Installed programs asking for Disk 1

[E-Double]

For some reason about once or twice a month we get various WinXp sp2 & sp3
computers asking for Disk 1 of previously installed programs that were
working fine for months or even years. It just appears random and does not
happen after any machine upgrades of any sort. Roxio is often the
misbehaving program, but lately we are seeing this with other programs as
well. Is there some way to avoid the message from appearing in the first
place, and also to repair the installation of that program without having to
actually find the original install disks and insert them ? We tried to
reinstall the Windows Installer 3.1 on these machines, but that did nto help
(at least for the one program that was asking for Disk 1). TIA ...

 

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

Did you use an Image to install Windows on these computers?

 

[E-Double]

We did not use an image, but it is the OEM installation (ie original
installation) that shipped with the computers. We have just ran Windows
Updates and and installed some apps since these were deployed.

e.

 

[smlunatick]

We did not use an image, but it is the OEM installation (ie original
installation) that shipped with the computers.  We have just ran Windows
Updates and and installed some apps since these were deployed.

e.

These style of problems are happening because of the following:

1) Software installed in a different "user account" and the install
process was not intelligent enough to install the settings for all
users.

2) The Windows Installer "database" for the installed software is
being damaged by some software. One possible method to fix this is
to:

a) Locate, download and install the Windows Installer Cleaner tool
(found in the Microsoft Office "section" normally.)
b) Uninstall the "offending" software.
c) Remove the "left-over" entries with the Windows Installer Cleaner.
d) Re-install the software. (Should be done with the "true"
administrator account -- should install software for all users.)

 

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

What other applications are asking for "Disk 1" besides Roxio? If these
applications aren't needed or used, why not uninstall them?

Any number of "auto-update" components (including Automatic [Windows]
Update, if an MS Office or MS Works app is installed) could request the disk
if the application's SetUp data cannot be found or determined (usually the
work of a "Registry cleaner" of, possibly, injudicious use of Disk Cleanup).