12 replies to this topic

[360freq]

before I begin you should know that I am not a developer or technician.. just a graphic student trying to work with Windows.

I can not run the Windows Installer Service on my Windows 2000 SP4 machine.. and i've been searching a solution for quite some time. I came here to ask for assistance. When I install applications (latest Java, or .Net Framework etc) that use the Windows Installer method or an .MSI extension.. I receive this error message:

"The Windows Installer Service could not be accessed. This can occur if the Windows Installer is not correctly installed".

so I tried a few different remedies. I re-named the "msiexec.exe" file with an .old extension.. but after rebooting, nothing changed. I am aware that W2k has a Windows Installer (msiexec.exe) built in to the O/S, so I thought to try a more recent version such as - Windows Installer (3.1 v2 KB893803). Ok.. the install actually went fine with no errors.

at "Component Services" I set it to "Automatic" and upon "Starting" the service the Microsoft Management Console gives me this error message: "Could not start the Windows Installer service on Local Computer. The service did not return an error. This could be an Internal Windows error or an internal service error".

fyi: this has a dependency on the Remote Procedure call (RPC), which I set to 'Automatic' and I have the RPC service "Started". in Component Services I keep quite a few disabled because I run a basic system and don't need 'remote' or 'network' services. I have a good reference file on what's safe to choose.

My system has run fine for the last 2 years. in that time, I used the CD and upgraded the current version of W2k.. but still no resolve. there is an application called Dial-a-Fix which "fixes" or unregisters and then re-registers the MSI service - that did not help. I then downloaded an earlier version (2.0) which Microsoft says will work with Windows 2000.. but upon install the message displays as: "This version not supported by the O/S".

I have run out of ideas.. can someone with Operating System experience please share your input?

~thanks in advance, 360freq

[VBScab]

It seems to me that you have comprehensively broken the installation of the Windows Installer service.

I'd say the best thing to do would be to back up your documents if they're stored on the system drive (why would anyone do that? Oh wait, Microsoft defaults to putting 'Documents and Settings' there...) and then restore from your most recent back-up.

Once you've done that - no offence - resolve to avoid using Mickey Mouse tools to "fix" issues like this and to do it properly next time.

What? No back-up? Oops...

[Zweitze]

Sounds to me that the Windows Installer service is running with the wrong account. Look it up at services (Control Panel, Administrative tools, Services).
And stay away from 'applications' that are supposed to fix stuff, unless you know exactly what it does, and trust its origin.

[360freq]

thanks for your replies ~

well i've searched online for similar MSI issues and used whatever apps or procedures that were available to address the Installer Service.

when I say I "used the CD and upgraded the current version of W2k".. that meant I did a Windows 2000 repair install from the CD last summer. it did reset quite a few DL libraries and I have yet to receive any system errors since then.

I have visited the Control Panel>Administrative tools>Services area often. just where and what do I access to look up the account? I have the CD with the s/n. how do I confirm which account the Installer Service is on?

[VBScab]

[Glytzhkof]

As VBScab is saying: try to leave the Microsoft system components alone. If it aint broke, don't "fix it". I have seen this work in the past: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315346 , but personally I would rather use the MSI installer runtime to install the engine again rather than doing things manually as described above: http://www.microsoft...&DisplayLang=en

There are heaps of other things you could try if the above does not work, but the first thing I would try (if the above doesn't do the trick), is to run sfc.exe /scannow from a command prompt. You will need your windows installation media. Other things to try: resetting DACL security by applying the default security template, uninstalling and reinstalling the latest service pack, system restore, repairing WMI, deleting all network connections and recreate them (careful with this!). The list is almost endless mate, give the above a go first...

[Glytzhkof]

Reading this again, I am pretty sure your "safe to disable" services are to blame for this problem. Operating systems become more and more dependent on network operation - it really isn't safe to disable core network related services. Can u list services you have disabled? Also, is DCOM disabled?

If I were you I would verify that DCOM, MSDTC and WMI is enabled. Windows 2000 had a long development life time span. Hence later service packs would almost certainly seriously rewire the underlying services in ways that work completely differently than before. Hence it is quite natural that this "used to work" and doesn't work now.

[360freq]

Ok checked out -- the DCOM was set to Y in registry and WMI was set on Auto (and started). However, the MSDTC was disabled which I found gave an error msg at the Component Services > "computer" folder. That is now started. I backtracked and found the Elder Geek site that says the Distributed Transaction Coordinator can be disabled. They say it "serves no purpose for home user systems".

I try to disable as many services as possible because I want a lean system running only what is useful. I don't have any Network Connections or Message Queuing etc. The newer Windows Installer 3.1 installs ok, but it will not "Start".. even after the msiexec /regserver procedure.

Running Scannow > WFP .. the error I get now is: "The CD you provided is the wrong CD. Please Insert ...."

I don't know what is going on at this point.. i'll try and do another install repair if it lets me. Too bad anomalies like this show up out of the blue. I guess the Win2000 Pro vers. needs all the networking services in place.

[Glytzhkof]

Please clear your event logs, trigger the msiexec.exe error, then look in the event log if there is any more information.

[360freq]

thanks for your help Stein

As far as "resetting DACL security" - in Group Policy, anything of relevance has Administrator priviledges.. and all Config/Template Settings are "Not Configured".

Disabled Services:
Alerter - Clipbook - Computer Browser - DNS Client - Indexing - Internet Sharing - Messenger - Net Meeting - Network DDE - Network DSDM - Smart Card - TelNet

-------------------------------------------------------
"msiexec.exe" Event Error messages from Starting the Windows Installer:

1) The Remote Access Connection Manager service depends on the Telephony service which failed to start because of the following error: The executable program that this service is configured to run in does not implement the service.

2) The Telephony service failed to start due to the following error: The executable program that this service is configured to run in does not implement the service.

-------------------------------------------------------
Error messages when I Start these services:

* "1083: The exe program that service is configured to run in does not implement the service"
Telephony
Routing and Remote Access
Network Connections
System Event Notification
Wireless Configuration

* "1068: Dependency service failed to start"
Remote Access Auto Connection Manager
Remote Access Connection Manager
Background Intelligent Transfer Service
Fax Service

Net Logon will not Start

[VBScab]

The clue is here:

[360freq]

thanks for your replies.. you guys have been a big help. I hope others viewing this can get something out of the troubleshooting suggestions. we can now close this thread, as I formatted and re-installed W2k.

[Glytzhkof]

A word of advice is to only change what you really have to in Windows. "Smart tools" that disable stuff to improve performance almost always break something.

In my opinion the best way to keep performance good is to:
* Keep a clean system, use a tool such as ccleaner.com to delete temporary files (be careful with the options, even this tool can break things)
* Defragment disks
* Don't install more software than you really need
* I prefer anti virus that is not always running in the background (though running it is much safer).