Windows Installer - Preparing to install message all the time

[Mary Fowler Leek]

I'm getting the little windows Installer window with "Preparing to Install"
message every time I attempt to open most programs. Outlook Express will
open without the installer window but when I attempt to open an email, up
pops the Windows Installer window. It takes quite a while before the message
opens so this is a real pain.

This seems to have started after I installed the 60 trial version of 2007
Office for Students and Teachers. Could something have gotten corrupted
during the installation and does anyone have an idea of how to stop this
behavior.

I do have a backup of my entire hard drive (made with Acronis v9) but it's
a month old. I'd rather correct this without having to resort my backup if
there's a way to do it. Any suggestions or advice on how to stop this or
what might be causing it?

My thanks, as always,

Mary

 

[Rock]

I'm getting the little windows Installer window with "Preparing to
Install" message every time I attempt to open most programs. Outlook
Express will open without the installer window but when I attempt to open
an email, up pops the Windows Installer window. It takes quite a while
before the message opens so this is a real pain.

This seems to have started after I installed the 60 trial version of 2007
Office for Students and Teachers. Could something have gotten corrupted
during the installation and does anyone have an idea of how to stop this
behavior.

I do have a backup of my entire hard drive (made with Acronis v9) but
it's a month old. I'd rather correct this without having to resort my
backup if there's a way to do it. Any suggestions or advice on how to stop
this or what might be causing it?

You might want to use the Windows Installer Clean up Utility on the Office
installation to see if that fixes the issue, then reinstall that program.

http://windowsxp.mvps.org/MSICLEAN.htm