Orcas Beta1 Professional iso: MSDN Library not working

Question

I've downloaded Orcas Beta1 Professional ISO from MSDN subscribers and installed it on VPC 2007 running XP SP2 (IE6 on it...)

Everything went fine (no errors) and Orcas looks good but MSDN library doesn't work: If I open Contents page and select a filter I have  a "Selected filter contains an error that prevents it from being applied", If I select an argument from the index I have a "No Topic for this entry" message.

Anyone in this situation?

Corrado

Answer 1

I get something similar on XP Pro with IE7; The contents tab displays "No table of contents has been defined for the current Help collection" and some of the topics in the index display no information (although some do).

Kit

Answer 2

Corrado, thanks very much for reporting this issue to us. Can you provide us with some more information to get a better idea on what caused this issue for you?

 

How did you install the MSDN Library? Did you download the ISO image and:

• Burned it to a DVD and installed it directly from the media
• Burned it to a DVD and then copied it to a network share and installed the library from the share
• Mounted the ISO image as another virtual drive and installed the library

Also, did you install the MSDN Library by itself, or did you install it following the Visual Studio Codename Orcas install?

 

Thanks,

 

Harry

Answer 3

I have the same problem of Corrado:

 

I mount the ISO image on my Virtual PC.

I have installed the library following the Visual Studio Codename Orcas Install.

 

My configuration:

Virtual PC with Windows XP SP2,IE 7.

 

Bye

Answer 4

I have the same problem of Corrado.

 

I mount the ISO image on my VIRTUAL PC.

I have installed the MSDN library following Visual Studio Codename Orcas Install.

My configuration:

 

Windows XP SP2,IE 7.

 

Bye.

Simon.

Answer 5

I have exactly the same configuration:

XP SP2, IE7, ISO mounted in VPC2007

 

Kit

Answer 6

Hi Harry,

As other posted I've installed iso attaching it to VPC2007, BTW the same happens also with Orcas VSTS Iso Image.
  I've installed MSDN Library following Orcas install.

 

Any hint?

Corrado

 

 

Answer 7

I am also getting "No table of contents has been defined for the current help collection".

 

If I go to the index, I find some content, but this appears to be just help on help.

 

This is after installing from the Team Suite ISO image on to a Win2k3 SP2 VM under Visual Studio.

 

Running a repair does not help.

 

WIll try with a clean VM (one that did not have a Orcas CTP previously on it)...

Answer 8

rjcox wrote:

WIll try with a clean VM (one that did not have a Orcas CTP previously on it)...

 

Well, that didn't help. Now just getting Help on Help in the contents. The un-filtered index appears reasonable, but just gives "No Topics for Index Entry".

Answer 9

Also tried:

1. Installing on VPC2004 attaching iso
2. Copying files from Iso to VPC 2007 then installing from copied files

None of the above test succeeded, so I still have no documentation.

Answer 10

I tried again with 2K3 Server with SP2, mounting the ISO and get exactly the same set of errors.

 

Kit

Answer 11

Windows Vista Ultimate has the same issues.

 

Kit

Answer 12

I've raised a defect for this issue: https://connect.microsoft.com/VisualStudio/feedback/ViewFeedback.aspx?FeedbackID=274989

 

Please vote/validate this.

Answer 13

Richard,

Your feedback has been closed as "not reproducible" (I hate when MS "solves" bugs this way...)

Opened a new one: https://connect.microsoft.com/VisualStudio/feedback/ViewFeedback.aspx?FeedbackID=275010 let's hope to find someone more interested on that.

Answer 14

Corrado Cavalli wrote:

Richard, Your feedback has been closed as "not reproducible" (I hate when MS "solves" bugs this way...)

 

It is open again. Given the amount of time I cannot see how this was tested (finalisation of help takes significant time on its own.

 

Reopened (and noted yours as reproducable0.

 

Currently I'm thinking of going back to the CTP, since no effective way to look at the new capabilities without any help.

Answer 15

Corrado,

 

If you open standalone MSDN shortcut (Start->All Programs->Microsoft Developer Network-> Microsoft library for Visual Studio Orcas) does it work correctly?

 

Could you please run dir /A:H in C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Microsoft Help" and post results?

 

Thank you in advance,

Maria Shneerson, MSDN

Answer 16

Yes, bug has been reopened.

Let's hope someone from MS taking care of this. At the moment i am not recommending installing Orcas iso.

Answer 17

 

Corrado,

 

If you open standalone MSDN shortcut (Start->All Programs->Microsoft Developer Network-> Microsoft library for Visual Studio >Orcas) does it work correctly?

Nope, i can see "home page" but if i select an argument (e.g: Visual C#) on contents area after a few seconds i get a messagebox with:"The selected filters contains an error that prevents it from being applied"

If, on index search field, i type => operatot [C#] i can see "1 topic found" but index result is empty.

 

Could you please run dir /A:H in C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Microsoft Help" and post results?

Sure!, here are the contents:

 

 Volume in drive C has no label.
 Volume Serial Number is 10D3-0AEA

 Directory of C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Microsoft Help

04/28/2007  04:03 PM               366 Hx.hxn
04/28/2007  04:03 PM            13,768 Hx_1033_MKWD_K.HxW
04/28/2007  04:03 PM            13,770 Hx_1033_MKWD_NamedURL.HxW
04/28/2007  04:03 PM            10,086 Hx_1033_MTOC_Hx.HxH
04/28/2007  04:03 PM             9,634 Hx_1033_MValidator.HxD
04/28/2007  04:03 PM                 4 Hx_1033_MValidator.Lck
04/28/2007  03:37 PM               588 MS.Dexplore.v80.en.hxn
04/28/2007  03:07 PM               588 MS.Dexplore.v90.en.hxn
04/28/2007  02:45 PM               374 MS.GRAPH.12.1033.hxn
04/28/2007  04:03 PM           159,238 MS.MSDNQTR.v90.en.hxn
04/28/2007  04:05 PM           130,736 MS.MSDNQTR.v90.en_1033_CValidator.HxD
04/28/2007  04:06 PM        87,766,668 MS.MSDNQTR.v90.en_1033_MKWD_A.HxW
04/28/2007  04:06 PM           308,940 MS.MSDNQTR.v90.en_1033_MKWD_B.HxW
04/28/2007  04:06 PM        44,817,384 MS.MSDNQTR.v90.en_1033_MKWD_F.HxW
04/28/2007  04:06 PM        35,547,732 MS.MSDNQTR.v90.en_1033_MKWD_K.HxW
04/28/2007  04:06 PM            30,132 MS.MSDNQTR.v90.en_1033_MKWD_S.HxW
04/28/2007  04:06 PM            67,050 MS.MSDNQTR.v90.en_1033_MKWD_Samples.HxW
04/28/2007  04:06 PM            13,752 MS.MSDNQTR.v90.en_1033_MKWD_VSMSDNNamedUrl.HxW
04/28/2007  04:06 PM            44,078 MS.MSDNQTR.v90.en_1033_MValidator.HxD
05/01/2007  07:21 PM                 4 MS.MSDNQTR.v90.en_1033_MValidator.Lck
04/28/2007  02:45 PM               380 MS.MSTORE.12.1033.hxn
04/28/2007  03:37 PM            15,744 MS.NETFramework.v20.en.hxn
04/28/2007  03:38 PM            18,624 MS.NETFramework.v20.en_1033_CValidator.HxD
04/28/2007  03:38 PM        36,326,116 MS.NETFramework.v20.en_1033_MKWD_A.HxW
04/28/2007  03:38 PM            87,624 MS.NETFramework.v20.en_1033_MKWD_B.HxW
04/28/2007  03:38 PM        16,364,232 MS.NETFramework.v20.en_1033_MKWD_F.HxW
04/28/2007  03:38 PM        13,760,836 MS.NETFramework.v20.en_1033_MKWD_K.HxW
04/28/2007  03:38 PM            13,824 MS.NETFramework.v20.en_1033_MKWD_NETSDKNamedUrls.HxW
04/28/2007  03:38 PM            34,304 MS.NETFramework.v20.en_1033_MKWD_S.HxW
04/28/2007  03:38 PM            42,498 MS.NETFramework.v20.en_1033_MKWD_Samples.HxW
04/28/2007  03:38 PM         4,533,694 MS.NETFramework.v20.en_1033_MTOC_NETSDK.HxH
04/28/2007  03:38 PM         4,172,654 MS.NETFramework.v20.en_1033_MTOC__VS80_Express.HxH
04/28/2007  03:38 PM            14,792 MS.NETFramework.v20.en_1033_MValidator.HxD
04/28/2007  03:38 PM                 4 MS.NETFramework.v20.en_1033_MValidator.Lck
04/28/2007  02:45 PM               362 MS.OIS.12.1033.hxn
04/28/2007  02:45 PM               380 MS.RIBBON.12.1033.hxn
04/28/2007  02:45 PM               386 MS.SETLANG.12.1033.hxn
04/28/2007  04:03 PM             1,340 MS.VSCC.v90.hxn
04/28/2007  04:04 PM           131,188 MS.VSCC.v90_1033_CValidator.HxD
04/28/2007  04:04 PM        87,766,748 MS.VSCC.v90_1033_MKWD_A.HxW
04/28/2007  04:04 PM           309,020 MS.VSCC.v90_1033_MKWD_B.HxW
04/28/2007  04:04 PM            13,828 MS.VSCC.v90_1033_MKWD_c.HxW
04/28/2007  04:05 PM        44,817,464 MS.VSCC.v90_1033_MKWD_F.HxW
04/28/2007  04:05 PM        35,547,812 MS.VSCC.v90_1033_MKWD_K.HxW
04/28/2007  04:05 PM            30,212 MS.VSCC.v90_1033_MKWD_S.HxW
04/28/2007  04:05 PM            67,130 MS.VSCC.v90_1033_MKWD_Samples.HxW
04/28/2007  04:05 PM            13,834 MS.VSCC.v90_1033_MKWD_VsccNamedUrls.HxW
04/28/2007  04:05 PM            44,176 MS.VSCC.v90_1033_MValidator.HxD
05/01/2007  05:23 PM                 4 MS.VSCC.v90_1033_MValidator.Lck
04/28/2007  03:13 PM                16 MS.VSIPCC.v90.hxn
04/28/2007  04:03 PM             3,456 nslist.hxl
              51 File(s)    413,067,574 bytes
               0 Dir(s)   6,384,320,512 bytes free

 If you need more tests, just let me know

 

Answer 18

Corrado, I would like you to try running some other diagnostic tools on your machine. Could you please write me on [e-mail], and I will forward these tools to you.

 

Please note that we could not repro this problem (even though we tried exact same configuration), so your help is much appreciated!

 

Thanks

Maria Shneerson, MSDN.

Answer 19

I can't repro the isssue following up the repro steps below:

 

Repro steps:
1) Install Windows XP SP2
2) Install Visual Studio Codename Orcas Beta1
(download from:http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=5d9c6b2d-439c-4ec2-8e24-b7d9ff6a2ab2&DisplayLang=en)
3) Install MSDN
4) Start->All Programs->Microsoft Developer Network->MSDN
5) Check the contents of "Contents" Tab.
6) Check the contents of "Index" Tab
7) Set filter(e.g.Visual C#) and then check the contents of the "Index" Tab
8) Click one item in the left treeview of "Contents" Tab and then check the page load in the right panel


Actual Results:
All test pass.

 

 

Any questions will be welcome.

Answer 20

Kylin,

Are you using Virtual PC? have you created a differencing hard disk (from a base clean XPSp2) then installed iso on a new VM using previously created differencing HD?

Answer 21

rjcox wrote:

Corrado Cavalli wrote: Richard, Your feedback has been closed as "not reproducible" (I hate when MS "solves" bugs this way...)   It is open again.

 

And again... (if they will provide an edit button :-))

 

It does not appear that the repro steps involve a cloned VM... and I'm not going to have time to go through an OS setup before the weekend (and possibly not then) to see if a create VM, OS security updates and install this again.

 

At this rate, going back to the CTP is looking atractive. :-(

Answer 22

Hi Corrado,

 

Thanks for your kindly remind. This issue can be reproed with the updated reprp steps.

 

Repro steps:
1) Install Windows XP SP2 (C:\)
2) Install Visual Studio Codename Orcas Beta1 (D:\)
(download from:http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=5d9c6b2d-439c-4ec2-8e24-b7d9ff6a2ab2&DisplayLang=en)
3) Install MSDN (D:\)
4) Start->All Programs->Microsoft Developer Network->MSDN
5) Check the contents of "Contents" Tab.
6) Check the contents of "Index" Tab

 

Thanks.

 

Kylin Ming

Answer 23

We are still working to resolve the issue. Preliminary analysis shows that there is either a problem with the iso itself, or some files become corrupted during download.

 

I hope to have a resolution within next couple of days.

 

Thanks,

Maria Shneerson, MSDN

 

Answer 24

MariaSh wrote:

I hope to have a resolution within next couple of days.

 

Good news... looking forward to being able to really have a look at the beta.

Answer 25

Finally found the solution (at least for Professional iso)

 

I've downloaded another iso from this page: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=5d9c6b2d-439c-4ec2-8e24-b7d9ff6a2ab2&DisplayLang=en, recreated original file structure, reinstalled on VM and everything is fine (Library included).

Compared to previous download, this time I'm not using MSDN Subscriber Downloads (and server is a lot faster now...) so i presume that iso on subscriber site are corrupted and I invite MS guys to investigate on this direction.

Thanks Maria for the kind support on this.

Answer 26

Yes, downloading from the "public" site and installing into VPC2007 XPSP2 worked fine.

Thanks for the info.

 

Kit

Answer 27

And using the Microsoft downloads Team Suite also works.

 

1. Uninstalled MSDN library (but not whole of Visual Studio).
2. Rebooted
3. Installed MSDN library from new download
4. Rebooted (paranoia ...)
5. And have MSDN content.

 

I noticed that in the last stage (HxS merge) ran withou using >1GB of RAM and completed much faster (lack of paging would help of course).

 

Corruption in the MSDN downloads ISO images is looking a serious option, I would strongly suggest pulling them (with a clear message)

Answer 28

We were able to download and install iso from MSDN Subscription site successfully. I am  confident that ISO posted on MSDN Subscription site is NOT corrupted. However, it is really large. Therefore, when you download a huge file, it can get corrputed during download process.

 

We will recommend to run CRC verification to confirm that ISO was downloaded successfully.

Details are available here: http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/subscriptions/aa948864.aspx 

(You can either run SRC305 tool, or try sha hash verification.)

 

So, to summarize the workarounds are:

1. Use VS PRO or VSTS on public download side, instead of subscription site. The download is broken into 8 *.rar files, which allows to avoid problem with huge download.

2. You can still use subscription site if you wish, but you need to validate your ISO before mounting it and installing it as described above.

 

Thanks

Maria Shneeerson.

Answer 29

<Posting same message with slight corrections in the middle paragraph>

 

We were able to download and install iso from MSDN Subscription site successfully. I am  confident that ISO posted on MSDN Subscription site is NOT corrupted. However, it is really large. Therefore, when you download a huge file, it can get corrputed during download process.

 

We are recommending to run validation tools to confirm that ISO was downloaded successfully. Details are available here: http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/subscriptions/aa948864.aspx:

      Step1: Sha1 hash verification can help you to validate that download of iso was successful. MSDN Subscription page has a value that you need to compare against: 6c35ffffcee6990d68776340aaf2cc755c09e6cf

     Step2: validate that ISO was mounted correctly. Use SRC305 for this purpose.

 

So, to summarize, the workarounds are:

1. Use VS PRO or VSTS on public download side, instead of subscription site. The download is broken into 8 *.rar files, which allows to avoid problem with huge download.

2. You can still use subscription site if you wish, but you need to validate your ISO as described above.

 

Thanks

Maria Shneeerson.

Answer 30

Please note that the Daemon tools for mounting seem to be working incorrectly for MSDN library.

Also, even if mounting was incorrect, CRC305 can still return same number for downloaded ISO and mounted ISO ...

 

The best way to avoid these problems is to burn a DVD. The second best way is to use UltraISO tool from http://www.ezbsystems.com/ultraiso/index.html

 

Thanks

Maria

Answer 31

Corrado, I was able to repro this error on my VPC

 

I received additional information from Virtual PC team. The only format of iso that they support for VPC 2007 is ISO9660 format (CD-R). However, ISO for Orcas Beta1 is “UDF revision 1.02” (DVD). So you should not capture this ISO in VPC.

 

VPC team will consider to throw an error message when wrong format of ISO is loaded for their next release.

 

Thank you for all your help in resolving this issue.

Maria Shneerson