Product : Cognos Controller

Symptom
Screen error:
The installed version of the Cognos Controller Link add-in doesn’t match the server file version and the add-in might not work as expected. Contact your system administrator for an upgrade of the add-in files.
or
The installed version of the IBM Cognos 8 Controller Link doesn’t match the server file version

Problem
User launches any functionality in Controller which uses the Excel link. User receives the error message.

Cause
There are several potential causes for this error message:

Option 1
Invalid registry entry from third-party software
The Controller Excel-link is checking which version is installed by looking at the uninstall key (HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall) in the registry. If a subkey name on the uninstall key contains a trailing space character, the check fails resulting in this error.

Option 2
Controller registry key from older Controller client version was not successfully uninstalled before the new client version was installed

Solution
Option 1:
Locate the registry entry (under the uninstall key) which contains a trailing space. Then rename it so that the key name does not end with a space (‘ ‘) character.
Warning: Always backup registry before editing! Incorrect modifications can cause serious problems to your system.

For example, third party software ‘Altiris Carbon Copy Solution’ leaves an invalid registry key.

1. Launch REGEDIT
2. Navigate to the key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall
3. Create export from HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall structure to a “.REG” file
4. Locate the subkey “Altiris Carbon Copy Solution Agent ”
5. Rename this to “Altiris Carbon Copy Solution Agent”
6. Close Regedit
Option 2:
Uninstall any Controller Excel link client version (from the client PC)
1. Logon to the client PC as an administrator
2. Open ‘Control Panel’, and launch ‘Add/Remove Programs’
3. Search for an entry relating to ‘Cognos Controller link add-in’
4. Highlight this entry, and click ‘Add/Remove’ and follow the wizard to uninstall the client

Re-install the ‘correct’ client version
1. Launch Internet Explorer
2. Launch http://controllerserver/cognos8/controllerbin/controllerclient.MSI
3. Choose to ‘save’ this file on your desktop
4. Close Internet Explorer
5. Double-click on the file ‘ControllerClient.MSI’ on your desktop
6. Follow the install wizard to perform a default install
7. Test by launching Controller