Summary: This is usually a data type error. A field in a table is not formatted properly.

Solutions: Find the offending entries in the tables. The ICE error information will usually tell you right where to go. Sometimes, the Key column in the Registry table will have an improperly formatted value. It may possess a trailing backslash, which is invalid. It may be missing a trailing "}" after a GUID entry as well. Trailing backslashes should be removed, missing “}” should be added.

     Some applications use number-based file extensions, such as WinAmp’s 669. Extensions in the extension column must begin with a letter (a–z) or an underscore (_). You should not attempt to modify or delete these errors. The application’s requirements are always more important than validation errors.

Summary: Extension table entry references a MIME type in the MIME_ column. The MIME table must have that same MIME type defined and reference that same extension in the Extension_ column. This is called a “reciprocal reference.” This error is caused when the referenced MIME type is already defined on the machine. Adding the associated entry into the MIME table will cause the application to remove the MIME type during uninstall, which can break previous associations.

Solutions: Find and delete the offending entry. Usually it is the entry in the MIME_ column in the extension table. The error has been known to appear in the opposite form, where you will need to delete a row from the MIME table, but that is very rare.

Summary: Component installs a shortcut, but has no key path resources. This can cause problems during repair.

Solution: Make a CreateFolder entry for the destination folder of the component.

Summary: Components that are a target of an entry point should use a file as its key path. If repackaged with Package Studio, the error might come up like "Extension 'dgf' advertises component 'Extension.'"

Solutions: If the error does return "Component 'Extension,'" then Package Studio has placed some information in the advertising tables without assigning the advertisement to an existing component. If this is the case then the vendor’s installation has not assigned the extension to an executable either. They may only be adding an icon or something similar to a file extension. That being the case, this error would be safe to leave as-is. If the vendor’s install does assign an executable to that extension, and the executable is in the MSI, you should reassign the extension to use that executable.

Summary: Checks for existence of Registry table entries that could belong to other windows installer tables, like Extension, Class, Verb, and so on. It is simply validating population, not content, meaning the entry may not have any place in an advertising table. If the installation was made using Setup Capture, it is not necessary, or sometimes not possible to fix these errors.

Solutions: In nearly all repackaging scenarios, ignore any ICE33 errors. If you are authoring an installation, it may be worthwhile to double check the entry.

Summary: Component installs files to a users' profile space, so it must use a HKCU registry key as the key path. This will cause problems with multiple users on the same machine or applications deployed through administrative accounts (Altiris, SMS, and others).

Solutions: You can create a faux registry key in HKCU and assign it to the component in question and set it as the key path. Optionally, you could move an existing HKCU registry key (non-key path) from another component and set that as the new key path.

Summary: Windows Installer caches icon files as .EXE or .ICO in C:\Windows\Installer\{ProductCode}. If the icons are not named as .EXE or .ICO, then the icons displayed for shortcuts and file extensions will take on the operating system's default icon for that extension. This would cause problems with uncommon extensions.

Solution: Package Studio will often make Windows Installer icon entries with common extensions like .TXT, .HLP, or .HTML. This is to ensure that the shortcut will have an icon that looks like all the other .TXT, .HLP or .HTML files on that operating system. Those icons appear slightly different on each operating system. You can leave these as is for optimal appearance.

Summary: Per-User data (HKCU, Profile Folder entries) cannot be in the same component with Per-Machine data (HKLM, HKCR, Windows, Program Files, and so on). Resources will not repair properly for multiple users.

Solutions: Move Per-User data to an existing component that already has Per-User data, or create a new component and move data into that. Be sure to set key paths.

Summary:  Affects cleanliness of uninstall in roaming profile scenarios. Empty Start Menu folders can be left behind after uninstall.

Solutions: If you do not use Roaming Profiles (Intellisync) and Active Directory group policy to assign/publish to Users, you can ignore this error.  It will have no effect on the environment.

     If you need to fix this error, you simply add the offending directory (specified in the ICE error description) to the RemoveFile table.  When populating the table entry, leave the Filename field blank, and specify “2” in the InstallMode field. This will remove the folder during uninstall, only if the folder is empty.