installer keeps opening and hangs with every program

[Mike P]

Windows installer opens and hangs, after boot, and when I
try to open almost every program. Also when opening "My
Computer", "My Network Places" from the icons on the
desktop, or "Controll Panel" from the start menu, I get
the following error message "This file does not have a
program associated with it for performing this action.
Create an association in the folder options control panel.

" This all happened after trying to remove every
reference to a shareware program called Opus, from GP
Software, in the registry. The problem started when this
program would create a pop up window to purchase the
program, with no option to cancel or decline. It would
pop up when I tried to open any program on the computer.
The only way I could get to the controll panel or the
windows explore, was from a link, in the windows help
files. I deleted what I could from the "Add/Remove
programs, then the windows explorer, but it would not get
rid of the dll files. I removed all the references I
could find in the registry.

I re-installed windows 2000, using the repair option, but
the installer keeps trying to run. I had to re-install
from the boot up, because when I tried to re-install from
windows, it said I had to, complete the installation of
anothe program, which did not seem to exist.

This is a friends computer, so I am trying o keep all the
programs in tact, without overwriting them with a clean
install.

Please help.

 

[Pen]

Obviously the best way to deal with this is a clean reinstall,
but you may be able to find enough information from one
of these programs to clean up the mess.
Download Startup and see if you can find where the
installer is starting from.
http://www.mlin.net/StartupCPL.shtml
Or msconfig can be had here.
http://www2.whidbey.com/djdenham/Msconfig.htm
Either of these will let you disable startups without
actually deleting anything, which may help.

 

[Mike P]

I downloaded the startup program, disabled all startup
programs, but the windows installer still tries to
install something, when I boot, and when I open most
programs.

Any other suggestions?

 

[Torgeir Bakken \(MVP\)]

Windows installer opens and hangs, after boot, and when I
try to open almost every program.

Hi

Most likely it is Windows Installer doing an on-demand installation...

See "Every time I launch my application, Windows Installer performs an
installation. How can I determine the cause of the on-demand installation?"
in the FAQ at

http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/community/centers/management/msi_faq.mspx

To access the Application Log in the Event viewer,
run the following command from Start/Run:

eventvwr.msc


If you are running Windows XP (or have access to a Windows XP computer,
you can copy MSIZAP.EXE over to your Win2k computer):

If a product code is listed there and this product is not really installed,
MSIZAP.EXE is maybe able to fix this issue, it is included as a utility in
the support tools installation package (on your WinXP CD) with some additional
documentation included in suptools.chm (installed by suptools.msi).

It will remove all Windows Installer entries for a product key that you feed
it with.

Note that if MSIZAP.EXE is used incorrectly it can affect other applications
on the machine.

Based on the documentation in
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/en-us/msi/setup/msizap_exe.asp

this is what you should run:

msizap T {product code}

an example:
msizap T {FFB37294-1155-17D3-A809-0250BAAFB1AB}


Alternatively, for a more user friendly interface to MSIZAP.EXE ,
take a look at this article:

Description of the Windows Installer CleanUp Utility
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;290301