Member Avatar for thehill

Windows installer keeps popping up trying to load a service pack for visual basic. I went into the registry and deleted the keys that had the file name and this stopped it from trying to actually load the patch. But it still keeps popping up. A search for files found some files so I deleted them. But the installer still pops up when ever I access a drive or a web page. What else do I need to do to stopping the installer from popping up for a breif moment?

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  • Latest Post Latest Post by FatCamel

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Short primer: that brief Windows Installer flash almost always means the Installer is being invoked to "self‑repair" an advertised feature, COM object or shell/IE extension that the system thinks is missing or misregistered. That fits the pattern here: it only happens for one user (), it appears when Explorer/IE touch certain shell objects, and it runs only long enough to flash because the full repair can't find its source.

Steps to diagnose (quick, reversible):

  • Check Event Viewer -> Application log and look for entries from the MsiInstaller source. Note any ProductCode/GUID or product name shown.
  • Run a short trace with Process Monitor (Sysinternals) filtering for msiexec.exe and for "NAME NOT FOUND" results. That will show the file/registry key the installer is trying to access.
  • If you get a GUID from the event log, search the registry for that GUID (Uninstall/Installer product entries) to identify which application is triggering the repair.

Immediate, low-risk fixes to try:

  • Re-register the Installer service:

    msiexec /unregister
msiexec /regserver

    then reboot and test.

  • If the event log points to a product, repair or uninstall that product properly (Add/Remove Programs) rather than deleting bits by hand.

  • Test for a shell-extension cause by temporarily disabling non‑Microsoft shell extensions (use a shell‑extension viewer), then try opening My Computer or a folder again.

  • Create a new local user to confirm this is a profile-specific problem; if the new profile is clean, compare HKCU Run/startup entries and per-user Start Menu shortcuts.

Notes and cautions: was right — blind file/registry deletion can leave dangling advertised entries that still trigger msiexec. mentioned a cleanup utility as an option when an app won’t uninstall normally, but first identify the product via Event Viewer/ProcMon so you remove or repair the right thing. Always export registry keys before editing.

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Member Avatar for Catweazle

Is it 'popping up' when you first strat the system, or is it 'popping up' at random times when you are using it?

If it is 'popping up' during regular use, what specifically are you doing on your system when this happens?

Is this 'service pack' the result of an automatic updating feature that you have enabled?


I realise that all sounds a bit like "20 questions" but I'm trying to draw out a better picture of what's happening on your system. The most likely explanation is that by 'deleting files' you've managed to disable some feature (or perhaps some malware) but not removed it correctly. Search and delete is never an appropriate procedure for dealing with issues related to Windows PCs.

Member Avatar for thehill

It is popping up whenever I access a drive (ie: my computer) or when I open IE (web browser). It does not pop up during startup. It only does it when I logon to the computer as certian user. When I logon to my coorporate domain it does not do it. It used to try to run but could not finish since I wasn't connected to my coorporate lan.

I think the service pack issue was created by an IT guy working on my machine but they won;t help resolve this since it is a user setup for home use so I can connect to my home lan.

I did a search for this topic and found advice to delete keys in the registry and etc so I followed that advice.. It at least stoppped it from going into a long process of trying to run and now it just flashes 4 or 5 time quickly and then goes away. It only does it when I open IE or open my computer and select a folder.

I have win 2000 pro with IE 6.0

Member Avatar for FatCamel

I had a similar problem with photo gallery here is how I fixed the problem:

goto and download the Windows Installer CleanUp Utility select the program that is giving you the problem and click remove.
Good luck

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