hmcook
asked on
Unable to install programs in XP
I noticed a week ago that I could not install programs in Windows XP but that the I could do some installation in Safe Mode.
When I try to install a program either from the disk or after copying the disk's files to the hard drive I get a "Please tell Microsoft about this problem" error with "InstallShield (R) Setup Launcher has encountered a problem and needs to close." ""Welcome to Windows XP has encountered . . . " "Topmenu has encountered . . " The Error signature identifies setup.exe (or topmenu.exe or similar setup program) as the AppName and ModName.
I have 1. run sfc /scannow 2. run chkdsk /r 3. stopped and started Windows Installer service 4. repair reinstalled Windows XP 5. uninstalled and reinstalled setup.exe 6. uninstalled and reinstalled the Windows Installer components. I have stopped services, scanned for worms and viruses.
I have read and tried many possible solutions from the archives but nothing has worked yet.
When I try to install a program either from the disk or after copying the disk's files to the hard drive I get a "Please tell Microsoft about this problem" error with "InstallShield (R) Setup Launcher has encountered a problem and needs to close." ""Welcome to Windows XP has encountered . . . " "Topmenu has encountered . . " The Error signature identifies setup.exe (or topmenu.exe or similar setup program) as the AppName and ModName.
I have 1. run sfc /scannow 2. run chkdsk /r 3. stopped and started Windows Installer service 4. repair reinstalled Windows XP 5. uninstalled and reinstalled setup.exe 6. uninstalled and reinstalled the Windows Installer components. I have stopped services, scanned for worms and viruses.
I have read and tried many possible solutions from the archives but nothing has worked yet.
You didn't mentioned one that will solve your and solves another 99% problems with windows. Fresh new install - with format ;-)
ASKER
I am trying to avoid a fresh install.
For some reason, I am having trouble opening this page:
http://consumer.installshield.com/kb.asp?id=q108476
For some reason, I am having trouble opening this page:
http://consumer.installshield.com/kb.asp?id=q108476
Here, I copied - pasetd what's on it ....
Error 1101
Document ID: Q108476
Last Revised On: 4/18/2003
Problem
You may encounter error 1101 during installation initialization.
More Information
On Windows NT, 2000, or XP, the error usually occurs because of corruption with the Windows Installer Service.
On Windows 95, 98, or ME, error 1101 occurs if there is a conflict between the version of the Windows Installer msi.dll file on the system and the one being installed by the installer. This error usually occurs if the version of msi.dll on your computer is 2.0.2600.2, and the version being installed by the installer is 2.0.2600.1 or earlier.
Fix
Windows NT/2000/XP
You may need to unregister, then register the Windows Installer Service.
Click Start > Run.
Type msiexec.exe /unregister and click OK.
Click Start > Run.
Type msiexec.exe /regserver and click OK.
Run the installation again. This should install the Windows Installer Service.
If this fix does not work, download and install the latest Windows Installer Service. For more information, see How Do I Install the Windows Installer Engine on My Computer?
Windows 95/98/ME
To fix this issue, delete the msi.dll file on your computer.
Determine what operating system you are running.
Refer to the Microsoft article on Error 1101.
Scroll down to the heading: How to Delete the Msi.dll File.
The article has steps to delete the file on Windows 98 and ME. If you are using Windows 95, follow the instructions under Windows 98.
Run your installation again. This should install the Windows Installer Service.
Related Topics
What Is the Windows Installer Engine? Why Do I Need It?
How Do I Determine What Operating System Is on My Computer?
Does Your Issue Still Exist?
If after following these instructions your product failed to install, you'll need to contact your vendor. See the Who to Contact page for more information.
Error 1101
Document ID: Q108476
Last Revised On: 4/18/2003
Problem
You may encounter error 1101 during installation initialization.
More Information
On Windows NT, 2000, or XP, the error usually occurs because of corruption with the Windows Installer Service.
On Windows 95, 98, or ME, error 1101 occurs if there is a conflict between the version of the Windows Installer msi.dll file on the system and the one being installed by the installer. This error usually occurs if the version of msi.dll on your computer is 2.0.2600.2, and the version being installed by the installer is 2.0.2600.1 or earlier.
Fix
Windows NT/2000/XP
You may need to unregister, then register the Windows Installer Service.
Click Start > Run.
Type msiexec.exe /unregister and click OK.
Click Start > Run.
Type msiexec.exe /regserver and click OK.
Run the installation again. This should install the Windows Installer Service.
If this fix does not work, download and install the latest Windows Installer Service. For more information, see How Do I Install the Windows Installer Engine on My Computer?
Windows 95/98/ME
To fix this issue, delete the msi.dll file on your computer.
Determine what operating system you are running.
Refer to the Microsoft article on Error 1101.
Scroll down to the heading: How to Delete the Msi.dll File.
The article has steps to delete the file on Windows 98 and ME. If you are using Windows 95, follow the instructions under Windows 98.
Run your installation again. This should install the Windows Installer Service.
Related Topics
What Is the Windows Installer Engine? Why Do I Need It?
How Do I Determine What Operating System Is on My Computer?
Does Your Issue Still Exist?
If after following these instructions your product failed to install, you'll need to contact your vendor. See the Who to Contact page for more information.
ASKER
I actually had tried both unregistering and re-registering Windows Installer and uninstalling and then re-installing Window Installer. Neither helped.
Previous to noticing this installation problem I upgraded my secondary hard drive to at 160GB drive for video editing and had to enable the LBA with the Maxtor software in order to have full capacity. At one time, I suspected that enabling LBA might have created the problem because LBA apparently was not active in Safe Mode and as I said the Installer appears to work in Safe Mode. However, when I uninstalled this drive I still was not able to install programs. So I guess this wasn't a problem after all.
I'm really stuck here. I have too many programs and I don't have the two weeks it would take to recreate my hard drive after a format and re-install of everything.
Although I have installed some of my outstanding programs in Safe Mode. For others I can get the Installer to work but I cannot get the program to work because Pinnacle 9 for one needs to complete installation in the regular mode.
Previous to noticing this installation problem I upgraded my secondary hard drive to at 160GB drive for video editing and had to enable the LBA with the Maxtor software in order to have full capacity. At one time, I suspected that enabling LBA might have created the problem because LBA apparently was not active in Safe Mode and as I said the Installer appears to work in Safe Mode. However, when I uninstalled this drive I still was not able to install programs. So I guess this wasn't a problem after all.
I'm really stuck here. I have too many programs and I don't have the two weeks it would take to recreate my hard drive after a format and re-install of everything.
Although I have installed some of my outstanding programs in Safe Mode. For others I can get the Installer to work but I cannot get the program to work because Pinnacle 9 for one needs to complete installation in the regular mode.
ASKER
I am sure that I am probably not going to be believed but the problem I am ahving appears to be related to Internet/Networking connections.
I started by experimenting with changes Maxtor sotware may have made to my system when I installed my secondary 160gb drive. I removed the EnableBigLba entries from my Registry but the drive still seems to read full capacity. I read MS Knowledge Base 303013: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;303013&Product=winxp and read about a possible problem with ATAPI.sys at 331958: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;331958 and I installed the hotfix. None of this helped. Then I rebooted into Safe Mode with Networking. The disks with installation programs, Windows XP, and Pinnacle Studio , and so on, generated the same " . . encountered a problem and needs to close . . ." error as in regular mode.When I re-booted into Safe Mode without Networking the disks would read and be ready for installation. Booting back into XP without DLA connection unplugged does not eliminate the problem, however.
Now, this mush interest someone out there.
Any assistance would be welcome.
I still have not given up on idea that the Maxtor software installing ultra.sys and a few other program files might be the ultimate culprit.
I started by experimenting with changes Maxtor sotware may have made to my system when I installed my secondary 160gb drive. I removed the EnableBigLba entries from my Registry but the drive still seems to read full capacity. I read MS Knowledge Base 303013: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;303013&Product=winxp and read about a possible problem with ATAPI.sys at 331958: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;331958 and I installed the hotfix. None of this helped. Then I rebooted into Safe Mode with Networking. The disks with installation programs, Windows XP, and Pinnacle Studio , and so on, generated the same " . . encountered a problem and needs to close . . ." error as in regular mode.When I re-booted into Safe Mode without Networking the disks would read and be ready for installation. Booting back into XP without DLA connection unplugged does not eliminate the problem, however.
Now, this mush interest someone out there.
Any assistance would be welcome.
I still have not given up on idea that the Maxtor software installing ultra.sys and a few other program files might be the ultimate culprit.
Man, you should be awarded for persistance ;-)....
ASKER
Dear Da-Bu, thanks but my persistance has still not solved my problem.
I think I have ruled out the Maxtor software, the new hard drive, and the EnableBigLba.
I have re-run chkdsk /r and sfc /scannow and I have re-installed Service Pack 1. I still have the problem.
Several installation disks create "XX had encountered a problem and needs to close" error in Windows and in Safe Mode with Networking. The AppName and ModName is setup or related file.
In Windows with Windows Explorer open the warning message does not appear. In Safe Mode with Networking I have turned off services that do not appear in normal Safe Mode and disabled network connection and STILL cannot get installation files to load without crashing and generating the error message.
I'm stumped.
I think I have ruled out the Maxtor software, the new hard drive, and the EnableBigLba.
I have re-run chkdsk /r and sfc /scannow and I have re-installed Service Pack 1. I still have the problem.
Several installation disks create "XX had encountered a problem and needs to close" error in Windows and in Safe Mode with Networking. The AppName and ModName is setup or related file.
In Windows with Windows Explorer open the warning message does not appear. In Safe Mode with Networking I have turned off services that do not appear in normal Safe Mode and disabled network connection and STILL cannot get installation files to load without crashing and generating the error message.
I'm stumped.
I'm sorry that I have to tell you this, but not all problems can be solved that are related to ms windows. They are great OS, specally WinXP, but they are also shity, buggy...(look at all the SP, fixes, posts on milions of forums) You can be persistance as a bull but, sometimes you just have to tell your self... I did the best that I could...I give up... and throw all your blame towards mr. Bill Gates and his beloved Windows... ;-)...
ASKER
Well, I took some of your advice and did a clean install of XP only to discover that installation disks generated the same problem in a clean install.
I wonder if there is a problem after all with having the 160gb drive. Perhaps my bios does not support it. I don't know
Anyway, I had renamed the computer something different than I had had and so I could not successfully resore my old C;\Windows and SystemState with Novabackup.
I am now doing another clean install and will try once again to restore my computer to state it was in a little over two weeks ago.
I wonder if there is a problem after all with having the 160gb drive. Perhaps my bios does not support it. I don't know
Anyway, I had renamed the computer something different than I had had and so I could not successfully resore my old C;\Windows and SystemState with Novabackup.
I am now doing another clean install and will try once again to restore my computer to state it was in a little over two weeks ago.
Well.....The final solution for ur problem is :
1- Format the ur hard drive partition which u install windows in it c:/
2- Install windows from the begaining on this partition....
u will find ur problem solved for sure........u have to do it like that..
I know it's hard action to do the format but it's the last chance u have
1- Format the ur hard drive partition which u install windows in it c:/
2- Install windows from the begaining on this partition....
u will find ur problem solved for sure........u have to do it like that..
I know it's hard action to do the format but it's the last chance u have
ASKER
I finally solved my problem.
The problem was a confict between my GA-6vx-4x Mother board BIOS and the Mactor 160GB hard drive.
The problem was still present after a clean install. I was able after hours and hours of trying to restore my system to a previous state.
I unplugged the hard drive and the problem was not present.
I used the card that came with the drive and was able to get the 160GB without the the installation problem.
So the problem all along was hardware conflicts and I am glad I was able to get my system back to where it was.
I hope someone else might benefit from leanring about this ocnflict. Maxtor and Micorsoft did not seem to have hear about it.
The problem was a confict between my GA-6vx-4x Mother board BIOS and the Mactor 160GB hard drive.
The problem was still present after a clean install. I was able after hours and hours of trying to restore my system to a previous state.
I unplugged the hard drive and the problem was not present.
I used the card that came with the drive and was able to get the 160GB without the the installation problem.
So the problem all along was hardware conflicts and I am glad I was able to get my system back to where it was.
I hope someone else might benefit from leanring about this ocnflict. Maxtor and Micorsoft did not seem to have hear about it.
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
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ASKER
Thank you, Da-Bu.
The only thing I regret is that I still cannot remember my Administrator's password.
When I did the clean install I reset it, but when I did the restore of the system state I lost it again.
I would appreciate it if someone could tell me how to eliminate the password I cannot remember and set one I can.
Thanks.
The only thing I regret is that I still cannot remember my Administrator's password.
When I did the clean install I reset it, but when I did the restore of the system state I lost it again.
I would appreciate it if someone could tell me how to eliminate the password I cannot remember and set one I can.
Thanks.
ASKER
My installation and autorun problems seem to have returned with a few others like now HotSync.exe will not load for my Palm.
This time I again unplugged my new hard drive and card and the problems did not go away.
The problem is present with the card removed and the drive unplugged.
I repair installed XP (with lots of problems I got around with Experts Exchange) but still have the problem.
I have hundreds of programs and the thought of restoring every one is mind boggling, not to mention all of the tweaking I have done to the programs and system.
Anyone with any other ideas.
This time I again unplugged my new hard drive and card and the problems did not go away.
The problem is present with the card removed and the drive unplugged.
I repair installed XP (with lots of problems I got around with Experts Exchange) but still have the problem.
I have hundreds of programs and the thought of restoring every one is mind boggling, not to mention all of the tweaking I have done to the programs and system.
Anyone with any other ideas.
http://consumer.installshield.com/kb.asp?id=q108476