General Technology & Troubleshooting Topics

[skromom]

Have had the computer since late August.  Used constantly.  Yesterday when I turn it on it gave me an error message loading the webcam as well as my malware sweep program.    says itunes is not installed correctly.   Also can't access microsoft word etc.     So I figure I will reinstall and do a sweep.  Sounds like possibly a virus.   Can't reinstall because it says my windows installer is missing.

Any clues???

[Jerry_Lippey]

Satellite A505-S6960 

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I figure I will reinstall and do a sweep. .. Can't reinstall because it says my windows installer is missing.

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Reinstall what? Exactly which file are you trying to execute?

And please quote the precise error message on a line by itself. We don't care what it "says" - just want the exact string of characters. Spelling counts.

In the meantime, try this. In the Start menu's Search box, carefully type the following line.

   msiexec /unreg

And then type this.

   msiexec /regserver

[skromom]

I'm sorry.  I was going to re-install webroot.

I can't reinstall the program for the webcam.  I can run any office products.   I can reinstall itunes.   I can't install windows updates.

the error messages says

The window installer service could not be accessed.  This can occur if the windows installed is not correctly installed,  Contact your support personnel for assistance

[Jerry_Lippey]

I assume you're trying to execute *.msi files.

Let's run sfc /scannow at an elevated command prompt and see if that straightens things out..

   How to use the System File Checker tool to troubleshoot missing or corrupted system files on Windows...

[skromom]

I did the scan.  Received the following message:

Windows resource protection found corrut files but was unable to fix some of them.  Details are included in the cbs.log

Another thing perhaps I should note.  When this all started happening...I looked for ways to circumvent the problem.   When I clcked on internet explorer of my desktop nothing happens.  So I went to computer and rograms files.  I have two folders with program files.  One simle says program files and other program files (x86).  I use the program files and access internet explorer and my windows mail and calendar from that folder and it works.  Doesn't work from the program files (x86).   

[Jerry_Lippey]

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One simle says program files and other program files (x86).  I use the program files and access internet explorer and my windows mail and calendar from that folder and it works.  Doesn't work from the program files (x86). 

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Program Files contains your 64-bit programs. Program Files (x86) has the 32-bit programs. The plot thickens.

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 when I turn it on it gave me an error message loading the webcam as well as my malware sweep program.

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Does that still happen? Please quote those messages exactly. Don't paraphrase them. 

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I can't reinstall the program for the webcam. 
I can run any office products.  
I can reinstall itunes.  
I can't install windows updates.

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Do you have the can's and cannot's correct there?

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The window installer service could not be accessed.  This can occur if the windows installed is not correctly installed,  Contact your support personnel for assistance

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Did you run "msiexec /unreg" and "msiexec /regserver" at a command prompt?

[skromom]

when I turn it on it gave me an error message loading the webcam as well as my malware sweep program.

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Does that still happen? Please quote those messages exactly. Don't paraphrase them. 

                        Yes. This still happens.   I uninstalled my webroot totally,  Cannot reinstall it.

                         The error message I get for the camera is "Web camera initialization failed.  Please check your camera device and restart application or comuter

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I can't reinstall the program for the webcam. 
I can run any office products.  
I can reinstall itunes.  
I can't install windows updates.

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Do you have the can's and cannot's correct there?

                  No I do not have them right!  I cannot do any of those

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The window installer service could not be accessed.  This can occur if the windows installed is not correctly installed,  Contact your support personnel for assistance

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Did you run "msiexec /unreg" and "msiexec /regserver" at a command prompt?

      Yes but it did nothing.

[Jerry_Lippey]

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I can run any office products. 

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I cannot do any of those

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Maybe we can learn more from this.

Which version of Office? Start one of the applications, tell us which one, and quote any message exactly. No paraphrasing and spelling counts.

What happens when you type the following at an elevated command prompt?

   net start msiserver

If that starts the Windows Installer service, you can turn it off with this.

   net stop msiserver

[skromom]

It is Microsoft office 2007.

I tried to open Excel.  The error message was:

The windows installer service could not be accessed.  This can occure if the windows installer is not correctly installed.  Contact your supports personnel for assistance.

When I try net start msiserver I get

System error 3 has occured.  The system cannot find the path specified.

[Jerry_Lippey]

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When I try net start msiserver I get

System error 3 has occured.  The system cannot find the path specified.

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1. Just to make sure Net Start is working, type this.

   net start /?

That should not produce an error message.

2. Assuming it does not, the Windows Installer service is really not available. What does it look like in Services (services.msc)? Scroll down to Windows Installer and double-click it for the Properties.

3. Verify that the file is present in the System32 folder.

   C:\Windows\system32\msiexec.exe

4. Make that "System error 3" and note the computer-clock time. Open Event Viewer (event.vwr), expand Windows Logs, and locate that event in the System log. Double-click it and click the Copy button to put its details on your clipboard. Paste that without editing into your reply. But don't include the part below the line Event Xml:.

5. Try registering msiexec.exe again. Be sure there is a space preceding the slash.

   msiexec /regserver

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Windows resource protection found corrut files but was unable to fix some of them.  Details are included in the cbs.log

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 6. Become familiar with the cbs.log and let us know whether you learn anything about msiexec.exe.

   How to analyze the log file entries that the Microsoft Windows Resource Checker (SFC.exe) program ge...