Resolving Windows Installer Problems
Windows Installer problems are one of many sets of issues you’re likely to encounter when running any version of Windows.
A variety of solutions exist for such problems, but what you may not realize is that some of the most obvious are a waste of your valuable time and money.
In fact, with just a little attention to detail and willingness to follow directions, it is generally possible to resolve many of such issues on your own and in much less time.
When confronted with an issue with a Windows installation, many people choose to call technical support.
This seems like a logical response, particularly as they are likely to provide you with a solution with minimal fuss and effort on your part.
However, there are often drawbacks to this approach, and for many users with some amount of computer skill, it is possible to fix Windows Installer problems and other issues on your own.
For instance, technical support calls take time. Instead of doing research or solving your Windows Installer problems, you may find yourself waiting on hold.
Then, when finally speaking with an agent, you must first establish that you do in fact have the computer plugged in and turned on before you can even begin resolving your problem.
Who has time for that?
Taking your computer into a shop is another popular option, but again, that wastes time. In today’s fast-paced information age, no one has time to be without their computer for long.
Time away from the computer can represent missed opportunities or lost revenue depending on your type and level of use.
Surprisingly, it is generally possible to resolve a number of issues on your own. With a few minutes’ worth of research, you can resolve many problems without the need to waste time with technical support agents, thus having a fully-functioning computer in no time.
If you are suffering from Windows Installer problems, here are a few possible solutions that may have you up and running again in minutes.
Solutions
Reregister Windows Installer: This quick fix may have some Installer issues resolved in a matter of seconds.
1. From the start menu, click “Run”.
2. In the dialog box that appears, type “msiexec /unreg” and press enter.
3. Again, from your start menu, click “Run”.
4. In the dialog, type “msiexec /regserver” and press enter.
Upgrade Windows Installer:
Applying regular system updates is usually a sure method of solving many issues. Often, newer updates resolve known bugs and introduce other fixes that improve system stability.
If you wish to fix Windows Installer issues quickly, though, it is possible to upgrade just your Windows Installer component while leaving others untouched.
1. Using Microsoft Internet Explorer, browse to
http://msdn.microsoft.com/downloads
2. There should be a menu on the left of the page. In that menu, click “Setup and System Administration”, then “Setup” once more.
3. Click “Windows Installer”, then select the link that matches your specific version of Windows.
4. Click “Download” to begin the download and installation process for Windows Installer version 2 or newer.
Check the registry for pending installations:
Sometimes Windows Installer installation attempts freeze or break, leaving behind keys in the registry. These keys often prevent newer installations from succeeding.
To check if this is the case, perform the following steps.
1. Empty the key “HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Installer\InProgress”
2. Empty the key “HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\PendingFileRenameOperations”.
Working with the registry is not something that should be undertaken manually unless you are certain of exactly what you are doing.
The registry holds lots of information about your operating system installation and the various applications you have added.
Any registry keys that are incorrectly formatted or missing may cause anything from random failures to conditions requiring a complete reinstallation.
Fortunately, because registry issues are so common under installations of Windows, numerous registry cleaners and repair tools have been developed.
Such tools can help not only with the above solution, but can also help to identify any other issues that may be making your computer run more slowly.
One such tool that can check Windows Installer Problems can be found here.
You can not only have your registry scanned for free, but can also find some of the best tools to help you resolve this and many other issues with your Windows installation.
With such a tool at your disposal, you may never need to call technical support again.