Having Trouble Installing Some Programs

Mulsiphix · 20 Dec 2017

Recently I performed a ton of changes to my computer. Security permissions for all of my drives, cloning the OS to a bigger HD and expanding it to fill the new increased space. Uninstalling and installing a few key programs (changed firewall, started using a VPN service, uninstalled several programs I've had on the system for years but no longer use, etc...).

Now when I try to install certain programs I will encounter an error. This never happened to me and this installation of Win7 HP is almost 8 years old.

I am also having another weird problem. I will go to run a program that has been installed for a very long time, never had any issues. But instead of the program this will appear.

If I click on the cancel button, it says that it is canceling, but just sits there forever. It will never close on its own.

In the taskmanager, the program exe file will be running. And if I kill that program process this box will disappear. Sometimes, after I close it, if I try to immediately launch the program again, it will actually launch the program this time successfully. However, sometimes, while the program is running, instead of performing the expected program action, this "Preparing to install..." box will appear instead.

For example, I have a duplicate file finder program. If I can get the program to start and then start a search, when the search completes, it will bring up this box, instead of showing me the results of what the search found. This is weird behavior that I have never encountered. I'm assuming that both of these problems are somehow related.

Does anybody know what might be causing the errors seen above? Any help would be greatly appreciated ^_^.

torchwood · 20 Dec 2017

Hi Mulsiphix,

your trying to install it in the programData folder.

should be program FILES

Roy

Mulsiphix · 20 Dec 2017

I double checked the installer. It is being instructed to install the program into "C:\Program Files\VPN Watcher". The error above seems to occur when the program attempts to create the start menu shortcuts for the program, which is located in the ProgramData folder. Thank you for your assistance torchwood

MSClin · 20 Dec 2017

Do you have these problems only when you install with Windows Installer Package (.msi)?

Mulsiphix · 20 Dec 2017

I haven't tried actually testing new installations on purpose. I can't recall honestly. I will test that and get back to you ASAP.

Mulsiphix · 20 Dec 2017

I went and downloaded free programs for three pieces of software. All were available in both .msi and .exe. All software opened without any issues. Which is really weird. I can now see that the error boxes in my original post were generated by .msi installers. I'll keep trying to use the computer and to witness more behavior. Maybe I can figure out a pattern. I'll report back on the .msi vs .exe thing as I learn more.

Mulsiphix · 21 Dec 2017

I was installing some software earlier in the week and encountered the error a couple of times; with VPN Watcher.msi and HDDRegenerator (hr.exe). All other .msi and .exe packages I am installing are working correctly. In both cases, the error came when it was trying to create the start menu entries, as shown in the first image in my original post.

Note that I ran SFC, which reported it found corrupted files, and fixed them. Still no change with this issue. Any ideas?

torchwood · 21 Dec 2017

Hi Mulsiphix,
Going back to your original post,
re changing Security permissions for all of my drives,

suggest you check permissions on folders
ProgramData and ALL its Microsoft folders
and System32 (within C>> Windows)

They should be
System -- Full
Adminstrator -- Full

Roy

Mulsiphix · 22 Dec 2017

Holy Cow! This totally worked. On both of the problems!! torchwood, you are amazing. You've saved me so much time trying to troubleshoot and trial and error this myself. Thank you so very much ^_^