Windows Installer already running error

Pleb5919 · 07 Apr 2011

I'm running Windows 7 64 bit, and I've run into a problem with Windows Installer.

Whenever I try and install or uninstall a program, I get a message that "another installer is already running, please complete the installation and try again".

But I'm not doing another installation.

This has meant that I can't install updates on a number of things....Java, iTunes, Adobe Acrobat, etc.

I've done some searching already, and found that by right clicking on Computer in my menu, I can "Manage" it, then go to "Services and Applications", then "Services", go to Windows Installer, and disable it. If I reboot, I can then go back to the same screen set Windows Installer to "Manual", and it will work. For one install or uninstall. Then I have to do the whole thing all over again.

This is obviously not a workable solution longterm.

I then downloaded FixCleaner. I tried the 1 click fix, and it seemed to really speed up my computer....but it also messed up my registry by seemingly deleting drivers etc. as programs like iTunes stopped working correctly, claiming that the registry values for drivers used for importing CDs or DVDs were missing.

So, I did a system restore, to the point before I did the one click fix.

I've now got a system that can't install or uninstall any programs without disabling Windows Installer and then rebooting first.

How do I fix this problem? Is there a way to install a fresh copy of Windows Installer?

I've tried going into Task Manager to see if I can find other programs trying to install themselves and hanging, but I can't seem to find anything.

What do I do?

Pleb5919

Mike Connor · 07 Apr 2011

For anybody else having such problems with .msi installers/uninstallers,
you can still get the utility here;

Windows Installer CleanUp Utility Download - Softpedia

Instructions,( such as they are, not really very informative);

Windows - Installing Windows installer CleanUp utility

It works (or has worked), on quite a lot of .msi problems, so if you get a "strange" error when installing/uninstalling .msi software it is worth a try, but it is not a universal panacea.

On occasion it can also result in you having to re-install other programs which were installed using msi.

Regards....Mike Connor

Pleb5919 · 07 Apr 2011

I tried this one before, and it broke iTunes and several other apps, so I had to do a Restore.

How do I know what to point it at? Windows Installer doesn't appear in the list.

Should I be trying a Repair Install of Windows 7 using my install disc?

I've been struggling with this for nights now, and it's starting to get exhausting.

Pleb5919

Mike Connor · 07 Apr 2011

Point it at the program you are having trouble installing or uninstalling.

Fixcleaner and various other utilities like this are inadvisable, because they disable things you might need. They also change default system delays and things like that which often makes the machine appear to run faster, but is cosmetic. They can not normally fix any real problems.

If the cleanup utility does not work, then the only other remedy I know is to re-install Windows.

Regards....Mike Connor