windows installer 4 0 corruption

I can't install anything anymore. I cancelled the install of Visual Studios 2005 when it hung, and ever since then I get the message:
"The Windows Installer Service could not be accessed. This can occur if the Windows Installer is not correctly installed. Contact your support personnel for assistance."
whenever I try to install anything msi.
I can't figure out how to reinstall the Windows Installer, because there doesn't seem to be a standalone re-installation package available, and I don't really want to reinstall windows. Any ideas? I tried some of the suggestions for earlier versions of windows installer, like checking security settings of stuff, and everything seems fine...

Try using system restore to restore the computer to an earlier point before the issue started happening. Start > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > System Restore. -- -- Andre Windows Connected | http://www.windowsconnected.com Extended64 | http://www.extended64.com Blog | http://www.extended64.com/blogs/andre http://spaces.msn.com/members/adacosta
"Michael J. Trink" <Michael J. Trink@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

I can't install anything anymore. I cancelled the install of Visual Studios 2005 when it hung, and ever since then I get the message:
"The Windows Installer Service could not be accessed. This can occur if the Windows Installer is not correctly installed. Contact your support personnel for assistance."
whenever I try to install anything msi.
I can't figure out how to reinstall the Windows Installer, because there doesn't seem to be a standalone re-installation package available, and I don't really want to reinstall windows. Any ideas? I tried some of the suggestions for earlier versions of windows installer, like checking security settings of stuff, and everything seems fine...

Thank you for your responase, I tried that at your suggestion. Sadly the system restore failed. It said that the point became corrupted (it was the only one there was). Then it added a new restore point which was undoing the partical restore that failed.
So still no working windows installer for me. Any other ideas? Can I somehow force a reinstall of that component? Can I clear some key somewhere, or issue some compolex extraction from a random cab file? *cry*
Michael
"Andre Da Costa [Extended64]" wrote:

Try using system restore to restore the computer to an earlier point before the issue started happening. Start > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > System Restore. -- -- Andre Windows Connected | http://www.windowsconnected.com Extended64 | http://www.extended64.com Blog | http://www.extended64.com/blogs/andre http://spaces.msn.com/members/adacosta
"Michael J. Trink" <Michael J. Trink@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message I can't install anything anymore. I cancelled the install of Visual Studios 2005 when it hung, and ever since then I get the message:
"The Windows Installer Service could not be accessed. This can occur if the Windows Installer is not correctly installed. Contact your support personnel for assistance."
whenever I try to install anything msi.
I can't figure out how to reinstall the Windows Installer, because there doesn't seem to be a standalone re-installation package available, and I don't really want to reinstall windows. Any ideas? I tried some of the suggestions for earlier versions of windows installer, like checking security settings of stuff, and everything seems fine...

I can't install anything anymore. I cancelled the install of Visual Studios 2005 when it hung, and ever since then I get the message:
"The Windows Installer Service could not be accessed. This can occur if the Windows Installer is not correctly installed. Contact your support personnel for assistance."
whenever I try to install anything msi.
I can't figure out how to reinstall the Windows Installer, because there doesn't seem to be a standalone re-installation package available, and I don't really want to reinstall windows. Any ideas? I tried some of the suggestions for earlier versions of windows installer, like checking security settings of stuff, and everything seems fine...

I'm having the same issue - it's quite frustrating. I can't even install Office 2003 because of it. I've done some searching, and apparently Windows Installer 4.0 isn't available for download yet. I downloaded 3.1, but of course that won't install....heh. I've had this issue since the install completed, so using System Restore doesn't do any good. Anyone found a way to fix this?
--David
"Michael J. Trink" wrote:

I can't install anything anymore. I cancelled the install of Visual Studios 2005 when it hung, and ever since then I get the message:
"The Windows Installer Service could not be accessed. This can occur if the Windows Installer is not correctly installed. Contact your support personnel for assistance."
whenever I try to install anything msi.
I can't figure out how to reinstall the Windows Installer, because there doesn't seem to be a standalone re-installation package available, and I don't really want to reinstall windows. Any ideas? I tried some of the suggestions for earlier versions of windows installer, like checking security settings of stuff, and everything seems fine...

I just formatted and did a fresh install. I haven't had the problem since then. I have done three installs total, the first was an upgrade (no problems... other than a large amount of non-functioning stuff and extreme slowness. My clean install (without formatting) had the windows installer problem, but my clean install (with formatting) seems to have made everything good. It is quick and I haven't had any problems installing (compatible) software.
My problem first became apparent when installing office 2003 as well. I think that when I put in the disk I may have clicked one of the installation files that didn't install office, but rather, installed an older version of windows installer. I don't believe that the installation of that component worked, but it messed up the more recent version of windows installer. Then again it may have been the VS 2005 thing that I mentioned before.
I suggest doing a format and a fresh install, and immediately making a restore point.
:-) Michael
"David Schlacht" wrote:

I'm having the same issue - it's quite frustrating. I can't even install Office 2003 because of it. I've done some searching, and apparently Windows Installer 4.0 isn't available for download yet. I downloaded 3.1, but of course that won't install....heh. I've had this issue since the install completed, so using System Restore doesn't do any good. Anyone found a way to fix this?
--David
"Michael J. Trink" wrote:
I can't install anything anymore. I cancelled the install of Visual Studios 2005 when it hung, and ever since then I get the message:
"The Windows Installer Service could not be accessed. This can occur if the Windows Installer is not correctly installed. Contact your support personnel for assistance."
whenever I try to install anything msi.
I can't figure out how to reinstall the Windows Installer, because there doesn't seem to be a standalone re-installation package available, and I don't really want to reinstall windows. Any ideas? I tried some of the suggestions for earlier versions of windows installer, like checking security settings of stuff, and everything seems fine...

Ooops, I installed Office XP SP3, not Office 2003 when the problem was first evident for me, but that is an unimportant detail.
"Michael J. Trink" wrote:

I just formatted and did a fresh install. I haven't had the problem since then. I have done three installs total, the first was an upgrade (no problems... other than a large amount of non-functioning stuff and extreme slowness. My clean install (without formatting) had the windows installer problem, but my clean install (with formatting) seems to have made everything good. It is quick and I haven't had any problems installing (compatible) software.
My problem first became apparent when installing office 2003 as well. I think that when I put in the disk I may have clicked one of the installation files that didn't install office, but rather, installed an older version of windows installer. I don't believe that the installation of that component worked, but it messed up the more recent version of windows installer. Then again it may have been the VS 2005 thing that I mentioned before.
I suggest doing a format and a fresh install, and immediately making a restore point.
:-) Michael
"David Schlacht" wrote:
I'm having the same issue - it's quite frustrating. I can't even install Office 2003 because of it. I've done some searching, and apparently Windows Installer 4.0 isn't available for download yet. I downloaded 3.1, but of course that won't install....heh. I've had this issue since the install completed, so using System Restore doesn't do any good. Anyone found a way to fix this?
--David
"Michael J. Trink" wrote:
I can't install anything anymore. I cancelled the install of Visual Studios 2005 when it hung, and ever since then I get the message:
"The Windows Installer Service could not be accessed. This can occur if the Windows Installer is not correctly installed. Contact your support personnel for assistance."
whenever I try to install anything msi.
I can't figure out how to reinstall the Windows Installer, because there doesn't seem to be a standalone re-installation package available, and I don't really want to reinstall windows. Any ideas? I tried some of the suggestions for earlier versions of windows installer, like checking security settings of stuff, and everything seems fine...