Cannot install WinOf2 on Windows 11 - error 1603

Infrastructure & Networking Software And Drivers WinOF Driver
1

When i try to install the WinOf2 driver on a windows 11 desktop, i get an error saying “The wizard was interrupted before MLNX_WinOf2 could be completely installed”. The card has been updated to the latest firmware and works fine using the default driver from windows, but I’d like the tools from the driver package.

The card in the machine is a ConnectX-4 Lx (MCX4111A-ACAT)

I don’t know much about the windows installer but this seems to be the relevant part of the log:

MSI (s) (C0:D4) [00:34:25:958]: Doing action: AddFilesForRM
Action 00.34.25: AddFilesForRM. 
Action start 00.34.25: AddFilesForRM.
MSI (s) (C0:D4) [00:34:25:960]: Creating MSIHANDLE (83) of type 790542 for thread 35540
MSI (s) (C0:B0) [00:34:25:961]: Invoking remote custom action. DLL: C:\WINDOWS\Installer\MSI4FA4.tmp, Entrypoint: AddFilesForRM
MSI (s) (C0!10) [00:34:25:965]: Creating MSIHANDLE (84) of type 790531 for thread 2320
AddFilesForRM: Get property MsiRestartManagerSessionKey
MSI (s) (C0!10) [00:34:25:966]: Closing MSIHANDLE (84) of type 790531 for thread 2320
MSI (s) (C0!10) [00:34:25:966]: Creating MSIHANDLE (85) of type 790531 for thread 2320
AddFilesForRM: property MsiRestartManagerSessionKey = 
MSI (s) (C0!10) [00:34:25:966]: Closing MSIHANDLE (85) of type 790531 for thread 2320
MSI (s) (C0!10) [00:34:25:966]: Creating MSIHANDLE (86) of type 790531 for thread 2320
AddFilesForRM: calling RmJoinSession
MSI (s) (C0!10) [00:34:25:967]: Closing MSIHANDLE (86) of type 790531 for thread 2320
MSI (s) (C0!10) [00:34:25:968]: Creating MSIHANDLE (87) of type 790531 for thread 2320
AddFilesForRM: RmJoinSession failed with error Multiple connections to a server or shared resource by the same user, using more than one user name, are not allowed. Disconnect all previous connections to the server or shared resource and try again.

<snip similar sections>

MSI (s) (C0!10) [00:34:25:975]: Closing MSIHANDLE (99) of type 790531 for thread 2320
CustomAction AddFilesForRM returned actual error code 1603 (note this may not be 100% accurate if translation happened inside sandbox)
MSI (s) (C0:B0) [00:34:25:977]: Closing MSIHANDLE (83) of type 790542 for thread 35540
Action ended 00.34.25: AddFilesForRM. Return value 3.
Action ended 00.34.25: INSTALL. Return value 3.

Should "AddFilesForRM: property MsiRestartManagerSessionKey = " have a value?

The log ends with:

MSI (c) (84:9C) [00:34:34:051]: Note: 1: 1708 
MSI (c) (84:9C) [00:34:34:051]: Product: MLNX_WinOF2 -- Installation operation failed.
MSI (c) (84:9C) [00:34:34:052]: Windows Installer installed the product. Product Name: MLNX_WinOF2. Product Version: 24.10.50010. Product Language: 1033. Manufacturer: Mellanox Technologies. Installation success or error status: 1603.
MSI (c) (84:9C) [00:34:34:052]: Grabbed execution mutex.
MSI (c) (84:9C) [00:34:34:052]: Cleaning up uninstalled install packages, if any exist
MSI (c) (84:9C) [00:34:34:059]: MainEngineThread is returning 1603

I get the same error when attempting to uninstall the existing WinOF driver for the Connectx-3 i had in the machine previously and when when trying to re-install the WinOf driver (for debug purposes).

I have tried:

  • Running the installer in safe mode and safe mode w. networking, enabling msiserver first
  • Creating a new admin user to run the installation
  • Removing leftover relevant entries from the registry
  • Removing old WinOf drivers from the windows driver store
  • Upgrade to Win 11 24h2 (was 23h2)
  • Removed WMI autologger entries related to WinOf and WinOf2 (not sure how a WinOf2 got in there - windows’ built in driver?)
  • Using windows’ troubleshooter for failing installations (it just removed the WinOf entry from installed programs list)
  • Praying to tech jesus
  • Anything i could possibly think of

Edit: forgot the full log: WinOf2-log-error.txt (605.3 KB)

2

The installation should be performed with administrative privileges.
Please try uninstalling WinOF completely, and then install WinOF-2, both using the “Run as Administrator” option (right-click the installer and select “Run as administrator”).

Regards,
Chen

3

I have tried all of the above. I get the same error when attempting to uninstall WinOF both with and without starting with admin privileges. I ended up using one of Microsofts troubleshooter tools, which removed the WinOF entry from installed programs, but did not uninstall anything as far as i can see.

Trying to prevent loading the WinOF drivers manually (using sysinternals autoruns) cause the machine to become unbootable. I since then upgraded to Win 11 24h2 as well as doing a repair install. I now only have mlx4_bus left that seems to be from the older drivers.

All of this smells a lot like something is wrong with the machine, but everything else works, including other MSI installers. Best i can understand from the log is that something goes wrong in a custom action in the WinOF2 installer.

4

One workaround that seems to work is to set the Windows registry HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Installer\DisableAutomaticApplicationShutdown to 2.

I don’t know why that works but it was discovered by one of our engineers. Can NVIDIA take a closer look and investigate?

1 Like
5

Please let your engineer know that they are amazing. It worked!

Thank you