DAZ Install Manager failing to install (some) downloads from Network Drive

I keep my DAZ downloads (not the libraries, just the Downloads for DIM) on a Network Drive. Other than this being a bit slow when DIM starts, it mostly works just fine.

However. Certain installs fail. It's always when the download has something in it that isn't just basic DAZ assets. As an example, the HEAT Animation Plugin for DAZ Studio.

From the log, I get this (rather unhelpful) couple of entries.

2024-03-15 23:53:50.303 [INFO] :: Installing: 93652-1 : Heat Animation Plugin for Daz Studio (WIN)
2024-03-15 23:53:50.412 [WARNING] :: Install Failed: Heat Animation Plugin for Daz Studio (WIN)

From the helper log, I get a bit more of a clue.

2024-03-15 23:53:50.335 [INFO] :: Open Package Failed - Error opening underlying device: The system cannot find the path specified.: Z:/InstallManager/Downloads/IM00093652-01_HeatAnimationPluginForDazStudioWIN.zip

However. The file most definitely exists, and there are no access restrictions on it that I am aware of. Any user with access to the drive (which currently is everyone on the network) can browse to the above archive, open it, test it, all checks out.

PS Z:\InstallManager\Downloads> dir *IM00093652-01*


    Directory: Z:\InstallManager\Downloads


Mode                 LastWriteTime         Length Name
----                 -------------         ------ ----
-a----        15/03/2024     17:37         124138 IM00093652-01_HeatAnimationPluginForDazStudioWIN.zip
-a----        15/03/2024     17:37            487 IM00093652-01_HeatAnimationPluginforDazStudioWIN.dsx

 

As mentioned, it only happens on downloads like this one. DAZ updates, plugins, and so on. For everything else, no worries.

 

 

 

Comments

  • Richard HaseltineRichard Haseltine Posts: 100,897

    DIMHelper, which handles things that isntall as software (and so need elevated privileges) is separate from DIM itself so it may have different path handling (though it can certainly cope with external drives). DIM and DS should be able to cope with aliases, as this appears to be. Do you get a UAC prompt (asking if you want to allow DIMHelper to make changes) and do you accept it?

  • cdotdkcdotdk Posts: 23

    No, no prompts or anything else to suggest a permissions issue for the example here.

    When installing some tools (DAZ upgrades, etc), the standard UAC Windows prompt pops up and I grant it permission. Yet it stil fails.As for network permissions, the Z:\ drive mount might originally be connected to the NAS via an admin login, I don't recall. But when connecting to the drive, from File Explorer or just a basic Powershell prompt, I'm never met with any restrictions.

    I had a hunch that the .zip files might be blocked by Windows, but I'm also not seeing anything related to that when I call up properties for the files in question.

    Do you think it might make a difference to change the connection to be a UNC path rather than a mapped drive?

     

  • cdotdkcdotdk Posts: 23
    edited March 16

    Richard Haseltine said:

    Do you get a UAC prompt (asking if you want to allow DIMHelper to make changes) and do you accept it?

    This actually got me thinking :D

    The Network Drive might actually be the issue. As soon as the UAC pops up and I accept it, I think the drive "disappears" from view, of this elevated process/user.

    https://4ddig.tenorshare.com/windows-fix/how-to-fix-network-drive-not-showing.html

    I'm going to dig into this a little bit more and see if I can find a solve.

    Edit: Yes, definitely on to something here. Just by starting a Powershell Terminal "as Administrator", I can no longer see the Z:\ drive.

    PS D:\> z:
    Set-Location : Cannot find drive. A drive with the name 'Z' does not exist.
    At line:1 char:1
    + Set-Location $MyInvocation.MyCommand.Name
    + ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
        + CategoryInfo          : ObjectNotFound: (Z:String) [Set-Location], DriveNotFoundException
        + FullyQualifiedErrorId : DriveNotFound,Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.SetLocationCommand
    Post edited by cdotdk on
  • cdotdkcdotdk Posts: 23
    edited March 16

    Yep, indeed.

    So I tried various steps from the linked guide above. What ended up doing the trick for me, was this.

    After enabling this (enabling SMB 1.0/CIFS File Sharing Support), rebooting when prompted, my Z: drive started behaving better. I could access it from an admin prompt and, more importantly, DIM can now install the problematic packages after an UAC prompt with no issue.

    Thanks :D

    Post edited by cdotdk on
  • Richard HaseltineRichard Haseltine Posts: 100,897

    Glad you were able to resolve that, I would certainly have ben lost if you hadn't (though I would have suspected it was to do with different access levels).

  • cdotdkcdotdk Posts: 23

    Hehe yea, it was very counter intuitive. One expects, when granting full system permissions via the UAC popup, that one would then automatically get access to everything on the system.

    I think this is the first time I've experienced this exact opposite behaviour.

     

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