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How do I fix error message "installer file is damaged"?

Guest
Nov 16, 2014 Nov 16, 2014

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I have tried to download an application that uses Abode AIR.  I always receive the same error message "Sorry, an error has occurred. The application could not be installed because the installer file is damaged.  Try obtaining a new installer file from the application author."  I have installed, uninstalled and reinstalled Adobe AIR and keep getting the same error message.  Does anyone know how to fix this problem?

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New Here ,
Nov 30, 2014 Nov 30, 2014

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We are having the same problem.  Did you ever figure out how to fix it? 

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Community Beginner ,
Jan 21, 2015 Jan 21, 2015

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This usually indicates that the certificate used to sign the AIR install has expired.  Based on an archived discussion on this topic, you can search for SignatureTimeStamp in the signatures.xml file in the META-INF folder and, if it is not found, then the install has no signature time stamp and will not install after the certificate expires. 

I'm having the same problem, but searching for SignatureTimeStamp is found.  The search returns the following:

    <xades:SignatureTimeStamp>

So, it would appear that there is a Time Stamp for the Signature in my case so the install should not fail.   I would first check the above.  Since you cannot install the app, you can try to open up the installation file with the .air extension as a zip file and drill down until you find META-INF and then drill down to find signatures.xml.  Search for SignatureTimeStamp and see if it is found.

In the meantime, I was wondering if anyone else in this forum can explain why the install fails for me even though I can locate <xades: SignatureTimeStamp> in the signatures.xml file in the AIR install file.

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Community Beginner ,
Jan 21, 2015 Jan 21, 2015

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Found the problem.  The AIR package was installed using the "-tsa none" option which meant that no time stamp was applied to the signature.   Once removing this option from the ADT installer the AIR package could be installed even past the certificate expiration date.

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New Here ,
Jan 31, 2015 Jan 31, 2015

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Would you mind to give a bit more detail how to remove "-tsa none" option from the air package? The one I tried to install jump right into installation after I click it. No place to conduct any setup. Same time I might be look into the wrong place. So, just want to make sure. Thanks a lot in advance.

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New Here ,
May 01, 2018 May 01, 2018

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this was it!

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New Here ,
May 01, 2018 May 01, 2018

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interesting this was a non-Adobe software.

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Adobe Employee ,
May 06, 2018 May 06, 2018

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Hi,

You were able to install the application by resetting your system date as the application's certificate is no more valid. We recommend you to contact the application developer to re-package the application with a new certificate.

Thanks!

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Guest
Nov 23, 2017 Nov 23, 2017

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How exactly do you see the timestamp? I'm trying to install a Jigazo application (.exe) I copied this from a flash drive on an old computer with Windows XP. Then when I added it to my current computer (windows 10). I checked my adobe flash and reinstalled it.

Can you tell me how to check the timestamp please?

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Adobe Employee ,
Dec 12, 2017 Dec 12, 2017

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Hi,

Please download the latest version of Adobe AIR from get.adobe.com/air. Workaround is available for the above mentioned issue without changing the system date or repackaging the .air app. . Steps to use the workaround can be found on  Adobe AIR applications installation issue

Thanks!

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New Here ,
Jun 25, 2020 Jun 25, 2020

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Hi,

is there an easier way??? I am not a moron but it sounds a bit complicated. However, thank you and I will try it.

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Explorer ,
Oct 31, 2017 Oct 31, 2017

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One option that worked for me, was to set the system clock to a date on which the code certificate was valid, install, then reset the clock to the current date.

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Community Beginner ,
Nov 02, 2017 Nov 02, 2017

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general problem:

Timestamps that were issued before 08 / 2015 were issued by Thawte. The period of validity of these timestamps ended with 30.10.2017.

So all installations of older packages will fail.

This is really a big issue.

@Adobe: Workaround? (Of course you can set the system clock to 29.10.2017 - but that is no solution for our thousands of customers!)

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New Here ,
Nov 02, 2017 Nov 02, 2017

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Thanks for spotting the problem we just encountered, DaWo​.

I hope we find a good work-around for this, because recreating releases with a new Flex Builder setup has been a real pain for us.

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Community Beginner ,
Nov 09, 2017 Nov 09, 2017

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Thank you so much, imdfl​ and DaWo​! Setting the clock back for installation and then going back to the proper time worked for me. I was pulling my hair out looking at log files, installing previous versions, etc. Much appreciated.

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Community Beginner ,
Nov 08, 2017 Nov 08, 2017

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I am having the same issue with our adobe air installers.  Is there a way to resign the installers to change the timestamp without doing a whole new build?

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New Here ,
Nov 08, 2017 Nov 08, 2017

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We have around 100 applications having this problem and looking forward @Adobe for help!

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Community Beginner ,
Nov 08, 2017 Nov 08, 2017

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Similar problem here. We have stopped all delivery, work on new productions, but some hundred thousand applications are still around with customers.

@Adobe: It is a bad idea to check the "end date" of a timestamp! The timestamp's function is to keep the certificate valid. btw: There is no documentation saying that a timestamp itself will lose its validity - in many cases almost at the same time when the certificate period ends. Adobe must have seen the problem because current timestamps are issued until 2031 - out of reach for warranty claims.

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Community Beginner ,
Nov 09, 2017 Nov 09, 2017

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Yes, this works, but can not be a solution to all of our customers who have installers and don't know about this workaround.

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Explorer ,
Nov 09, 2017 Nov 09, 2017

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I think it's not difficult to build a new installer with exactly the previous content, signed with a new certificate.

Since an air installer file is just a zip archive, you can unzip it and rebuild with the same version of the SDK that you have used for the original installer. Preferably you should have access to the original *app.xml that you had used for the original build, but you can also create a new *app.xml from the application.xml file in the archive.

All that's left to do then is run the correct version of adt, telling it to create an installer from the content you have just unzipped, using your new certificate to sign the code. I did this, it's not a big task and new customers are installing from the new air file.

As an aside I'll add that I've given up on air installers; I find their main merit to be the job security they provide for support personnel. The new version of our software is distributed as msi and dmg files.

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Adobe Employee ,
Nov 10, 2017 Nov 10, 2017

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Hi,

For the non-working apps, you need to repackage the .air apps. Please refer to Adobe AIR applications installation issue , for steps to repackage.

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New Here ,
Nov 10, 2017 Nov 10, 2017

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For several clients we produced e-learning applications based on Adobe AIR. Many of them are distributed on DVD and stil available in the market.

Many of the apps where produced 2013/2014 with a self-made production Tool and with Adobe Flex/ Flash and Flashbuilder.

1.) Adobe Flashbuilder has a bug with timestamp, so you even can't compile any more, well there are workarounds...

2.) All these old projects are archived anywhere and wie had to get them out of the archiv and  rebuild and reactivate our tool chain to recompile them.

3.) As i said: Apps where distributed on DVD, so this is a real big problem, it is not only a change of a linked file anywhere....

So it is not that easy!

Please Adobe do not leave us alone with this!

No one told us or warned, that i could be possible that AIR Apps older than 2 1/2 years from now will expire and can't be installed any more in the future.

PS:

** Just read Adobe AIR applications installation issue  **

So this helps of course (we had this idea too) , but does not solve the problem, that apps are distributed on DVD.

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New Here ,
Nov 18, 2017 Nov 18, 2017

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I'm having the same problem as the OP. I've tried the steps you provided, ridhijain.

Here's how that went:

1. Attempted "Issue Confirmation" and cannot locate the statement “Package signature validation failed” in the log. This is what it says though after attempting to install my app:  com.apple.xpc.launchd[1] (com.apple.xpc.launchd.oneshot.0x10000008.Adobe AIR Application Installer[2157]): Service exited with abnormal code: 7

2. I went ahead and tried the "Solution" steps just in case, but couldn't get past extracting the .zip file after renaming. It just creates a new zipped folder every time I unzip it. So, stuck on that step.

You can see the app that I'm trying to install via this link and the file is named see.air:  Sibelius - the leading music composition and notation software http://www.sibelius.com/download/sse/main.html

I've actually already contacted the author (Avid) first, as the error message suggested, and they seem to think it's an issue with Adobe and have directed me to this forum.

Here are my system specs in the event it makes any difference:

MacBook Pro 9,1 (15-inch, Mid 2012)

Processor: 2.6 GHz Intel Core i7

Memory: 16 GB 1600 MHz DDR3

OS Sierra 10.12.6

Latest version of Adobe Air: 27.0.0.128

Please offer a solution and/or confirm whether the issue lies with Avid and not Adobe. They are basically putting it up to me to find a solution unless you all are saying there is no issue.

Thank you!

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Guest
Nov 23, 2017 Nov 23, 2017

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Hello,
I installed Adobe Air version 27.0.0.124.
I downloaded settingsmanager.air on the adobe site but when I want to install it I get a "Package signature validation failed".
How can I install it?

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New Here ,
Jul 29, 2018 Jul 29, 2018

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I needed to re-install an older Adobe AIR application to check whether it delivered the function I remembered, and ran into the "... installer file is damaged".  Repackaging of Adobe AIR applications is not an option for the end-user.  The second Workaround to manually launch "Adobe AIR Application Installer.exe” with the "ignoreExpiredCertificateTimestamp" option worked. 

Having to launch the installer with Admin privileges seems to go against best security practices.  I may elect to install an Adobe AIR application to a personal folder, which would not require any Admin privileges.  A better solution would be to add an option to the Adobe AIR Installer so that the user can select whether to enforce or ignore expired certificate timestamps.

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