Installing Forefront Endpoint Protection 2010 RC – prerequisite error

While installing the latest “Forefront Client Security” product named Forefront Endpoint Protection 2010 (RC version), the prerequisites verification step displayed an error at the “Verifying restart is not required” step. And the error details: “An earlier software installation still has outstanding file rename operations pending. Before Setup can continue, you must restart the computer.”



The more stranger thing happens after you restart your computer and start the Setup again. The same is displayed. Why? Well, maybe because on the FEP 2010 requirement is to have a working Configuration Manager 2007 infrastructure and almost always ConfigMgr will have open files and read/write operations on the computer you’re trying to install FEP 2010.

So, to workaround this problem you have to modify your registry (do it on your own as I did). Open PendingFileRenameOperations key from HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager and delete or copy its content to a notepad. Save the key and start Setup now, it should work, at least it for me.

Thanks to Evgeny-D who posted this on Microsoft’s forum. I’m glad that I did not forget Russian language 🙂