Windows 7: Windows Installer Will not install programs.

On my Windows 7 Home Premium Computer, I am unable to install anything that uses Windows installers.

I have already tried the following
-msiexec /unregister
-msiexec /register
-Replacing the windows installers files (msi.dll msihnd.dll, and msiexec.exe) with my Windows 7 Ultimate System Files.

Any suggestions?

--I do not have the material to reformat my windows home premium but I can use full access over the system files.

Thanks in advanced.

Welcome to Seven Forums DevPump.

Your statements are confusing. Are you trying to install software with the programs' setup.exe file? What matrerial do you need to reformat?

Try running SFC /SCANNOW Command - System File Checker.
Also System Restore

This may help: How to troubleshoot problems that may occur when you install, uninstall, or upgrade a program on a Windows-based computer

My appoligies for the misunderstanding, I do not have a Windows 7 Disk to reformat. I have tried SFC and that does not change the issue. For some odd reason after this issue occurred my System Restore points were removed.

I have tried everything listed on that page and the windows installer is still not functional.

Welcome to Seven Forums DevPump. What is the exact error you get when trying to install using the Windows Installer? While awaiting the answer, I can suggest 2 things that will just give us some information.

First, lets see if the correct path to the msiexec.exe is set in the registry. I'll not have you make any changes, just see what your path is.

Start> In search box type

regedit

and press enter

Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\MSIServer

Click on MSIServer, and see if the path is the same as mine



%systemroot%\system32\msiexec.exe /V

This is the same as C:\WINDOWS\System32\msiexec.exe /V if your OS drive is C:\

This second thing is easy, and a great tool to have if you ever have issues installing in windows. Download Safe MSI, and unzip it to your desktop for now. Also have a program installer on the desktop you are having problems installing. Boot into Safe Mode:

Safe Mode

Click on the safemsi.exe, you should get a popup that the windows installer service has been started. If not, then boot back into windows and let us know that didn't work.

If the windows installer was successfully started, then try to install the program you were having problems with. If it installs correctly, then likely some program or service is interfering with the Windows Installer.

If you are successful, then perform a clean boot to see what is interfering.

Troubleshoot Application Conflicts by Performing a Clean Startup

Let us know what you found. A Guy

Edit: You say you reregistered the exe, did you reregister both the 32 bit and the 64 bit?

Start> In search box type Run and press enter> Type msiexec /regserver in the Open text box, and then click OK.

Start> In search box type Run and press enter> Type %windir%\Syswow64\Msiexec /regserver in the Open text box, and then click OK.

My Registry and system has the MSI* in the correct places, I tried downloading the "SafeMSI" but it appears to be corrupt when I try and extract it. Could someone provide a mirror?

Thanks in advanced.

Note:
This issue occured after the failed installation of Internet Explorer 9, I had to use the startup repairer to get back to Internet Explorer 8. I was unware of the syswow64 Msiexec, I will also try that.

Devpump -

This is probably a longshot, but maybe you just need to reset your default file type associations. And not just msi, but also exe, inf, ini, vbs, etc... it takes more than just the windows msi installer for most programs. Anyway, just my two cents.

Quick and easy registry fixes for file associations are here

Good Luck!

- Tagen

I'm going to try replacing and reregistering the msi files in the syswow64 fo

Here is 2 pictures of Installations failing.
xnafx40_redist.msi:

Skype:

Here is the Safe Msi

SafeMSI.zip

It's only 36k unzipped.

Also, the Windows Installer Service has 3 dependencies



You can click on the name of each dependency and see what it is normally set to here:

http://www.blackviper.com/wiki/Windows_Installer

Note that these dependencies did not show for me when the service was stopped, and set to manual. They only showed for me after I started the service.

A Guy

Alright,
I tired using the "SafeMsi" but I still receive the same errors above.