Repair Windows Installer Service in Vista (All Versions)

For all those unfortunate souls searching and Googling for how to repair the
Windows Installer Service, I have some info for you. A couple days ago I
tried to uninstall one of my apps and stalled on an error "Windows Installer
Service cannot be accessed". After many trials and errors trying to fix this
issue, I stumbled upon a new fix for this issue that has worked in all these
situations where the Windows Installer Service will not manually start and in
essense, not allow install or uninstall tasks to complete.

Here's the easy steps:
1. Go to a Windows Vista (Any Version) computer that has the Windows
Installer service running correctly and run regedit(Start-Run-Regedit)
2. Go to the location
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Servic es\msiserver
3. Right click on this key and select "Export" and save the key to a Flash
Drive or other.
4. Run sfc /scannow on the damaged Vista computer - you won't need the
install disk as it goes to backup files on your HD. Do not reboot when
complete
5. Double click saved .reg file from working machine and import registry
settings into damaged Vista computer.
6. Now reboot and try to install/uninstall

If many of you have success with this method, please post this fix around
the WWW as I went through over 1000 links with users having the same problem
and not being able to solve it. Shame on Microsoft, very sloppy. It would
have been so nice if Microsoft released Windows Installer 4.0 as a standalone
installation with Vista's release so I could have repaired it, most users
have been doing fresh installs to fix this. Get your act together
Microsoft!!!!

The CAT

I dont know other people using Vista system, most of the people i know
changed back for XP because Vist is really the worst of all systems. i want
to try with repairing windows installer, how can i do? is really there no
chance to install the windows installer service online for example?? Please
help, i cant install any programm anymore because of this!

"The CAT" wrote:

> For all those unfortunate souls searching and Googling for how to repair the
> Windows Installer Service, I have some info for you. A couple days ago I
> tried to uninstall one of my apps and stalled on an error "Windows Installer
> Service cannot be accessed". After many trials and errors trying to fix this
> issue, I stumbled upon a new fix for this issue that has worked in all these
> situations where the Windows Installer Service will not manually start and in
> essense, not allow install or uninstall tasks to complete.
>
> Here's the easy steps:
> 1. Go to a Windows Vista (Any Version) computer that has the Windows
> Installer service running correctly and run regedit(Start-Run-Regedit)
> 2. Go to the location
> HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Servic es\msiserver
> 3. Right click on this key and select "Export" and save the key to a Flash
> Drive or other.
> 4. Run sfc /scannow on the damaged Vista computer - you won't need the
> install disk as it goes to backup files on your HD. Do not reboot when
> complete
> 5. Double click saved .reg file from working machine and import registry
> settings into damaged Vista computer.
> 6. Now reboot and try to install/uninstall
>
> If many of you have success with this method, please post this fix around
> the WWW as I went through over 1000 links with users having the same problem
> and not being able to solve it. Shame on Microsoft, very sloppy. It would
> have been so nice if Microsoft released Windows Installer 4.0 as a standalone
> installation with Vista's release so I could have repaired it, most users
> have been doing fresh installs to fix this. Get your act together
> Microsoft!!!!
>
> The CAT

"The CAT" suggestions worked for me. Thanks for sharing "The
CAT" .....just to add (more like subtract to be exact) one need only
run the exported reg key on the damaged machine to "fix" the
issue...no need to restart nor to run the sfc /scannow.


If you cant get your own reg key from a friend running vista, then you
could try and use the "clean reg key I used" download here:
http://www.savefile.com/files/1315653

Note the file is about very small (about 6.7 kb), I named it :123.reg

Take care.

arty:this worked great. however i do not know if this is the case for
everyone, but just encase here goes. i started with checking the
windows installer service and trying to start it and set it back to
automatic. no luck. went to google to find solution, found your post.
followed your instructions. tried to install o@o defrag again same
message. went back into services to see with your fix if i could start
the service this time, and set it back to automatic, worked. so in a
nutshell you might want to let people know the extra steps if needed
after your fix. thanks for the help. just got done reinstallking vista
and almost all of my programs and settings. was not wanting to have to
start from stratch. thanks again.arty:


--
system001

cat / glenhitch,

i will take the info the two of you have and what i have and upload an
updated post.


--
system001

On Sat, 5 Jul 2008 17:13:25 -0500, system001 <guest@unknown-email.com>
wrote:

>
>arty:this worked great. however i do not know if this is the case for
>everyone, but just encase here goes. i started with checking the
>windows installer service and trying to start it and set it back to
>automatic. no luck. went to google to find solution, found your post.

Which is dated OCTOBER 3, 2007 - and that person hasn't been back here
since then.

So... who do you think you're talking to?

>followed your instructions. tried to install o@o defrag again same
>message. went back into services to see with your fix if i could start
>the service this time, and set it back to automatic, worked. so in a
>nutshell you might want to let people know the extra steps if needed
>after your fix. thanks for the help. just got done reinstallking vista
>and almost all of my programs and settings. was not wanting to have to
>start from stratch. thanks again.arty:

*Repair Windows Installer Service in Vista (All Versions)*
'permalink'
(http://www.vistax64.com/showthread.p...103#post470746)

For all those unfortunate souls searching and Googling for how to
repair the Windows Installer Service, I have some info for you. A couple
days ago I tried to uninstall one of my apps and stalled on an error
"Windows Installer Service cannot be accessed". After many trials and
errors trying to fix this issue I stumbled upon a new fix for this issue
that has worked in all these situations where the Windows Installer
Service will not manually start, and in essence not allow install or
uninstall tasks to complete.

_*Here's_the_easy_steps:*_

1. Go to a Windows Vista*(any version)* computer that has the Windows
Installer service running correctly and run
regedit*(start-run-regedit)*.
2. Go to the location
*HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Servi ces\msiserver*
3. Right click on this key and select "Export" and save the key to a
Flash Drive or other.
4. Double click saved .reg file from working machine and import
registry settings into damaged Vista computer.
6. You may need to go back into services after the import and start
the Windows Installer service and set it to automatic.
7. If you can't get your own reg key from a friend running Vista then
you could try and use the "clean reg key I used" download here:
*'Free file hosting by Savefile.com'
(http://www.savefile.com/files/1315653)*

If you have success with this method please post this fix around the
WWW as I went through over 1000 links with users having the same problem
and not being able to solve it. Shame on Microsoft, very sloppy. It
would have been so nice if Microsoft released Windows Installer 4.0 as a
standalone installation with Vista's release so I could have repaired
it, most users have been doing fresh installs to fix this.
*_Get_your_act_together_Microsoft!!!!_*

*The Cat / Glenhitch / System001 : Updated 07/05/2008-3:40 P.M. PST
*


--
system001

On Sat, 5 Jul 2008 17:17:35 -0500, system001 <guest@unknown-email.com>
wrote:

>cat / glenhitch,
>
>i will take the info the two of you have and what i have and upload an
>updated post.

YO! MORON!

Look at the freaking date of those posts!

system001;768115 Wrote:
> REPAIR WINDOWS INSTALLER SERVICE IN VISTA (ALL VERSIONS)[/b]
> PERMALINK (\"HTTP://WWW.VISTAX64.COM/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?P=768103#POST470746\")
> FOR ALL THOSE UNFORTUNATE SOULS SEARCHING AND GOOGLING FOR HOW TO
> REPAIR THE WINDOWS INSTALLER SERVICE, I HAVE SOME INFO FOR YOU. A COUPLE
> DAYS AGO I TRIED TO UNINSTALL ONE OF MY APPS AND STALLED ON AN ERROR
> \"WINDOWS INSTALLER SERVICE CANNOT BE ACCESSED\". AFTER MANY TRIALS AND
> ERRORS TRYING TO FIX THIS ISSUE I STUMBLED UPON A NEW FIX FOR THIS ISSUE
> THAT HAS WORKED IN ALL THESE SITUATIONS WHERE THE WINDOWS INSTALLER
> SERVICE WILL NOT MANUALLY START, AND IN ESSENCE NOT ALLOW INSTALL OR
> UNINSTALL TASKS TO COMPLETE.
>
> _*HERE'S_THE_EASY_STEPS:*_
>
> 1. GO TO A WINDOWS VISTA*(ANY VERSION)* COMPUTER THAT HAS THE WINDOWS
> INSTALLER SERVICE RUNNING CORRECTLY AND RUN
> REGEDIT*(START-RUN-REGEDIT)*.
> 2. GO TO THE LOCATION
> *HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CURRENTCONTROLSET\SERVI CES\MSISERVER
> 3. Right click on this key and select "Export" and save the key to a
> Flash Drive or other.
> 4. Double click saved .reg file from working machine and import
> registry settings into damaged Vista computer.
> 6. You may need to go back into services after the import and start the
> Windows Installer service and set it to automatic.
> 7. If you can't get your own reg key from a friend running Vista then
> you could try and use the "clean reg key I used" download here:
> [b]'Free file hosting by Savefile.com'
> (http://www.savefile.com/files/1315653)*
>
> If you have success with this method please post this fix around the
> WWW as I went through over 1000 links with users having the same problem
> and not being able to solve it. Shame on Microsoft, very sloppy. It
> would have been so nice if Microsoft released Windows Installer 4.0 as a
> standalone installation with Vista's release so I could have repaired
> it, most users have been doing fresh installs to fix this.
> *_Get_your_act_together_Microsoft!!!!_*
>
> THE CAT / GLENHITCH / SYSTEM001 : UPDATED 07/05/2008-3:40 P.M. PST
>


I tried this solution with your "clean reg key" and the problem was not
fixed. Services shows installer is started and that it is set to
automatic. However, if i try to uninstall Adobe Reader for example I get
that message that the windows installer cannot be accessed. Will I have
to reinstall Vista Home Premium 32bit to fix this? I can install and
remove other programs I presume because they don't use the Windows
Installer.


--
patp1946

then please default to cats original post.

1. Go to a Windows Vista*(any version)* computer that has the Windows
Installer service running correctly and run
regedit*(start-run-regedit)*.
2. Go to the location
*HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Servi ces\msiserver*
3. Right click on this key and select "Export" and save the key to a
Flash Drive or other.
4. Double click saved .reg file from working machine and import
registry settings into damaged Vista computer.
6. You may need to go back into services after the import and start
the Windows Installer service and set it to automatic.
7. You may need to restart the machine and then try an install or
uninstall and check that the service did start and that it is set to
automatic.

i did not try the .reg key download.
i got my copy of the key from my roommates computer.


--
system001