starting program cause window installer to launch

[Pomona]

(the beta is already installed)
When starting/opening the beta program, the "windows
installer" launchs and trys to install a completely
different program, which is already installed.

I can cancel out of the installer program and the beta
runs fine.

This will happen each time when I click on the desktop
short cut or the icon on the task bar.

 

[Sandi Hardmeier]

This cleanup tool should get things sorted:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;290301

 

[gord51]

I've had the same experience. I've tried the installer
cleanup it didn't help but made it impossible to
uninstall using the uninstaller as it now doesn't
recognize the program is on my computer. I tried
reinstalling the antispy anyway but I still have the
original problem. I like the program but this bug makes
scheduling scans impossible if I'm not around to insert
my backup disk for the programs it wants to reinstall or
cancel the reinstall.

 

[Bill Sanderson]

The issue arises because the Windows Installer sees a previous install as
incomplete--so it keeps on trying.

Other than the cleanup tool, the fix I know of for this is to reinstall
whatever is being called for, so that the install is completed, and then
uninstall it (if it isn't something you want installed.)

If the issue is that the install for Microsoft Antispyware isn't completing,
things I can suggest trying are:

1) make sure you are installing as administrator or owner on the machine.
2) Try installing after starting in diagnostic mode via MSCONFIG (in case
there is some conflict with a third-party service of some sort. If you use
a third-party software firewall, disconnet from the Internet before booting
in this mode.
3) some have succeeded in installing by choosing a non-default install
location--c:\msas, for example.

The first of these is really the only solid recommendation I have that I
know is likely to help--the other two are things other users have in a few
cases found helpful.

 

[NickC]

Thanks, Bill, but this doesn't make any sense. The
program installs just fine, puts an icon in the tray, and
an icon on the desktop. Every time I click to run it, I
get the same problem these other folks do. In my case, I
get a "Backup Dell-Installed Programs" dialogue asking
for Dell disks. If I cancel out of 8 or so further
dialogues, it runs fine. But I have to do this each time,
too. I uninstalled the program, deleted all files and
even cleaned my Registry before downloading a fresh copy
and reinstalling.

Here's my question: once Anti-Spy is installed, why does
trying to RUN it spark an installation process? The only
other program I've seen with this very same problem is
Dan Ellwell's Broadband Speed Test (a very popular
shareware).

I don't want to risk using the cleanup tool if it's going
to make uninstallation a hassle. I'd rather just
uninstall Anti-Spy and forget about it. Not worth the
hassle. Thanks.

 

[Bill Sanderson]

The issue is with the Windows Installer, not so much Microsoft Antispyware.

Your install of Microsoft Antispyware is fine (as far as I can see at this
point, anyway)--what the installer is choking on is the "Backup Dell
installed....." piece.

So--I would run the cleaner and see if it identifies something that you can
correlate with that alert. That's what I would consider removing with the
cleanup tool.

You can also uninstall Microsoft Antispyware, but the issue with the Dell
tool may come back with some future install which uses the Windows
Installer. For some reason, on my systems, the Adobe Acrobat Reader 6 was
what would trigger this behavior---I would get a prompt to install
(something) for every single plug-in for acrobat reader--I think there are
17 or more of them. Tedious doesn't begin to describe it.

 

[NickC]

Bill,

Thanks for the details - really helps. I tried an install
to a directory with a different name. That didn't solve
the problem, either. I'll run the cleanup tool without
any trace of AntiSpy on my machine and see what it picks
up. Thanks for your advice. I've been working with pc's
since the TRS-80. It's almost soothing to once again
confirm that the technology still doesn't work very
well...

Nick

 

[Bill Sanderson]

I've been surprised by the number of installer-related issues involved here.
The only other app I've ever seen some similar issues with is Adobe's
Acrobat Reader. Received wisdom about installer seems to be that it is
possible to do this right (or wrong!)

Microsoft has the resources to get details like the installer and
localization and accessibility right, and I'm sure we will see significant
change over time in these areas.

I don't always get feedback on the installer issues--I suspect some folks
just give up. In one case, the issues progressed to the point that the
installer seems broken altogether, for which there are a separate set of
fixes!

Thanks for sticking with it.