Microsoft KB Archive/829839

= Distribution Manager cannot decompress a package onto a FAT drive if the package source files reside on an NTFS drive =

Article ID: 829839

Article Last Modified on 10/27/2006

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Systems Management Server 2003

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SYMPTOMS
Microsoft Systems Management Server (SMS) 2003 Distribution Manager cannot decompress a package when the Location of Stored Packages setting under the Component Configuration node is configured to a use a FAT volume to store the package.



CAUSE
This problem occurs if the package source directory is an NTFS file system drive. Specifically, each package has a FAT-compatible flag set that specifies whether the package is FAT-compatible or not FAT-compatible. The FAT-compatible flag is set according to the file system that is used for the package source directory, as follows:
 * When the source directory is an NTFS volume, the FAT-compatible flag is set to false, and therefore SMS 2003 Distribution Manager cannot decompress the package to a FAT volume.
 * When the source directory is a FAT volume, the FAT-compatible flag is set to true, and therefore SMS 2003 Distribution Manager permits the package files to be decompressed to either a FAT or an NTFS volume.

When you create a package where the source files reside on an NTFS volume but the Location of Stored Packages setting is set to a FAT volume, SMS 2003 Distribution Manager be continues to try to decompress the FAT-incompatible package to a FAT volume. This attempt is unsuccessful.

Note When the Location of stored packages setting is left blank, SMS 2003 Distribution Manager tries to find a volume that works if its first choice is unsuccessful.



WORKAROUND
To work around this issue, modify the Location of Stored Packages setting in the Software Distribution component to use an NTFS volume. Microsoft recommends that you use an NTFS partition to store the packages because of the additional security features of the NTFS file system. To modify the Location of stored packages setting, follow these steps:
 * 1) Click Start, point to Programs, point to Systems Management Server, and then click SMS Administrator Console.
 * 2) In the SMS Administrator Console, expand Systems Management Server, expand Site Database, and then expand Site Settings.
 * 3) Under Site Settings, click Component Configuration. In the right pane on the SMS 2003 Administrator Console, right-click Software Distribution, and then click Properties to open the Software Distribution Properties dialog box.
 * 4) Click the General tab, and then under Location of stored packages, enter a drive letter that corresponds to an NTFS volume that contains sufficient free disk space. Click OK.



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

Keywords: kbnofix kbbug KB829839

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