Installation of net framework updates like KB2657424 failing as ‘web.config’ file has Read Only (RO) attribute

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ISSUE DESCRIPTION:

Installation of .net framework updates like KB2657424 failing as ‘web.config’ file has Read Only (RO) attribute

ENVIRONMENT:

This is applicable to both 32 bit and 64 bit machines, running Windows 8/Widows 7/ Server 2012/ Server 2008/ Windows Server2003/ Widows XP

Symptom and inference :

The installations of .net framework 3.5 sp1 updates such as kb2657424 fail during installation.

Having enabled windows installer verbose logging on the machine (https://support.microsoft.com/kb/223300) you will see the following as part of the newly formed .net framework 3.5sp1 failed installation log:

01/30/12 12:55:04 DDSet_Entry: RunProcess started

01/30/12 12:55:04 DDSet_Status: CustomActionData: "C:\WINDOWS\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v3.5\WFServicesReg.exe" /c /v /m /i

DDSet_Entry: WFServicesReg.exe

DDSet_Status: CFxInstaller::CopyConfigFilesToTemp is64bit=0

DDSet_Status: CFileHelper::CopyConfigFilesToTempLocation

DDSet_Error: CFileHelper::CheckIsWriteable C:\WINDOWS\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v2.0.50727\config\web.config is read only.

DDSet_Error: _fileHelper->CopyConfigFilesToTempLocation failed. Error code: 0x80004005

DDSet_Error: Failed to copy config files to temp directory. Error code: 0x80004005

DDSet_CARetVal: -2147467259

DDSet_Exit: WFServicesReg.exe

01/30/12 12:55:04 DDSet_Status: Process returned -2147467259

01/30/12 12:55:04 DDSet_Error: The Commandline '"C:\WINDOWS\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v3.5\WFServicesReg.exe" /c /v /m /i' returned non-zero value: -2147467259.

01/30/12 12:55:04 DDSet_CARetVal: -2147467259

01/30/12 12:55:04 DDSet_Exit: RunProcess ended

MSI (s) (1C:94) [12:55:04:608]: User policy value 'DisableRollback' is 0

MSI (s) (1C:94) [12:55:04:608]: Machine policy value 'DisableRollback' is 0

Action ended 12:55:04: InstallExecute. Return value 3.

As is evident from the above lines, the issue is with the web.config file at location C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v2.0.50727\CONFIG

The file has been marked as read only, because of which it is not possible for the update installation to modify the contents of the file in any way, and hence you see the installation failure.

Resolution:

Navigate to C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v2.0.50727\CONFIG. Under the properties of the web.config file, read only attribute needs to be unchecked. Running the update installation again will go through (unless there are other unrelated issues!)

 

Content By  : Ritwik Sinha