Fresh Windows install, but apps are saying they're already installed?

[DJSigma]

Hi,

I had some issues with my installation of Windows 7, so I formatted my hard drive and reinstalled it today.

I've been reinstalling apps, but I'm getting some issues. For example, when I try and install Miro, it says: -

It looks like you're already running Miro.
Please shut it down before continuing.

Also, I tried to install ImgBurn and it said that another copy was detected and I could only install the program if I chose a different installation folder. I didn't change the folder, as there was no installation of ImgBurn on my system, and the app installed just fine.

A couple of other apps have popped up warnings saying that another instance of the installer is running, even though it's not, although as yet, Miro is the only app that won't install.

What the hell is going on here? lol. I've had no issues with Windows 7 since the first release candidate, but in the last couple of days I'm having no end of problems. I Googled this issue and found another guy with a similar problem and he found that restarting the Windows Installer service cured this problem, but that hasn't worked for me.

Can anyone help?

 

[mborner]

How did you format your HDD? Windows generally won't let you format C:\ from the install CD if there is a current version of Windows 7 on it. Look in your root directory, do you see a Windows.old folder, there? If so, you drive wasn't formatted. You'll need to format from an elevated command line using the DISKPART command.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/52129-disk-clean-clean-all-diskpart-command.html
http://www.sevenforums.com/787192-post61.html

 

[DJSigma]

I hosed the partitions completely and started over, so it's definitely a fresh install.

 

[mborner]

What type of media did you use to re-install Windows?

 

[severedsolo]

How did you format your HDD? Windows generally won't let you format C:\ from the install CD if there is a current version of Windows 7 on it.

Actually it will. It will just warn you that it found another copy of Windows and ask you if your sure.

I have to say it sounds like you accidentally did an upgrade rather than a Clean Install. Follow BFK's great Tutorial here: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/119713-diskpart-pc-startup.html to format your drive and then follow Brinks here:http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1649-clean-install-windows-7-a.html to d the clean Install.

 

[DJSigma]

It was a clean install, not an upgrade. I used an original full install disc to install it.

I've been working with computers for about 15 years. I know how to do a clean install of Windows as I've done it a countless number of times. I appreciate that you have to assume that I may be a n00b who doesn't know what he's doing, but that isn't the case. Whatever is causing my problem here, it is not related to me doing a repair install, an upgrade, or anything else like that.

 

[severedsolo]

Well in that case something has gone horrilby wrong somewhere :huh:

Personally, I'd just Zero the Drive and start again. As its only just been reinstalled its not THAT much of a PITA

 

[mborner]

Sorry for the assumptions about your computer knowledge. With the Knowledge that you have, you must realize, when you format a HDD and clean install an original, full retail version of windows, and then get errors that your apps are already installed when you try to install them, it should be pretty obvious that the OS was not installed on a formatted drive. Is the install on C:\? Are you dual booting? Is your data storage partition separate from your OS partition? Are your programs/data stored on a separate drive? Were they that way before your new install? If you analyze it closely enough, I think you will find your solution.

 

[DJSigma]

With the Knowledge that you have, you must realize, when you format a HDD and clean install an original, full retail version of windows, and then get errors that your apps are already installed when you try to install them, it should be pretty obvious that the OS was not installed on a formatted drive.

But it was.

Here is how I installed it, and that will hopefully put an end to this line of thinking: -

1. Booted from the Windows disc
2. Chose "Install now"
3. Chose "Custom (Advanced)"
4. At the list of drives/partitions, I deleted the partition that Windows and all of my apps were installed on, along with the small partition that Windows 7 creates when installed.
5. I created a new partition using the unallocated space from the 2 partitions I'd just removed and formatted it (although formatting it isn't necessary actually).
6. I then installed Windows to this new partition (Windows automatically creates the smaller partition).

In the case of Miro, when trying to install that, it said that it was already running. There was no instance of Miro showing in Task Manager (other than the installer running), Miro was not listed in Add or Remove Programs, no Miro install folder under Program Files, and absolutely zero results for Miro when searching the registry. There wouldn't be, as I did a completely fresh install of Windows and all applications (which were all on the same partition as Windows) were wiped in that process.

This is how my computer has always been set up (and still is now): -

Drive 1 - Partitioned into C and D. Windows and apps are on C. All data files (except music) are on D.
Drive 2 - A single partition, E. All of my music is on here.

I also have 2 external drives that I use for backups. 1 is used to back up D and E (all of my data files) and one is used to keep an image of C in case I need to reinstall.

I did a fresh install because I was having issues updating Windows Live Mail and after following the advice of someone on here, it made my issues worse. Using System Restore wouldn't fix it and restoring C from the image only left me back at the beginning, unable to update Windows Live Mail, so I thought I would do a fresh install of Windows and all of my apps to sort this.

BTW, technically the thread title should say "SOME apps", because the majority installed without issue.

 

[DeaconFrost]

It sounds like there could be an issue with the Windows Installer, or whatever those apps have in common with the install routine. Have you cleared out your Temp files? Did you migrate anything such as a profile back to the new install?

On a side note, this is why no one should be putting in their key during the setup process. Always get your system up and running before considering the key...just in case you hit a weird issue like this and need to start over.

 

[mborner]

It is critical that you disconnect all drives (except OS drive) when installing Windows. It sounds like you had all your drives connected and now your programs installer is finding files on your other drives, therefore, giving you the error. Can you post a snip of your disk management window? It could help greatly. Just a thought.

 

[LiquidSnak]

Formatting is not a very good way of erasing data. Especially from windows installer.

Diskpart is the best way to get rid of old stuff on your hard drive, with the clean command. If you want to tell me that you know a bunch about computers, then look at this video, and see just how long a quick format takes, at 1:22 in the video. The drive is 2.5 GB, but you get the idea.

 

[DeaconFrost]

Formatting is not a very good way of erasing data. Especially from windows installer.

You guys are getting topics confused. The Windows installer is a horrible way of clearing data *securely*. It is perfectly effective at clearing away data and partitions so they don't remain after a clean install. Let's stick to what's actually going on here, and not derailing into a thread on data security and destruction.

If the OP deleted the partitions and recreated them during the install, there's no chance any leftover files or settings remained visible to the new copy of Windows 7. An in-place install....yes...but not a clean install.

 

[OEM]

Formatting is not a very good way of erasing data. Especially from windows installer.

You guys are getting topics confused. The Windows installer is a horrible way of clearing data *securely*. It is perfectly effective at clearing away data and partitions so they don't remain after a clean install. Let's stick to what's actually going on here, and not derailing into a thread on data security and destruction.

If the OP deleted the partitions and recreated them during the install, there's no chance any leftover files or settings remained visible to the new copy of Windows 7. An in-place install....yes...but not a clean install.

+1

To the OP, I just had a hard time with a home built gaming system, and I couldn't log in with user passwords, couldn't boot Windows 7 DVD, and many other odd problems.

Now you may not be experiencing the same, but you might have a hardware issue like a bad stick of ram.

Have you tried to run Memtest86 from a boot disk?

Here's the thread I started about my PC Problems, in this thread, 2nd post of mine are links to memtest, give it a shot and let us know. Do not trust memory test from windows, I ran it and came back fine, started to run memtest, got to the options window, selected default single core and thats as far as it would go. Started pulling out ram and sure enough narrowed it down to a bad stick.

http://www.sevenforums.com/vip/128394-major-issues-pc-not-me-i-swearer.html

Also, as others have stated, disconnect everything from pc except mouse & keyboard & Monitor. No ext. HD's, printers, speakers, nothing but KB & Mouse & Monitor.

You have a very strange problem, choosing "Custom" clean install, should not give you problems with older programs that it "thinks" are already installed.

Good Luck

 

[OEM]

It is critical that you disconnect all drives (except OS drive) when installing Windows. It sounds like you had all your drives connected and now your programs installer is finding files on your other drives, therefore, giving you the error. Can you post a snip of your disk management window? It could help greatly. Just a thought.

+1

...on this one as well, you stated you have other hard drives connected internally. Disconnect them an only work with the drive for OS Clean Install.

Also mborner asked for a Disk Management "Screen Shot" & Post, if you haven't already wiped out the drives...

 

[LiquidSnak]

Formatting is not a very good way of erasing data. Especially from windows installer.

You guys are getting topics confused. The Windows installer is a horrible way of clearing data *securely*. It is perfectly effective at clearing away data and partitions so they don't remain after a clean install. Let's stick to what's actually going on here, and not derailing into a thread on data security and destruction.

If the OP deleted the partitions and recreated them during the install, there's no chance any leftover files or settings remained visible to the new copy of Windows 7. An in-place install....yes...but not a clean install.

I am speaking from experience about data retention after formatting. I have had a computer retain ALL music, fully playable, discoverable by a media player, etc etc etc. on a formatted hard drive. I COULD NOT find the music on the drive, however. Ghost data is a problem with formatting, from a security standpoint as well as for an end user. If your data is not written over, it could still be readable to a degree that would cause problems with an operating system or other programs.

 

[OEM]

Formatting is not a very good way of erasing data. Especially from windows installer.

You guys are getting topics confused. The Windows installer is a horrible way of clearing data *securely*. It is perfectly effective at clearing away data and partitions so they don't remain after a clean install. Let's stick to what's actually going on here, and not derailing into a thread on data security and destruction.

If the OP deleted the partitions and recreated them during the install, there's no chance any leftover files or settings remained visible to the new copy of Windows 7. An in-place install....yes...but not a clean install.

I am speaking from experience about data retention after formatting. I have had a computer retain ALL music, fully playable, discoverable by a media player, etc etc etc. on a formatted hard drive. I COULD NOT find the music on the drive, however. Ghost data is a problem with formatting, from a security standpoint as well as for an end user. If your data is not written over, it could still be readable to a degree that would cause problems with an operating system or other programs.

I would have to agree with you, data is not removed during a format, just un-indexed. Not talking about Windows Index, but system OS HD. index. If someone was to run a disk recovery program, you might be able to boot to it!!! (Thats not advice !)

If you have the tools, and are wiping out a drive for a new install, it is a good idea to run a program that "scrubs" the drive with like all "Zero's", as it is new, like using Drive Erase Pro, but I'm sure there are free ones or trials that would do the job.

Also, Think theres a tutorial you followed (or could) to clean the drive via a command prompt, That should be more than enough.

It is rare for existing data after a custom "clean install" for it to "find" and think its installed programs, ...It's a first for me, but for the most part a format and clean install is usually enough not to have issues. Still might be able to recover with a software app, but for the newly installed OS to think programs are installed when not, thats really weird.