installer problems

i have windows xp home edition,when i try to load some discs,it comes up there is a fault with your installer,or windows may be running in safe mode.i bought two kids games today.one cost £30and i cant load it,the other cost £4and it loaded first time.

cheers
delboy

 

See if Windows installer service can be started.

You can do this from start-run, service.msc.

 

i went into start-run.i typed in installer.it came up with a load of files,installer- installer patct ect.when i tried to open them,it comes up with.the feature you are trying to use,is on a network resource that is unavailable.



click ok to try again,or enter an alternate path to a folder containing the installation package.works 2000.msn in the box below.

i tried to load my works 2000 disc.but as usual it comes up installer problem.

 

services.msc was supposed to be typed in at run

 

thank's,silly me.i'll give it a try.
cheers
delboy

 

if i help u with your problem delboy, will u marry me?

 

thanks,i tried this.when i clicked to start,it came up-could not start windows installer service on local computer

error3 the system cannot find the path specified.

 

You have a broken windows installer.

From memory:


Replace

msihnd.dll
msi.dll
msiexec.exe


From your XP CD.

Ignore any Windows File Protection messages.


All belong in C:\windows\system32, and C:\windows\system32\dllcache.

Rename them in dllcache, then system32, then replace in the exact opposite order.

from a cmd prompt (start, run, cmd.exe)

expand x:\i386\msihnd.dl_ C:\windows\system32\dllcache\msihnd.dll

expand x:\i386\msihnd.dl_ C:\windows\system32\msihnd.dll

expand x:\i386\msi.dl_ C:\windows\system32\dllcache\msi.dll

expand x:\i386\msi.dl_ C:\windows\system32\\msi.dll

expand x:\i386\msiexec.ex_ C:\windows\system32\msiexec.exe

Where 'x' is the letter of your cdrom drive.

Additionally, if your computer did not have SP1 preinstalled, the files DO NOT come from your CD, but instead from the Sp1 repository.


Alternate way of copying files:

copy c:\windows\servicepackfiles\i386\msihnd.dll C:\windows\system32\dllcache\

copy c:\windows\servicepackfiles\i386\msihnd.dll C:\windows\system32\

copy c:\windows\servicepackfiles\i386\msi.dll C:\windows\system32\dllcache\

copy c:\windows\servicepackfiles\i386\msi.dll C:\windows\system32\

copy c:\windows\servicepackfiles\i386\msiexec.exe C:\windows\system32\dllcache\

copy c:\windows\servicepackfiles\i386\msiexec.exe C:\windows\system32\



Then, start-run

regsvr32 msi.dll
regsvr32 msihnd.dll
msiexec.exe /regserver

I would also reccomend reinstalling Sp1 after this.

Have fun.

 

Editted for clarification.

 

here's a cool tool. forgot where I got the link from.
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/msi/setup/msizap_exe.asp

From looking at this, you can "zap" any msi files and reg entries. Presumably you can then just reinstall the MSI package without having to go through all of the above.

 

I wish it was that easy.


XP uses a version of Windows Installer not available on the web.


msizap.exe is the same thing as the Windows Installer Cleanup utility.


It removes msi installed applications by nuking the reg entries only.


Furthermore, it does not modify,reinstall, or fix the windows installer.

Keep in mind his Windows Installer service says it cannot find the file specified, meaning a corrupt or missing file, or less likely, a corrupt service.

 

A Repair can also fix this.


But keep in mind.

A Repair is nothing more than an upgrade over itself, and falls under the same rules as a regular upgrade:


It won't fix most registry issues. Furthermore, it removes all backups of the registry on the system and replaces them with the current copy, making registry problems tougher to fix.

You lose updates.

You lose updated drivers.

The same programs incompatible with upgrades from another OS are still going to cause problems.

You can potentially make your system less stable.

Anything that makes an upgrade fail, will make a Repair fail.

Potential data loss or loss or program functionality for OEM people.

See http://support.microsoft.com/defaul...port/kb/articles/Q312/3/69.asp&NoWebContent=1 for more information on this.

Meaning, a clean install is better.


Although I reccomend doing the manual fix, you gain a lot more knowledge about the OS.

 

Last note.

There is a Windows Installer package on Office XP CDs, and presumably on Office 2003 CDs.



Some people have limited success reinstalling the MSI from that.

If you do, make sure you reinstall SP1, the MSI has been updated since Office XP was released.

 

Last thing!

LOL.


Think of mszap,exe as an Uninstaller program for MSI apps.

But, it doesn't nuke any files.



Additionally, it doesn't modify the MSI.



But, in the off chance there is an application thats conflicting, mszap.exe would help.


Have you checked your system for Klez?


Klez loves to eat the Windows Installer.


Check your services in msconfig for any wink*.* services.

Additionally, check running processes for the same.

If you have them, get Klez off the system.

 

problem now fixed,many thank's

 

Good to hear!