Microsoft KB Archive/888187

= &quot;The data is invalid&quot; error message when you try to apply a hotfix or a security update in Windows Server 2003 =

Article ID: 888187

Article Last Modified on 10/30/2006

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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, Web Edition

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SYMPTOMS
When you try to apply a hotfix or a security update in Microsoft Windows Server 2003, you receive the following error message:

The data is invalid.

In this scenario, you cannot finish applying the hotfix or the security update.



CAUSE
This issue may occur if your computer has a catalog (.cat) file that is corrupted. When the Update.exe tool that you use to apply a hotfix or a security update starts, it verifies the digital signatures of all .cat files. If Update.exe parses a corrupted .cat file, you receive the error message that is specified in the &quot;Symptoms&quot; section.

Note This issue may also occur if you download the update package from the Windows Update Web site and if your computer does not have Internet access when you apply the update package. The update package must contact the Windows Update Web site to be correctly applied.



RESOLUTION
To resolve this issue, follow these steps:  Verify your Internet connectivity. If you downloaded the hotfix or the security update and then tried to apply it, make sure that you have Internet connectivity. If you have Internet connectivity, and you still experience this issue, go to step 2. Determine whether one or more of the .cat files are corrupted. To do this, follow these steps:  Click Start, click Run, type sigverif in the Open box, and then click OK. In the File Signature Verification dialog box that appears, click Advanced. Click Look for other files that are not digitally signed, and then type C:\Windows\System32\Catroot in the Look in this folder box.

Note If Windows is not installed in the C:\Windows folder, modify this entry accordingly. Click to select the Include subfolders check box, click OK, and then click Start.</li></ol>

All the unsigned files appear in the following list in the Signature Verification Results window:

The following files have not been digitally signed

Note These results also appear in the C:\Windows\Sigverif.txt file that is automatically generated. For an example of a Sigverif.txt file, see the &quot;More information&quot; section.</li> Delete any unsigned .cat files from the Catroot folder. To do this, follow these steps.

Note This procedure applies only to .cat files that are not digitally signed. It does not apply to other files that are not digitally signed. <ol style="list-style-type: lower-alpha;"> Start Windows Explorer.</li> In the %Windir%\System32\Catroot folder, delete the .cat files that are not digitally signed.</li></ol> </li> Restart the computer.</li></ol>

<div class="moreinformation_section">

MORE INFORMATION
In the following sample Sigverif.txt file, the Oem4.cat file is identified as &quot;Not Signed&quot;:

<pre class="fixed_text">********************************

Microsoft Signature Verification

Log file generated on 11/16/2004 at 2:26 PM OS Platform: Windows (x86), Version:  5.2, Build: 3790, CSDVersion: Scan Results: Total Files: 57, Signed: 55, Unsigned: 2, Not Scanned: 0

User-specified search path: *.* User-specified search pattern: C:\WINDOWS\system32\catroot

File                     Modified       Version             Status              Catalog              Signed By --         ---                ---          --- [c:\windows\system32\catroot\{127d0a1d-4ef2-11d1-8608-00c04fc295ee}] timestamp               3/18/2003      None                Not Signed          N/A [c:\windows\system32\catroot\{f750e6c3-38ee-11d1-85e5-00c04fc295ee}] adminpak.cat            3/25/2003      2:5.2               Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows Publisher admt.cat                3/25/2003      2:5.2               Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows Publisher fp5.cat                 3/25/2003      2:5.2               Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows Publisher fxscat.cat              3/25/2003      2:5.2               Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows Publisher iasnt4.cat              3/25/2003      2:5.0               Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows Publisher ims.cat                 3/25/2003      2:5.2               Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows Publisher ins.cat                 3/25/2003      2:5.2               Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows Publisher kb819696.cat            5/13/2003      2:5.2               Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows XP Publisher kb823182.cat            7/10/2003      2:5.2               Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows XP Publisher kb823353.cat            6/22/2004      2:5.2               Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows Publisher kb823559.cat            6/29/2003      2:5.2               Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows XP Publisher kb824105.cat            7/18/2003      2:5.2               Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows XP Publisher kb824141.cat            8/6/2003       2:5.2               Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows XP Publisher kb824145.cat            10/24/2003     2:5.2               Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows Publisher kb824146.cat            8/23/2003      2:5.2               Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows XP Publisher kb824151.cat            9/24/2004      2:5.2               Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows Publisher kb825119.cat            8/25/2003      2:5.2               Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows XP Publisher kb828035.cat            10/23/2003     2:5.2               Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows Publisher kb828741.cat            3/15/2004      2:5.2               Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows Publisher kb829558.cat            10/2/2003      2:5.2               Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows Publisher kb833987.cat            3/23/2004      2:5.2               Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows Publisher kb834707.cat            9/29/2004      2:5.2               Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows Publisher kb835732.cat            3/15/2004      2:5.2               Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows Publisher kb837001.cat            3/6/2004       2:5.2               Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows Publisher kb839643.cat            5/7/2004       20040507131540      Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows Publisher kb839645.cat            5/12/2004      2:5.2               Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows Publisher kb840315.cat            6/22/2004      2:5.2               Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows Publisher kb840374.cat            4/15/2004      2:5.2               Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows Publisher kb840987.cat            9/27/2004      2:5.2               Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows Publisher kb841356.cat            9/24/2004      2:5.2               Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows Publisher kb841533.cat            9/24/2004      2:5.2               Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows Publisher kb867460.cat            7/24/2004      2:5.2               Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows Publisher kb870669.cat            6/18/2004      2:5.x               Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows Component Publisher kb873376.cat            9/24/2004      2:5.2               Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows Publisher kb883935.cat            9/25/2004      2:5.2               Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows Publisher kb885881.cat            9/26/2004      2:5.2               Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows Publisher mstsweb.cat             3/25/2003      2:5.2               Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows Publisher nt5.cat                 3/25/2003      2:5.2               Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows Publisher nt5iis.cat              3/25/2003      2:5.2               Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows Publisher nt5inf.cat              3/25/2003      2:5.2               Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows Publisher ntprint.cat             3/25/2003      2:5.0,2:5.1,2:5.2   Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows Publisher oem0.cat                10/9/2003      PCI\VEN_5333&DEV_881Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows Hardware Compatibility Publisher oem1.cat                10/3/2003      CNTX_VPCNETS2_MP    Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows Hardware Compatibility Publisher oem2.cat                10/3/2003      CNTX_VPCNETS2_MP    Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows Hardware Compatibility Publisher oem3.cat                10/9/2003      2:5.0,2:5.1,2:5.2   Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows XP Publisher oem4.cat                2/9/2004       2:5.0,2:5.1,2:5.2   Not Signed          N/A                 Microsoft Windows XP Publisher oem5.cat                7/14/2004      PCI\VEN_5333&DEV_881Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows Hardware Compatibility Publisher oem6.cat                7/14/2004      PNP030B             Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows Hardware Compatibility Publisher oem7.cat                7/14/2004      PNP0F03             Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows Hardware Compatibility Publisher oem8.cat                12/15/2003     2:5.0,2:5.1,2:5.2   Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows Component Publisher oembios.cat             3/25/2003      2:5.2               Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows Publisher q828026.cat             9/18/2003      0                   Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows Component Publisher sasetup.cat             3/25/2003      2:5.2               Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows Publisher timestamp               11/16/2004     None                Not Signed          N/A uddi.cat                3/25/2003      2:5.2               Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows Publisher wmsocm.cat              3/25/2003      2:5.2               Signed              N/A                 Microsoft Windows Publisher

Keywords: kberrmsg kbtshoot kbprb kbwinservsetup KB888187

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