When running the Workstation Installer on an RDS (Remote Desktop Services) server, the installer may hang halfway through and never complete (see screenshot below):
This is likely due to a Compatibility policy setting which prevents the installer 'chaining' two installers together, which is what the Workstation.exe does.
The policy specifies whether Windows Installer RDS Compatibility runs on a per user basis for fully installed applications. Windows Installer allows one instance of the msiexec process to run at a time. By default, Windows Installer RDS Compatibility is turned on. If you enable this policy setting, Windows Installer RDS Compatibility is turned off, and only one instance of the msiexec process can run at a time.
If you disable or do not configure this policy setting, Windows Installer RDS Compatibility is turned on, and multiple per user application installation requests are queued and handled by the msiexec process in the order in which they are received.
Method to Resolve
On the server:
- Click Start button.
- In the Search box type gpedit.msc, and then press Enter.
- Select Computer Configuration.
- Select Administrative Templates.
- Select Windows Components.
- Select Remote Desktop Services.
- Select Remote Desktop Session Host.
- Select Application Compatibility.
- Double-click Turn Off Windows Installer RDS Compatibility, and set it to Enabled.
- Rerun update/install.
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