MSI installer "could not open key: \UNKNOWN\component..."

signed up @ 7-forums to get pointers on this - a lot of googling over the past two days have lead to different threads here - seems like a great community.

so, i'm migrating a 32 bit software environment to 64 bit, and have not grown any more fond of bill OR steve than i used to be. the combo of the two is the pits - MSI-installers for quicktime / iTunes.

anyway - here's the current thing i'm trying to resolve: while installing yet another app, i the installer throws an error message: "could not open key: \UNKNOWN\component\xxxxxxxxxxxxxx214835\

now - this is a new feature in 7, never saw it in XP. ok, so the registry key has permissions that are not allowing access for the installer to alter it. i ran into this a few times already and was able to resolve by taking ownership / altering the permissions.

but on this round - THERE IS NO SUCH KEY! so what permission is being denied? how to get past this?

cheers in advance!

It seems this occurs when the software is not completely uninstalled. Can you still use Revo Uninstaller to uninstall all of it's components? http://www.guidingtech.com/457/revo-uninstaller/

I understand you cannot find the key shown, however there is a successful fix given here which access the Installer key. Set a restore point first:

Open “RegEdit” and browse to the key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Installer\UserData\S-1-5-18\Components

1. Right Click on Components select permissions
2. Click Advanced
3. Select the “Owner” Tab
4. Select Administrators (Group) as owner and Click Apply.
5. Then Select Checkbox that says “Replace owner on sub containers and objects” and Click apply.
6. Browse back to the Permissions tab, select the Check box that says “Replace all child objects with inheritable permissions from this object” and Click apply

You should see couple of Warnings similar to below image, but those are fine. Its just complaining about some restricted windows components.

Click to expand...

Source: How to resolve “Unable to open Sub key” Error when installing an MSI package? | Ctrl+F5 and repeated in several other sources.

many thanks, gregrocker.

revo - will give it a go. though i have already used win 7 manager uninstaller component in an attempt to remove the dregs. on a cursory glance revo appears similar, though if you think it does a better job managing the mess msi leaves behind i'll be happy to $hell out for it.

you guessed right - i know how i'd do it for a key that's there, but i can't take ownership/gain access to a key that does NOT exist.

continuing - the way i got quicktime/iTunes installed was by breaking their EXE installation packages into pieces. but this one doesn't break - it says it's packed with MS visual C 6.0 & i don't have the tools to split it.

continuing2 - is there a way to recursively alter permissions on the whole registry the way icacl does for files? this would come in handy dealing with problems like these... (yes, i'm currently blissfully unconcerned about security - just would like to get to doing actual work on the 7 system and worry about security later).

Another idea is to post also in the Itunes install forum: Apple - Support - Discussions - iTunes

There may be others who know about this who can help you.

I've been fortunate so far with my Itunes installs but that's where I'd go if the error googled to a dead end.

revo looks very promising - running the trial now.

i DID finally get iTunes on, though the current problems is for something a bit related - codecs for quicktime.

how about recursive altering of registry permissions?