SCCM Content Library Explorer Tool | Validate | Redistribute | Invalid

Let’s understand How to Use SCCM Content Library Explorer Tool. The SCCM Content Management has completely changed with a new content library structure introduced in the 2012 and Current Branch versions.

Windows File explore can also explore and navigate through the content library. However, it’s not easy to understand the stricture of the SCCM content from there. So it’s somewhat difficult to search the new content library folders and find out the source files for SCCM (ConfigMgr) admins.

As part of the SCCM ConfigMgr tool kit, Microsoft has released an excellent tool to explore the content library very easily. In this post, I will give a walkthrough of the features of the Content Library Explorer tool.

The following are some of the SCCM Content Library Explorer Tool functions.

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  • Disabled packages
  • Validate packages
  • Redistribute packages
  • Copy Paste Packages

Related Post ConfigMgr Content Library Cleanup Tool | SCCM | Distribution Point and How to Monitor SCCM DP using Job Queue Manager Tool

What we can do using The Content Library Explorer (ContentLibraryExplorer.exe)

The following are the basic functions of the content library tool in SCCM. I like the way it helps to redistribute the Content.

  1. The Content Library Explorer (ContentLibraryExplorer.exe) allows to explore content library on a specific distribution point.
  2. ContentLibraryExplorer.exe helps us to troubleshoot the issues related to content library.
  3. Helps to copy and explore the content directly from the tool.
  4. Packages can be redistributed to the distribution point, and on remote distribution points, packages can be validated.

Access required for connecting to a Distribution Point with The Content Library Explorer (ContentLibraryExplorer.exe) 

You will need the following permissions to use the content library for a distribution point. The administrative access to the target distribution point. Need access to WMI  provider and ConfigMgr provider; otherwise, it will not connect the remote DP content library.

Full Administrator and Read-Only Analyst have sufficient rights to view all information from this tool.

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Launch Content Library Explorer tool

You can launch the content library explorer tool from the SCCM site server (primary server) server tools folder as listed down. Click on ContentLibraryExplorer.exe to launch the tool.

Drive Letter:\Program Files\Microsoft Configuration Manager\tools\ServerTools

SCCM Content Library Explorer Tool | Validate | Redistribute | Invalid 1
SCCM Content Library Explorer Tool | Validate | Redistribute | Invalid 15

How to Use The Content Library Explorer (ContentLibraryExplorer.exe)

Let’s check how to use the SCCM content library tool and start using it for troubleshooting. This tool helps to solve package distribution issues with SCCM.

  1. Connect to any of the SCCM DP with FQDN. The account should have the required privileges mentioned above. When the distribution point is part of a secondary site, you need to provide the FQDN of the primary site server and the primary site code.
ContentLibraryExplorer Enter DP FQDN
Content Library Explorer Enter DP FQDN  – How to Use ConfigMgr SCCM Content Library Explorer Tool

Disabled Packages?

2. Once the ContentLibraryExplorer.exe tool is connected to the DP, then on the left pane, you can see the packages distributed to this DP. You can expand each Package. Also, you can explore the folder structure.

The Packages/Applications are marked with an asterisk (*). There are no actions that may be performed on these packages. Other SCCM packages/app content may also be marked with an asterisk and have actions disabled.

ContentLibraryExplorer Left Pane - How to Use ConfigMgr SCCM Content Library Explorer Tool
Content Library Explorer Left Pane – How to Use ConfigMgr SCCM Content Library Explorer Tool

Content Package Details

3. Once you select any of the packages in the ContentLibraryExplorer.exe tool left panel, the RIGHT pane will show you the details of the Package.

When a package folder is selected in Content Library Tool, if it contains any files, these will be listed in the right pane. You will get all the details about

  • 1.Filename
  • 2. File size
  • 3. Drive the package content is located
  • 4. other packages that use the same file on this package  
  • 5.when the file was last changed on the DP and
  • 6. The Full FQDN of the content source file.
ContentLibraryExplorer Enter Package Details on Right Pane
Content Library Explorer Enter Package Details on Right Pane

4. The tool also provides warning about INVALID packages in your SCCM content Library. The packages missing one or more content files will be marked invalid.

Fix Invalid Content Distribution Issues

To get more details about the INVALID Package, you can run a Validation that will reveal which contents are missing. In case all contents are present, but the data is corrupted, validation will detect the corruption of the SCCM Content Library for that particular Package.

ContentLibraryExplorer Invalid Package
Content Library Explorer Invalid Package – Fix Invalid Content Distribution Issues

Validate Content

Validate the Content of packages/apps is another option available in this tool. You can Validate packages by using Package> Validate on the toolbar.

You will need first to select a package node in the left pane. Don’t select Content or a folder. The tool connects to the WMI provider on the distribution point for this action.

5. How to validate the INVALID Package on the SCCM ConfigMgr content library using Content Library Explorer?

Select package which you wanted to validate and click on PACKAGE --> Validate & Click on OK

When you receive the following error, it’s better to redistribute the Package: An error occurred. Unable o validate the Package. Please ensure you have access to the Distribution point provider. The Package may need to be redistributed.

ContentLibraryExplorer Package Validate INVALID Package
Content Library Explorer Package Validate INVALID Package
ContentLibraryExplorer Validate INVALID Package
Content Library Explorer Validate INVALID Package

6. How to redistribute a package that shows INVALID in the Content Library Explorer Tool of SCCM 2012?

Select package which you wanted to validate and click on PACKAGE --> Redistribute& Click on OK
ContentLibraryExplorer Redtribute INVALID Package
Content Library Explorer Redistribute INVALID Package
ContentLibraryExplorer Redtribute INVALID Package YES
Content Library Explorer Redistribute INVALID Package OK

Once you redistribute the Package, the status of the package changes from INVALID to PENDING.

ContentLibraryExplorer Redtribute INVALID to PENDING package
ContentLibraryExplorer Redistribute INVALID to PENDING package

Copy Paste Content

Learn How to copy a content library file from Content Library Explorer SCCM 2012 Tool?.

Click on the content file which you want to COPY. Click on EDIT –> Copy.

The content library itself cannot be copied. Multiple files can be selected (using Ctrl + click or Shift + click), but various folders cannot.

ContentLibraryExplorer COPY Package Content File
ContentLibraryExplorer COPY Package Content File

Browse to the location where you want to store the copied file from the content Library. The specified items were successfully copied.

ContentLibraryExplorer COPY Package Content File 1
Content Library Explorer COPY Package Content File 1

Redistribute Content

You can use this tool to Redistribute the packages or application content to the DP. Most of the time, redistribution of the content help to resolve replication issues with Content.

ContentLibraryExplorer Redtribute INVALID Package YES
Content Library Explorer Redistribute INVALID Package OK

Once you redistribute the Package, the Package’s status changes from INVALID to PENDING, the installation status of the package distribution is also shown in the Content Library Explorer tool.

ContentLibraryExplorer Redtribute INVALID to PENDING package
ContentLibraryExplorer Redistribute INVALID to PENDING package

Resources

ConfigMgr Content Library Cleanup Tool | SCCM | Distribution Point | Configuration Manager HTMD Blog (anoopcnair.com)

Author

Anoop C Nair is Microsoft MVP! He is a Device Management Admin with more than 20 years of experience (calculation done in 2021) in IT. He is Blogger, Speaker, and Local User Group HTMD Community leader. His main focus is on Device Management technologies like SCCM 2012, Current Branch, and Intune. He writes about ConfigMgr, Windows 11, Windows 10, Azure AD, Microsoft Intune, Windows 365, AVD, etc.

13 thoughts on “SCCM Content Library Explorer Tool | Validate | Redistribute | Invalid”

  1. We went from RTM directly to SP1 then immediately to R2
    Almost ALL our DP content went GREY in the Content Explorer
    Grey items in Content Explorer can’t be “redistributed” (using the menu basedtools in Content Explorer)
    So we instead used powershell script(s) to bring the content back
    Now over the weekend the content is AGAIN disappearing
    we again run the Powershell scripts to bring the content back…
    we are then able to “use” the content all week long successfully in our OSD and deployments
    we go away for the weekend and on Monday the content is GONE again
    Is nobody else having this happen under R2?
    Thx,
    Jon

    Reply
    • Yes, I heard about similar behavior after upgrade.However, not pretty sure those gents are also facing exactly same issue? What is the command line you use for bringing back the content ?

      Regards
      Anoop

      Reply
  2. I Have an issue where I open up content explorer and I have multiple packages showing up as pending. It has been like this for days. When I go into look for the Software application in Software Library/Applications It is not showing up. I checked the content status under monitoring and looked for the Package ID. nothing with that ID is there.

    This could of been caused by importing the application on the primary site instead of the CAS. But, even when i open the Console pointing to the Primary Site it is not there.

    Any Idea how I can delete this package within Sql. I am at a loss.

    Reply
    • You can see the package ID then this could not be a problem with creating packages at CAS or Primary. This could be problem with security scope when you’ve multiple security scopes and those packages are not assigned to your security scope. I’m not sure whether you’re talking about classic package or new application model. If you’re talking about new applications in CM12. There is NO package ID or application ID associated with it rather there could be application GUID.

      Reply
      • Thanks for the Reply. I know this is not a Security Scope issue as I am the Administrator and no one else can import packages. I am talking about New application model. When you go into content status you can see what the package ID is. Thus, The package that is showing up in content Lib explorer is not showing up in Content status. Sorry if this is a little confusing. I do not know any other way to explain. Thanks Anoop.

  3. STATMSG: ID=2300 SEV=I LEV=M SOURCE=”SMS Server” COMP=”SMS_DISTRIBUTION_MANAGER” SYS=gldxxxxxxxx.rootlnka.netnet SITE=PW1 PID=4776 TID=3388 GMTDATE=Mon May 19 17:36:14.975 2014 ISTR0=”Promis SPC GUI” ISTR1=”PW100003″ ISTR2=”” ISTR3=”” ISTR4=”” ISTR5=”” ISTR6=”” ISTR7=”” ISTR8=”” ISTR9=”” NUMATTRS=1 AID0=400 AVAL0=”PW100003″ SMS_DISTRIBUTION_MANAGER 5/19/2014 12:36:14 PM 3388 (0x0D3C)
    No action specified for the package PW100003. SMS_DISTRIBUTION_MANAGER 5/19/2014 12:36:14 PM 3388 (0x0D3C)
    Package PW100003 does not have a preferred sender. SMS_DISTRIBUTION_MANAGER 5/19/2014 12:36:16 PM 3388 (0x0D3C)
    The package and/or program properties for package PW100003 have not changed, need to determine which site(s) need updated package info. SMS_DISTRIBUTION_MANAGER 5/19/2014 12:36:16 PM 3388 (0x0D3C)
    A distribution point has been changed at this site, adding site PE1 to the list of sites to which we are sending package PW100003. SMS_DISTRIBUTION_MANAGER 5/19/2014 12:36:16 PM 3388 (0x0D3C)
    Adding site CSA to list of sites to which we are sending package PW100003 data, because it is in a direct line between this site and the destination site. SMS_DISTRIBUTION_MANAGER 5/19/2014 12:36:16 PM 3388 (0x0D3C)
    CDistributionSrcSQL::UpdateAvailableVersion PackageID=PW100003, Version=2, Status=2301 SMS_DISTRIBUTION_MANAGER 5/19/2014 12:36:16 PM 3388 (0x0D3C)
    StoredPkgVersion (2) of package PW100003. StoredPkgVersion in database is 2. SMS_DISTRIBUTION_MANAGER 5/19/2014 12:36:17 PM 3388 (0x0D3C)
    SourceVersion (2) of package PW100003. SourceVersion in database is 2. SMS_DISTRIBUTION_MANAGER 5/19/2014 12:36:17 PM 3388 (0x0D3C)
    STATMSG: ID=2301 SEV=I LEV=M SOURCE=”SMS Server” COMP=”SMS_DISTRIBUTION_MANAGER” SYS=gldxxxxxxxx.rootlnka.netnet SITE=PW1 PID=4776 TID=3388 GMTDATE=Mon May 19 17:36:17.274 2014 ISTR0=”Promis SPC GUI” ISTR1=”PW100003″ ISTR2=”” ISTR3=”” ISTR4=”” ISTR5=”” ISTR6=”” ISTR7=”” ISTR8=”” ISTR9=”” NUMATTRS=1 AID0=400 AVAL0=”PW100003″ SMS_DISTRIBUTION_MANAGER 5/19/2014 12:36:17 PM 3388 (0x0D3C)

    THIS IS WHAT IS IN THE DISTMGR.LOG FOR THIS PACKAGE. You can see the package ID = PW100003 This package is not showing up in content status. Which it should. 🙁

    Reply
    • I’ve not seen package ID in CM12 console for Applications. However, package IDs are available for classic packages. There could be some way to find the package ID of application. I’m NOT sure about that till now. Try to search with application name if possible. There is no application ID per se. Rather we need to track applictions with GUID.

      Reply
  4. I have a package pushed to a remote DP, used the tool and it is in a Pending state and greyed out, anyway to remove it?

    Reply
  5. Hi,

    We also have the same issue as Dan,
    We have um package (with PackageID that i can see on DB with scopeID, but WITHOUT ´location´or ´ShareName´), that i cannot find on console (connect to central or primary).
    Its also “Pending” on Content Library Explorer on DPs.

    I’m pretty sure that it was one application i created on primary server instead of Central, and moments later, deleted it.

    Any idea how can we resolve it?

    Thanx

    Alfredo

    Reply
  6. And what to do when CLE shows something greyed without the name with status PENDING
    Where does it read this info?
    From which DB table?

    Reply
  7. I have lot of files around 82.5 GB in FileLib folder.. i’m not sure what is causing issue? i could not able to do anything on the DP since there is no space.. Please let me know how can i find what is causing the issue and how can i clear those out?

    Reply
  8. When running this tool, i receive an error message on one of my DPs with:

    “The legacy package does not have exactly one content.” The program does not get any further than that error message. Any ideas how i can resolve the issue?

    Reply

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