Side-by-side configuration is incorrect - From WinPE 2.0

[matt7]

So here is the problem I am currently having. I am trying to find another way to wipe our hard drives that is a much faster, easier way. Right now, all drives are encrypted with Sophos Safeguard 5.50. Sophos offers a utility, BEInvVol.exe (SafeGuard Enterprise: How to decomission a volume-based encrypted disk.) that deletes the encryption keys off of the drive. Since these keys are not backed up, if they are deleted, the information on the drive can never be recovered. Essentially, it is as good as wiping the drive. Only it'll work much faster than using a wipe utility.

Now, when I boot into our WinPE 2.0 disk, and I try to run BEInvVol.exe, I get this error "The application has failed to start because its side-by-side configuration is incorrect. Please see the application event log for more detail." I've done a lot of searching around, and have decyphered this cryptic message: I am missing certain libraries that this program needs to run. Specifically, when looking at the exe's hex code, and when running the program using sxstrace, I see I need the library for "Microsoft Visual C++ 2005 SP1 Redistributable Package (x86)" which can be found at Download Details - Microsoft Download Center - Visual C++ 2005 SP1 Redistributable Package (x86) Now, here it the problem: I am running WinPE. I can't run this installer in that environment. When I try and run vcredist_x86.exe (the installer for C++ 2005 SP1) after WinPE 2.0 has booted up, I get this error "Error creating process <msiexec /i vcredist.msi> Reason: The system cannot find the file specified"

Now, here is the output when I have sxstrace running in another cmd window in WinPE 2.0:

=================
Begin Activation Context Generation.
Input Parameter:
	Flags = 0
	ProcessorArchitecture = x86
	CultureFallBacks = en-US;en
	ManifestPath = X:\beinvvol.exe
	AssemblyDirectory = X:\
	Application Config File = 
-----------------
INFO: Parsing Manifest File X:\beinvvol.exe.
	INFO: Manifest Definition Identity is (null).
	INFO: Reference: Microsoft.VC80.CRT,processorArchitecture="x86",publicKeyToken="1fc8b3b9a1e18e3b",type="win32",version="8.0.50727.762"
INFO: Resolving reference Microsoft.VC80.CRT,processorArchitecture="x86",publicKeyToken="1fc8b3b9a1e18e3b",type="win32",version="8.0.50727.762".
	INFO: Resolving reference for ProcessorArchitecture x86.
		INFO: Resolving reference for culture Neutral.
			INFO: Applying Binding Policy.
				INFO: No publisher policy found.
				INFO: No binding policy redirect found.
			INFO: Begin assembly probing.
				INFO: Did not find the assembly in WinSxS.
				INFO: Attempt to probe manifest at X:\windows\assembly\GAC_32\Microsoft.VC80.CRT\8.0.50727.762__1fc8b3b9a1e18e3b\Microsoft.VC80.CRT.DLL.
				INFO: Attempt to probe manifest at X:\Microsoft.VC80.CRT.DLL.
				INFO: Attempt to probe manifest at X:\Microsoft.VC80.CRT.MANIFEST.
				INFO: Attempt to probe manifest at X:\Microsoft.VC80.CRT\Microsoft.VC80.CRT.DLL.
				INFO: Attempt to probe manifest at X:\Microsoft.VC80.CRT\Microsoft.VC80.CRT.MANIFEST.
				INFO: Did not find manifest for culture Neutral.
			INFO: End assembly probing.
	ERROR: Cannot resolve reference Microsoft.VC80.CRT,processorArchitecture="x86",publicKeyToken="1fc8b3b9a1e18e3b",type="win32",version="8.0.50727.762".
ERROR: Activation Context generation failed.
End Activation Context Generation.


===================

Now, I should also mention, that I can run this utility when I have booted into good ol' Windows Xp SP3. However, the utility has to run in WinPE. Here is the error message I get when I run it in Windows XP SP3:

&Info: SGN filter driver on
Error: SGN filter driver may not be on!
Use other system to start like Windows PE from a CD!

So the program does need to be run from WinPE. Now, The folder on my machine where these DLLs live is "C:\WINDOWS\WinSxS\x86_Microsoft.VC80.CRT_1fc8b3b9a1e18e3b_8.0.50727.762_x-ww_6b128700" I copied this directory over to the same directory on the machine after it has booted to WinPE. I copy it over to the X: drive, which is the RAM, which is where the OS is booting from. Still no good. Tried copying it to "X:\windows\assembly\GAC_32\Microsoft.VC80.CRT\8.0.50727.762__1fc8b3b9a1e18e3b\Microsoft.VC80.CRT.DLL" as well, but that didn't fix the issue.

Now, there are two solutions that I can figure out.

1. The C++ 2005 installer, vcredist_x86.exe, might not just create C:\WINDOWS\WinSxS\x86_Microsoft.VC80.CRT_1fc8b3b9a1e18e3b_8.0.50727.762_x-ww_6b128700 with the 3 DLLs in it; it might do more. So, if it does do more, maybe I need to copy those extra files over to the X drive and that would solve the problem.
2. Or, these DLLs need to be there when WinPE first boots up, which means I need to build a new WinPE disk and have it include these libraries.

I've never built a WinPE boot disk before, but I've been taking some steps to learn how. I have Microsoft Windows AIK installed, and I can make a boot disk (by following some instructions). However, I need it customized to have these added libraries. I kinda know/can figure out how to do this, but I see a slight problem with it: If I just include the DLLs, maybe I'm still missing some things that the installer adds. So, is there a way I can create a custom WinPE 2.0 boot disk that uses the C++ 2005 package installer (vcredist_x86.exe), so when the disk is made, it includes everything that vcredist_x86.exe would normally add?


Sorry for the long post, but its always good to have more information than less. Also, I tried this on a WinPE boot disk that is running 3.0. Still the same problem.


So to recap, I need Microsoft Visual C++ 2005 SP1 libraries to run a program off of a WinPE 2.0 disk. I've added the libraries from the C:\WINDOWS\WinSxS\x86_Microsoft.VC80.CRT_1fc8b3b9a1e18e3b_8.0.50727.762_x-ww_6b128700 onto the same folder on the X: drive directly, and that didn't solve the issue. Maybe I'm missing some other files that I need to copy over? I'm not sure. Or, I need to build a new WinPE boot disk that includes all of the libraries that the vcredist_x86.exe package installs.

Thanks for any and all help!

 

[niemiro]

Hello, and welcome to the Vista Forums!

Your tactical friending worked! I didn't see this thread before now! Really sorry for the delay!

VC++ 2005 SP1 contains 96 files.

Looking through their dependencies, there isn't actually anything too non-core. All of the dependancies may actually already exist on WinPE 3.1.

I shall see if I can get this to work on WinPE 2.0 and 3.1. I can't guarantee success, but I will give it my best shot.

I know you want this quickly, but the best way will be to mod the actual disk prior to running it.

I shall see if I make any headway, and report back in a day or two.

Thanks for giving a detailed post It really is very helpful!

Richard

 

[matt7]

Thanks for the reply. However, I did post this in a few other forums, and one reply that I got in this thread Side-by-side configuration is incorrect - From WinPE 2.0 turned out to work!

The fix was to place the DLLs and the .manifest file in the same directory as the BEInvVol.exe application. Not sure if I actually need the .amnifest file, but it doesn't hurt. I put those files on the X: drive (RAM, where WinPE OS lives), and was able to run the .exe

To make this easier, I'll probably end up learning how to make a WinPE 2.0 boot disk with these files already loaded on the disk, but if you want to post anything that would make this easier or any other resources, go ahead and let me know.