't properly set. MEDIAPACKAGEPATH is a public property that enables you to define where on the removable media the MSI file is located. This can happen if the media that is currently being used and the media that was originally used to install the program have the MSI file at different relative paths.

For example, this error can occur if the original media had the MSI file in a folder called App1, and the current media has the MSI at the root of the media. This error will not occur if the same media is used for the original installation and the current install operation.



RESOLUTION
Setting the MEDIAPACKAGEPATH property to the correct relative path to the MSI package resolves the issue. The MEDIAPACKAGEPATH property can be set on the command line or in the registry.

WARNING: If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

The registry location for setting this property is dependant on the type of installation that was preformed.

Per-user unmanaged installations:

HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Installer\Products\\SourceList\Media

Per-user managed installations:

HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Installer\Managed\\Installer\Products\\SourceList\Media

Per-machine installations:

HKLM\Software\Classes\Installer\Products\\SourceList\Media

For all cases, the value is a string named MediaPackage. The data value is the relative path to your application on the media that you want to use for future install operations. For example, if the path to the MSI package on the media is E:\MyPath\My.msi, then use \MyPath\ as the data value.

For setting the property on the command line you would use:

MEDIAPACKAGEPATH=&quot;\MyPath\&quot;

The path should begin and end with a backslash character (\) and should NOT contain the package name or drive letter.

In version 2.0 of the Windows Installer, the media from which you installed will always work. But if you did not use the original product media for that installation but then later use that product media instead of the media from which you installed, you may receive the error if the MSI file is in different locations on the different media. The resolutions described in this article will resolve this problem as well.

Administrative images moved to removable media can also exhibit this problem if the location of the root of the installation has changed on the new media. The MEDIAPACKAGEPATH property must be set to the new path of the installation location on the media.



STATUS
This behavior is by design.

