8 replies to this topic

[PT[Calipigia]]

Hi!

First of all, I am not a developer, so you people may find that this isn't the proper place to put my questions. I've already tried several Windows' Help places and forums, but nobody seemed able to help me. So, I'm trying to reach people who realy has the know-how on the Windows Installer application and trubleshooting... feel free to indicate me other places where I could get some help, please.

I'm getting Windows Installer pop-ups each time I open a folder or access the Start Menu, so it makes it really hard to navigate in my computer. Theses pop-ups disappear all by themselves: I don't have to click anywhere. I think that this started when I had problems with the un-installation of Adobe Reader 7.0, and I (stupidly) decided to manually delete all the files and registry entries refering to it... After that, I managed to re-install the same program, wich is working properly, but maybe the problem is in the old, corrupted installation.

I have Windows XP Pro SP2, up-to-date (so I think), Windows Installer 3.1 (KB893803) and Windows Installer Clean Up (wich I didn't dare to use yet). I'm the only user of my computer (home, no network).

I've allready cleaned up the registry with Tune Up Utilities 2004 and RegCleaner. I learned how to tell Windows XP to log the activity of Windows Installer, I have already dozens of log files, wich have similar content, as:

=== Verbose logging started: 24-09-2005 12:35:23 Build type: SHIP UNICODE 3.01.4000.2435 Calling process: C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE ===
MSI © (14:E4) [12:35:23:247]: Resetting cached policy values
MSI © (14:E4) [12:35:23:257]: Machine policy value 'Debug' is 0
MSI © (14:E4) [12:35:23:257]: ******* RunEngine:
******* Product: {AC76BA86-7AD7-1033-7B44-A70001000000}
******* Action:
******* CommandLine: **********
MSI © (14:E4) [12:35:23:257]: Client-side and UI is none or basic: Running entire install on the server.
MSI © (14:E4) [12:35:23:287]: Grabbed execution mutex.
MSI © (14:84) [12:35:23:377]: Entering MsiProvideComponentFromDescriptor. Descriptor: 34TL`i`Z5(68q5!$!!!!ReaderProgramFiles>A8VC=`0sI@u{@ZTjitQd, PathBuf: 33EDBD0, pcchPathBuf: 33EDBCC, pcchArgsOffset: 33EDB2C
MSI © (14:84) [12:35:23:387]: Machine policy value 'DisableUserInstalls' is 0
MSI © (14:84) [12:35:23:387]: A detecção do produto '{AC76BA86-7AD7-1033-7B44-A70001000000}', funcionalidade 'ReaderProgramFiles' falhou durante o pedido do componente '{45758330-D9D2-4BE9-9419-BE8AF4221BB9}'

MSI © (14:84) [12:35:23:387]: Entering MsiConfigureFeature. Product: {AC76BA86-7AD7-1033-7B44-A70001000000}, Feature: ReaderProgramFiles, Installstate: 5
MSI © (14:84) [12:35:23:387]: Message context already initialized, returning ERROR_INSTALL_ALREADY_RUNNING
MSI © (14:E4) [12:35:23:417]: Cloaking enabled.
MSI © (14:E4) [12:35:23:427]: Attempting to enable all disabled priveleges before calling Install on Server
MSI © (14:E4) [12:35:23:427]: Incrementing counter to disable shutdown. Counter after increment: 0
MSI © (14:84) [12:35:23:427]: RunEngine is returning: 1618
MSI © (14:84) [12:35:23:427]: MsiConfigureFeature is returning: 1618
MSI © (14:84) [12:35:23:437]: MsiProvideComponentFromDescriptor is returning: 1618
MSI (s) (E0:68) [12:35:23:578]: Grabbed execution mutex.
MSI (s) (E0:9C) [12:35:23:578]: Resetting cached policy values
MSI (s) (E0:9C) [12:35:23:578]: Machine policy value 'Debug' is 0
MSI (s) (E0:9C) [12:35:23:578]: ******* RunEngine:
******* Product: {AC76BA86-7AD7-1033-7B44-A70001000000}
******* Action:
******* CommandLine: **********
MSI (s) (E0:9C) [12:35:23:588]: Machine policy value 'DisableUserInstalls' is 0
MSI (s) (E0:9C) [12:35:23:598]: MainEngineThread is returning 1605
MSI © (14:E4) [12:35:23:598]: Decrementing counter to disable shutdown. If counter >= 0, shutdown will be denied. Counter after decrement: -1
MSI © (14:E4) [12:35:23:608]: MainEngineThread is returning 1605
=== Verbose logging stopped: 24-09-2005 12:35:23 ===

I've searched the expressions in "{}" in the registry and in the HD, and found nothing.

I think the problem is the old corrupted installation of Adobe Reader 7.0, because I found out a folder in C:\WINDOWS\Installer called {AC76BA86-7AD7-1046-7B44-A70000000000}, wich refers to Adobe Reader 7.0, and the {} name is similar to the one in the log file, but not equal.

Please help me getting rid of these pop-ups or I'll go crazy.

Thanks in advance

[Glytzhkof]

Hindsight is 20/20, but you should never try to manually delete windows installer setups. Windows installer is so heavily integrated with windows that you will not be able to fool it.

What I suggest you do:

1: Open event viewer to determine what windows installer component is causing the self repair.

2: If the problem is the Adobe product you expect there are 2 options: 1) run the cached MSI database in C:\WINDOWS\Installer called {AC76BA86-7AD7-1046-7B44-A70000000000} by opening the folder in windows explorer, right clicking the MSI file with the random name and selecting Uninstall. This should unregister the MSI from the system. 2) If this fails the second option is to run the windows installer cleanup utility. Locate the product you want to remove and zap it.

Please try the above and post your results here. There are still things that can be done without reformatting even if the above does not work.

[PT[Calipigia]]

Hi Glytzhkof!

Thanks for the answer.

I'm affraid that I won't be able to follow your first suggestions, and the way is trying to follow those other things that can still be done...

When I was trying to manually delete all the traces of that old installation of Adobe Reader 7.0, I'm affraid I manged to identify and delete the corresponding {} folder and *.msi file in C:\WINDOWS\Installer...

Maybe that's the reason why I don't find anything in the "Windows Installer Clean Up" program window, that I can match with that old installation..

The message that I get in Event Viewer->Aplications is (translating from portuguese):

The detection of the product '{AC76BA86-7AD7-1033-7B44-A70001000000}', 'ReaderProgramFiles' functionality, failed during the request of the component '{45758330-D9D2-4BE9-9419-BE8AF4221BB9}'

Now, in C:\WINDOWS\Installer I don't find the first {} reference, but I find these four folders:

{AC76BA86-7AD7-1046-7B44-A70000000000} (similar but not equal)
{AC76BA86-0000-7EC8-7489-000000000702}
{AC76BA86-0000-7EC8-7489-000000000703}
{AC76BA86-0000-7EC8-7489-000000000704}

These four folders I can identify as belonging to the actual (working) installation of Adobe Reader 7.0, and it's upgrades 7.01, 7.02 and 7.03.

The similarity between the first {} reference in the error message, and the name of the first of these 4 folders, is what is making me think that the error refers to the old corrupted installation of the same program... but, am I right?!?

As far as I can see windows installer is working properly: I can install and uninstall other programs. But those annoying pop-ups are still there, all the time...

Maybe it is better to uninstall the actual Adobe Reader 7.0 (and upgrades) to facilitate this diagnosis... what do you think?

Please give me some feedback, and thanks for the patience.

Edited by PT[Calipigia], 25 September 2005 - 12:04.

[Glytzhkof]

Hi, try the msizap utility:
http://msdn.microsof.../msizap_exe.asp

The product code to zap would be {AC76BA86-7AD7-1033-7B44-A70001000000}

I didn't test this but it should be something like (use a command prompt start -> Run):
MsiZap.exe TW {AC76BA86-7AD7-1033-7B44-A70001000000}

[PT[Calipigia]]

YYYEEEESSSSS!! IT WORKED!!!!

Thank you so much, Glytzhkof!!!

I followed the link you suggested, figured that I had to download the entire Windows Installer SDK pack, had difficulties in choosing wich version to download (as no one was refered to be suitable for Windows XP), and I downloaded the most recent version - from Nov/2000 - and crossed my fingers.

Then I installed it, and tried to execute the command you suggested in Start->Run... something showed up telling me that windows couldn't find MsiZap.

So I found the executable and ran: C:\MsiIntel.SDK\Tools\MsiZap.exe TW {...}
And a black window showed up and disappeared in one second.

I tested my start menu to find out if the pop-ups were gone, but no... they were still popping. I saw the messages in the applications event, to find out if there were changes in the habitual messages, but the messages were just the same.

After repeting the command and getting the same results, I remembered: well, my command line console hasn't been working for months in my current user, so I'll go in safe mode to log in as Administrator, and try to execute the comand directly in the "cmd" window. I did so, and the first time I tried the command you suggested in the cmd window, it returned the help in using MsiZap, and the "W" wasn't one of the options refered... so I tried the command without the "W", and it worked fine! The console returned the deletion of about 15 entries, mostly registry keys.

I restarted in the normal way, and THE POP-UPS WERE GONE!!!! Fantastic!

Thank you so much!

PS:
Can you help me re-enableing the cmd? It opens the"black window" and says: "The command line was deactivated by the administrator"...
I just have 2 users on my computer: the user "user" (with administrator priviledges), and the user "administrator". I always log in as "user", but windows doesn't prompt me to choose, it just gets all the way by itself. I only get to choose when I enter in safe mode.

Edited by PT[Calipigia], 28 September 2005 - 13:43.

[PT[Calipigia]]

Hi, again

You'll find me crazy, but I'm not finding a way to uninstall the "Windows Installer SDK". The file I downloaded is "IntelSDK.msi", and is still on my desktop. I went to "Control Panel"->Add/Remove Programas, and didn't find anything. I tried Windows Installer Clean Up, and "Tune Up System Utilities 2004"'s uninstall tool, and found nothing refering to it, even with a different name...

Well, maybe I'll keep it... It's only 13MB of disk space.

Thanks again

[Dattel]

Did you try to doubleclick the "IntelSDK.msi" again?

By default this starts the Maintenance Mode of an MSI-Installation and you will get a Dialog where you can choose "Remove completely". But i'm not sure wheather it work's with THIS Package.

[PT[Calipigia]]

Yes, Dattel, I did that.

But It doesn't give me the Uninstall option.

I even tried to move forward in the installation process, and choose as option not to install anything to the hard drive (it gives me a tree of components, with little HD icons, and I can choose either to install each component to the hard disc, or not to install).

But in the end, the content of the program folder was the same...

As the release date of this is 2000, maybe it was designed for a very old version of Windows Installer, is that it?

Well, at least I learned with the previous subject not to try to manually remove any software.

So if you, the genius guys, won't come up with something, I'll leave it just as it is...

Thanks for your interest

[Glytzhkof]

Right Click IntelSDK.msi, select uninstall. That should work.