Windows 7: Windows Installer cannot be accessed

Hello,

I have never had to resort to using a forum to solve a windows OS related problem but after several hours this has truly stumped me.

I was messing around with the uninstall a program feature and may have gotten a little overzealous as it seemed I uninstalled the windows installer. Almost every program won't open now including MS office, 3DS Max, IE, firefox, etc. Office programs fail throwing Error 1719: The Windows Installer Service could not be accessed. Several programs simply do nothing when ran for example IE. Firefox freezes up as soon as it tries to load any tabs. Many program suggest they just aren't installed at all when I try to run them. When I try to go control panel -> programs and features and hit the uninstall a program link nothing happens.

One main issue that I am running into is people keep suggesting cleanup utilities but I can't install anything new at all so they just fail.

Some programs still work though! Visual Studio C# 2010 still works fine along with a couple ftp programs and Opera (which is how I was able to post this post).

I have tried every single trick in these forums and several others I lost track of...
Windows Installer Service could not be access [Solved] | Kioskea.net
"The Windows Installer Service Could Not Be Accessed" error message when you install a program in Windows XP

I would like to note that reinstalling windows is essentially not an option and I don't even have the windows 7 install disc (away from my house for a couple of weeks).



Wow, as another symptom I ran sfc/ scannow and it said there were a bunch of errors and created a log file which I was going to attach here for your viewing pleasure but apparently now Opera (my only semi-working browser left) can't access my file system or upload any files.

Any help appreciated, thanks.

You don't have any Restore Points available?
Can you install anything (e.g. Notepad++)?

You can't start programs using any methods?

• Run box
• Start Menu search
• Command Prompt
• Icon double click
• Icon single click + Enter
• Context Menu

You don't have access to a Linux Live CD?

No restore points unfortunately.

Nothing will install. I tried Notepad++, Firefox, IE9 update and they all fail with Opera throwing the error "Error when initializing the file dialog: 0xFFFF Internal program error."

As I said, some programs start, many do not. I have tried starting them almost every way you listed to no avail.

I do not have access to a Linux Live CD but I do have access to another computer.

Are you (or Users) still listed in Properties > Security tab for your files/programs?

Can you link the 2 PCs and retrieve your log file that way?

Additional
Some utilities have portable versions (i.e. they don't have to be installed) that you can run from a USB stick.
You should be able to download one using the other PC and place it on a USB stick.
I'm not sure if you'll be able to run it though.

Can you run FF (or IE) in "safe mode" (i.e. without add-ons and toolbars?

Using the "Run" box type:

firefox.exe -safe-mode

Hey,

I am on the other computer here, I uploaded the log file sort of, it was a full 8mb of text and the limit was 2 so I just copied over some from the start middle and end.

Thanks.

Back on my computer now, I couldn't run the portable FF normally. I also couldn't run it or my actual FF work in safe mode. They threw the error that they were not compatible with my current windows installation.

Clarification: My main FF when executed from the run dialog gives the compatibility error but when I actually run it via double click it starts and begins loading tabs but immediately freezes up.

A clarification here.
The log file doesn't mean much to me, but other more knowledgeable members may be able to glean something from it.

The problem with attempting "random fixes" is, it may make your PC, even more broken.

I was actually thinking something like CCleaner (or some other system utility program).

Given the type of problems you are having, I don't think that running a registry cleaner would be a good idea.
It would probably detect a lot of "broken keys" and offer to delete them.


The only thing I can think of is, download a "portable" file recovery program (e.g. Recuva Portable) and use it to recover all of the files that you just uninstalled.
It will be very painful though.
You may be able to recover the Windows installer and copy it back to where it should be.

I'm sorry that my suggestions haven't been more helpful to you.

Run SFC -SCANNOW in Command Prompt at Boot repeatedly at least three times to see if it will repair the files. Use the Windows 7 DVD Repair console or Repair CD Command Line, which don't depend on corrupt System Files. System Repair Disc - Create

If not reparable, run a Repair Install
as a last resort before Clean Reinstalling Windows 7

Hey Greg,

So I can run sfc in the terminal when running windows normally but when I try to run it off of the recover disk (actually, its a bootable usb drive with a recovery disk I downloaded online loaded onto it) it says something to the effect of "Cannot execute scan, a system repair process is pending that requires a system reboot. Restart and try again." It still says this after 4 restarts. I tried running the boot repair utility from the disk too one of those times. I'm not really sure what else it could be there, any ideas?

As for the second two options, as I said I don't have the original install disk, is there a way around that?

As a second thought I may be able to get the install disks from my house, I will see if someone can help me out with that...