help! windows installer problem AGAIN.

[tjb]

i recently had to do a system recovery on my old compuer that i got in 2003.
ive kept up to date but lost everything so after doing the recovery i am
trying to get my pc re-updated.
i got back on windows update and started getting caught up with old updates.
it said i had download windows installer 3.1 again so i did.
after it was installed i started getting a windows installer problem.
i had this problem a long time ago but i forget the solution.
i tried the cleanup utility but that didnt work.
windows xp home sp2.

the problem: (ive included a screen grab of the sequence and hosted it on
imagesgack for ease.)

screen grab-

http://yfrog.com/5nb43g37fg6p

i click to open a program. (the program works fine when open)
windows installer dialog appears
says:
"please wait while windows configures *program*
gathering required information..."

next dialog box appears. it says:
"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 'mycd.msi' in the box below."

i click cancel and the sequence begins again. i click on ok and the next
dialog box says:
an installation package for the prduct *name* cannot be found. try the
installation again using a valid copy of the installation package 'mycd.msi'"

if i click ok the sequence just begins again.

i know there was a solution for this problem way back then but i dont
remember what it was and cant find it online.
ive tried uninstalling the programs and deleting the folders and
reinstalling, but the problem persists.
also it doesnt happen with every program, just a few.

anyone remember what the solution for this is?
tia
tjb

 

[JS]

i recently had to do a system recovery on my old compuer that i got in
2003.
ive kept up to date but lost everything so after doing the recovery i am
trying to get my pc re-updated.
i got back on windows update and started getting caught up with old
updates.
it said i had download windows installer 3.1 again so i did.
after it was installed i started getting a windows installer problem.
i had this problem a long time ago but i forget the solution.
i tried the cleanup utility but that didnt work.
windows xp home sp2.

the problem: (ive included a screen grab of the sequence and hosted it on
imagesgack for ease.)

screen grab-

http://yfrog.com/5nb43g37fg6p

i click to open a program. (the program works fine when open)
windows installer dialog appears
says:
"please wait while windows configures *program*
gathering required information..."

next dialog box appears. it says:
"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 'mycd.msi' in the box below."

i click cancel and the sequence begins again. i click on ok and the next
dialog box says:
an installation package for the prduct *name* cannot be found. try the
installation again using a valid copy of the installation package
'mycd.msi'"

if i click ok the sequence just begins again.

i know there was a solution for this problem way back then but i dont
remember what it was and cant find it online.
ive tried uninstalling the programs and deleting the folders and
reinstalling, but the problem persists.
also it doesnt happen with every program, just a few.

anyone remember what the solution for this is?
tia
tjb

How to re-install Windows Installer:
http://xphelpandsupport.mvps.org/how_do_i_reinstall_the_windows_i.htm

Windows Installer 3.1 Redistributable (v2)
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...fc-5f56-4a38-b838-de776fd4138c&displaylang=en

Windows Installer 4.5 Redistributable
(Latest version of Windows Installer)
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...6F-60B6-4412-95B9-54D056D6F9F4&displaylang=en

Update for Windows XP (KB958655)
Install this update to resolve an issue in MSI Installer 4.5
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...aac&DisplayLang=en&displaylang=en

Also:
Common Windows Installer Problems
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=555175

Windows Installer CleanUp Utility
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/290301

Description of the Windows Installer CleanUp Utility
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/290301

The Windows Installer Cleanup Utility:
It was created to fix software installations that failed during the install
process and thus leaving a bunch of files
(including a file name that ends with a .msi extension (.msi = MicroSoft
Installer). For example a failed MS Office
installation (note that I said "Failed").
See: http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/help/HA011185721033.aspx

Also if when you installed MS Office you decided at the time you did not
need Power Point and chose not to install it.
Later you discover you need to make a Power Point presentation, insert the
Office CD and try to install Power Point and
it creates an error.

Using the Windows Installer Cleanup tool will remove the corrupted install
files (Located in C:\Windows\Installer). You
then need to install Office and Power Point once again as they will not
longer be present in the Control Panel's
Add/Remove programs list. But at least this time Office and Power Point will
install without any errors as the Windows
Installer Cleanup Utility did what it was designed to do.

The unfortunate side effect of the Cleanup tool is when you select and
remove software that is functioning properly you
then will no longer be able to install that software as it will no longer be
in the Add/Remove programs list.
Now as to why there are there so many files in C:\Windows\Installer:

You will find a good number of these .MSI files belong to software such as
Java, AV Software, Norton Ghost, Microsoft's
..NET Framework, File downloaded during a Windows Update session and so on.
It would appear that some software will clean
up after itself and deletes it's file that were in the C:\Windows\Installer
folder. A failed Windows Update will create
and leave folders and files behind each time you try to install the update
and therefore you could end up with a lot of
files taking up disk space.

There also could be a lot of orphaned (no longer needed) files.
Using the msizap command ( msizap g! ) removes any cached Windows Installer
data files that have been orphaned.

 

[tjb]

thank you for the links.
it looks like the fix is no longer available.
i guess with installer 4.5 it is fixed.
i hope 4.5 works with some of these older programs i have.
and i had tried the installer cleanup tool earlier and can attest to the
fact that it cleans out the add/remove programs list.

 

[JS]

Is there a bad link in what I posted?