Link to home
Start Free TrialLog in
Avatar of Mark Olivier
Mark OlivierFlag for United States of America

asked on

Windows Installer Won't Work - Error 1500

When installing any program that uses the Windows Installer, I get the following error message: "Error 1500 - Another installation is in progress.  You must complete that installation before continuing this one."

I've done a spyware cleanup, and disabled unnecessary startup programs in MSCONFIG.  I've tried running the Microsoft Installer Cleanup Utility, but it returns the same error message.  I tried in safe mode, but the Windows Installer does not run in safe mode.  Because of another posting I saw on this problem, I looked for the follwing registry key to delete, but it wasn't there - HKEY_Local_Machine\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Installer\InProgress.

Any help will be greatly appreciated.
Avatar of RAID0
RAID0
Flag of United States of America image

Method 1: Re-Register the Windows Installer
To re-register the Windows Installer, verify the location of the Msiexec.exe file on your hard disk and in the Windows Registry, and then re-register the Windows Installer. To do so:

Note Because there are several versions of Microsoft Windows, the following steps may be different on your computer. If they are, see your product documentation to complete these steps.
1. Verify the location of the Msiexec.exe file on your hard disk. To do so: a.  Click Start, and then click Search.
b.  Click All files and folders.
c.  In the File name box, type msiexec.exe, and then click Search.
d.  In the search results, make a note of the location of the Msiexec.exe file.

The location of the Msiexec.exe file should be similar to the following example, where Drive is the drive where Windows is installed, and %Windir% is the folder where Windows is installed:
Drive:\%Windir%\System32
An example of this is C:\Windows\System32.

e.  On the File menu, click Close.
 
2. Verify the location of the Msiexec.exe file in the Windows Registry. To do so: a.  Click Start, and then click Run.
b.  In the Open box, type regedit, and then click OK.
c.  Locate, and then click the following registry key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\MSIServer
d.  In the right pane, double-click ImagePath.
e.  In the Edit String dialog box, make sure that the string in the Value data box contains the correct path of the Msiexec.exe file on your hard disk that you determined earlier in step 1.

For example, if the Msiexec.exe file is located in the Drive:\Windows\System32 folder on your hard disk, the correct path of the Msiexec.exe file in the Value data box is the following path, where Drive is the drive where Windows is installed:
Drive:\Windows\System32\Msiexec.exe /V

If the Value data box does not contain the correct path, make the appropriate changes to correct the path, and then click OK.
f.  Quit Registry Editor.
 
3. Start your computer in safe mode, and then register the Msiexec.exe file. To do so: a.  Shut down, and then restart your computer.
b.  Press F8 after you receive the following message:
Please select the operating system to start
c.  On the Windows Advanced Option menu, use the arrow keys to select Safe Mode, and then press ENTER.
d.  If you use a dual-boot or multiple-boot computer, select the appropriate operating system from the list that is displayed, and then press ENTER.
e.  Log on to the computer.
f.  Click Start, and then click Run.
g.  In the Open box, type the following line, and then click OK:
msiexec /regserver
 
4. Shut down, and then restart your computer in standard mode.
If the issue persists and you still receive the error message that is described earlier in the "Symptoms" section, follow the steps in Method 2.


Method 2: Reinstall the Windows Installer
To reinstall the Windows Installer, rename the damaged Windows Installer files, and then reinstall the Windows Installer.
To do so:
1. Click Start, and then click Run.
2. In the Open box, type cmd, and then click OK.
3. At the command prompt, type the following line, and then press ENTER, where Drive is the drive where Windows is installed and where %Windir% is the folder where Windows is installed:
attrib -r -s -h drive:\%Windir%\system32\dllcache
For example, type
attrib -r -s -h c:\windows\\system32\dllcache

4. At the command prompt, type the following lines, pressing ENTER after each line:
ren msi.dll msi.old
ren msiexec.exe msiexec.old
ren msihnd.dll msihnd.old  
5. At the command prompt, type exit, and then press ENTER.  
6. Restart your computer.  
7. Update the Windows Installer files on your hard disk to the latest version. Windows Installer 2.0 is available for download from the Microsoft Download Center:
8. Shut down your computer, and then restart it in standard mode.


See if that solves your problem. Good luck!
Avatar of Mark Olivier

ASKER

I had high hopes that RAIDO's suggestions would work, but it did not.  I found a suggestion on Microsoft's newsgroup to use task manager to end task msiexec and then install.  This does in fact allow me to install programs, but I have to end task msiexec every time.  I need to figure out what is causing the installer program to run on every restart.
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
Avatar of RAID0
RAID0
Flag of United States of America image

Link to home
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
Start Free Trial
RAIDO, I think your suggestions fixed the problem.  When I went back to try the last thing you suggested, everything was working OK.  So, either your first suggestion fixed it, or it could be that whe I used the Windows installer to install a new Norton Antivirus, the installer problem was corrected during that installation.  Whichever it was, I am very grateful for the help.
glad to help =)