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SPAPI_E_INVALID_TARGET
SPAPI_E_INVALID_TARGET means that a driver or setup copy operation resolved to a destination that SetupAPI does not accept for that installation phase.
Meaning in the subsystem
For device installation, SetupAPI. Dev. Log is the chronological backbone. Correlate the HRESULT with the device instance ID, selected INF and section, signature or rank decision, file queue, class/co-installer dispatch, and rollback for that exact attempt instead of reading isolated lines from different installations.
Access denied means the destination is valid but forbidden; invalid target means the destination contract itself is unsuitable.
Minimum useful evidence
- INF section, CopyFiles directive, source media path, destination DIRID, and expanded target
- Target volume state, architecture, offline-image root, and permissions
- SetupAPI. Dev. Log lines around destination resolution and file queue commit
- Whether redirection, WOW64, or an offline servicing context changed the path
Isolate the responsible condition
- Expand the INF destination using the same platform/architecture before queueing files.
- Test a minimal signed package that copies to a documented DIRID.
- Compare live-system and offline-image roots while keeping the INF unchanged.
Regression proof
A defensible correction is specific to the evidence: Use supported DIRIDs and decorated INF sections, remove hard-coded system paths, and validate the offline target root.
Close the incident only when the package installs on every declared architecture and offline/live target without copying outside the intended driver-store workflow.
Technical references
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