Getting error when trying to load the information for First Time Setup page left frames: Failed to get computers xml '', hexadecimal value 0x02, is an invalid character.

Products

• IT Management Suite

Issue/Introduction

 

Customer is not getting any data on the left frames when loading the First Time Setup page. Under the Step 1, Step 2 and Step 3 frames those display "0" rather than the actual values.

The NS logs displays the following error when loading this page:
Failed to get computers xml '', hexadecimal value 0x02, is an invalid character.

Failed to get computers xml
'', hexadecimal value 0x02, is an invalid character.
   [System.ArgumentException @ System.Xml]
   at System.Xml.XmlEncodedRawTextWriter.InvalidXmlChar(Int32 ch, Char* 
pDst, Boolean entitize)
   at System.Xml.XmlEncodedRawTextWriter.WriteAttributeTextBlock(Char* pSrc, 
Char* pSrcEnd)
   at System.Xml.XmlEncodedRawTextWriter.WriteString(String text)
   at System.Xml.XmlWellFormedWriter.WriteString(String text)
   at System.Xml.XmlWriter.WriteAttributeString(String prefix, String 
localName, String ns, String value)
   at System.Xml.Linq.ElementWriter.WriteStartElement(XElement e)
   at System.Xml.Linq.ElementWriter.WriteElement(XElement e)
   at System.Xml.Linq.XElement.WriteTo(XmlWriter writer)
   at System.Xml.Linq.XNode.GetXmlString(SaveOptions o)
   at Altiris.NS.Services.SetupPortal.SetupService.GetComputersXml(DateTime 
discoveredDate)

Exception logged from: 
   at Altiris.Diagnostics.Logging.EventLog.ReportException(Int32 severity, 
String strMessage, String category, Exception exception, String footer)
   at Altiris.NS.Services.SetupPortal.SetupService.GetComputersXml(DateTime 
discoveredDate)
   at SyncInvokeGetComputersXml(Object , Object[] , Object[] )
   at System.ServiceModel.Dispatcher.SyncMethodInvoker.Invoke(Object 
instance, Object[] inputs, Object[]& outputs)
   at 
System.ServiceModel.Dispatcher.DispatchOperationRuntime.InvokeBegin(MessageR
pc& rpc)
   at 
System.ServiceModel.Dispatcher.ImmutableDispatchRuntime.ProcessMessage5(Mess
ageRpc& rpc)
   at 
System.ServiceModel.Dispatcher.ImmutableDispatchRuntime.ProcessMessage31(Mes
sageRpc& rpc)
   at System.ServiceModel.Dispatcher.MessageRpc.Process(Boolean 
isOperationContextSet)
   at 
System.ServiceModel.Dispatcher.ChannelHandler.DispatchAndReleasePump(Request
Context request, Boolean cleanThread, OperationContext 
currentOperationContext)
   at 
System.ServiceModel.Dispatcher.ChannelHandler.HandleRequest(RequestContext 
request, OperationContext currentOperationContext)
   at 
System.ServiceModel.Dispatcher.ChannelHandler.AsyncMessagePump(IAsyncResult 
result)
   at System.Runtime.Fx.AsyncThunk.UnhandledExceptionFrame(IAsyncResult 
result)
   at System.Runtime.AsyncResult.Complete(Boolean completedSynchronously)
   at System.Runtime.InputQueue`1.AsyncQueueReader.Set(Item item)
   at System.Runtime.InputQueue`1.EnqueueAndDispatch(Item item, Boolean 
canDispatchOnThisThread)
   at System.Runtime.InputQueue`1.EnqueueAndDispatch(T item, Action 
dequeuedCallback, Boolean canDispatchOnThisThread)
   at 
System.ServiceModel.Channels.SingletonChannelAcceptor`3.Enqueue(QueueItemTyp
e item, Action dequeuedCallback, Boolean canDispatchOnThisThread)
   at 
System.ServiceModel.Channels.HttpPipeline.EnqueueMessageAsyncResult.Complete
ParseAndEnqueue(IAsyncResult result)
   at 
System.ServiceModel.Channels.HttpPipeline.EnqueueMessageAsyncResult.HandlePa
rseIncomingMessage(IAsyncResult result)
   at System.Runtime.AsyncResult.SyncContinue(IAsyncResult result)
   at 
System.ServiceModel.Channels.HttpPipeline.EmptyHttpPipeline.BeginProcessInbo
undRequest(ReplyChannelAcceptor replyChannelAcceptor, Action 
dequeuedCallback, AsyncCallback callback, Object state)
   at 
System.ServiceModel.Channels.HttpChannelListener`1.HttpContextReceivedAsyncR
esult`1.ProcessHttpContextAsync()
   at 
System.ServiceModel.Channels.HttpChannelListener`1.BeginHttpContextReceived(
HttpRequestContext context, Action acceptorCallback, AsyncCallback callback, 
Object state)
   at 
System.ServiceModel.Activation.HostedHttpTransportManager.HttpContextReceive
d(HostedHttpRequestAsyncResult result)
   at 
System.ServiceModel.Activation.HostedHttpRequestAsyncResult.HandleRequest()
   at 
System.ServiceModel.Activation.HostedHttpRequestAsyncResult.BeginRequest()
   at 
System.ServiceModel.Activation.HostedHttpRequestAsyncResult.OnBeginRequest(O
bject state)
   at 
System.ServiceModel.AspNetPartialTrustHelpers.PartialTrustInvoke(ContextCall
back callback, Object state)
   at 
System.ServiceModel.Activation.HostedHttpRequestAsyncResult.OnBeginRequestWi
thFlow(Object state)
   at System.Runtime.IOThreadScheduler.ScheduledOverlapped.IOCallback(UInt32 
errorCode, UInt32 numBytes, NativeOverlapped* nativeOverlapped)
   at System.Runtime.Fx.IOCompletionThunk.UnhandledExceptionFrame(UInt32 
error, UInt32 bytesRead, NativeOverlapped* nativeOverlapped)
   at 
System.Threading._IOCompletionCallback.PerformIOCompletionCallback(UInt32 
errorCode, UInt32 numBytes, NativeOverlapped* pOVERLAP)

Cause

Known issue. The problem is bad characters in computers' descriptions.

Resolution

This issue has been reported to Symantec Development team. A fix will be available post-ITMS 7.6.

A pointfix is available for those with SMP 7.6 HF5. See attached "Pointfix_eTrack3889751_7_6_HF5.zip" file.
A pointfix is available for those with SMP 7.6 HF5. See attached "ECV_7.6_POST_HF7.zip" file.

APPLICABILTY  REQUIREMENT:
SMP 7.6 HF5 -->Pointfix_eTrack3889751_7_6_HF5.zip
SMP 7.6 HF7 -->ECV_7.6_POST_HF7.zip

HOW TO INSTALL THIS POINTFIX:

1. Extract files from the archive to the NS hard drive. Make sure Point Fix is not extracted to Altiris install directory (or any subfolder to it).
2. Execute PFInstaller.exe with administrative privileges (right-click > Run as administrator). Select "Install Files".
3. Accept UAC (User Account Control) if prompted, select Install Files. Old binaries will be automatically backuped to the Backup folder at the same location where PFinstaller is and replaced with the new ones. Log-file Log.txt will be created at the same location where PFinstaller is.
4. Close PFInstaller window.

HOW TO UNINSTALL THIS POINTFIX:

1. Make sure that Backup subfolder is located in PFinstaller directory
2. Execute PFInstaller.exe with administrative privileges (right-click > Run as administrator). Old binaries will be repaired from Backup folder located at the same location where PFinstaller is. NS services should be started automatically.
3. Accept UAC (User Account Control) prompt, select Uninstall Files.
4. Close PFInstaller window.

CHANGES MADE

1. Changes made in Altiris.NS.Services.SetupPortal.dll