Windows Installer

[uscelwyn]

Hi. I changed my anti-virus from McAfee to CA but afterwards Windows Installer would keep running. I tried unistalling CA but then found that Windows Installer would keep running trying to install in the last software that was installed. I contacted CA and followed their instructions to reinstall and now Windows installer keeps popping up trying to install the last component that was installed ('Please wait while Windows configures..). I tried using Windows Install Clean UP but this just moves the problem back one set of software (ie the most recently installed after whatever is removed by clean up).
Help would be valued.
Thanks,
Uri

 

[karlsnooks]

Is the easy out available of simply going back to a System Restore point from before the problem appeared?
System Restore - Windows 7 Forums

 

[uscelwyn]

No. Tried that. That just makes Windows Installer run over and over trying to install whatever was previous to that.

 

[karlsnooks]

are you able to use the troublesome computer?

 

[uscelwyn]

Yes. I just have Windows installer popping up in the background most of the time and then in the foreground when I open a program that somehow relates to the program it is trying to install (eg if I open Outlook which is being scanned by the anti-virus)

 

[karlsnooks]

1.Download Microsoft Security Essentials.
2. Download and install RevoUninstaller.
3. Disconnect from the Internet
4. Use RevoUninstaller to remove your present AV software.
5. Install and run the MSE quick scan.
6. Reconnect to the Internet.
7. Update Microsoft Security Essentials (it's one of its tabs)
8. Run Microsoft Security Essentials complete scan.

http://www.microsoft.com/security_essentials/

Download Revo Uninstaller Freeware - Free and Full Download - Uninstall software, remove programs, solve uninstall problems

 

[uscelwyn]

OK, I'll try this when I get home but before I do, can you explain the logic behind your suggested fix, please so that I can understand the mechanism what is trying ot be fixed. The reason I say this is that as I've been writing this, I seem to recall that last month (I've only had the new computer and Win 7 for 6 weeks), I tried installing Omnipage and ran into exactly the same problem which seemed to go away after I uninstalled Omnipage. That was before I did anything with any antiviral software, so the problem seems to be in Windows Installer.

 

[theog]

Hi. I changed my anti-virus from McAfee to CA but afterwards Windows Installer would keep running. I tried unistalling CA but then found that Windows Installer would keep running trying to install in the last software that was installed. I contacted CA and followed their instructions to reinstall and now Windows installer keeps popping up trying to install the last component that was installed ('Please wait while Windows configures..). I tried using Windows Install Clean UP but this just moves the problem back one set of software (ie the most recently installed after whatever is removed by clean up).
Help would be valued.
Thanks,
Uri

Did you use the McAfee removal tool?

 

[uscelwyn]

I can't recall which removal method was used. The thing I find most odd is that if I remove a program or reset the registry, it's like Windows installer is half a line out of sync and goes back to trying to install the program before last. Is there some pointer in the registry that needs resetting?