windows installer won't run

I'm not sure what that answer is???

There appears to be no problem with the installer. It is listed in services as running.

When I launch the setup file for the application I want to install it appears to be running OK for just a few seconds. Then a configuration/options window opes for the Windows installer listing all the options and switches that can be used with it. No error code is given. When you click "OK" or close that window the setup program ceases and the app is not installed.

This is the exact same behaviour with several different apps on different machines.

Maybe I don't understand your situation. Maybe check here first but don't do anything related to to the Windows Installer CleanUp Utility yet to see if you have any problems:
http://www.winhelponline.com/articles/68/1/Windows-Installer-Dealing-with-installation-failures.html

I have already tried the installer cleanup utility. It runs but does not show the app I am trying to install so I can't clean it up.

I have tried the unregister/reregister routine,, did not help.

I have tried upgrading to version 4.5,, did not help.

I have tried stopping and restarting the installer service. It sez it is running OK.

The installer apparently starts because it brings up the dialog box showing options and switches for the installer but that's where everything stops.

If you click continue or close the dialog box the installation stops with no errors displayed.

It is the exact same condition on 4 machines trying to install different apps.

Did you check:
http://www.winhelponline.com/articles/68/1/Windows-Installer-Dealing-with-installation-failures.html
? Were there any errors in your event viewer?

The machine will be in use today so it will be this evening before I can get back to it.

orangutang: I don't believe there will be any info to view (or at least there hasn't been) in the cleanup's list of apps because it never runs far enough into the install routine to get listed.

On one of the other machines I was trying to install Vipre A/V. In that case it WOULD come up in the list, I would clean it. Stop the service, start the service, still would not install. I worked with the folks from Sunbelt for several days and we were never able to resolve it. They finally sent me a link to download a version for manual install. That worked but the problem remains.

OK. You can do it remotely.

reg query \\{computername}\hklm\software\classes\msi.package\shell\open\command

REG.EXE Version 3.0

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\msi.package\shell\open\command

<NO NAME>  REG_EXPAND_SZ  "%SystemRoot%\System32\msiexec.exe" /i "%1" %*

Did you check your event viewer?

Event Viewer gives an event 1042 with a client transaction of 732.

I have also tried removing the installer files,, running a reg cleaner,, and re-installing the installer. No luck,, same problem.

Have you tried doubling clicking a MSI file?

Not sure I follow you on the double click deal.

Tried logging in as local administrator (off the network), same problem. Now that I'm thinking about it all of the machines giving the problem are IBM rebuilt. Don't know what that would have to do with it but seems kinda strange.

You said "When I launch the setup file for the application".

How about trying to download a MSI file to install?

So if you download SubInACL.MSI from Microsoft and run it does the options page come up?

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?displaylang=en&FamilyID=e8ba3e56-d8fe-4a91-93cf-ed6985e3927b

Looks like it ran successfully.

Hmm... I would really like to see the parameters it's passing to MSIEXEC.

If you have visual basic or anything else you can make an exe with we could create a dummy MSIEXEC.EXE and have it popup the parameters.

For VB6 I use.

MSGBOX command()

I think the setup.exe is either trying to start msiexec.exe by using the file extension association of .MSI but adding in an extra /i or it is calling MSIEXE.EXE but without the /i to install.

Let's try changing the association so there is no /i.

To change it back use this:

reg add hklm\software\classes\msi.package\shell\open\command /ve /t REG_EXPAND_SZ /f /d "\"^%SystemRoot^%\System32\msiexec.exe\" /i \"^%1\" %*"

So the below script will now not put in the /i so the above download of subinacl.msi will now popup the same dialog because there is no /i.

Could this problem be isolated to this 1 bad setup.exe?

reg add hklm\software\classes\msi.package\shell\open\command /ve /t REG_EXPAND_SZ /f /d "\"^%SystemRoot^%\System32\msiexec.exe\" \"^%1\" %*"

                                              

1:

It's for Quickbooks 2009 and is a multi-install. I was successful in using it to install the data server and one other client so I don't see how it could be anything wrong with the install file.

Does this help??

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\msi.package\shell\open\command
<NO NAME>  REG_EXPAND_SZ  "%SystemRoot%\System32\msiexec.exe" /i "%1" %*

We verified the Windows Installer is functioning properly with the SubInACL.MSI.

I would like to try to see if removing the /i from the above registry location fixes your problem. We'll put it back after we're done.

reg add hklm\software\classes\msi.package\shell\open\command /ve /t REG_EXPAND_SZ /f /d "\"^%SystemRoot^%\System32\msiexec.exe\" \"^%1\" %*"
                                              

1:

ran the mod successfully. didn't help,,,,

Put it back to the original.

reg add hklm\software\classes\msi.package\shell\open\command /ve /t REG_EXPAND_SZ /f /d "\"^%SystemRoot^%\System32\msiexec.exe\" /i \"^%1\" %*"
                                              

1:

Oops, there were no warning in your event viewer related to Windows installer?

ran the mod,, put back OK.

Event viewer shows "Installer ending with code 1042" and ID of 3568. No warnings,,,

Can you send some screenshots of your problem?

After I start the setup file it runs for just a second then a box with this in it titled "Windows Installer" appears on the screen. No matter what I do the box then disappears and the install stops.

Windows ® Installer. V 4.5.6001.22159
msiexec /Option <Required Parameter> [Optional Parameter]
Install Options
</package | /i> <Product.msi>
 Installs or configures a product
/a <Product.msi>
 Administrative install - Installs a product on the network
/j<u|m> <Product.msi> [/t <Transform List>] [/g <Language ID>]
 Advertises a product - m to all users, u to current user
</uninstall | /x> <Product.msi | ProductCode>
 Uninstalls the product
Display Options
/quiet
 Quiet mode, no user interaction
/passive
 Unattended mode - progress bar only
/q[n|b|r|f]
 Sets user interface level
 n - No UI
 b - Basic UI
 r - Reduced UI
 f - Full UI (default)
/help
 Help information
Restart Options
/norestart
 Do not restart after the installation is complete
/promptrestart
 Prompts the user for restart if necessary
/forcerestart
 Always restart the computer after installation
Logging Options
/l[i|w|e|a|r|u|c|m|o|p|v|x|+|!|*] <LogFile>
 i - Status messages
 w - Nonfatal warnings
 e - All error messages
 a - Start up of actions
 r - Action-specific records
 u - User requests
 c - Initial UI parameters
 m - Out-of-memory or fatal exit information
 o - Out-of-disk-space messages
 p - Terminal properties
 v - Verbose output
 x - Extra debugging information
 + - Append to existing log file
 ! - Flush each line to the log
 * - Log all information, except for v and x options
/log <LogFile>
 Equivalent of /l* <LogFile>
Update Options
/update <Update1.msp>[;Update2.msp]
 Applies update(s)
/uninstall <PatchCodeGuid>[;Update2.msp] /package <Product.msi | ProductCode>
 Remove update(s) for a product
Repair Options
/f[p|e|c|m|s|o|d|a|u|v] <Product.msi | ProductCode>
 Repairs a product
 p - only if file is missing
 o - if file is missing or an older version is installed (default)
 e - if file is missing or an equal or older version is installed
 d - if file is missing or a different version is installed
 c - if file is missing or checksum does not match the calculated value
 a - forces all files to be reinstalled
 u - all required user-specific registry entries (default)
 m - all required computer-specific registry entries (default)
 s - all existing shortcuts (default)
 v - runs from source and recaches local package
Setting Public Properties
[PROPERTY=PropertyValue]
Consult the Windows ® Installer SDK for additional documentation on the
command line syntax.
Copyright © Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
Portions of this software are based in part on the work of the Independent JPEG Group.

Oh, I've seen that problem before but unfortunately I don't think it was ever resolved. You can get that window from just running msiexec. I don't understand why it's doing that. I'll do some research.

Gee your just a mountain of hope (heh, heh, heh). Well I now have FOUR XP Pro machines giving me the SAME error with FOUR different applications that I'm trying to install. I was thinking that if I could resolve this one maybe I could fix the others without a wipe & reinstall but it's looking like that may be the only option.

RATS!!!

AmazingTech seemed to be doing the right thing but I don't know why it's not woring. Try opening the folder options, click the "File Types" tab, go to MSI and what does it say for "Install"?

Also, open Process Explorer (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb896653.aspx) when that window pops up, double-click "msiexec.exe" and tell us what it says for "Command line:"

"file types" for MSI sez Windows Installer,

Opened Process explorer but I don't see msiexec.exe listed. Do I need a different view or something to see it?

Click "MSI" in file types, click "Advanced", double-click "Install". What does it say for "Application used to perform action"? Also, only open Process Explorer when one of those Windows Installer windows are opened.

Application used to preform action is,,

"C:\WINDOWS\System32\msiexec.exe" /i "%1" %*

process explorer shows,,

C:\WINDOWS\system32\msiexec.exe /V

How about this one,,,

C:\WINDOWS\system32\\msiexec.exe /I "D:\Qbooks\QuickBooks.msi" /lv* C:\DOCUME~1\susanB.SUSANDESK-1\Local Settings\Temp\QuickBooks_09.log ISW_PRODUCTNUM=309691 ISW_LICENSENUM=160710205397039 CDSKU=CDREINSTALL MEDIAPACKAGEPATH=\QBooks\

This is a hard one to figure out. Try installing the Windows Installer CleanUp Utility (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/290301) and when you get that window, copy and paste the command line from Process Explorer here again.

I have already tried the cleanup utility. It doesn't show the program I am trying to install (Quickbooks 09). Is there another way of identifying what might have not been installed?? I don't know what to pick for clean up. Or should I just try it again??

Wait, so you were able to install the Windows Installer CleanUp Utility without any problems? Anyway, try installing a couple of other programs that you can't install and when you get the "Windows Installer" window, use Process Explorer and copy and paste the command lines here.