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Monday, September 19, 2011

Installing Dynamics AX Client on Windows 8

Previously, I blogged on Installing Windows 8 on Virtual Machine over here http://daxdilip.blogspot.com/2011/09/installing-windows-8-developer-preview.html and as promised in my last post, I have come up with this post on installing Dynamics AX on Windows 8.

I was able to install successfully Dynamics AX 4.0 and 2009 Client (The installation experience is the same as before).

Note, I have both the AOS's running on my local host.

Below are couple of screenshots of Dynamics AX Client on Windows 8:

a. Shortcut of Dynamics AX on Metro Style Desktop



















b. Dynamics AX Client on Win 8






















Installation of Dynamics AX 2012 on Windows 8

You might be wondering, why did I install pervious versions of AX and why not AX 2012? :-), Well, I tried but the Pre-Requisite Validation software fails on Windows 8 :-(


















By seeing the log below, it looks like there's a compatibility issue either with Windows Installer or the .Net framework on which the Validation software was built. Will dig in later when I get some time.

Message: Version string portion was too short or too long.


FullText: System.ArgumentException: Version string portion was too short or too long.
  at System.Version..ctor(String version)
  at Microsoft.Dynamics.Setup.PrereqAssembly.Utilities.ParseVersionString(String vstring)
  at Microsoft.Dynamics.Setup.PrereqAssembly.PreReqCheckItemVersion.ValidateVersion(String versionString)
  at Microsoft.Dynamics.Setup.PrereqAssembly.WindowsInstallerVersionCheck.Execute()
  at Microsoft.Dynamics.Setup.PrereqAssembly.Prerequisite.Execute()
  at Microsoft.Dynamics.Setup.PrereqAssembly.PreReqCollection.PerformAsyncPrereqChecks(Object sender, DoWorkEventArgs e)
  at System.ComponentModel.BackgroundWorker.WorkerThreadStart(Object argument)


 ==== Setup encountered an unhandled exception and could not be completed. For details see the previous messages in the log. ===

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Sound slike version compatibility. If you right click on the AX client icon and click properties, then undr compatibility if you set it to run run in windows 7 compatibility mode, does it still fail to run on Windows 8 Developer preview?

Vesa Tikkanen said...

This is actually possible.

I figured out a solution to install client to Win8 Consumer Preview.

Actual Problem is with "CheckWindowsInstallerVersion" routine. It checks what is the version of %%WINDIR%%\System32\msi.dll and the version which is shipped with win8 do not work.

Before starting installer rename your win8 version of msi.dll to msi8.dll and copy msi.dll from win7 machine in-place. Start installer. go to pre-requirement phase. It will now work ok. It will say that you need to install pre-requirements. It will highlight the remaining issues. Now it is time to rename msi.dll to msi7.dll and msi8.dll to msi.dll. Install all other prerequirements than Windows Identity Framework. They will complete ok.

Install Identity framework via controlpanel/add remove windows features.

Click revalidate. You're ok to go further! Client will install ok.

Kine said...

To solve this issue, you need to change File Version on file msi.dll in system32 folder. I think it will be enough to remove the text behind the version. I have changed the version info of the file to same values as in Win7 file and installation succeeded!

Kine said...

You need to change the File Version on msi.dll file in system32 folder. There is additional text under Windows 8 and it is creating the problem… I just changed the version string to same as in Win7 and installation succeeded.

Simon Buxton said...

I tried windows 7 compatibility, and also update the SetupPrep.exe and the temporary version that the installer creates (the great new task manager let me find this file easily).

But no matter what I did, nothing worked...

Simon Buxton said...

I tried windows 7 compatibility, and also update the SetupPrep.exe and the temporary version that the installer creates (the great new task manager let me find this file easily).

But no matter what I did, nothing worked...

Unknown said...

Here is how I solved it.

First you have to take ownership of the MSI.dll in System32, and make a backup (msi.dll.WIN8) then take a copy of the msi.dll from Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7 (msi.dll.WIN7).

Substitute the msi.dll with the WIN7, and run the setup prerequisites. Identify all what is needed, copy the WIN8 dll back, and install the needed prerequisites.

Swap back to the WIN7 dll, run the setup (hopefully now with all prerequisites in place). Run the setup all the way until the button, swap to the WIN8 dll and finish the installation.

Flemming Gregersen

Unknown said...

Here is how I solved it.

First you have to take ownership of the MSI.dll in System32, and make a backup (msi.dll.WIN8) then take a copy of the msi.dll from Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7 (msi.dll.WIN7).

Substitute the msi.dll with the WIN7, and run the setup prerequisites. Identify all what is needed, copy the WIN8 dll back, and install the needed prerequisites.

Swap back to the WIN7 dll, run the setup (hopefully now with all prerequisites in place). Run the setup all the way until the button, swap to the WIN8 dll and finish the installation.

Anonymous said...

I had the same error do you find the solutiion?

Anonymous said...

I am trying to setup a test lab on server 8 beta. have used file version renaming to 7 version and proceeding with setup. Am stuck at .net 4 package patch pre-requisite. haven't been able to get past it. Any Ideas ?

-JB

Simon Buxton said...

Installation using AX 2012 R2 is fine on Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012.

However, you must uninstall the AX 2012 setup files - otherwise it tries to use the AX 2012 (non R2) setup files.