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Windows Installer ???

Discussion in 'Windows XP' started by Nickynoo, 2005/08/05.

  1. 2005/08/05
    Nickynoo

    Nickynoo Inactive Thread Starter

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    I use Windows XP home and whenever I start my computer a dialog box called Windows Installer appears. All of the neccessary windows files are loaded on startup and then this dialog box called Windows installer appears. It appears in the centre of my desktop and it says Preparing to install, there is a progress indicator and this moves quite quickly to about 3/4 and then the whole thing dissapears. In this dialog box I am also given no option to close or cancel the box. Also whenever I put a CD Rom into my CD drive does this box appear and then dissappear. Please could someone help me, tell me what is this Windows Installer and how do I get rid of it.
     
  2. 2005/08/05
    Newt

    Newt Inactive

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    You do not want to get rid of your Windows Installer. But I can understand not wanting that screen to pop up at strange times.

    If you have your XP install CD, then click on start->run, key in
    Code:
    sfc /scannow
    and click OK then let the system file checker run. It will replace any damaged or missing system files it finds.

    If you bought one of the PCs that only offers you a 'repair' or a 'recovery' CD, then look on your hard drive for a folder named I386. If you have one, try the sfc /scannow and hopefully your registry will have been set to use that folder so the checker will work. If not - if it asks you for your XP CD, post back since you will need to make a registry change.

    After doing the sfc /scannow go to the windows update site and make sure you have the latest patches. If you don't already have SP2, make sure you load it and then any remaining patches and updates.

    The above will probably fix your problem. If not they are a good idea to do anyway and we will then know you have an incomplete install of some sort and can deal with that.
     
    Newt,
    #2

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  4. 2005/08/06
    Nickynoo

    Nickynoo Inactive Thread Starter

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    Thanx, I will try your advice. I upgraded my pc from 98 to XP so I have an upgrade disk. I will get back to you.
     
  5. 2005/08/06
    Newt

    Newt Inactive

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    Great news. The upgrade CD will do the job nicely for running SFC.
     
    Newt,
    #4
  6. 2005/08/06
    Welshjim

    Welshjim Inactive

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    nickynoo-- If sfc /scannow does not fix the situation, perhaps Windows Installer has gotten into the list of programs that Windows thinks should start at boot.
    Here is a simplified list of the places programs usually start from. Look for either Windows Installer or msiexec.exe :

    1) Start|Run|type Msconfig|OK|Startup tab

    2) Documents and Settings\username\Start Menu\Programs\Startup folder

    3) Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\Startup folder

    in the Registry at:

    4) HK_Local_Machine\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

    5)HK_Local_Machine\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunServices

    6) HK_Current_User\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

    7) HK_Current_User\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunServices

    You can delete the reference or shortcut if you find it in any of those places. (Except in MSCONFIG, where you will uncheck the box to the left.) (And back up your Registry before making changes. Registry File|Export)

    What is Windows Installer?
    http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310598/
    I doubt you should get rid of it. So do not delete the msiexec.exe file itself, which should be in I386, Windows\System32 and Windows\System32\DLLCACHE, if you find it in your search mentioned above. But deleting a shortcut is fine.

    P.S. The following may be overkill, so I put it here. There are also a few more places from which programs start. Look, especially at the bottom of this reference for a list of .ini, .sys, .bat, etc. programs.
    http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/tutorial44.html
    Or you can use this program
    http://www.sysinternals.com/Utilities/Autoruns.html
     
    Last edited: 2005/08/06

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