setup.exe files cause crash after XP SP2 installation

[Guest]

After installing SP2, I've run into a problem trying to install programs
using setup.exe filenames. Initially, when I installed SP2, the PC would
hang during
reboot. All that would load would be my wallpaper. I powered down twice
and finally had to do the cntrl-alt-del to power cycle the PC before it would
finish booting.

Then I ran into a problem accessing the internet. I have DSL and even with
all firewalls and virus software turned off, still no access. Contrary to
my automatic update settings (which I had set earlier that day to notifiy but
don't install) eventually, while on the phone with MS tech suspport during a
reboot, some automatic update got installed onto the PC. Don't know what it
was. After that, I could access the net.

Then I tried to install some IPSec software my work supplies to connect to
its network. The self extracting files, self extracts but as soon as the
setup.exe file is executed, the PC goes to black and reboots. Tried various
versions, verified the file was okay. Tried turning off firewall, anti-virus
and unplugged DSL modem. Still, no luck.

As a test, I tried to install some simple little worrd processing/graphics
program and double clicked on it's setup.exe file. Same thing, PC goes to
black and reboots.

So, what do I do now?

 

[Mark L. Ferguson]

Obviously the update software could access the net, or 'some update' would
never have been installed. (They are listed by date in various ways. The
creation date on the uninstall folder, etc)

You did not try Ping, but it probably would have worked. I would guess
Explorer is corrupted in some fashion.

To repair all system files, go to Start/Run, and type: SFC /SCANNOW

 

[Guest]

After installing SP2, I've run into a problem trying to install programs
using setup.exe filenames. Initially, when I installed SP2, the PC would
hang during reboot. All that would load would be my wallpaper. I
powered down twice and finally had to do the cntrl-alt-del to power cycle
the PC before it would finish booting.

Then I ran into a problem accessing the internet. I have DSL and even
with all firewalls and virus software turned off, still no access. Contrary to
my automatic update settings (which I had set earlier that day to notifiy
but don't install) eventually, while on the phone with MS tech suspport
during a reboot, some automatic update got installed onto the PC. Don't
know what it was. After that, I could access the net.

Then I tried to install some IPSec software my work supplies to connect to
its network. The self extracting files, self extracts but as soon as the
setup.exe file is executed, the PC goes to black and reboots. Tried
various versions, verified the file was okay. Tried turning off firewall,
anti-virus and unplugged DSL modem. Still, no luck.

As a test, I tried to install some simple little worrd processing/graphics
program and double clicked on it's setup.exe file. Same thing, PC goes to
black and reboots.

So, what do I do now?

Obviously the update software could access the net, or 'some update' would
never have been installed. (They are listed by date in various ways. The
creation date on the uninstall folder, etc)

You did not try Ping, but it probably would have worked. I would guess
Explorer is corrupted in some fashion.

Actually, you're wrong. I *did* try ping. I could ping sites just fine.
However,
IE and Netscape and the Earthlink TotalAccess software and my other mail
program
(PC-Pine) just couldn't access the net. Whatever was "broken" got fixed
once
the automatic update, whose existance I was unaware of prior to installation
and
which I didn't ask to have downloaded or installed, got installed.

I can access sites with no problem now with any browser or with TotalAccess or
PC-Pine. The problem now is just the issue of not being able to run a
setup.exe file
(which means, I can't install any new program on my PC). The rest of the
explanation was simply to provide background information so folks could
understand how this situation came about.

To repair all system files, go to Start/Run, and type: SFC /SCANNOW

That's a new one on me. I'll give it a try.