Enforce installation error CustomAction configureExternalStorage is in incorrect format

Products

• Data Loss Prevention Core Package

Issue/Introduction

While reinstalling the Enforce server on a new server we encounter the following error in the enforce_install.log

At the bottom of the file we have in conclusion of a failed install: 

MSI (s) (DC:40) [13:59:49:884]: Product: Symantec Data Loss Prevention 15.8.00000 Enforce Server -- Installation failed.

MSI (s) (DC:40) [13:59:49:884]: Windows Installer installed the product. Product Name: Symantec Data Loss Prevention 15.8.00000 Enforce Server. Product Version: 15.8.00000.19012. Product Language: 1033. Manufacturer: Symantec Corporation. Installation success or error status: 1603.

MSI (s) (DC:40) [13:59:49:978]: Deferring clean up of packages/files, if any exist
MSI (s) (DC:40) [13:59:49:978]: MainEngineThread is returning 1603
MSI (s) (DC:44) [13:59:49:978]: RESTART MANAGER: Session closed.
MSI (s) (DC:44) [13:59:49:978]: No System Restore sequence number for this installation.
=== Logging stopped: 5/6/2023  13:59:49 ===
MSI (s) (DC:44) [13:59:49:978]: User policy value 'DisableRollback' is 0
MSI (s) (DC:44) [13:59:49:978]: Machine policy value 'DisableRollback' is 0
MSI (s) (DC:44) [13:59:49:978]: Incrementing counter to disable shutdown. Counter after increment: 0
MSI (s) (DC:44) [13:59:49:978]: Note: 1: 1402 2: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Installer\Rollback\Scripts 3: 2 
MSI (s) (DC:44) [13:59:49:978]: Note: 1: 1402 2: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Installer\Rollback\Scripts 3: 2 
MSI (s) (DC:44) [13:59:49:978]: Decrementing counter to disable shutdown. If counter >= 0, shutdown will be denied.  Counter after decrement: -1
MSI (s) (DC:44) [13:59:49:978]: Destroying RemoteAPI object.
MSI (s) (DC:38) [13:59:49:994]: Custom Action Manager thread ending.
MSI (c) (E4:9C) [13:59:49:994]: Decrementing counter to disable shutdown. If counter >= 0, shutdown will be denied.  Counter after decrement: -1
MSI (c) (E4:9C) [13:59:49:994]: MainEngineThread is returning 1603
=== Verbose logging stopped: 5/6/2023  13:59:49 ===

The point of failure is usually indicated above the lines where "InstallFinalize. Return value 3" appears, so here we have an indication that the issue is related to configuring external storage where the data provided is not received in the expected format.  

MSI (s) (DC:08) [13:59:43:450]: Invoking remote custom action. DLL: C:\windows\Installer\MSI5BFB.tmp, Entrypoint: configureExternalStorage
MSI (s) (DC!30) [13:59:43:466]: Note: 1: 2205 2:  3: Error 
MSI (s) (DC!30) [13:59:43:466]: Note: 1: 2228 2:  3: Error 4: SELECT `Message` FROM `Error` WHERE `Error` = 1709 
MSI (s) (DC!30) [13:59:43:466]: Product: Symantec Data Loss Prevention 15.8.00000 Enforce Server -- CustomActionData is in incorrect format

CustomActionData is in incorrect format
CustomAction configureExternalStorage.401D797E_336E_470A_B482_AFC1EA3637F4 returned actual error code 1603 (note this may not be 100% accurate if translation happened inside sandbox)
MSI (s) (DC:40) [13:59:43:466]: Note: 1: 2265 2:  3: -2147287035 
MSI (s) (DC:40) [13:59:43:466]: User policy value 'DisableRollback' is 0
MSI (s) (DC:40) [13:59:43:466]: Machine policy value 'DisableRollback' is 0
Action ended 13:59:43: InstallFinalize. Return value 3.

Environment

Release : 15.8

Cause

The installation is looking for a value for the external storage path but in previous installation no external storage was used and deemed not necessary as all data would be stored in the Oracle database. In this attempted install the type of external storage being used was not passed as a parameter which tripped up the installer.  

Where possible, to verify the type of external storage used one should check the parameters in the Protect.properties file on the previous Enforce server or backed up files

Please see the section "To change the settings for external storage of incident attachments" in Article ID: 150149 - About External Storage for incident attachments in DLP for details on that.

Resolution

If you are 100% sure you are not using external storage then try adding this option to the command line when installing to force it to recognise the Database is being used for all storage: 

-externalStorageOption=Database

For example: 

msiexec /i EnforceServer.msi /qn /norestart /L*v D:\New_installs\enforce_install.log INSTALLATION_DIRECTORY="D:\SymantecDLP\DataLossPrevention" DATA_DIRECTORY="D:\SymantecDLP\DataLossPrevention" JRE_DIRECTORY="D:\SymantecDLP\jdk8u262-b10-jre" FIPS_OPTION=Disabled SERVICE_USER_USERNAME=protect SERVICE_USER_PASSWORD=<Password> ORACLE_HOST=<ORACLEHOST> ORACLE_PORT=1522 ORACLE_USERNAME=protect ORACLE_PASSWORD=<Password> ORACLE_SERVICE_NAME=protect ENFORCE_ADMINISTRATOR_PASSWORD=<password> REINSTALLATION_RESOURCE_FILE="D:\EnforceResources_xx.xx.xx.zip" INITIALIZE_DATABASE_OPTION=Preserve -externalStorageOption=Database

If you are using external storage option you should specify the option as follows along with the correct path: 

-externalStorageOption=ExternalStorage -externalStorageDirectory=<path>