Windows installer - preparing to install

Have had problems with my OS that necessitated restoring and removing some add-ins. Things seem ok now except that whenever I load a program, e.g. MS Word, a dialog box appears over an MS Office dialog box stating: "Windows Installer ... preparing to install ", and then it takes forever for Word to appear. I am running Windows XP on a 4 GB 2 processor system ... it shouldn't take forever for a program to load. Why is the Windows Installer not installed at startup? What steps do I need to take to resolve this?

Chuck

 

PeteC,

Sorry, I inadvertantly clicked on wrong reply button.

I accessed
http://www.microsoft.com/office/ork/2000/appndx/toolbox.htm#orktools
and followed the link but there was no orktools.exe

From the same Google search I followed the link http://support.microsoft.com/kb/265194.
This link gave 3 methods for resolving the problem for Office 2000. Although I have Office 2007, I tried them all. The first 2 methods didn’t work. The last method seemed most generic but the results were not good. In that method, I was instructed to rename the Msaccess.exe and System.mdw files. run Access again and "¦quit and run again. When I tried to run Access, I got a dialog box with the following message:" "The setup controller has encountered a problem during install. Please review the log files for further information on the error." Where are the log files?

Opened Word and received the Windows Installer dialog box again.

I still have Office 2003 on my system. Tried to uninstall it but received the error message "Could not remove Office 2003 ... couldn't access needed data ... not verified ... contact vendor." What do I do here?

Chuck

 

There is a saying ... 'going to hell in a hand basket!" How true!

I can't install, uninstall, Office 2003, Office 2007, or rename msi files. I get the error message:
This patch package could not be opened. Verify that
the patch package exists and that you can access it, or
contact the application vendor to verify that this is a
valid Windows Installer patch package.
Local Disk (C

'What now brown cow?'

Chuck

 

Chuck,

This isn't what you want to read but I'd encourage you to give serious consideration to copying off all of your data and reinstalling both your operating system and your Program Files. Why such a radical approach?

You mentioned previous problems with your OS and in your first post you referenced the Word problem as an example (eg) which indicates that your problem may be more widespread than you have acknowledged. You also reference Office 2007 problems and then come back to state that Office 2003 is still installed and can't be removed. Further, you have tried an Office 2000 fix that included renaming files but you neglected the part about reinstalling and that really scares me if it is historically indicative of any "other repairs" that may have been attempted on any other problems.

The Office Suites (97, 2000, XP, 2003 or 2007) are very easy to repair provided one has the original installation discs, however, once a lot of files have been borked, Office can be a bear to repair. Your problem description in the first post is very similar to the behavior encountered when Office 2000 was used on a machine with multiple users and it goes on to call for the original disc(s) the first time a second, third or fourth user opens any of the Office applications.

Perhaps you can provide some more information to convince me otherwise but I think you are going to have to get used to living with continual ongoing problems unless you reinstall both your operating system and your Program Files.

 

Pete, would Windows Install Cleanup help to completely remove both Office 2003/2007? Neil.

 

Pete,

I second guessed your response ... have already done a clean re-install of WinXP. Now, if I can only get all the drivers, etc. to work again.

Thanks for your support and confirming my decision.
Chuck

 

What did I previously say about going to hell in a handbasket? I'm getting closer!

After re-installing, I ran the system diagnostic on the Dell configuration restore CD. It came up with an uncorrectable error on the system drive. Would no longer successfully reboot. The long and the short of it ... Dell is sending me a new drive.

Have a great Thanksgiving.

Chuck