The customer is trying to upgrade to ITMS 8.1 RU7; However, Deployment Solution is getting stuck during this step:

Configuring task 88 of 102: Configure Deployment Solution 8.1 RU7
Configuring task 88 of 102: Configure Deployment Solution 8.1 RU7 - Installing default product configuration

It will stay in the same step for hours, even days if SIM was not killed manually.

Upgrade to ITMS 8.1 RU7

We noticed the following entries right before getting to this state:

Entry 1:
Unable to manage the distribution points under user [Example\Gadmin] for package: 'DriversDB' (20827ddd-c698-49e8-b312-830df1d935b2)

Could not access the path for package: 'DriversDB' (20827ddd-c698-49e8-b312-830df1d935b2), path=\\SMP01.EXAMPLE.COM\NSCap\bin\Deployment\DriversDB
[System.UnauthorizedAccessException @ Altiris.NS.StandardItems]
at Altiris.NS.StandardItems.SoftwareDelivery.SWDSupport.ValidatePackageForMdp(PackageItem pkgItem, String pkgAccessDomain, String pkgAccessUser, String pkgAccessPassword)
at Altiris.NS.StandardItems.SoftwareDelivery.SWDSupport.DistributionPointsPackageArea.Enter(PackageItem pkgItem, Boolean snapshotOnly)
at Altiris.NS.StandardItems.SoftwareDelivery.SWDSupport.ManageDistributionPoints(PackageItem pkgItem, Boolean snapshotOnly)

Exception logged from:
at Altiris.NS.StandardItems.SoftwareDelivery.SWDSupport.ManageDistributionPoints(Altiris.NS.StandardItems.SoftwareDelivery.PackageItem, Boolean)
at Altiris.NS.StandardItems.SoftwareDelivery.PackageItem.UpdateDistributionPoints()
at Altiris.Deployment.DeploymentInstallation.UpdateDSPackageItems()
at Altiris.Deployment.DeploymentInstallation.HotfixUpdates()
at Altiris.Deployment.DeploymentHotfix.OnInstallDefaultProductConfiguration(System.Xml.XmlNode)
at Altiris.NS.StandardItems.Product.ProductInstallation.InstallDefaultProductConfiguration()
at Altiris.NS.StandardItems.Product.ProductInstallation.InstallProduct()
at Altiris.NS.Installation.ProductConfigurationWorker.ConfigureProductInternal(String, Boolean, Altiris.NS.Serialization.SerializationMode)
at Altiris.NS.Installation.ProductConfigurationWorker.ConfigureProductBatchInternal()
at Altiris.NS.Installation.ProductConfigurationWorker.ConfigureProductBatch()
at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.RunInternal(System.Threading.ExecutionContext, System.Threading.ContextCallback, Object, Boolean)
at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.Run(System.Threading.ExecutionContext, System.Threading.ContextCallback, Object, Boolean)
at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.Run(System.Threading.ExecutionContext, System.Threading.ContextCallback, Object)
at System.Threading.ThreadHelper.ThreadStart()

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: 2/6/2019 1:40:58 PM, Tick Count: 12844843 (03:34:04.8430000),
Process: AeXSvc (9136), Thread ID: 6, Module: Altiris.NS.StandardItems.dll
Priority: 2, Source: Altiris.NS.StandardItems.SoftwareDelivery.SWDSupport.ManageDistributionPoints


Entry 2:
Getting exception while loading DriversDB package. Exception Message ::Could not access the path for package: 'DriversDB' (20827ddd-c698-49e8-b312-830df1d935b2), path=\\SMP01.EXAMPLE.COM\NSCap\bin\Deployment\DriversDB
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: 2/6/2019 1:40:58 PM, Tick Count: 12844843 (03:34:04.8430000),
Process: AeXSvc (9136), Thread ID: 6, Module: Symantec.Deployment.dll
Priority: 1, Source: Altiris.Deployment.DeploymentInstallation.UpdateDSPackageItems

When looking at this location: path=\\SMP01.EXAMPLE.COM\NSCap\bin\Deployment\DriversDB
This "DriversDB" virtual share folder was not created. The "BDC" one was present.

Try the following:

1. Open Task Manager and look for "Symantec Boot Disk Creator (32 bit)". It may appear twice.
2. If one of those instances is consuming over 50-60% of CPU, end both processes. You may need to try like three times because it may come back.
3. If after killing the "Symantec Boot Disk Creator (32 bit)" processes you were able to finish the repair, then BootWiz was having a hard time in creating/updating the Automation Folder.

Same issue can arise on 8.6RU2 upgrade to 8.7

Stopped the bootwiz process, the bootwiz process comes back and SIM resumes the installation.