Microsoft KB Archive/315346

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Article ID: 315346

Article Last Modified on 11/9/2007


APPLIES TO

  • Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Standard x64 Edition
  • Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Enterprise x64 Edition
  • Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Datacenter x64 Edition
  • Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition for Itanium-based Systems
  • Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
  • Microsoft Windows XP Professional
  • Microsoft Windows XP Professional x64 Edition


This article was previously published under Q315346

Important This article contains information about how to modify the registry. Make sure that you back up the registry before you modify it. Make sure that you know how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For more information about how to back up, restore, and modify the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

322756 How to back up and restore the registry in Windows XP and Windows Vista


This article does not apply to computers that are running Windows Vista. For more information about help and support information for Windows Vista, visit the Windows Vista Solution Center:

http://support.microsoft.com/ph/11732


This article is intended for advanced computer users. If you are not comfortable with advanced troubleshooting, you may want to ask someone for help or contact support. For more information about how to contact Microsoft support, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://support.microsoft.com/contactus/


SYMPTOMS

When you try to install a software application on Windows XP or Windows Server 2003, you may receive the following error message:

The Windows Installer Service could not be accessed. This can occur if you are running Windows in safe mode, or if the Windows Installer is not correctly installed. Contact your support personnel for assistance.

Note This problem may also occur when you try to uninstall a software application.

CAUSE

This problem may occur if one of the following conditions is true:

  • The Windows Installer files that are on your hard disk are damaged or are missing.
  • You install or remove a program that uses the Windows Installer Microsoft Software Installation (MSI) package file (.msi). For example, this may occur when you try to install Microsoft Office on your computer.


RESOLUTION

To resolve this problem, use the following methods.

Method 1: Reregister the Windows Installer

To reregister the Windows Installer, verify the location of the Msiexec.exe file on your hard disk and in the Windows Registry, and then reregister the Windows Installer. To do this, follow these steps.

Note Because there are several versions of Microsoft Windows, the following steps may be different on your computer. If they are, see your product documentation to complete these steps.

  1. Determine the location of the Msiexec.exe file on your hard disk. To do this, follow these steps:
    1. Click Start, click Run, type %windir%\system32, and then click OK.

      Note This step will open the folder where the Msiexec.exe file is located.
    2. Make a note of the location of the Msiexec.exe file. The location of the Msiexec.exe file will be a combination of the value in the Address text box and the Msiexec.exe file name itself.

      For example if the Address text box contains a value of C:\Windows\system32, the location of the Msiexec.exe file will be C:\Windows\system32\Msiexec.exe.
  2. Warning Serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly by using Registry Editor or by using another method. These problems might require that you reinstall the operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that these problems can be solved. Modify the registry at your own risk.

    Make sure that the location of the Msiexec.exe file in Registry Editor is correct. To do this, follow these steps:
    1. Click Start, click Run, type regedit in the Open text box, and then click OK.
    2. Expand HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, expand SYSTEM, expand CurrentControlSet, expand Services, and then click MSIServer.
    3. In the right pane, right-click ImagePath, and then click Modify.
    4. In the Value data text box, type the location of the Msiexec.exe file that you determined in step 1, followed by the value of /V, and then click OK.

      For example, if the location of the Msiexec.exe file is C:\Windows\system32\Msiexec.exe, type the following text in the Value data text box:

      C:\WINDOWS\System32\msiexec.exe /V

    5. Click OK to close the Edit String dialog box.
    6. Click the File menu, and then click Exit to close Registry Editor.
  3. Start your computer in safe mode, and then register the Msiexec.exe file. To do this, follow these steps:
    1. Click Start, and then click Turn off computer or Shut Down.
    2. Select the Restart option, and then click OK, or click Restart.
    3. Press F8 before the Windows splash screen appears.
    4. On the Windows Advanced Option menu, use the arrow keys to select the Safe Mode option, and then press ENTER.
    5. If you use a dual-boot or multiple-boot computer, select the appropriate operating system from the list that is displayed, and then press ENTER.
    6. Log on to the computer.
    7. Click Start, click Run, type msiexec /regserver in the Open text box, and then click OK.

      Note For 64-bit operating systems, you also have to reregister the 64-bit MSI installer. To do this, click Start, click Run, type %windir%\Syswow64\Msiexec /regserver in the Open text box, and then click OK.

      On 64-bit editions of the Windows operating system, 32-bit binaries are located in %systemroot%\SysWow64 folder. The 64-bit binaries are located in the %systemroot%\System32 folder.
    8. Click Start, and then click Turn off computer or Shut Down.
    9. Select the Restart option, and then click OK, or click Restart.

If the issue persists, and you still receive the error message that is mentioned in the "Symptoms" section, follow the steps in Method 2.

Method 2: Reinstall the Windows Installer

To reinstall the Windows Installer, rename the damaged Windows Installer files, and then reinstall the Windows Installer. To do this, follow these steps:

  1. Click Start, click Run, type cmd in the Open text box, and then click OK.
  2. Type cd %windir%\system32, and then press ENTER.
  3. Type attrib -r -s -h dllcache, and then press ENTER.
  4. Type ren msi.dll msi.old, and then press ENTER.
  5. Type ren msiexec.exe msiexec.old, and then press ENTER.
  6. Type ren msihnd.dll msihnd.old, and then press ENTER.
  7. Type exit, and then press ENTER.
  8. At the command prompt, type exit, and then press ENTER.
  9. Click Start, and then click Turn off computer or Shut Down.
  10. Select the Restart option, and then click OK, or click Restart.
  11. Log on to the computer.
  12. Download and install the latest version of the Windows Installer. For more information about how to obtain the Windows Installer, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

    893803 Windows Installer 3.1 v2 (3.1.4000.2435) is available

  13. Click Start, and then click Turn off computer or Shut Down.
  14. Select the Restart option, and then click OK, or click Restart.


MORE INFORMATION

The Windows Installer 4.0 is not available as a redistributable for Windows Vista. The Windows Installer 4.0 is included with the Windows Vista operating system.

If the methods described in this article do not resolve the problem that is described in this article, contact Microsoft Customer Support Services for more assistance.

This problem will also occur if the Startup Type property for the Windows Installer service is set to a value of Disable. To check whether the Windows Installer service is set to a value of Disable, follow these steps:

  1. Click Start, click Run, type services.msc in the Open text box, and then click OK.
  2. In the Services (Local) list, right-click Windows Installer, and then click Properties.
  3. If the Startup type drop-down list is set to a value of Disable, select the Manual option from the Startup type drop-down list, and then click OK.
  4. Click the File menu, and then click Exit.


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

http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa370566.aspx


For more information about how to obtain the Windows Installer engine, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

292539 How to obtain the Windows Installer engine


Keywords: kbresolve kberrmsg kbprb KB315346



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