Windows Installer keeps running 1

[microdoc]

I keep getting windows installer running for a few minutes several times a day. There is no indication as to WHAT program is running so I cannot use the windows installer cleanup utility...or I don't know how to use it properly???

Any suggestions as to how to figure out what is triggering this? There is nothing in the event viewer that would give me some insight. Anywhere else that I can look?

 

[dippncope]

Here is a link to the windows installer cleaner. If you had an install fail,could have been a patch for office? this has worked for me in the past.

http://download.microsoft.com/download/e/9/d/e9d80355-7ab4-45b8-80e8-983a48d5e1bd/msicuu2.exe

 

[microdoc]

Unless I am doing it wrong, this method only works if you know what program is causing the issue...otherwise you have to do them ALL? I have no indication as to what program is causing this to trigger

 

[linney]

Are there any clues to be had in the Event Viewer?

What if you Disable the Windows Installer service and wait for the, hopefully, resulting crash to give you some idea of what is doing what?

The other thing that you could do is this -


310560 - How to Troubleshoot By Using the Msconfig Utility in Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;310560&FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

Windows Installer 4.5 Redistributable

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...4d056d6f9f4&displaylang=en#QuickInfoContainer

System Restore might get you back to a point before your trouble began?

Are there any clues to be had from Task Manager?

Process Monitor v1.37

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-au/sysinternals/bb896645.aspx

 

[bjtechjmf]

Same problem here. If I figure it out, I'll be sure to post the solution.

 

[BadBigBen]

What does the EVENT VIEWER have to say?

This usually happens when a registry entry gets changed or messed up...



Ben

"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."

 

[bjtechjmf]

In my case the event viewer didn't show anything obvious but I didn't get much of a chance to look. The user will be out of the office tomorrow and I'm going to spend some time looking then.

 

[microdoc]

As I stated originally, there was absolutely NO indication in the event viewer and it had gone on too long for system restore (my fault).
I ended up just starting from scratch and reloading the system so I never did find out what it was?

 

[bjtechjmf]

I've looked through the event viewer as well and there is nothing there that would indicate a problem.

 

[ACooperman]

check your MSCONFIG (Run MSCONFIG) have a look at startup and services it will probably be a broken program trying to update or complete an installation. Also if you download Hi-Jack this and post a log on here it will give me a full idea of what is on your pc.

 

[linney]

Have a look at the User's Profile, if you logon as another user is the problem still there?

How to copy data from a corrupted user profile to a new profile

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;811151&FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

 

[bjtechjmf]

Linney,
I did try that and get the same results with different users.

 

[linney]

See if you can pick up anything from logging via Registry changes.

How to Enable Windows Installer Logging in Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;314852&FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

 

[bjtechjmf]

Alright, I finally found the solution. I used the instructions here:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/223300

to enabled Windows Installer Logging.

I opened IE7 because I knew this caused the issue.

I then turned off the logging because it creates a new log file every time.

I opened the MSI###.log file located in the $temp$ directory and it made reference to Adobe Acrobat 7.0.

I went to Add/Remove programs to uninstall and got an error. I used the MSI Cleanup Tool to remove Adobe and then reinstalled and everything is working perfectly.

Thanks to all for the help.