Microsoft KB Archive/330176

= Error Message When You Try to Install a Program =

PSS ID Number: 330176

Article Last Modified on 11/26/2002

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The information in this article applies to:


 * Microsoft Windows XP Professional
 * Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition

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This article was previously published under Q330176



SYMPTOMS
When you try to install a program that uses the Windows Installer such as Microsoft Office XP, you may receive the following error message:

The Windows Installer service could not be accessed. This can occur if you are running in safe mode or if the Windows Installer is not correctly installed.



CAUSE
This behavior may occur if the Windows Installer service is not registered correctly, or if the registration of the service is damaged.



RESOLUTION
To resolve this behavior, unregister, and then re-register Windows Installer. This procedure corrects most situations, and does not affect any currently-installed program that uses the Windows Installer. To unregister and re-register Windows Installer:
 * 1) Click Start, and then click Run.
 * 2) In the Open box, type msiexec /unregister, and then click OK.
 * 3) Click Start, and then click Run.
 * 4) In the Open box, type msiexec /regserver, and then click OK.



MORE INFORMATION
For additional information about Windows Installer technology, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

310598 Overview of the Windows Installer Technology

For more information about Windows Installer technology, visit the following Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN) Web site:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/msi/setup/overview_of_windows_installer.asp

For additional information about how to troubleshoot a similar error message, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

324516 &quot;The Windows Installer Service Could Not Be Accessed&quot; Error Message When You Try to Install Office

Keywords: kbprb KB330176

Technology: kbWinXPHome kbWinXPHomeSearch kbWinXPPro kbWinXPProSearch kbWinXPSearch

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