I systematically tried every method on that page and nothing worked. <sigh>...

M.

"Mark_Melvin" wrote:

> Thanks again - I'll have a read but it looks like nothing I have not seen
> before. The problem is - I have no error message to go off of. Nothing.
> Zip. Nada. It just fails to execute with no error or any other helpful
> information whatsoever.
>
> Mark.
>
> "Mark L. Ferguson" wrote:
>
> > How to resolve Common Windows Installer Problems:
> > http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555175/en-us
> > Error “The Windows Installer Service could not be accessed” in Windows
> > Vista:
> > http://www.winhelponline.com/blog/vi...t-be-accessed/
> > --
> > Please use the Communities guidelines when posting.
> > http://www.microsoft.com/wn3/locales...help_en-us.htm
> > Mark L. Ferguson MS-MVP
> > https://mvp.support.microsoft.com/profile/Mark.Ferguson
> >
> > "Mark_Melvin" <MarkMelvin@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> > news:7582C128-F726-4BD4-9145-A48B38D6BB72@microsoft.com...
> > > Well about 20 minutes and a 1.8GB (yes, "Giga") log file later - it still
> > > doesn't work.
> > >
> > > I kind of feel like I should not have run that script. What the heck did
> > > it
> > > do - change permissions on pretty much everything to be default, or
> > > wide-open
> > > to everyone?
> > >
> > > Anyway, thanks for the reply but - any other ideas?
> > >
> > > Mark.
> > >
> > > "Mark L. Ferguson" wrote:
> > >
> > >> Aaron Stebner's WebLog Solving setup errors by using the SubInACL tool to
> > >> repair file and registry permissions:
> > >> http://blogs.msdn.com/astebner/archi...04/739820.aspx
> > >>
> > >> --
> > >> Please use the Communities guidelines when posting.
> > >> http://www.microsoft.com/wn3/locales...help_en-us.htm
> > >> Mark L. Ferguson MS-MVP
> > >> https://mvp.support.microsoft.com/profile/Mark.Ferguson
> > >>
> > >> "Mark_Melvin" <Mark_Melvin@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> > >> news:F507A6EB-5E6F-4CC7-8F38-642FE8135DE2@microsoft.com...
> > >> > Hi There,
> > >> >
> > >> > I have a problem with my machine (Windows XP 32-bit SP3) that has just
> > >> > appeared and I have tried everything I can possibly think of with no
> > >> > luck
> > >> > (I
> > >> > am quite computer literate...so you are not dealing with a noob here).
> > >> > I'm
> > >> > looking for some expert help here because it is driving me insane.
> > >> >
> > >> > So, the problem is I cannot install *anything* that uses Windows
> > >> > Installer
> > >> > (.msi) under the covers. This includes many third party software
> > >> > packages
> > >> > that I use, as well as Windows XP packages and updates themselves.
> > >> > What
> > >> > happens when I run an .msi file is I see the Windows Installer dialog
> > >> > briefly
> > >> > flash up on the screen and nothing happens. There is no error or even
> > >> > any
> > >> > event in my event logs, and if I run the .msi file using msiexec with
> > >> > all
> > >> > logging and debug info turned on, I get nothing in the log file except
> > >> > a
> > >> > single line indicating it started.
> > >> >
> > >> > The weird part is this just started to happen one dayu so obviously
> > >> > something has changed on my system to screw things up. After much
> > >> > beating
> > >> > my
> > >> > head against the monitor and desk I attempted to run one of the failing
> > >> > installers "as Administrator" and it worked. Wha..? I *am* an
> > >> > administrator, so why does running it as Administrator make any
> > >> > difference
> > >> > whatsoever?
> > >> >
> > >> > Anyway, the *only* way I can get anything based on Windows Installer to
> > >> > install now is to open a dos prompt and type:
> > >> >
> > >> > runas /user:Administrator "msiexec.exe /i
> > >> > c:\full\path\to\installer.msi"
> > >> >
> > >> > This prompts me for my password and runs the installer just fine. But
> > >> > I
> > >> > am
> > >> > and always have been an adminstrator! I don't get it. Here is a list
> > >> > of
> > >> > things I have tried recently to fix this:
> > >> >
> > >> > -Install all available Windows updates
> > >> > -Remove all .NET versions and re-install as required
> > >> > -Remove Silverlight
> > >> > -Remove Windows Installer and re-install
> > >> > -Update to Windows Installer 4.5 (I think that is what this is -
> > >> > WindowsXP-KB942288-v3-x86.exe)
> > >> > -Roll back to an earlier date
> > >> > -Undo the roll back
> > >> > -Install Windows XP SP3
> > >> > -Yell and scream
> > >> >
> > >> > So, now I am posting here. The only possible thing I can think of that
> > >> > may
> > >> > have any bearing on this whatsoever is that originally my username did
> > >> > not
> > >> > have a password associated with it. At some point in the past I
> > >> > changed
> > >> > my
> > >> > account to have a password associated with it and if I recall correctly
> > >> > this
> > >> > changed permissions on a bunch of files. My user password is now the
> > >> > same
> > >> > as
> > >> > the administrator password on this machine. The only thing I can think
> > >> > of
> > >> > is
> > >> > that some system file or directory got its permissions all screwed up
> > >> > and
> > >> > is
> > >> > the root of the problem. I'd be happy to provide any additional
> > >> > information
> > >> > if requested as I would love to solve this one. It is shortening my
> > >> > life-span...
> > >> >
> > >> > Thanks in advance,
> > >> > Mark.
> > >> >
> >