Windows Installer Error

[Mizpah]

I may have botched my windows xp pc when I was using TweakUI. I was
using the special folders option and I thought I was moving my
favorites folder, but after I applied the tweak I discovered it was the
installation path. Now my windows installer won't work. I'm not 100%
positive they are linked, but that is the only change I made that I
thought would affect this. I don't know what the default install path
should be.

Anytime I try to install any *.msi package I always get the following
error:

This patch package could not be opened. Verify that the patch package
exists and that you can access it, or contact the application vendor to
verify that this is a valid Windows Installer patch package.

I have tried the suggested fixes on these websites with no success:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555175/en-us
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/295823/en-ca
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=319624

The service is running and set to manual. I have downloaded and
installed 3.1.

I have tried the clean-up utility and it errors out with the message:
Error 1324: The folder path 'Program Files' contains an invalid
character. - Which it does not.

I have also enabled verbose logging, but I am not seeing any logs in
C:\Temp

Any other suggestions would be highly appreciated, because I can't
install anything with an msi package like Opera 9!

Thank in advance

 

[Guest]

Go to run,type:services.msc In msc,scroll to windows installer,double
click,in properties,select manual or disable,stop the service if its
running..
Close out msc,install xp cd,exit the info page,go to run,type:cmd In cmd
type:Sfc /Scannow After its thru type:CHKDSK C: /F Agree to restart,type:
EXIT Restart computer,remove cd.Once back in xp,install#893803 Then
open msc,set installer to auto,start the service.

 

[Roberto le Corneille]

I may have botched my windows xp pc when I was using TweakUI. I was
using the special folders option and I thought I was moving my
favorites folder, but after I applied the tweak I discovered it was the
installation path. Now my windows installer won't work. I'm not 100%
positive they are linked, but that is the only change I made that I
thought would affect this. I don't know what the default install path
should be.

Anytime I try to install any *.msi package I always get the following
error:

This patch package could not be opened. Verify that the patch package
exists and that you can access it, or contact the application vendor to
verify that this is a valid Windows Installer patch package.

I have tried the suggested fixes on these websites with no success:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555175/en-us
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/295823/en-ca
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=319624

The service is running and set to manual. I have downloaded and
installed 3.1.

I have tried the clean-up utility and it errors out with the message:
Error 1324: The folder path 'Program Files' contains an invalid
character. - Which it does not.

I have also enabled verbose logging, but I am not seeing any logs in
C:\Temp

Any other suggestions would be highly appreciated, because I can't
install anything with an msi package like Opera 9!

Thank in advance

Run system restore and choose a date prior to the problem

rgds
Roberto

 

[Mizpah]

Thanks for the help,

Roberto, I forgot to mention that I already tried system restore -
didn't work
Andrew: I did all that you suggested, and it didn't work.

Any other advice?
Thanks!