[Answer]Bug in Vista sp2

Question：

It appears that XPS Document Viewer is not backwards compatible after installing Vista SP2.

When a document is digitally signed with Vista SP2, the signature cannot be seen with Windows XP, XPS Document Viewer.

 

First let me say:

If the document was first signed using Windows XP and he second signature was signed with Windows XP or Windows Vista sp1. Everything works fine.

 

I have 3 example problems:

1. The document was first signed using Windows XP.  The second signature was signed with Windows Vista sp2.  The second signature is not visible to any XP user.  It looks just like the second signature was never added to the document.  But the second signature can bee seen by anyone with Windows Vista sp2.

 

 

2. If the first and second signatures were signed with Windows Vista sp2 then both signatures are visible to Windows Vista sp2 users but not Windows XP users.  To Windows XP users it looks like the document was never signed.

 

3.                  3. If the document was signed first by a user with Windows Vista sp2 and then signed by a user with Windows XP, the document will give an error when opened by any user XP and Vista sp2 alike.

 

Also, if a document was signed first with Windows Vista sp2, when the document is opened with Windows XP and I try to view the signature details it says:

 

Signature Status:                       Intent:

Signature pending:         <none>

Sign by <none>

<none>

 

Is someone at Microsoft aware of this problem and is anyone working on it?

Is there a hotfix for this problem?

Are there any workarounds?

Answer 1：Hi Burtchy,
I believe you need to use the following update at least on the XP box. Do it on all of them won't hurt.
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=B8DCFFDD-E3A5-44CC-8021-7649FD37FFEE&displaylang=en

Check it out and let us know if you are still having issues.

---

Matt



Answer 2：Hi Matt,
Thank you for replying, I have tried the "Microsoft XML Paper Specification Essentials Pack" as you suggested but it does not work as I had hoped.
I installed it on my XP box and registered it in the install. Then I rebooted.
It installed an shortcut on the desktop pointing to a stand alone XPS Viewer that doesn't see any of the signatures.  And when I open the XPS documents with Internet Explorer the problem stated above still exists.

I would be very grateful for any other ideas you may have!

Thanks again for the relpy.
Burtchy