Good Fix for Buggered XP Windows Installer?

[MarkTwain]

I've been struggling in vain to find an effective way to repair Windows Installer in my XP Pro OS (all that I've tried so far have failed). I have a 2.0 version of the Installer.

I keep getting an "Access Denied" error message when I try to install certain programs, or update to a more recent version of the Installer...then I came across this posting from another forum, from 2004.

Does it look like it might work? I don't want to try it if it might screw up my OS...


Download the EXE installer for Windows Installer 3.1 v.2.

You can try running it, but most probably will get an "Access Denied" error and it will roll back the changes. If it installs fine, then you are set and don't need to do anything more, if not, look below.

Make sure Automatic Updates are turned off, or set them to "Notify me but don't automatically download or install them."

Also make sure Win XP's CD isn't in your CD/DVD drive.

Check in the Services app (services.msc) that Windows Installer service isn't running, stop it if needed.

Open the X:\Windows\system32\dllcache\ folder (where X: is your system drive) and delete these three files (if they exist):

msi.dll
msihnd.dll
msiexec.exe

Then do this (from Symantec)

On the Windows desktop, click Start > Run.

In the Open line, type cmd and then click OK.

At the command prompt, type the following, depending on your version of Windows, and then press Enter after each line.

cd \windows\system32
ren msi.dll msi.old
ren msihnd.dll msihnd.old
ren msiexec.exe msiexec.old

Exit

(Notice that after each rename you will get a prompt from Windows that system files have been replaced, and it asks for the WinXP CD in order to restore them. Do NOT put the Win XP CD into the drive, click Cancel, then choose Yes in the other dialog box that appears.)


Run the Windows Installer 3.1 EXE installer (downloaded in the beginning).
Follow the prompts to complete the installation, it will install fine.

Restart the computer.

You might get dialog boxes with errors about msi.dll missing. I got such a dialog box from my anti-virus software.

Start the Command prompt (cmd) again, and rename the three files back. Go to Windows Update. It will say it needs to install Windows Installer 3.1, and will say the installation failed, but it will actually succeed.

Do not restart the computer, click the link to Windows Update Home on the left to go back to the main Windows Update screen with the "Express" & "Custom" buttons. Click the Express button, it should show you all post-SP2 updates (around 40-50 MBs). They should download quickly.

After the updates install, restart your computer.

You can now change the Auto Updates setting to the one you like.

To check if Windows Installer has been properly updated, follow this link
http://blogs.msdn.com/windows_instal...05/448386.aspx

This has been tested on Win XP Pro.

[codered6651]

MarkTwain have you read this http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=290301, try this then install Windows Installer the latest version.

[MarkTwain]

I do know about the Cleanup Utility, thanks.

However, I did wind up trying the procedure that I posted earlier (above), and it worked like a charm.

Hopefully, end of story....