install progress bar disappears

Windows XP Pro w/ SP2
P4 3.2GHz HT
1GB RAM
ASUS FN5900 128MB PCI-express video
320GB S-ATA 200GB IDE
DVDRW, CDRW

First off, let me say I am no noob when it comes to removing viruses and spyware from a machine. I know how to use ad-aware and HJT. I am having a very strange problem though. Whenever i install something that uses the MSI, (microsoft installer) i can go about normally selecting where i want to install it and what start menu folder it goes in. However, when i hit next and it would normally go to the progress bar of the installation, the installer disappears.

What weird is the program installs successfully. The problem occurs when i try to install a game that has multiple CDs. I start with the first disc and when I hit the last "next" the progress bar never shows up. So when it comes time to insert the second disc, i get no notification.

I got around this with my first game Warhammer 40k: Dawn of War and the Winter Assault expansion pack by copying the files off of the 3 CDs to a temp folder on my hard drive. I ran the installer and let it "install" while the progress bar was hidden and eventually the desktop icons popped up and the game works fine.

This is very annoying though and i was wondering if there is any way to fix this. Thank you for your time.

-Erik

 

>> I am having a very strange problem though. Whenever i install something that uses the MSI, (microsoft installer) i can go about normally selecting where i want to install it and what start menu folder it goes in. However, when i hit next and it would normally go to the progress bar of the installation, the installer disappears. << LiquidLithium

I had a similar problem to this. Not exactly the same, but very similar. Sounds like your MS Installer was somehow damaged or corrupted. In some cases, software will not install correctly due to some problem with the Microsoft Windows Installer. You can always try to "reinstall" the Microsoft Windows Installer.

As a precaution: Create a System Restore Point before you do anything.

To reinstall the installer (for windows 2000 and XP):

(1) - Download the installer from Microsoft
(2) - Search for msisip.dll -- rename it or just delete it
* Important Note: Do NOT delete the one in c:\i386 directory
(3) - NOW run the windows installer.
(4) - Reboot.

Windows 2000 (Service Pack 3 or later), Windows XP (all service packs)
Windows Installer 3.1 Redistributable (v2)

Note: When downloading the Windows Installer for Windows 2000 or Windows XP, if you are visiting the download page for the first time, near the top of the page you may see a "Validation Recommended" box. If you see this, click the "Continue" link and follow the prompts to get to the actual download page containing the "Files in this Download" section.

Related Note for those who are reading this but are not using XP: Windows Installer is not included in Microsoft Windows 95, in Microsoft Windows 98, in Microsoft Windows 98 Second Edition (SE), or in Microsoft Windows NT 4.0.

Windows Installer 2.0 Redistributable for Windows 95, 98, and Me
Windows Installer 2.0 Redistributable for Windows NT 4.0 and 2000

 

Well the renaming and reinstalling of the MSI went ok, however that did not fix the problem. I tried installing a game that I knew used the installer and the progress bar still disappears. If anyone else has any ideas, im open to them.

 

Try running Ccleaner, to see if temp files are causing you grief.

If that doesn't work, I would recommend that you follow the steps in the malware removal thread, and then visit Windows Update to make sure you're fully patched.

This will make sure you are malware free, and that you have the latest version of the Microsoft Installer package. You can try again after that!

Then, if you still have a problem, I would type 'chkdsk /r' (without the quotes) at a command prompt, to make sure that your hard drive is reading/writing the file correctly. To access a command prompt, hit windows key + r (or click start --> run), type 'cmd' (without the quotes) and press enter (or click ok).