APP-V 4.6: The Application Virtualization Client could not launch application. Error code: 4604EE8-1690140A-20000194

Last week I wanted to build a sample APP-V Demo. I decided to demonstrate APP-V 4.6 using basic setup. I am using 1 Management Server running Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 that will be hosting & streaming applications. 1 Client machine Windows 7 x86 as base OS for Sequencing Applications like Adobe, Office etc.. 1-2 Clients running Windows 7 x86 for running the APP-V Packages. Instead of using the pre-packaged demos I always prefer to prepare fresh demos on my own. Well, then I started collecting the basic bits. I visited TechNet & downloaded necessary APP-V 4.6 Packages. The entire demo is setup running on Hyper-V VMs.

Management Server Installation

All the necessary pre-requisites were configured like SQL Server 2008, IIS Web Services & AD Groups. I installed the Management Server on Windows Server 2008 R2 with proper configuration using Custom Choice. For this demo I did not choose Certificate therefore I was using default port 554 for RTSP. Later at this topic I changed the Content directory to C:Content. Later added specific groups and completed installation. After installation I created necessary Firewall policies for APP-V binaries in APP-V Program Files folder & also added necessary permissions to Content folder.

Everything went went well without any issue. Because I am doing the demo using VMs I had to manually start Application Virtualization Management Server Service. I opened up Management Console, provided Management Server name & connected to my APP-V Console.

Sequencer Client

On a Client running Windows 7 x86, I installed APP-V Sequencer 4.6 & configured it well. I created 2 packages 1 for Adobe Reader 9 & 1 for VLC Player 1.1. I tested them and later copied them to Content folder on APP-V Management Server.

Now, on my APP-V Management Server I imported those packages checked their properties, path & all. Everything is good and I am ready for APP-V Clients.

Testing APP-V Packages on Clients

Now, this is the last step, I installed x86 APP-V Client on 1 of the client VMs running Windows 7 x86. I provided necessary details like Server Configuration i.e. APP-V Management Server. This worked out well so far.

I launched APP-V Client Console, clicked on Publishing Serves. Right clicked onto it and clicked on Refresh. ( By default Next User Refresh is configured for On Login.) Now, in next few seconds I could see my APP-V Packages showing up in the Console & I could see 2 shortcuts on my Desktop. Here comes the surprise part. As soon as I double clicked onto Adobe Reader I got the following error.

The package requested could not be found in the system data store or the files associated with this package could not be found on the server. Report the following error code to your System Administrator.

Error code: 4604EE8-1690140A-20000194

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I spent enough time to troubleshoot it, tried to check all the steps assuming in case I missed something. Tried to create the packages again with proper package filenames without spaces. Nothing helped. Then I decided to check for forums, first stop was https://support.microsoft.com but could not find much. Then I decided to go for https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/ I search for specific error code & string and I could find several results.

I visited this result https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/appvgeneralsequencing/thread/ebad9c13-d16b-4d85-bf5f-2036623cc407 which given me some idea that APP-V Management server has not updated the Content folder that we change during installation. And the registry entry is still pointing to the default location. I then tried to search for specific registry key for 64-bit version os. Well it was easy to search, I got another link https://jamiebaldanza.org/2010/03/25/4605f3-1690140a-20000194-error-on-app-v-client-pc-when-launching-application/ that helped me completely nail down the issue. Here it is..

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Apparently, if you see the registry path HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREWow6432NodeMicrosoftSoftGrid4.5Server. The SOFTGRID_CONTENT_DIR is still pointing to default location C:Pragram Files (x86)Microsoft… instead of pointing it to C:Content. This is the exact reason we are getting the above error.

Resolution

First, change the directory location value for SOFTGRID_CONTENT_DIR to C:Content. Once done, open up Services.msc & restart Application Virtualization Management Server service.

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Now, go to the Client and launch the APP-V Packages by double clicking onto the shortcuts created on Desktop.

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Enjoy