Control Panel: Add/Remove Programs SETUP.EXE won't work

[Rudy]

This application won't work. When I select a Program to remove, I get the
following Windows Pop-up box:

"SETUP.EXE"

Setup.exe has encountered a problem and needs to close. We are sorry for
the inconvenience.

If you were in the middle of something, the information you were working on
might be lost.

I am running WinXP Home Ver 2600 Sp.2 (Genuine)

I think this arose a few days ago.. I was prompted to upgrade (free) my CA
Security Suite and selected OK. It DL the upgrade and I selected Install.

It did install but the Version turned out to be the one for Win98 and it
bu**ered up my internet access by blocking nearly everything.

I decided to uninstall that Version and to DL and install the correct one. I
DL the correct version and tried to install it. I waited quite a while and
nothing seemed to be happening so I either clicked UNINSTALL or INSTALL
Again..I dont recall which. After that, I got an erratic SETUP box
flashing briefly on the screen as if it were trying to open a setup/install
program. I couldn't get the computer to do anything..the SETUP box kept
flashing on for a second then off. This kept up for about 15 min..going
nowhere. I fianlly tried CTL-ALT-DEL to stop the show but it didnt do
anything. Finally I had to shut down by powering off. CA (help) suggested
I SAFE MODE start and try to reinstall. That didnt work, it wouldnt do
anything in SAFE mode as pertained to the Install of the CA Program. (setup
may have been dead by then, I dont know)and starting in Reg mode, ran the CA
program (corrupted) so I couldn't uninstall again..Got the same POPUP box,
erraticly again...SETUP was screwed !. After 3 restarts, I decided to use
System Restore, went back about 20 days and ran SYSRestore. That seemed to
have fixed everything. That was 3 days ago and no problem until today when
I tried a Control Panel: Add/Remove Program.

I get the Warning at the top each time I try to Remove.

SEARCH shows I have about 15 versions of SETUP.EXE on my computer. I have
no idea which one is the corrupt one.

I did search the archives and Googled the problem. Found 3 people with the
same "Q" but no answers on a "fix"
Ideas ?

R

 

[Rudy]

This is what runs when you uninstall an app.

Yes, I figured that..EXCEPT, it doesnt run. I just get the above popup
SETUP.EXE box

Was this copied/pasted to save from having to type it and is what you see
when attempting to uninstall?

No, I didnt copy/paste.. its a picture ? file..a blue/gray graphic window
entitled SETUP.EXE which in itself is simply a "sign..saying the above.>BIG SNIP

Boot to Safe Mode and delete all contents in:
c:\documents and settings\your user name folder\local settings\temp
c:\windows\prefetch
c:\windows\temp

Ok Brian, I'll give that a try

R

 

[Rudy]

news:[email protected]

OK, Brian. I did what you suggested:

SafeMode:

C\docs settings\username\localsettings\temp

Deleted contents: 197 objects 39.5 MB ("cannot delete" ~DFEF2.tmp in use
by another program)

C\windows\prefetch

Deleted 74 objects 3.98 MB

C\Windows\temp

Deleted 13 objects 1.68 MB

I now have 284 objects/ 104 MB in my Recycle Bin.

RESTARTED in Normal mode. All went normally except I didnt used to get a
Sign in page with "Administrator box" and my Username box. IIRC, it went
straight to desktop but now ??

Now I do ? This is only my computer, there is no administrator. Anyway,
went to my username and clicked..and it appeared to set up all normally

Anyway, I went to START/Settings/ControlPanel/Add remove Programs..
selected the same program to remove (Google Earth 21 MB) and clicked REMOVE.
This is what I tried without success to do before.

ONCE AGAIN, it gave me the same small warning/popup window titled
SETUP.EXE in 3 colors: gry/wht/blu. Same version of Window that sometimes
asks if we want to report a crash/error to Microsoft.

The text was the same again:

There is apparently no difference after deleting all the ABOVE as
instructed.

Any other ideas ?

Also, how do I get RID of the "administrator" user box ?

 

[Rudy]

Hitting the "rack" now..will check back in the AM

 

[Brian A.]

There may be other suggestions here, I didn't go through tem all:
http://earth.google.com/support/

--

Brian A. Sesko { MS MVP_Shell/User }
Conflicts start where information lacks.
http://basconotw.mvps.org/

Suggested posting do's/don'ts: http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
How to ask a question: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555375


<snipped>

 

[Rudy]

There is apparently no difference after deleting all the ABOVE as

See:
http://earth.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?answer=20738&topic=1135

1. OK! Brian, I went thru the above website and ended up having to Install
a new version OVER the old one.
Once I did that, the Control Panel/ Add-Remove worked fine and AWAY it went.

Click Start > Run, type in: control userpasswords2 and press Enter
Uncheck the box "Users must enter........"
Click Apply > Ok

2. And that worked fine as well..I THINK I'm back to where I want to be.
Thanks very much
R