MongoDB 3.6.2 Windows离线安装指定特性失败报错求助

I’ve dealt with this exact bug in MongoDB 3.6.x MSI installers before—let’s break down what’s going wrong and how to fix it:

Root Cause #

The error happens because the MongoDB 3.6 MSI has a flawed custom action tied to Compass installation. When you specify a custom ADDLOCAL value (like Server instead of ALL), the installer still tries to run a PowerShell command for Compass setup—but since Compass isn’t included in your selected features, the command path is empty. This leads to the invalid PowerShell expression & '' ; exit $($Error.Count) that shows up in your log.

Solutions #

1. Use the SKIP_COMPASS_INSTALL Parameter (Simplest Fix)

MongoDB 3.6+ MSIs support the SKIP_COMPASS_INSTALL=1 parameter to explicitly skip Compass installation. This bypasses the problematic custom action entirely while letting you install only the Server component.

Update your installation command to:

msiexec.exe /qn /i mongodb-win32-x86_64-2008plus-ssl-3.6.2-signed.msi INSTALLLOCATION="C:\Program Files\MongoDB\Server\3.6\" ADDLOCAL=Server SKIP_COMPASS_INSTALL=1 /l*v MongoDBInstall.log

2. Modify the MSI Package (If the Parameter Fails)

If the SKIP_COMPASS_INSTALL parameter doesn’t resolve the issue (rare for 3.6.2), you can edit the MSI to remove the faulty custom action using the Orca MSI Editor:

• Download and install Orca (part of the Windows SDK).
• Open your MongoDB MSI file in Orca.
• Navigate to the CustomAction table.
• Find and delete the row named InstallCompassScript.
• Save the modified MSI (use "Save As" to avoid overwriting the original).
• Run your original installation command with the edited MSI.

3. Fallback: Install All Features and Clean Up Compass

If the above options aren’t feasible, install all features first, then manually remove Compass-related files:

msiexec.exe /qn /i mongodb-win32-x86_64-2008plus-ssl-3.6.2-signed.msi INSTALLLOCATION="C:\Program Files\MongoDB\Server\3.6\" ADDLOCAL=ALL /l*v MongoDBInstall.log

After installation completes:

• Delete the C:\Program Files\MongoDB\Server\3.6\bin\MongoDBCompass* files and directories.
• Remove any MongoDB Compass shortcuts from the Start Menu.

Verification #

After installation, confirm:

• The MongoDB Server service is running (check services.msc for the "MongoDB" entry).
• Only server-related files exist in your INSTALLLOCATION (no Compass binaries).

内容的提问来源于stack exchange，提问作者Richard Fennell