BizTalk Factory Powershell Provider error 2869 fix

The Biztalk factory Powershell Provider which works with Powershell 2.0 is a wonderful tool for adding BizTalk functionality to automated PowerShell deployment scripts. However, searching for the topic above on google will throw up numerous posts about frustrations arising from it's problematic installation process on Windows server 2008, with no actual solution posted anywhere

Basically, in some situations, after installing the PowerShell Provider extension from the msi provided at the download location, the application still does not install properly thanks to Microsoft's 'brilliant' UAC (user access control) processes. The other problem is, trying to uninstall it from control panel (or even by using InstallUtil) gives the unexplained error code 2869, and uninstallation promptly fails. you then find yourself in a dilemma... can't go forward, can't go backwards!

In my case, we were 2 days from live release and a tester had pedantically removed and tried to re-install the PowerShell Provider (which was actually out of the scope of his test case) whilst testing my 'brilliant' backup, install and (if needed) restore script. Here I was with hundreds of lines of PowerShell deployment scripts which were dependent on the PowerShell Provider, less than 48 hours before release, and no PowerShell Provider! Fortunately, I was able to solve the issue after a bit of brainstorimng and research once I understood what the problem was

You need to install the extension application with elevated priviledges in order for it to install properly. But just making yourself an administrator won't solve the problem, as windows still doesn't actually make you an administrator thanks to UAC.

To fix this issue, follow the steps below:

1. Check if the failed installation exists by checking for the folder C:\Program files (x86)\PowerShell Provider - delete the folder if it exists
2. Open a new notepad file and type in msiexec /i "<location of the downloaded msi you wish to install>"
3. Save the notepad file as installpsf.bat and save it on the desktop (or anywhere really)
4. Right-Click the notepad file and click 'Run as administrator' - this will run the msi installer again with the right level or permissions
5. Click Next and Choose remove if you're trying to remove a failed installation and use the default settings till the end or
6. Click Next to install a fresh installation (you must have removed any faled installations first - you must also delete the flder as in step 1 if uninstalling and planning to re-install )
7. If re-installing, click on 'Biztalk Management Automation' and choose 'entire feature will be installed on local hard drive' - do the same for 'Biztalk Powershell Provider'
8. Click Next till the end of the installation

Your BizTalk Factory Powershell Provider should now be ready to run anew