Client stuck at downloading stage when trying to download package from Advertisement

Today I encountered a problem regarding package deployment to a client machine. When the package is downloaded from SCCM DP/BDP, after couple of seconds the download stuck at 15% or sometime 67% at downloading state.

The software was packaged in MSI format and it was correctly uploaded to SCCM and distributed to all distribution points without and issues at all. Still, when an end-user tried to install the software via Run Advertised Programs the software started to download and then simply got stuck at n% and did not move for over 24 hours.

After checking few logs I have not found any error regarding the same. I have checked CAS.log, contenttransfer.log etc. But all are good no error.

Solution : I have found out one solution which is really effecting. [Click]

I am not describing here lots of points because above link will give you all information . I am just going to directly in a troubleshooting step.

Find out the error file where is it stuck : SCCM utilizes BITS to transfer content from the DP to the client. So to find out the error file open the CMD using admin privilege -> type bitsadmin /list /allusers /verbose > c:\xxx.txt [location to store the log] .

After open the text file there is an entry that ERROR FILE which contain the exact file location where is the problem to download . And also I marked the error on yellow sign . In my case the error is an illegal charter.

BITS utilize IIS and WebDAV for transferring content and one of the issues encountered by using this technology is that special characters such as the Swedish characters ÅÄÖ or any other characters not in the English alphabet will result in a failure to download.

There is a two solution in my hand right now and I choose the first one because solution 1 is applicable for me.

Solution 1 : Rename file 

 Rename the file or delete the Spl character from the source.

And How is it work ??????????

1. Client downloads content from Distribution Point.
2. The client executes install. cmd
3. Install.cmd starts by renaming the files back to their original name.
4. Install.cmd starts the installation of the software

Solution 2 : Zip and deploy

The second solution which I find more elegant is to simply compress the files. Please note that in SCCM you have the option to set Use a compressed copy of the source directory which is NOT what you want to do. This option dictates that SCCM should compress the files on the source server and transfer the compressed files to the distribution points.

To quote TechNet: Use a compressed copy of the source directory: Configuration Manager 2007 will create a compressed version of the source files on the site server. If this option is selected, this compressed version will be decompressed and copied to the distribution points instead of being copied directly from the original source folder when the distribution points are refreshed. Use this option if the source files might be removed from the specified path (for example, if the source files are on a CD).

What I’m referring to is to compress the files with the help of for example WinZIP, WinRAR , 7Zip or any other compression software which will allow for self-extracting executable to be created.
What this means is that you take a source, say MS visio 2003 and compress it with the compression software of your choice into a self-extracting executable. This executable is configured to decompress the contents automatically and silently and then execute a specific command.
For example:

1. The compressed MSVisio_2003.exe is added to SCCM and distributed to all distribution points.
2. The client runs the installation from Run Advertised Programs or Software Central.
3. The SCCM client will download the software successfully as it only downloads the .exe file which is allowed.
4. The SCCM Client runs the command MSVisio_2003.exe which will trigger the self-extraction and once the self-extraction is complete the exe will start the installation of MS visio 2003 as defined by your command.