Written by Ronald Vonk   

Description:
ICE18 posts an error message if the installation package specifies a directory as the key path for component that is not listed in the CreateFolder table.

Concerns:
Your repackaging software should ensure this does not happen. If you analyse the package and find it to be true, add the directory name in the CreateFolder table to ensure you do not have any problems with advertising your package. Also note that per Microsoft's "Certified for Windows" team, there are some benign situations where an ICE 18 error may occur.

Additional Information:
ICE18 happens if a component contains a file as keypath but there is no file in the component. This can be resolved by appointing a registry key or by adding the contents of the component to another component. For instance, with a component that only contains a non advertised shortcut. This was resolved by putting this non advertised shortcut in the currentuser component. ( Non advertised shortcut must be placed in a component with a current user key as key path (see ICE43)). 

This message also happens if a component is empty but remains sitting there after the file has been removed. The component remains keeping a file as keypath. As a consequence, the MSI remains hanging in self-repair mode because it keeps searching for a file which is not there. The event viewer indicates that a folder cannot be found. Search via the indicated GUID in the event viewer for the associated component in the MSI.