installing CRM client "network path not found"

[Richard Dynamics User]

I got a new Laptop (with a solid state drive for very high performance, which
is excellent, but this is an aisde) because this was an easier way to get
Windows 7. So clean, virgin Windows 7 installation.

When I run the CRM for Outlook configuration Wizard I get the message:

“Action Microsoft.Crm.Config.Common.InstallDatabaseAction failed.
The network path was not found.”

I think this my be happening because my system administrator installed
various packages on the laptop including the Dynamics CRM for Outlook with
Offline Access, but this leads to a bug when a different Domain user (me)
tries to run the Configuration Wizard.

Another theory that I have is that this is due to the fact that the new
laptop is running Bitlocker. I used to find that the Encrypted File System
on my Windows XP laptop would not be totally transparent to software, maybe
Bitlocker suffers from the same sort of problem.

I followed the instructions in

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/950247

which is for a similar but not exactly the same bug, but this didn't help.

It looks like there was some discussion of this bug here:

http://social.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/crmdeployment/thread/8638d3e3-8aed-4c59-800a-bb33ec6855a8

but the description of the fix that is given is too cursory for me to
follow. I found what looks like the SQL logs that it suggests but I can't
easily spot what I should be looking for and even if I did I don't know what
to do with it.

It's very frustrating that this is chewing up my time on a virgin laptop
install. Microsoft ought to be doing a better job on software QA for
Dynamics CRM.

[Richard Dynamics User]

I created a support request on this, number
110072267751491
if there is anyone from Microsoft listening.

It costs $259 to submit a support request. But Microsoft will often refund
the price of a support request when the problem is due to a bug in their
software. And this is clearly a bug. So nothing lost doing this.

(Ironically, I couldn't submit the support request using the IE browser.
The support site got hung up in some loop asking me to make
support.microsoft.com a trusted site. Even when I made it a trusted site
for IE it wouldn't get unstuck, still asking me to do so. I managed to
submit it using Firefox, though.)

Since it looks like a number of people have posted this bug (with no clear
replies or KB solution) I will try to post the solution when I get one.

The integration and installation between CRM outlook client and SQL Server
is very fragile.

[Richard Dynamics User]

Just for your entertainment

Once you submit a support request, the Support tool directs the web browser
to a link to download a data collection tool that is relevant to the bug.
But that doesn't work with Firefox - the web site says - make sure to get IE.

They also email the link, so I clicked on it. And got the error message:

Manifest.msdm
Dcode.support.microsoft.com
Unknown file type, 189 bytes.

[Richard Dynamics User]

CRM support called me back.

Indeed the problem is when the CRM Outlook Client with Offline Access is
installed by any other administrator other than the person using the machine.
When this happens SQL Server gets somehow bound to the person who installed
it. If you try to configure CRM Outlook Client later with someone different,
it can't set up a database on the SQL Server.

The solution is to uninstall both the CRM Client *and* SQL Server. Then
reinstall CRM Client as the user who will use it. That will put SQL Server
in, but as the right user.

Microsoft refunded the cost of the support call, because it was their bug.

[AdamV]

I don't think this is a bug. It is a documented part of the
installation. Offline client only works for a single user on a machine,
and that user must be the one to install it (requiring temporary rights
to do so).

Glad you got it fixed now.

Post by Richard Dynamics User
CRM support called me back.
Indeed the problem is when the CRM Outlook Client with Offline Access is
installed by any other administrator other than the person using the machine.
When this happens SQL Server gets somehow bound to the person who installed
it. If you try to configure CRM Outlook Client later with someone different,
it can't set up a database on the SQL Server.
The solution is to uninstall both the CRM Client *and* SQL Server. Then
reinstall CRM Client as the user who will use it. That will put SQL Server
in, but as the right user.
Microsoft refunded the cost of the support call, because it was their bug.

[jmgw]

It is indeed a bug. I have installed this software on literally hundreds of machine and it is always done as administrator. It works on 90% of them with no problems. Then for some reason a few always give this error. It is random as the hardware and permissions for every user is the same. The only fix I have found is to simply uninstall and reinstall the software. This is done as administrator and everything works after. There have have been rare occasions maybe 3 that I had to give user temp admin rights.



AdamV wrote:

I do not think this is a bug. It is a documented part of theinstallation.
24-Jul-10

I do not think this is a bug. It is a documented part of th
installation. Offline client only works for a single user on a machine
and that user must be the one to install it (requiring temporary right
to do so)

Glad you got it fixed now

On 23/07/2010 03:20, Richard Dynamics User wrote:

Previous Posts In This Thread:


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[Steen Schlüter Persson]

Hi,

I don't know if this is a bug as such. In my opinion it's more "by design".
The reason for why it doesn't work for a different user, is that the
database files are placed in the Documents and Setting\XXX folder hence
isn't available to a different user. One could of course argue that the
Configuration tool should then just create a new database in the current
users folder, but apparently that isn't happening with the current version.
I haven't yet had time to test this behaviour with CRM5 but maybe/hopefully
that will be different.
--
Regards
Steen Schlüter Persson (DK)

Post by Richard Dynamics User
I got a new Laptop (with a solid state drive for very high performance, which
is excellent, but this is an aisde) because this was an easier way to get
Windows 7. So clean, virgin Windows 7 installation.
"Action Microsoft.Crm.Config.Common.InstallDatabaseAction failed.
The network path was not found."
I think this my be happening because my system administrator installed
various packages on the laptop including the Dynamics CRM for Outlook with
Offline Access, but this leads to a bug when a different Domain user (me)
tries to run the Configuration Wizard.
Another theory that I have is that this is due to the fact that the new
laptop is running Bitlocker. I used to find that the Encrypted File System
on my Windows XP laptop would not be totally transparent to software, maybe
Bitlocker suffers from the same sort of problem.
I followed the instructions in
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/950247
which is for a similar but not exactly the same bug, but this didn't help.
http://social.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/crmdeployment/thread/8638d3e3-8aed-4c59-800a-bb33ec6855a8
but the description of the fix that is given is too cursory for me to
follow. I found what looks like the SQL logs that it suggests but I can't
easily spot what I should be looking for and even if I did I don't know what
to do with it.
It's very frustrating that this is chewing up my time on a virgin laptop
install. Microsoft ought to be doing a better job on software QA for
Dynamics CRM.