Solved Windows Installer service stopping

Whenever I try to install or uninstall anything that uses windows installer, the service stops and I get an error from the program I'm trying to install or uninstall. When I open services.msc and go to the Windows Installer service, it is running and then it just stops—always when I try to install or uninstall a program and sometimes at random. The problem started after a failed Net Framework installation. I'm running Windows 7 Ultimate SP1 64 bit.

sfc and Microsoft FixIt are unable to repair Windows Installer; isn't there any other way to repair it besides a clean install?


Things I've tried:


1. sfc /scannow = "Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations."
2. Windows 7 repair/upgrade install = unexpected error
3. checked permissions on HKEY_local_machine\system\currentcontrolset\services\msiserver
4. replaced HKEY_local_machine\system\currentcontrolset\services\msiserver with the regkey folder from a working Windows 7 machine
5. created a new admin account and tried a windows repair install = same error
6. stopped and started Windows Installer Service countless times using various methods and tried both manual and automatic startup type
7. tried setting Windows Installer Service to restart indefinitely after failure
8. system restore = fails
9. Windows Installer registry key fix = nothing
10. Microsoft FixIt = unexpected error
11. booting in safe mode = no change
12. Startup Repair = no problems detected
13. chkdsk /f /r
14. 2 passes of memtest86
15. Windows Installer Cleanup Utility
16. Net Framework cleanup tool


I don't think it's a virus and everything is running fine otherwise. I've tried restoring from an image, but I suspect that the image was made after the problem started occurring (I only discovered this problem when I tried to update Net Framework and Microsoft Visual c++). I'd really rather not do a clean install. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Welcome to Seven Forums synthc. Make sure the following 3 dependency services are also started and set to automatic:

Remote Procedure Call (RPC)

DCOM Sever Process Launcher

RPC Endpoint Mapper

A Guy

They are all started and automatic.

You might try restoring the default service, scroll down to the Windows Installer

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/236709-services-restore-default-services-windows-7-a.html

A Guy

Thanks for the link. Unfortunately it didn't fix it.

When services go bad, it's usually symptomatic of a larger problem. I would try a Repair Install, it will retain your programs, documents, and such. Have a read.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/3413-repair-install.html

A Guy

Already tried a repair install and got an unexpected error.

Did you check for infection? That should always be the first step in cases like this. Run a full Malwarebytes scan, in Safe Mode with Networking if necessary.

If it won't install or run then download and burn to disk, boot and run a full scan with Windows Defender Offline, or another of the FREE Bootable AntiVirus Rescue CDs Download List

If it cleans up infection then again check System Fils using SFC /SCANNOW Command
or if necessary a Repair Install.

To troubleshoot the Repair Install, establish a Clean boot by turning off everything in msconfig>Startup and >Services after Hiding all MS Services. Use the latest official installer provided in Repair Install tutorial.

As a last resort you can follow these same steps to get a perfect Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7 which will remain that way as long as you stick with the tools and methods given.

I did a full scan using Microsoft Security Essentials. I'll try a repair install from a clean boot next.

You'll need to reboot after establishing a Clean Boot.

If it fails again post back verbatim error message. You can also google it to see how others have resolved it.

Then if necessary I'd try a new installer from the Reinstall tutorial Steps 1 and 2.

I tried a repair install from clean boot and the error I got is: "Windows installation encountered an unexpected error. Verify that the installation sources are accessible, and restart the installation. Error code:0x0000005"

I'm running the installation from an official Windows 7 Ultimate SP1 x64 ISO that was extracted using 7-zip. I have already researched this error to no avail.

What do you mean by "try a new installer from the Reinstall tutorial Steps 1 and 2"?

0xC0000005 I assume? That usually seems to be a bad source download, or memory problems. I believe that's what Greg meant by a new installer, perhaps your ISO is corrupt. Did it have a hash, and did it match? It may be a pain, but a different download may be the trick. Also people sometimes have success putting the download on another drive. Or running a minimal start when running the repair. Greg is much better than I, so await his reply. A Guy

Yes, 0xC0000005. I actually suspected that the ISO may have been bad, so I re-downloaded it; but it was from the same site. The only place I've been able to find Windows 7 ISO's is from http://msft.digitalrivercontent.net/

I just now tried running the installation from a different drive with no success.

Maybe I should uninstall SP1 and try a repair install from my Windows 7 disc? It probably won't uninstall anyway though.

BTW thanks for all the help guys.

Did you look at Steps 1 and 2 of Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7 so you'd know the source and tool to use for a new installer? You'd want Windows 7 Ultimate x64 SP1 U (media refresh) X17-59465.iso

You'd want Ultimate 64 bit SP1 with Media Refresh. How is Ultimate activated? Where did you get WIn7?

Make sure all rounds of Important and Optional Windows Updates are installed first.

If you're unable to do this then Win7 might not be Updated enough to support the latest official Installer. So you can try your older installer with How to uninstall Windows 7 Service Pack 1 (SP1)

OK, sorry for the delay, I was moving and just got my computer set back up. So I uninstalled SP1 and did a repair install from my Windows disc, and it worked!

Windows installer seems to be working fine now, though I still can't install NET Framework 4, but I think I can troubleshoot that easily enough now that I can actually run cleanups and fixes.

Thanks so much for the help guys, I'll mark this as solved as soon as I'm sure everything is OK.

Make sure to run all rounds of Important and Optional Windows Updates, including reboots, after enabling Automatically deliver drivers via Windows Update (Step 3) .

Let it sequence the install of Net Frameworks which will come last. That's probably why it's failing from standalone installer: other updates need to precede it.

I've done all updates and everything seems to be working now except for Net Framework, but I don't need that updated right now anyway.

Thanks again.

Glad you got it sorted

A Guy

Well, I still haven't been able to install Net Framework 4. I started a new thread here: http://www.sevenforums.com/windows-...-net-framework-4-fatal-error.html#post2513349

I'd move to the Clean Reinstall then. Be sure to delete all partitions during install.