Hotfix Package 5 for Microsoft Application Virtualization 5.0 Service Pack 2

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Summary

This article describes a hotfix package that contains the latest hotfixes for Microsoft Application Virtualization 5.0 (App-V 5.0) Service Pack 2 (SP2).

Note We recommend that you test hotfixes before you deploy them in a production environment. Because the builds are cumulative, each new hotfix release contains all the hotfixes and all the security fixes that were included with the previous update package. Therefore, this hotfix package also includes fixes released in hotfix 2934349 and hotfix 2956985 . Because of the number and significance of the updates that were released in hotfix 2956985 , we strongly recommend that you test extensively before you deploy this hotfix package into a production environment. We recommend that you consider applying the most recent fix release that contains the most necessary hotfixes.

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This hotfix package fixes the following issues.

Issue 1: Connection groups cannot support both user-published and global-published packages

App-V 5.0 SP2 does not let you create user-entitled connection groups that contain both user-published and global-published packages.

With this hotfix release, App-V 5.0 SP2 supports creating user-entitled connection groups that contain user-published and global-published packages by using Windows PowerShell.

To create a user-entitled connection group that contains user-published and global-published packages, follow these steps:

Add and publish packages by using the following commands:

Add-AppvClientPackage Pacakage1_AppV_file_Path

Add-AppvClientPackage Pacakage2_AppV_file_Path

Publish-AppvClientPackage -PackageId Package1_ID -VersionId Package1_Version ID -Global

Publish-AppvClientPackage -PackageId Package2_ID -VersionId Package2_ID
Create the connection group XML file. To learn about how to do this, see How to Use Connection Groups on a Standalone Computer Using PowerShell on the Microsoft TechNet website.
Add and publish the connection group by using the following commands:

Add-AppvClientConnectionGroup Connection_Group_XML_file_Path

Enable-AppvClientConnectionGroup -GroupId CG_Group_ID -VersionId CG_Version_ID

Note Connection groups that contain user and global packages are currently not supported through the App-V server.

Issue 2: Enabling user-publishing in the Administrator context through Windows PowerShell

This hotfix release enables user-publishing to be done in the Administrator context through the following four Windows PowerShell cmdlets:

Publish-AppVClientPackage
Unpublish-AppVClientPackage
Enable-AppVClientConnectionGroup
Disable-AppVClientConnectionGroup

To do this, use the optional -UserSID parameter, and pass in the SID of the intended user. Administrator user rights are required to use this optional parameter. This cmdlet can be run in the user session or from the administration session. However, for the operation to succeed, the user has to be logged in. Or, the user's profile should exist on the computer.

Note There is no change to the Windows PowerShell cmdlets that are supported today, and these will continue to function as they currently do.

Issue 3: Deprecation of PackageStoreAccessControl support in App-V 5.0 SP2

Effective immediately, the PackageStoreAccessControl (PSAC) setting that was introduced in App-V 5.0 SP2 is being deprecated in both single-user and multiuser environments.

The PSAC setting has been unsupported in multiuser environments since the first hotfix package for App-V 5.0 SP2, but PSAC deployment in single-user environments was supported until now. If you deployed PSAC to single-user environments, remove the configuration option from any deployments.

The scope of application entitlement enforcement in App-V will be reviewed and addressed as appropriate in a future release.

To address App-V application entitlement concerns, you can use the following features that are available today in App-V 5.0 SP2:

By default, the location in Windows where App-V stores applications, %ProgramData%, is a hidden folder that most users will not understand how to browse. You can use this hidden folder that has the "Pending Unpublish" feature in App-V 5.0 SP2 to reduce some entitlement concerns.
To prevent your end-users from copying shortcuts and executables from the Program Data folder, consider the following:
- User-copied shortcuts cannot be used to start an App-V application if the user does not have permissions to the package.
- Copying executables from Program Data will not let users run the application outside an App-V environment, except for simple applications without any subsystems or integration.

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Resolution

Hotfix information

A supported hotfix is available from Microsoft. However, this hotfix is intended to correct only the problem that is described in this article. Apply this hotfix only to systems that are experiencing the problem described in this article. This hotfix might receive additional testing. Therefore, if you are not severely affected by this problem, we recommend that you wait for the next software update that contains this hotfix.

If the hotfix is available for download, there is a "Hotfix download available" section at the top of this Knowledge Base article. If this section does not appear, contact Microsoft Customer Service and Support to obtain the hotfix.

Note If additional issues occur or if any troubleshooting is required, you might have to create a separate service request. The usual support costs will apply to additional support questions and issues that do not qualify for this specific hotfix. For a complete list of Microsoft Customer Service and Support telephone numbers or to create a separate service request, go to the following Microsoft website:

http://support.microsoft.com/contactus/?ws=support

Note The "Hotfix download available" form displays the languages for which the hotfix is available. If you do not see your language, it is because a hotfix is not available for that language.

Prerequisites

To apply this hotfix, you must have Microsoft Application Virtualization 5.0 Service Pack 2 installed.

Installation information

If the original client was deployed by using the .msi file, you must apply the .msp file to experience a successful update. To extract the .msp file, run the following command:

AppV5.0SP2-Client-KB2956985.exe /LAYOUT

Important note When you try to uninstall an update, the attempt fails if a just-in-time virtualization (JIT-V) package is being used.

This issue was introduced with the just-in-time-virtualization (JIT-V) feature in App-V 5.0 SP2. All SP2 hotfix (patch-level) releases may experience this issue if the following conditions are true:

You installed by using a Windows Installer (.msi) file, and then you apply updates by using an Microsoft Installer Patch (.msp) file.
You try to uninstall an update by using the Add or Remove Programs item in Control Panel.
A JIT-V enabled package is running on the system.

Workaround

To work around this issue, follow these steps:

Start Local Services.
Stop the Microsoft App-V Client service.
Uninstall the update by using the Add or Remove Programs item in Control Panel.
Start the Microsoft App-V Client service.

Restart information

You must restart the computer after you apply this hotfix.

File information

The English version of this hotfix has the file attributes (or later file attributes) that are listed in the following table. The dates and times for these files are listed in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). When you view the file information, it is converted to local time. To find the difference between UTC and local time, use the Time Zone tab in the Date and Time item in Control Panel.