Can't install anything anmore!!!

[David Lozzi]

I do love Vista, I swear. I'm running Ultimate and its all happy and
updated. I'm trying to install anything (air card app, cisco client
uninstall, etc) and when I try to do anything from installing to
uninstalling i get the following error: another program is being installed.
please wait until that installation is complete, and then try installing
this software again. Grumble grumble. I've rebooted several time, even a
clean boot. I dont know what to do and I need to install some software!!
Please help!!

Thanks,

David Lozzi

 

[Don]

I do love Vista, I swear. I'm running Ultimate and its all happy and
updated. I'm trying to install anything (air card app, cisco client
uninstall, etc) and when I try to do anything from installing to
uninstalling i get the following error: another program is being
installed. please wait until that installation is complete, and then try
installing this software again. Grumble grumble. I've rebooted several
time, even a clean boot. I dont know what to do and I need to install
some software!! Please help!!

Using the well-known SWAG method, I would look in TaskManager to see if
there really is some process running that looks like an installer.

If no luck there, then perhaps look for differences in the process list
when the error message is displayed -- i.e. find out who is complaining.
Maybe the 'who' will tell you the 'why'...

 

[Guest]

How about restoring your pc to the last restore point before your pc going to
malfunctioning?

i alway done this and it works even i need to reinstall my soft collection,
i like it, it works.

 

[Don]

How about restoring your pc to the last restore point before your pc going to
malfunctioning?

i alway done this and it works even i need to reinstall my soft collection,
i like it, it works.

That is the answer that MicroSoft has been giving us for decades. Yes,
it may fix *your* problem (more than once) but it does not get any bugs
fixed! The only way to fix a bug is to find the cause and remove it.

That requires information. If no one supplies information then no bugs
get fixed.

 

[Guest]

Okay, okay. i admit it. but i think you should try this. maybe it's help.
(maybe).

1. open the windows task manager,
2. click on the processes tab,
3. turn off any process that runs under your profile e.g your name.
4. then fine any other instance that you think should not be runned.
5. try uninstalling again.

i don't guarantee anything, but try it.

 

[David Lozzi]

Is there a reg key or file somewhere that is stating that the system is
installing something?

 

[Guest]

Sounds like you tried to install a second item before the first item was
complete.

Go to the Windows/Temp directory and delete all that you find there.

Now, try the install again.

 

[David Lozzi]

Thanks for the tip, but I did figure it out, I think. I narrowed down the
issue to be a Cisco VPN client installer. The client was working fine now it
wanted to reinstall itself. I rebooted the machine in a diagnostic mode,
started the windows installer service and blamo it uninstalled and all is OK
now.

Thanks!

David Lozzi

 

[a1000kr]

This helped for me from microsoft support site

Method 3: Perform a clean boot of the computer and then install the update
To perform a clean boot of the computer, follow the appropriate steps for your version of Windows.
Windows 2000, Windows XP, or Windows Server 2003
To manually perform a clean boot of your computer in Windows 2000, Windows XP, or Windows Server 2003, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, click Run, type msconfig, and then click OK.
2. On the General tab, click Selective Startup, and then click to clear the following check boxes:
* Process SYSTEM.INI File
* Process WIN.INI File
* Load Startup Items
3. On the Services tab, click to select the Hide All Microsoft Services check box, and then click Disable All.
4. Click OK, and then click Restart to restart your computer.
5. Run Microsoft Update or Windows Update. If the update does not run successfully, go to Method 4.

Windows Vista or Windows Server 2008
To manually perform a clean boot of the computer in Windows Vista or Windows Server 2008, follow these steps:

1. Click Start
Collapse this imageExpand this image
the Start button
, type msconfig in the Start Search box, and then press ENTER.
Collapse this imageExpand this image
User Account Control permission
If you are prompted for an administrator password or for a confirmation, type the password or click Continue.
2. On the General tab, click Selective startup.
3. Under Selective Startup, click to clear the Load startup items check box.
4. Click the Services tab, click to select the Hide All Microsoft services check box, and then click Disable all.
5. Click OK, and then click Restart.
6. Run Microsoft Update or Windows Update. If the update does not run successfully, go to Method 4.