Windows Installer pop-up???

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Does anyone know what may be causing a dialog box called "Windows Installer"
to pop up nearly every time I open programs and web pages. In the dialog is
a message saying "preparing to install" and then it flashes and then
disappears! Any clues on where to look?
 

smith

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Jul 26, 2003
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this maybe?

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;265194

smith

"WillRogers" <WillRogers@nospam.com> wrote in message
news:vr2Wc.9610$3O3.3702@newsread2.news.pas.earthlink.net...
> Does anyone know what may be causing a dialog box called "Windows
Installer"
> to pop up nearly every time I open programs and web pages. In the dialog
is
> a message saying "preparing to install" and then it flashes and then
> disappears! Any clues on where to look?
>
>
 
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Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.gateway2000 (More info?)

----
Originally posted by WillRogers:
Does anyone know what may be causing a dialog box called "Windows
Installer" to pop up nearly every time I open programs and web pages. In
the dialog is a message saying "preparing to install" and then it flashes
and then
disappears! Any clues on where to look?
-----

Okay a friend of mine seemed to have had the exact same problem, and it
would appear that it started ever since he did a recent installation of
SP2 on his WinXP Home machine. Now like you, I tried the internet for
anyone who knew how to fix this, but to no avail. However, I did end up
fixing it for my friend so I'm posting it here in the hope that it helps
you and others.

This is what I did (and don't ask why I did the following, coz I have no
idea - I was just lucky I guess):
1.) Created a new Adminstrator account. To do this, go to Control Panel
(in Start menu) and double-click on User Accounts. Follow the appropriate
steps to create a new Adminstrator account (use any username - this
account is temporary). *Note: This requires that you are already an
Administrator of your system.

2.) Log off from your original account and then log in as the new
Administrator.

3.) Do what you do to cause the problem (like you, my friend just had to
open a file explorer or web browser window), but instead this time the
Windows Installer dialog will hopefully pop-up and stick around to try and
do something. In my friend's case it was trying to re-install MS Money
(since it appears that it was already installed).

4.) Now I tried letting it install, so I put in the CD that came with my
friends computer. Yet for some reason it didn't work, as it couldn't find
the .msi file it wanted. So I asked my friend if he used MS Money, and he
said no.

5.) Went and uninstalled MS Money (and the MS Money System patch or
something that was also in his Add/Remove Programs list). Tried triggering
off the pop-up-disappear business and *yay* it stopped doing it! (note
that at this stage we're still in the new account).

6.) Logged off the new account and switched-back to the original account.
Tested it out again and no more annoying pop-ups. It was cured to the
delight of my friend. He was also relieved coz if I had exhausted all the
options - I would have done a full re-install for him.

Well I hope this helps (can't guarantee it would work for you, of course).
Good luck!