Solved Windows Installer - can't install ANY msi package

[sidneysides]

Windows Installer crashes any time i try to install an msi. Get the message 'windows installer has stopped working'. I think the version is version 5.0 in Windows 7, but can't download this from anywher to see if reinstalling it helps. Tried to install the old 4.5 version but it won't let me. Help!

 

[LuzTeTT]

Windows Installer crashes any time i try to install an msi. Get the message 'windows installer has stopped working'. I think the version is version 5.0 in Windows 7, but can't download this from anywher to see if reinstalling it helps. Tried to install the old 4.5 version but it won't let me. Help!

Have you tried re-installing the OS? Did this problem occur with a fresh install?

 

[HikerRemastered]

Had this just an hour ago. I was lucky enough to have a recent Acronis backup. Try a system restore point perhaps?

 

[KeithGS]

yep, I'm also having this issue, it accord for no reason what so ever. Windows update won't even work. I think it started happening after I tried installing Java. Does anyone have a working fix for this?..

EDIT: sidneysides do you have ccleaner installed?

EDIT 2: It could be ccleaner, maybe it deleted a registry that was needed...

 

[tohnolo]

I have the same problem. Is there any solution for this? Also i dont have ccleaner installed.

 

[idbirch]

I've just started getting this exact same problem this morning (build 7000). Event Viewer is helpful as ever with:

Faulting application name: msiexec.exe, version: 5.0.7000.0, time stamp: 0x49431c33
Faulting module name: ntdll.dll, version: 6.1.7000.0, time stamp: 0x49433e67
Exception code: 0xc0000005
Fault offset: 0x0007f6d6
Faulting process id: 0xf08
Faulting application start time: 0x01c979692c61a76d

I don't have CCcleaner installed.

 

[KeithGS]

.NET Framework is ntdll I just recently reinstalled windows 7, and it's working fine now, maybe .NET corrupted.

 

[thegr8anand]

Yup I am having this problem as well when I try to use "steaminstall.msi". The thing is I had installed steam on my previous 7 install but this time it is not working. If it is something related to .NET then I once tried to install .Net Framework 3.5 SP1 as I wasn't sure if 7 had it already and when I double-clicked "dotnetfxsetup.exe", it doesnt do anything. So could this have corrupted anything? or Ccleaner or GlaryUtilities?

 

[KeithGS]

ccleaner I think what did it for me, I think it's a registry issue.

EDIT: I just installed Steam

 

[liversedge]

same here with installer not working for any install. I do not have ccleaner just vanilla win7 ... gonna try rebooting before going for a full on re-install!

 

[sidneysides]

Hi - no I don't have cccleaner installed - not sure what's caused it. Just got my setup right so really don't want to do a clean install!
Anyone sorted it without an install yet?

 

[thegr8anand]

Keith, what do you mean Ccleaner did it for you? Did you ran its reg cleaner or removed ccleaner that solved the prob? I have Ccleaner as well thats why I am asking.

 

[jeromelagbas]

im also experiencing this problem right now

whenever i try to install an MSI package it always says that it has stopped working

MS Flight Simulator X Update SP1 - Stopped Working
Windows Update - Stopped Working
And just popped right now - User Profile - Stopped Working

Did'nt Installed CCleaner or other software you were talking before.

Seriously, this is really getting into my nerve, hope someone could finally find a solution

[shhh....Users calling to Microsoft ... Users calling to Microsoft... shhh ...over..]

 

[Flashback]

I have the same problem and i tried a lot of workarounds...
Try this:
Click Start/Run and type:

net start MSIServer

It works for me yesterday, but the problem reappears today.
I don't want to reinstall windows 7, but seems to be the only solution for this (at least for now)

 

[drichfsu]

I'm having the problem trying to install several programs now:
- Google Earth
- Lego Digital Designer
- Textpad
- SaveAsPDFandXPS
- LiveUpload to Facebook
- Picasa Web Publisher for Windows Live Photo Gallery

It seems to have just started in the past couple of days. Truly annoying.

 

[w3rdup]

Hey guys, I had the same problem also and had to reinstall windows 7 to solve. What happened is I was trying to install fallout 3, the installer started to try to install windows live and i think some other .net stuff and it crashed. After that I couldnt get the installer to work at all, I downloaded the games for windows-live 2.0 because I couldnt even start fallout 3 without it and the installer would stop working. Id try windows update and explorer crashed with the same error.

So I reinstalled a fresh copy of windows7 and the first thing i did was install windowslive2.0 and it installed fine after that I installed fallout3 and everything went smooth. I have a feeling something in the fallout 3 installer corupted some files or something. I know it tries to install .net maybe that was the problem.

 

[drichfsu]

Just tried the fix mentioned above...
"net start MSIServer"

C:\>net start MSIServer
System error 5 has occurred.
Access is denied.

 

[Flashback]

Other workarounds
Windows Installer Service could not be access

I still haven't found a real fix for this anyway.

 

[reiella]

Exploring what others said in this thread, I may have isolated my own cause of this problem.

A program that installed the .NET Framework 3.5 SP1 when it wasn't necessary. Restore Pointing before that instant seems to have 'solved' the problem, and since we lack any other way to repair a framework corruption in Win7, I guess that's all we have .

It's an idea at least .

 

[espressoman]

Hey all! Came to the forums from a google search, because I've been experiencing the same problem in this thread.

Seems installing Picassa hosed something with the Windows 7 Installer, so I did a System Restore back to the point before I installed Picassa, and I can install MSIs fine now. I'm assuming certain installers for apps mess with the .NET or Windows Installer somehow.