Cannot access Windows Installer - can't reinstall

Win7 SP1 Home Premium 64 bit
My first post. Found some old threads on this topic here but nothing current.
I cannot access Windows Installer. When locate Windows Installer in Services it shows it to be stopped. When click on "Start" get error message "Windows could not start the Windows Installer service on Local Computer. Error 2 The system cannot find the file specified."
When attempt to open msiexec.exe get error message "The procedure entry point GetFileVersionInfoExW could not be located in the dynamic link library VERSION.dll"

I'm sure I need to reinstall but cannot find any info for Win7 - only for previous editions of MS.
It might help to know that some software will open and run while many others will not.

It sounds like the dll is corrupted. Did you try
sfc /scannow
in an Admin command prompt?

How are you tring to re-install?

OEM discs?
Retail disc?
OEM Recovery mgr?

You have to have some kind of install media for Windows 7 - it's not on a running system.

It sounds like the windows installer service is corrupted.

   Warning

Follow the directions exactly and in the order they were given

1.) Create a system restore point. Click type "create" in the search and click create a restore point. Click the create button under configure. Name it whatever you wish. Click create again. Then a message will appear stating it was created successfully. Click close. Click ok.


2.) Go here: Services - Restore Default Services in Windows 7

Download only the windows installer service. Save it on your desktop or downloads folder.

3.) Open an elevated command prompt. ---> type cmd in the search. Right click cmd in the results and run as administrator.

4.) Type this exactly: sc delete msiserver
It should then say the service was deleted succesfully. You can then close the dos command prompt.

5.) Immediately browse to where you saved the file from the site in the second step, and double click it. Choose yes and ok. Restart the pc.

No, you are exactly correct. That is why the hidden partiton is there.

Do you have another way to get on the Internet so you can post any questions once you begin the process. The machine you are Recovering will not work until the end of the process.

Do you have anything on the Lenovo worth keeping? Music, pictures, documents...
Yes? You need to back that up to external media. The Recovery process will wipe it all out.

Maybe there's another option. Why do you want to Recover your system?
Win7 has a feature called System Protection - you can "restore" your machine to a prefious working condition that doesn't wipe out your personal files.

Here's a good tutorial that you can read to familiarize yourself with System Restore
Use OPTION ONE and pay attention to Step 7 (lots of people report that they can't find an earlier Restore Point)

Let me know why you think you need to "install Windows" and if the System Restore sounds as though it would do the job instead.

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Good call Andrew. I need to refresh my screen every once in a while.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but this only resets the service to defaults, you're not really doing this:
Download a fresh copy of the windows installer service after doing the following:

Are you? I read the tutorial twice - might have missed something though.

Anyway, I think it's a great idea, probably necessary.

Bill
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Yes and no. When you download that and merge it, (at least it worked for me), it does restore the service to defaults. But I had a case where a computer was missing the service altogether and re-downloading it from this site added it back.

So I believe it works on fixing corrupt or non existent services.