Unable to upgrade. Getting stuck under step: Configure Deployment Solution

Products

IT Management Suite Deployment Solution

Issue/Introduction

The customer is trying to upgrade to a newer version of ITMS (IT Management Suite); However, Deployment Solution is getting stuck during this step:

Configuring task 88 of 102: Configure Deployment Solution 8.x xxx
Configuring task 88 of 102: Configure Deployment Solution 8.x xxx - Installing default product configuration

It will stay in the same step for hours, even days if SIM (Symantec Installation Manager) was not killed manually.

Environment

Upgrade to ITMS 8.x but it could happen on later versions as well

Cause

We noticed the following entries right before getting to this state:

Entry 1:
Unable to manage the distribution points under user [Example\exampleadmin] for package: 'DriversDB' (20827ddd-c698-49e8-b312-830df1d935b2)

Could not access the path for package: 'DriversDB' (20827ddd-c698-49e8-b312-830df1d935b2), path=\\SMP01.EXAMPLE.COM\NSCap\bin\Deployment\DriversDB
[System.UnauthorizedAccessException @ Altiris.NS.StandardItems]
at Altiris.NS.StandardItems.SoftwareDelivery.SWDSupport.ValidatePackageForMdp(PackageItem pkgItem, String pkgAccessDomain, String pkgAccessUser, String pkgAccessPassword)
at Altiris.NS.StandardItems.SoftwareDelivery.SWDSupport.DistributionPointsPackageArea.Enter(PackageItem pkgItem, Boolean snapshotOnly)
at Altiris.NS.StandardItems.SoftwareDelivery.SWDSupport.ManageDistributionPoints(PackageItem pkgItem, Boolean snapshotOnly)

Exception logged from:
at Altiris.NS.StandardItems.SoftwareDelivery.SWDSupport.ManageDistributionPoints(Altiris.NS.StandardItems.SoftwareDelivery.PackageItem, Boolean)
at Altiris.NS.StandardItems.SoftwareDelivery.PackageItem.UpdateDistributionPoints()
at Altiris.Deployment.DeploymentInstallation.UpdateDSPackageItems()
at Altiris.Deployment.DeploymentInstallation.HotfixUpdates()
at Altiris.Deployment.DeploymentHotfix.OnInstallDefaultProductConfiguration(System.Xml.XmlNode)
at Altiris.NS.StandardItems.Product.ProductInstallation.InstallDefaultProductConfiguration()
at Altiris.NS.StandardItems.Product.ProductInstallation.InstallProduct()
at Altiris.NS.Installation.ProductConfigurationWorker.ConfigureProductInternal(String, Boolean, Altiris.NS.Serialization.SerializationMode)
at Altiris.NS.Installation.ProductConfigurationWorker.ConfigureProductBatchInternal()
at Altiris.NS.Installation.ProductConfigurationWorker.ConfigureProductBatch()
at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.RunInternal(System.Threading.ExecutionContext, System.Threading.ContextCallback, Object, Boolean)
at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.Run(System.Threading.ExecutionContext, System.Threading.ContextCallback, Object, Boolean)
at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.Run(System.Threading.ExecutionContext, System.Threading.ContextCallback, Object)
at System.Threading.ThreadHelper.ThreadStart()

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: 2/6/2019 1:40:58 PM, Tick Count: 12844843 (03:34:04.8430000),
Process: AeXSvc (9136), Thread ID: 6, Module: Altiris.NS.StandardItems.dll
Priority: 2, Source: Altiris.NS.StandardItems.SoftwareDelivery.SWDSupport.ManageDistributionPoints

Entry 2:
Getting exception while loading DriversDB package. Exception Message ::Could not access the path for package: 'DriversDB' (20827ddd-c698-49e8-b312-830df1d935b2), path=\\SMP01.EXAMPLE.COM\NSCap\bin\Deployment\DriversDB
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: 2/6/2019 1:40:58 PM, Tick Count: 12844843 (03:34:04.8430000),
Process: AeXSvc (9136), Thread ID: 6, Module: Symantec.Deployment.dll
Priority: 1, Source: Altiris.Deployment.DeploymentInstallation.UpdateDSPackageItems

When looking at this location: path=\\SMP01.EXAMPLE.COM\NSCap\bin\Deployment\DriversDB
This "DriversDB" virtual share folder was not created. The "BDC" share was present.

Resolution

Try the following:

Open Task Manager and look for "Symantec Boot Disk Creator (32 bit)". It may appear twice.
If one of those instances is consuming over 50-60% of CPU, end both processes. You may need to try like three times because it may come back.
If after killing the "Symantec Boot Disk Creator (32 bit)" processes you were able to finish the repair, then BootWiz was having a hard time in creating/updating the Automation Folder.

Note:
Also, if the steps above didn't help. stop the bootwiz process under Task Manager.
The bootwiz process comes back and SIM resumes the installation.