Misleading TFS Error Messages and Maximum File Path Length

I was preparing to install TFS 2008 SP1 by merging the installation media from the DVD with the files from SP1, following the steps in the installation guide. While the MSI was extracting (by executing msiexec), I received the error "Error 1309: Error reading from file C:\... Verify that the file exists and that you can access it."



The message indicates that the file cannot be located or that the user running msiexec does not have sufficient permissions on the file. I verified that neither of these were the case.

The actual problem was that the file path was too long. Windows is limited to 260 characters for the full path.

I thought my problems were solved, but after I moved the folders I received a different error: "Error 1308: Source file not found." Click for full view:



I noticed at that point the file it was looking for was not named. Turns out when I copied the files from the DVD to the path that was too long, Windows silently renamed the file to the cryptic name MICR#OPN.DLL (circled in red above). When I renamed that file to the name that msiexec was looking for, boom! second problem solved.

My best guess as to why the error that appeared did so is that TFS truncates the path to the maximum length, then tries to open the incomplete path. I have found others saying TFS displays similar behavior in other situations.