Error during build: Unable to build web media block

[Maximinus]

I am getting the following error when building a project that uses .NET 4.6.1 as a pre-requisite.

Error during build: Unable to build web media block: Incorrect parameter value

This same error is thrown if I build a project using .NET 4.52. To replicate this error, simply create a new project based on the ".NET Setup" template and without doing anything to the project do a "Web Deploy" build.

If I check the "Skip on Build (useful when doing partial builds and block is unaffected)" option in the media block then the project builds perfectly fine.

Below, is the output of the build. Could someone tell me what is going on?

Thanks.

Code: Select all

Building Project: xxxxxxx
Output Folder: C:\Users\MonoTest\Documents\xxxxxxx\Release\WebDeployment Type: Compressed Web-Based EXE
Code Signing: Disabled
Compression: Default
Compiler Variables: BUILDMODE=WEB,LANGUAGE=English,TITLE=xxxxxxx,TARGETDIR=$TARGETDIR$,IADIR=C:\PROGRA~2\INSTAL~2,PROJDIR=C:\Users\MonoTest\DOCUME~1\xxxxxxx,IAVER=20.10
###
Cleared output folder C:\Users\MonoTest\Documents\xxxxxxx\Release\WebBuilt plug-in action (Un)Install MSI Setup
Built plug-in action File Bag
Created Windows Installer database
Built installation executable
Injected setup languages
Injected runtime files
Compressing install: componentstree.dfm (0%)
Compressing install: xxxxxxx.msi (0%)
Compressing install: xxxxxxx.exe (1%)
Compressing install: mMSI.dll\mMSIExec.dll (47%)
Compressing install: mia.lib (54%)
Compressing install: xxxxxxx.res (59%)
Compressed setup files
Error during build: Unable to build web media block: Incorrect parameter value
Compressing web media block: microsoft .net framework 4/mFileBagIDE.dll\B519DCBA\netfx_core_x64.msi (0%)


[Maximinus]

I ended up reinstalling InstallAware, after the reinstall things worked ok, then I decided to edit the Web Media Block "Download URLs: (one URL per line)" textbox value from http://www.mywebsite.com/Microsoft .NET Framework 4.6 with Service Pack 1 (x86 and x64).7zip to just Microsoft .NET Framework 4.6 with Service Pack 1 (x86 and x64).7zip and I started getting the same error again.

Once the error appears its all over, even if I create completely new project the error remains.

[Maximinus]

This issue appears to be exclusive to the .NET media block. Other media blocks appear to build just fine.

[Maximinus]

The issue also appears to have something to do with compression. If I use compression description:

InstallAware will pre-process data, compress from a continuous stream, and use 64 MB buffer from LZMA2 compression with binary trees. Leverages a maximum of 2 threads.

Then the project appears to build just fine (right now). But I am pretty sure I had the same issue with other compression strengths.

[FrancescoT]

Dear Maximinus,

I believe there is something wrong with your product installation.

can you please tell to me which InstallAware version are you using and its build number?

You can check the exact installed version from Add Remove Program under Control panel.
Instead for the build version, from IA IDE switch to "Project View" and then select the "Version" button from the top ribbon menu.

Regards

[Maximinus]

Per your request, here are the product versions:

Installed Version: 20.11.0.2016
Build: 1.11.2016

Also, in case it helps:

In order to keep things as simple as possible, we are installing the full version of the product (with all runtimes) so that we don't have to worry about installing missing runtimes later. Since we are not allowed to execute files that are not digitally signed, we were not able to install the full application using the InstallAware_X3_With_Runtimes.exe setup. Instead, what we did was to execute the InstallAware_X3.exe file choosing the install all features option and the option to copy the runtimes to a local folder. So basically, when we install InstallAware, we execute the InstallAware_X3.exe file residing on a folder with all of the runtimes and we select full install.

By the way, I just compiled the project this morning and now I don't get errors. Not sure why since nothing changed other than turning the computer off for the night and turning back on again this morning.

Thanks.

[FrancescoT]

Dear Maximinus,

are you sure that an installed Anti Virus is not causing the problem?

Regards

[Maximinus]

Thanks Francesco,

There are no antiviruses running on this particular computer....other than the built-in Microsoft Windows 7 defender antivirus. This particular computer is used to evaluate new products and technologies, it literally has nothing installed on it other than a clean install of Windows 7, Visual Studio 2015 SP1 and InstallAware X3.

I suppose I could disable the built-in Microsoft Antivirus program but then why is it that other web media blocks build just fine while the .NET one does not? And how come just the act of changing the compression strength makes the build fail or succeed?

Is there something else you would like me to try to help you figure out what the problem may be? Is there a verbose log file that I could enable that would give you more insight on the potential problem?

[FrancescoT]

Dear Maximinus,

Windows defender cannot be the problem, I have the same installed on my dev machine and all works fine.

Did you try with creating a new dummy project from scratch? are you still able to replicate the same identical problem?
At such purpose you may create a project from the "basic setup project template".

Regards

[Maximinus]

Once the error pops up it occurs everywhere no matter what.

My very first post shows the build log (including the error message) of a "Web Deploy" on a brand new project based on the ".NET Setup" template and without doing anything to the project. I literally created the project based on the template (the template code was left intact), and then hit "Web Deploy" and bam, the error occurred.

It looks to me like IstallAware is cashing some value somewhere that is creating the problem, this is why the error goes away if InstallAware is reinstalled or the computer has been off for a while. The cached value must be cleared out by doing any of the actions mentioned above.

Have you tried creating a new project based on the .NET template, do a Web Deploy, then go to the .NET media block and change the "Download URLs: (one URL per line)" textbox value to something else and try to do a Web Deploy? Do you get an error?

[FrancescoT]

I am not able to replicate the problem.

Could you post such minimal project?
It might be the case that I am doing something different.

Regards

[Maximinus]

Well... I was hoping that with the new X4 version of InstallAware and by installing the application on a completely different computer the problem would go away but it still there:

Error during build: Unable to build web media block: Incorrect parameter value
Compressing web media block: microsoft .net framework 4/mFileBagIDE.dll\D6DE7D93\Windows10.0-KB3102495-x86.cab (0%)

To make matters even worst, we did at one point managed for InstallAware to successfully build the .NET framework 7zip package (not sure why sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't) but when we used the 7zip package to deploy the .NET framework we got errors in basically all the computers where the setup was being executed. We had install the .NET framework separately which is obviously not a good thing. I am not sure if both errors are related but that is what happened.

If you give me your email I can send you a copy of the script so you can take a look at it. Other than that, is there something else that you would like me to try to see if the error goes away?

Thanks.

[FrancescoT]

Dear Maximinus,

sure!
You can send me your files to: support@installaware.com

Please send a very minimal project that replicates the issue in a compressed archive and along with all the files used by your project.

Anyway, I still suspect that your problem has something to do with your system.

Regards