PME 2024 R2 - Installer steps "Update File Permissions" and "Registering Windows Services" are unsuccessful

Issue

During a fresh install, the "Update File Permissions" and "Registering Windows services" steps are unsuccessful. None of the PME Windows services are installed. The install log shows errors:

• Update File Permissions fail: MethodHandler encountered a problem while calling 'Installer.InstallTools.WinUtilities.AssignReadWriteFolderControl': InstallTools.Utility.VariableInterpolationException: Variable lookup does not contain a definition for the variable 'globalNetworkServiceLocalizedNameNoDomain' --- > System.Collections.Generic.KeyNotFoundException: The key 'globalNetworkServiceLocalizedNameNoDomain' was not found in VariableLookup.
• <AssignReadWriteFolderControl>
  Library="WinUtilities"
  Class="Installer.InstallTools.WinUtilities"
  UIMessageOnFail="Could not set user permissions on Config folder">
  <userName>@globalNetworkServiceLocalizedNameNoDomain/@</userName>
  <folderName>@globalProgramFileFolder/@\Applications\Dashboards\App_Data</folderName>
  </AssignReadWriteFolderControl>
• Variable lookup does not contain a definition for the variable 'globalLocalSystemLocalizedName' ---&gt; System.Collections.Generic.KeyNotFoundException: The key 'globalLocalSystemLocalizedName' was not found in VariableLookup

Product Line

Power Monitoring Expert 2024

Environment

Install/Upgrade

Cause

The Windows account used to run the installer is the built-in Administrator account. For cybersecurity reasons, this account has restrictions on it and shouldn't be used to perform software installations. It's primarily intended for initial system provisioning or disaster recovery.

Resolution

Run the installer with a local Windows user:

1. Open the Windows Start Menu, search for and open "Computer Management"
2. Open Local Users and Groups > Users
3. Right-click > New User
4. Enter a User name and a password that meets the minimum requirements per the IT policy, then uncheck "User must change password at next logon".
5. Click Create then close the window.
6. Add this user to the local Administrators group.
7. Add this user to SQL Server with sysadmin permission.
8. Shift + right-click the MainSetup.exe of the PME installer > Run as different user > enter the credentials for the newly created user

Released for: Schneider Electric UK