Photoshop Elements 5.0 suddenly stopped working

:cry
I need some help with a Photoshop Elements 5.0 problem please.
I am running on Vista 32.
I have been using Photoshop for a year with no problems and then all of the sudden Wammo. I can launch the program but when I try to open a file it says "Could Not Complete Your Request Because of a Program Error"
I uninstalled and then reinstalled and it still will not work.
I did try to run it in safemode which works but of course that is not a final solution as the resolution is terrible and it is annoying. Anyone know how to fix this problem?
Thank you.

 

Of Course I have automatic windows updates all the time. I looked through the update history, but did not see anything recently that said windows vista sp1. Back in January there was a Microsoft Office Suite Update SP1, but my problem has only existed for about 3 or 4 weeks. in that times there have been these Vista updates:
KB950124 6/24/08
KB950582 7/9/08
KB955020 7/10/08
KB917607 (WINDOWS ONLY NOT VISTA) 7/18/08

There were also numerous Windows Defender Updates.

Davy

 

Thanks Halo and Plodr.
I followed all the instructions and uninstalled and then reinstalled PS as admin in simplified mode from the desktop.
I then tried to install the patch but it says I already have that and aborted. I looked in the Properties for PS and it said the version was 5.0.2.0, so I am assuming the patch was installed. Still....could that be corrupt? How would I go about unistalling and reinstalling that? At any rate the problem still persists. YIKES! What is up!

thanks again

Davy

 

Well darn it all to Hell! I uninstalled using the installer you suggested. Claned out the lingering parts, cleaned out the register using the ccleaner. Then reinstalled from the desktop as admin. and **DRUM ROLL** Same problem.
"Could Not Complete Your Request Because of a Program Error"
I needed to use the darn thing so once again I started my system in Safe Mode and PS works. So there must be some windows process interfering somehow. What could it Be! HMMM? I really appreciate you trying to help. At any rate I have a great new uninstaller. Thanks. :confused
Davy

 

Well this is an interesting development. Last night some process stopped working on Vista which prompted this popup that said something about this problem can be fixed by downloading the Vista Service Pack 1. I thought I already had that, but whatever, so i went ahead and installed that, and amazingly Photoshop now works again. I do not understand these things but I suppose praying to the computer gods works...
Anyway Thank you for helping me out and we know now to suggest folks install this service pack I suppose.

Davy