Windows Installer Service

[Bill]

Ref: Article 315346 regarding an error message that the Installer could not
be accessed. I went through the items on this article twice and still the
issue is not resolved. I cannot install nor delete software. I get this error
message every time. Has anyone run into this before and how did you redolve
it.

 

[Andrew E.]

Try run,type:msiexec /unregister Return to run,type:msiexec /regserver

 

[Bill]

I tried your suggestion. However, I received an error message that "Windows
cannot find msiexec /unregister."

 

[PaulM]

Its regsvr32 /u then the file name to unregister the file
then just regsvr32 and file name to register the file.

--

 

[Bill]

Sorry PaulM but I find your response confusing. Can you be more clear?

 

[PaulM]

Just like I said. Start/Run type regsvr32 /u file name you want to
unregister
To register the file retype regsvr32 and file name you want to register.

 

[Bill]

Tried your suggestion. Unfortunately, I got the same error message as with
Andrews suggestion. An error message saying that "Windows Cannot find
regsve32/......"

 

[PaulM]

Its regsvr32 /u
There is a space between regsvr32 and the /

 

[Bill]

OPPS. Left the space out. Ok. I put it in and got the same error message.
However, isn't there a way to fix this thing for the whole computer instead
of file by file?

 

[PaulM]

You did every thing in Article 315346?? Right? I would like to know what you
did to try to fix this problem.

--

 

[Bill]

The history of my proboem is this. When attempting to down load the coupon
printer from the "coupon .Com" site my Norton anti virus became corrupted. I
worked the issue with Norton which had me delete their software. They sent me
a CD to reinstall it. Reinstallation gives me error messages. Next they had
me reinstall the Microsoft Windows Installer per one of their trouble
shooting menues. This required the down loading of Windows
Installer-KB893803-v2-x86.exe and its installation. Everyting seemed to go
fine with a successful installation but the problem persisted. I then checked
the Microsoft Help and Support and ran across article # 315346 where the
error message, I was receiving, was exactly as shown in the article. I
followed the steps for reinstalling the Windows Installer first with no
success. In this process they had me go into the cmd prompt and rename three
files, msi.dll, msiexec.exe and msihnd.dll. I received messages that these
files already existed or could not be found. I completed this process as per
the instructions anyway with no success. I then tried the Reregistering of
the Windows Installer second with no success. Next I tried this venue.

 

[PaulM]

Your next step in to do a repair installation of XP.
How to perform an in-place upgrade (reinstallation) of Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;315341

--

 

[Bill]

Before I try this, I want to exhaust all options. Since I have dial up and
not a high speed connection, the updates to XP after installing XP from CD
would take to long. Since this would take to much time, I would need to order
a CD of the updates from Windows. I did try going through the article 315346,
Method 1, Reregistering the Windows Installer again with no luck. However,
when in the "Windows Advanced Option" menu after I selected "Safe Mode" as
instructed, I noticed that amoung the selections there was one listed as "
Debugging Mode". Do you have any idea what this option would do?

 

[PaulM]

This is what the mode is for:
Debugging Mode: This option turns on debug mode in Windows. Debugging
information can be sent across a serial cable to another computer that is
running a debugger. This mode is configured to use COM2.

It not for you.
Well from what I have read about this problem the only thing you can do is
reinstall at this time.

 

[Bill]

I've come to the conclusion that reloading XP is probably the last option
left to me. I have looked over article 315341. Figured out what I need and
need to do. I have ordered a SP3 from Microsoft as dial up would take to long
to bring down. After down loading XP, you are required to reload the
upgrades. I have the original XP CD provided by DELL ,when I bought my
computer, but there is no product code on the jacket. I have asked DELL if
they can help me with this. Nothing seems to be easy in solving this problem.

 

[Bill]

I have been holding off installing XP till I received SP3 in the mail. It
arrived today. In reviewing Article 315341, regarding reinstalling XP, there
is some discussion about Data backup. Things like "My Documents", Device
drivers, Programs, etc. Backing up this stuff and down loading it onto CD's
looks like a lot of work. How important do you think this would be. Is it
really necessary?

 

[Leonard Grey]

If you don't care whether your documents, pictures and music are damaged
or erased then there's no need for backing them up. If you have all your
software on CDs or DVDs are don't mind re-installing everything if
something goes wrong then by all means, forgo backing them up.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

I have been holding off installing XP till I received SP3 in the mail. It
arrived today. In reviewing Article 315341, regarding reinstalling XP, there
is some discussion about Data backup. Things like "My Documents", Device
drivers, Programs, etc. Backing up this stuff and down loading it onto CD's
looks like a lot of work. How important do you think this would be. Is it
really necessary?

Of course. If you reinstall Windows, you lose *everything* on the
drive. If you need anything there, you need to back it up before
reinstalling.

Also note that backing up programs won't help you at all. The programs
will have to be reinstalled from the original media.

Finally, when you say, "backing up this stuff and down loading it onto
CD's looks like a lot of work," I assume that means that you don't
back up regularly. If you don't and there are things on your drive
that are important to you, you are playing with fire. You need to
*always* be backed up, not just when you are about to reinstall.

You might want to read this article I recently wrote on backup: "Back
Up Your Computer Regularly and Reliably" at
http://www.computorcompanion.com/LPMArticle.asp?ID=314

 

[Bill]

I tried to reinstall from my Reinstallation CD today but got a message that
it could not do it as the version of Windows on the computer was newer than
the one on the CD. However , it told me how I could continue anyway. To ask a
dumb question, should I just continue with the reinstallation even though the
version on my CD is older than what is on my machine?

 

[Leonard Grey]

Do you want to re-install Windows over itself? You need to reinstall the
same version that you have now.

Do you want to erase your hard disk and start fresh? You can install any
version of Windows.

Don't even think of doing either unless you are thoroughly prepared. (Do
research on the web.)