Dynamics AX Client error: An invalid directory structure for Microsoft Dynamics AX was detected

This error appeared in our environment when we started importing configuration files for bulk deployment. You can export a working configuration so that the same can be distributed to n number of clients. 

Exporting the working configuration from one environment and re-importing in another gave this error on one of the clients.

---------------------------
Microsoft Dynamics AX Error
---------------------------
An invalid directory structure for Microsoft Dynamics AX was detected. The subdirectory C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Dynamics AX\60\\Client\bin does not exist.
---------------------------
OK
---------------------------

To my surprise, the path mentioned in the error, "\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Dynamics AX\60\\Client\bin" never existed at the client I was working on. Why would this false path generate from this client ? Left curious at my place, I googled the same and came accross the post: 

Running AX 2009 Client raises error: "An invalid directory structure for Microsoft Dynamics AX was detected" 

As rightly mentioned in the post, you need to fix the registry. These configurations are actually stored in the registry. The config executables modify the registry entries actually. And from there, the client or the server reads and loads accordingly. A different client directory path in the original configuration (exported from) will propagate in all clients with imported configurations. At this error, check the registry at the path:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Dynamics\5.0\Configuration\Original (installed configuration)

 and look for the directory, bindir and datadir values.

What actually happened is that the client initially configured [and configurations exported from there] had its client installed in the \Program Files (x86) folder. However a few other clients were in the \Program Files folder. Now exported configurations are totally dependent on the original system paths and directories. Hence the initial system path propagated and didn't get checked in the middle. 

Perhaps we can have system variables representing the AX client path and AX server path and other significant locations so that such issues are mitigated.