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WCM_E_VALIDATIONFAILED
WCM_E_VALIDATIONFAILED is the failure HRESULT 0x80220020 (signed decimal -2145255392, unsigned decimal 2149711904). Its severity bit is 1, facility is 34 (FACILITY_STATE_MANAGEMENT), and the facility-specific code field is 0x0020.
AllStat records the Windows SDK description as “Validation of metadata failed.”
Interpretation without overreach
Metadata validation failed at the namespace level. The operation reached aggregate validation of compiled settings metadata or a namespace instance before save/application. The first branch to test is whether one or more child settings have type, restriction, assertion, or attribute errors; keep that separate from the possibility that cross-reference validation finds unresolved or inconsistent metadata.
SMI object or metadata boundary
At this boundary, capture the entire ISettingsResult array, not only the top-level HRESULT, then correlate it with source, line, column, context description, and code for each result. Assign ownership only after checking namespace identity, target, and schema version.
Common origins
- one or more child settings have type, restriction, assertion, or attribute errors
- cross-reference validation finds unresolved or inconsistent metadata
- the manifest compiles structurally but violates SMI semantic rules
- multiple results are returned and the caller discards the detailed entries
Useful artifacts
- the entire ISettingsResult array, not only the top-level HRESULT
- source, line, column, context description, and code for each result
- namespace identity, target, and schema version
- the minimal metadata unit that still fails
- ordering of errors to identify likely root versus cascading diagnostics
How to isolate the defect
- sort results by source and location
- fix specific errors such as missing type, invalid key, or conflicting assertion first
- revalidate after each root correction because dependent messages may disappear
- keep validation separate from applying/saving settings
- fail the pipeline when detailed results are lost
When another attempt is justified
Retry after correcting the reported metadata. An unchanged aggregate retry merely regenerates the same detail set.
Related result codes
WCM_E_MANIFESTCOMPILATIONFAILED is tied to XSD/XML manifest compilation; VALIDATIONFAILED is the broader semantic validation outcome after metadata is available.
Example from an offline image
A namespace validates with four result objects: one invalid key and three dependent assertion failures. Fixing the key removes the downstream messages.
Developer and administrator notes
For operational telemetry, retain namespace identity, target, and schema version; also record the minimal metadata unit that still fails. Preserve a redacted summary of ordering of errors to identify likely root versus cascading diagnostics; use a cryptographic hash when that evidence is a file, stream, or generated artifact.
Official Microsoft references.
- Microsoft: SMI error and success constants.
- Microsoft: Settings Management Infrastructure API.
- Microsoft: SMI interfaces.
- Microsoft: ISettingsResult::GetErrorCode.
- Microsoft: ISettingsResult::GetLine.
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