Desktop App Converter failing after Cumulative update

Question

Hi,

We have a build machine set to build APPX packages from an EXE using the Desktop App Converter. I am aware that it is deprecated, but for reason out of our control, we still need to produce APPX for a bit. Our machine is on 1809 (OS Build 17763.1). Last week, we got a Security update and a cumulative update that prevented us from making the APPX. During the conversion, we had this error:

PowerShell Error Record:

DesktopAppConverter : error 'E_BAD_INSTALLER_EXIT_CODE': Installer returned '-1073741502' when valid exit codes were '0'

PowerShell Stack Trace:

at RaiseUserException, C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\Microsoft.DesktopAppConverter_2.1.4.0_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe\converter_util\DACLogger.ps1: line 160

at RaiseUserException, C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\Microsoft.DesktopAppConverter_2.1.4.0_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe\converter_util\DACLogger.ps1: line 129

at Invoke-IsolatedInstall, C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\Microsoft.DesktopAppConverter_2.1.4.0_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe\converter_util\IsolatedEnvironmentOps.ps1: line 267

at <ScriptBlock><Process>, C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\Microsoft.DesktopAppConverter_2.1.4.0_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe\DesktopAppConverter.ps1: line 717

at <ScriptBlock>, <No file>: line 1

Inner Exception[0]:

System.Management.Automation.RuntimeException: DesktopAppConverter : error 'E_BAD_INSTALLER_EXIT_CODE': Installer returned '-1073741502' when valid exit codes were '0'

at System.Management.Automation.ExceptionHandlingOps.CheckActionPreference(FunctionContext funcContext, Exception exception)

at System.Management.Automation.Interpreter.ActionCallInstruction`2.Run(InterpretedFrame frame)

at System.Management.Automation.Interpreter.EnterTryCatchFinallyInstruction.Run(InterpretedFrame frame)

at System.Management.Automation.Interpreter.EnterTryCatchFinallyInstruction.Run(InterpretedFrame frame)

Inner Exception Stack Trace[0]

at System.Management.Automation.ExceptionHandlingOps.CheckActionPreference(FunctionContext funcContext, Exception exception)

at System.Management.Automation.Interpreter.ActionCallInstruction`2.Run(InterpretedFrame frame)

at System.Management.Automation.Interpreter.EnterTryCatchFinallyInstruction.Run(InterpretedFrame frame)

at System.Management.Automation.Interpreter.EnterTryCatchFinallyInstruction.Run(InterpretedFrame frame) VERBOSE: The full error record is saved in the logs at C:\DesktopAppConverter\f1d71e08-2fe1-4613-9893-8dde23ee94f9\logs C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\Microsoft.DesktopAppConverter_2.1.4.0_x64_8wekyb3d8bbwe\DesktopAppConverter.ps1 : DesktopAppConverter : error 'E_BAD_INSTALLER_EXIT_CODE': Installer returned '-1073741502' when valid exit codes were '0' At line:1 char:1 + &'C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\Microsoft.DesktopAppConverter_2.1.4.0 ... + ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ + CategoryInfo : NotSpecified: (:) [Write-Error], WriteErrorException + FullyQualifiedErrorId : Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.WriteErrorException,DesktopAppConverter.ps1

Nothing had changed in our installer, running it returns 0, and when we uninstall those updates, we can build the APPX without issue. I was able to uninstall these updates and found that if we pause our updates on KB4533001, it works. But in 30 days, we are going to be forced to unpause and I am scared it won't be working. I am not sure if KB4533001 is the last update that works, but I know it does. The update that broke it was one around February 10-11.

EDIT: While looking for the exact update that broke it, I found this article that pretty much describes my issue except I am not on Windows Server. I am not sure how to add a security update to my image coming from the DAC Base Image page.

Answer 1

Hello,​

Welcome to our Microsoft Q&A platform!

From your description, your problem is not how to package using the appx packaging tool, but how to add security updates to the DAC Image.

If so, you may consider posting your question in TechNet, where you can get more helpful support.

Incidentally, although the Appx packaging tool is still available, it is recommended that you consider migrating to the new MSIX packaging tool.

Thanks