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Can't remove bad installation



 
 
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  #1  
Old October 24th 09, 05:02 PM posted to microsoft.public.windowsxp.basics
JimL[_5_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 198
Default Can't remove bad installation

XP Pro, SP3, heavily updated, T42 Thinkpad

I have an update that won't update. That is, new Microsoft update
proceedures give me a "Failed to install" message on it.

As bad or worse, it will not remove (Control Panel Add-Remove) either.
After telling me that some previous installation archive can't be found it
ultimately gives me a message that vs_setup.msi cannot be opened.

(It seems possible or probable that this problem is at the root of a recent
triple undate failure.)

I googled this literally for hours and discovered that everything about
vs_setup.msi is complicated, tricky, esoteric and probably insolvable short
of a 5 genius attack or total reinstallation of XP.

But I'd be glad to hear of an easy explanation/fix.

Thanks

--
JimL


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  #2  
Old October 24th 09, 05:07 PM posted to microsoft.public.windowsxp.basics
Peter Foldes
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 2,444
Default Can't remove bad installation

And what might be the Update that won't install. Crystal ball out of order here.
Also what is the error shown when you try

--
Peter

Please Reply to Newsgroup for the benefit of others
Requests for assistance by email can not and will not be acknowledged.

"JimL" wrote in message
...
XP Pro, SP3, heavily updated, T42 Thinkpad

I have an update that won't update. That is, new Microsoft update proceedures
give me a "Failed to install" message on it.

As bad or worse, it will not remove (Control Panel Add-Remove) either. After
telling me that some previous installation archive can't be found it ultimately
gives me a message that vs_setup.msi cannot be opened.

(It seems possible or probable that this problem is at the root of a recent triple
undate failure.)

I googled this literally for hours and discovered that everything about
vs_setup.msi is complicated, tricky, esoteric and probably insolvable short of a 5
genius attack or total reinstallation of XP.

But I'd be glad to hear of an easy explanation/fix.

Thanks

--
JimL



  #3  
Old October 24th 09, 05:07 PM posted to microsoft.public.windowsxp.basics
Peter Foldes
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 2,444
Default Can't remove bad installation

And what might be the Update that won't install. Crystal ball out of order here.
Also what is the error shown when you try

--
Peter

Please Reply to Newsgroup for the benefit of others
Requests for assistance by email can not and will not be acknowledged.

"JimL" wrote in message
...
XP Pro, SP3, heavily updated, T42 Thinkpad

I have an update that won't update. That is, new Microsoft update proceedures
give me a "Failed to install" message on it.

As bad or worse, it will not remove (Control Panel Add-Remove) either. After
telling me that some previous installation archive can't be found it ultimately
gives me a message that vs_setup.msi cannot be opened.

(It seems possible or probable that this problem is at the root of a recent triple
undate failure.)

I googled this literally for hours and discovered that everything about
vs_setup.msi is complicated, tricky, esoteric and probably insolvable short of a 5
genius attack or total reinstallation of XP.

But I'd be glad to hear of an easy explanation/fix.

Thanks

--
JimL



  #4  
Old October 24th 09, 05:16 PM posted to microsoft.public.windowsxp.basics
Shenan Stanley
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 10,523
Default Can't remove bad installation

JimL wrote:
XP Pro, SP3, heavily updated, T42 Thinkpad

I have an update that won't update. That is, new Microsoft update
proceedures give me a "Failed to install" message on it.

As bad or worse, it will not remove (Control Panel Add-Remove) either.
After telling me that some previous installation archive can't be found it
ultimately gives me a message that vs_setup.msi cannot be opened.

(It seems possible or probable that this problem is at the root of a
recent triple undate failure.)

I googled this literally for hours and discovered that everything about
vs_setup.msi is complicated, tricky, esoteric and probably insolvable
short of a 5 genius attack or total reinstallation of XP.

But I'd be glad to hear of an easy explanation/fix.


All of that and the only specifics you have given is the OS, service pack
level and type of machine. ;-)

What is the specific update in question? (Surely you have come across the
KB###### by now.)
What is the specific error message you get (nor paraphrased - word-for-word
please)?

My suggestion, given what little I have to work with, is a little cleanup
and attempt at updating again. Barring that working, SFC /SCANNOW. Barring
that working, in-place upgrade (repair installation.)


First suggestion - the cleanup:

Download/install this:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/290301

After installing, do the following:

Start button -- RUN -- type in:
"%ProgramFiles%\Windows Installer Clean Up\msizap.exe" g!
-- Click OK.
(The quotation marks and percentage signs and spacing should be exact.)

Download, install, run, update and perform a full scan (separately) with the
following two applications (freeware versions are the ones to use for this):

SuperAntiSpyware
http://www.superantispyware.com/

MalwareBytes
http://www.malwarebytes.com/

After performing a full scan with one and then the other and removing
whatever they both find completely, you may uninstall these products,
if you wish.

Download and run the MSRT manually:
http://www.microsoft.com/security/ma...e/default.mspx

Reboot.

Download/Install the latest Windows Installer (for your OS):
( Windows XP 32-bit : WindowsXP-KB942288-v3-x86.exe )
http://www.microsoft.com/downloadS/d...displaylang=en

Reboot.

and...

Download the latest version of the Windows Update agent from here (x86):
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=91237
.... and save it to the root of your C:\ drive. After saving it to the root
of the C:\ drive, do the following:

Close all Internet Explorer windows and other applications.

Start button -- RUN and type in:
%SystemDrive%\windowsupdateagent30-x86.exe /WUFORCE
-- Click OK.

(If asked, select "Run.) -- Click on NEXT -- Select "I agree" and click on
NEXT -- When it finishes installing, click on "Finish"...

Reboot.

Then follow the instructions he

How do I reset Windows Update components?
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/971058

Reboot.

CHKDSK
How to scan your disks for errors
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315265
* will take time and a reboot

Defragment
How to Defragment your hard drives
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314848
* will take time

Reboot.

Log on as an user with administrative rights and open Internet Explorer
and visit http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/ and select to do a
CUSTOM scan...

Every time you are about to click on something while at these web pages -
first press and hold down the CTRL key while you click on it. You can
release the CTRL key after clicking each time.

Once the scan is done, select just _ONE_ of the high priority updates
(deselect any others) and install it.

Reboot again.

If it did work - try the web page again - selecting no more than 3-5 at a
time. Rebooting as needed.

The Optional Software updates are generally safe - although I recommend
against the "Windows Search" one and any of the "Office Live" ones or
"Windows Live" ones for now. I would completely avoid the
Optional Hardware updates. Also - I do not see any urgent need to install
Internet Explorer 8 at this time.

Seriously - do all that. This is like antibiotics - don't skip a single
step, don't quit because you think things will be okay now - go through
until the end, until you have done everything given in the order given. If
you have a problem with a step come ask and let someone here get you
through that step. If you don't understand how to do a step, come back and
ask here about that step and let someone walk you through it.

Then - when done - let everyone here know if it worked for you - or if you
have more issues.


Second suggestion, SFC /SCANNOW.

You'll need your Windows XP CD. It should have the service pack you are at
(SP3 according to what you have given) integrated. If it does not - you may
wish to do that now (Google nLite or AutoStreamer for easy methods) as you
should have one of these for this and/or the repair install.

Reboot and log on as an administrative level user. Start button -- RUN and
type in SFC /SCANNOW. Follow the instructions, rebooting when done.


Third suggestion - repair install.

How to perform an in-place upgrade (reinstallation) of Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315341

How to Perform a Windows XP Repair Install
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm


In any case - the more specifics you give, the more likely you will get the
assistance you need. ;-)

--
Shenan Stanley
MS-MVP
--
How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html


  #5  
Old October 24th 09, 05:16 PM posted to microsoft.public.windowsxp.basics
Shenan Stanley
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 10,523
Default Can't remove bad installation


JimL wrote:
XP Pro, SP3, heavily updated, T42 Thinkpad

I have an update that won't update. That is, new Microsoft update
proceedures give me a "Failed to install" message on it.

As bad or worse, it will not remove (Control Panel Add-Remove) either.
After telling me that some previous installation archive can't be found it
ultimately gives me a message that vs_setup.msi cannot be opened.

(It seems possible or probable that this problem is at the root of a
recent triple undate failure.)

I googled this literally for hours and discovered that everything about
vs_setup.msi is complicated, tricky, esoteric and probably insolvable
short of a 5 genius attack or total reinstallation of XP.

But I'd be glad to hear of an easy explanation/fix.


All of that and the only specifics you have given is the OS, service pack
level and type of machine. ;-)

What is the specific update in question? (Surely you have come across the
KB###### by now.)
What is the specific error message you get (nor paraphrased - word-for-word
please)?

My suggestion, given what little I have to work with, is a little cleanup
and attempt at updating again. Barring that working, SFC /SCANNOW. Barring
that working, in-place upgrade (repair installation.)


First suggestion - the cleanup:

Download/install this:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/290301

After installing, do the following:

Start button -- RUN -- type in:
"%ProgramFiles%\Windows Installer Clean Up\msizap.exe" g!
-- Click OK.
(The quotation marks and percentage signs and spacing should be exact.)

Download, install, run, update and perform a full scan (separately) with the
following two applications (freeware versions are the ones to use for this):

SuperAntiSpyware
http://www.superantispyware.com/

MalwareBytes
http://www.malwarebytes.com/

After performing a full scan with one and then the other and removing
whatever they both find completely, you may uninstall these products,
if you wish.

Download and run the MSRT manually:
http://www.microsoft.com/security/ma...e/default.mspx

Reboot.

Download/Install the latest Windows Installer (for your OS):
( Windows XP 32-bit : WindowsXP-KB942288-v3-x86.exe )
http://www.microsoft.com/downloadS/d...displaylang=en

Reboot.

and...

Download the latest version of the Windows Update agent from here (x86):
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=91237
.... and save it to the root of your C:\ drive. After saving it to the root
of the C:\ drive, do the following:

Close all Internet Explorer windows and other applications.

Start button -- RUN and type in:
%SystemDrive%\windowsupdateagent30-x86.exe /WUFORCE
-- Click OK.

(If asked, select "Run.) -- Click on NEXT -- Select "I agree" and click on
NEXT -- When it finishes installing, click on "Finish"...

Reboot.

Then follow the instructions he

How do I reset Windows Update components?
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/971058

Reboot.

CHKDSK
How to scan your disks for errors
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315265
* will take time and a reboot

Defragment
How to Defragment your hard drives
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314848
* will take time

Reboot.

Log on as an user with administrative rights and open Internet Explorer
and visit http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/ and select to do a
CUSTOM scan...

Every time you are about to click on something while at these web pages -
first press and hold down the CTRL key while you click on it. You can
release the CTRL key after clicking each time.

Once the scan is done, select just _ONE_ of the high priority updates
(deselect any others) and install it.

Reboot again.

If it did work - try the web page again - selecting no more than 3-5 at a
time. Rebooting as needed.

The Optional Software updates are generally safe - although I recommend
against the "Windows Search" one and any of the "Office Live" ones or
"Windows Live" ones for now. I would completely avoid the
Optional Hardware updates. Also - I do not see any urgent need to install
Internet Explorer 8 at this time.

Seriously - do all that. This is like antibiotics - don't skip a single
step, don't quit because you think things will be okay now - go through
until the end, until you have done everything given in the order given. If
you have a problem with a step come ask and let someone here get you
through that step. If you don't understand how to do a step, come back and
ask here about that step and let someone walk you through it.

Then - when done - let everyone here know if it worked for you - or if you
have more issues.


Second suggestion, SFC /SCANNOW.

You'll need your Windows XP CD. It should have the service pack you are at
(SP3 according to what you have given) integrated. If it does not - you may
wish to do that now (Google nLite or AutoStreamer for easy methods) as you
should have one of these for this and/or the repair install.

Reboot and log on as an administrative level user. Start button -- RUN and
type in SFC /SCANNOW. Follow the instructions, rebooting when done.


Third suggestion - repair install.

How to perform an in-place upgrade (reinstallation) of Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315341

How to Perform a Windows XP Repair Install
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm


In any case - the more specifics you give, the more likely you will get the
assistance you need. ;-)

--
Shenan Stanley
MS-MVP
--
How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html


 




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