Microsoft KB Archive/912949

= Some third-party applications that use external manifest files stop working after you install Windows server 2003 Service Pack 1 =

Article ID: 912949

Article Last Modified on 10/11/2007

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APPLIES TO

 Microsoft Windows Server 2003 SP1, when used with:  Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition

 Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Standard Edition (32-bit x86)

 Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition for Itanium-based Systems

 Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Enterprise x64 Edition</li></ul>

 Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Standard x64 Edition</li></ul> </li></ul>

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Important This article contains information about how to modify the registry. Make sure that you back up the registry before you modify it. Make sure that you know how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For more information about how to back up, restore, and modify the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

256986 Description of the Microsoft Windows registry

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SYMPTOMS
After you install Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1 (SP1) on a computer, some third-party applications stop working. This problem occurs if the applications depend on the components in external manifest files.

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CAUSE
This problem occurs because the search priority of the side-by-side (SxS) manifest file is changed when you install Window Server 2003 SP1.

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Service pack information
To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Windows Server 2003. For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

889100 How to obtain the latest service pack for Windows Server 2003

Prerequisites
Windows Server 2003 SP1 must be installed on the computer.

889100 How to obtain the latest service pack for Windows Server 2003

Restart requirement
You must restart the computer after you apply this hotfix.

Hotfix replacement information
This hotfix does not replace any other hotfixes.

File information
The English version of this hotfix has the file attributes (or later file attributes) that are listed in the following table. The dates and times for these files are listed in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). When you view the file information, it is converted to local time. To find the difference between UTC and local time, use the Time Zone tab in the Date and Time item in Control Panel.

After you install the hotfix
Warning Serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly by using Registry Editor or by using another method. These problems might require that you reinstall the operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that these problems can be solved. Modify the registry at your own risk.

After you install the hotfix, you must create the PreferExternalManifest registry entry. To do this, follow these steps: <ol> Click Start, click Run, type regedit, and then click OK.</li> Locate and then click the following registry subkey:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\SideBySide

</li> On the Edit menu, point to New, and then click DWORD Value.</li> Type PreferExternalManifest, and then press ENTER.</li> Right-click PreferExternalManifest, and then click Modify.</li> In the Edit DWORD Value dialog box, click Decimal under Base.</li> In the Value data box, type 1, and then click OK.</li> On the File menu, click Exit to close Registry Editor.</li></ol>

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STATUS
Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the &quot;Applies to&quot; section. This problem was first corrected in Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2.

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MORE INFORMATION
Side-by-side assemblies let applications specify which version of a system DLL component or of a classic Component Object Model (COM) component to use. For example, if an Enterprise Services application relies on a particular version of a dependent assembly, the application can still use that version of the assembly even after newer versions have been installed.

The application manifest is an XML file that has information about where a DLL component is installed. The manifest file is used to create an activation context for the application. An activation context lets an application load a particular DLL version or COM object instance.

Additional query words: sidebyside, sxs, CM50533

Keywords: kbqfe kbexpertisebeginner kbhotfixserver kbwinserv2003sp2fix KB912949

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