This all started with iTunes - I could not get it to run - I have installed and uninstalled a few times. I still can't run the .exe file for iTunes; I was planning to wait awhile and when I had some time I was going to call Apple; iTunes isn't that important to me. But, today I tried to run a different downloaded .exe and it wouldn't run either.
I went to the Microsoft site to see if I could find any info about installing programs. From what I found, there are a few ways to troubleshoot/fix installation problems. Here are the ones I found and my comments on why they didn't work for me:
Reinstall the InstallScript engine
1. Click Start, click All Programs, point to Accessories, and then click Windows Explorer.
2. Open the following folder: C:\Program Files\InstallShield\Developer\Redist\Language Independent\i386.
3. Double-click Isscrpt.msi.
4. Follow the instructions that appear on the screen.
Under C:\Program Files\InstallShield, I don't have a Developer folder. The only folders I have are Driver, engine, IScript, Professional, and Update Service. I searched the whole C drive, including hidden folders, for the Isscrpt.msi in case it was somewhere else, but couldn't find it.
Register Idriver and Msiexec
To register Idriver and Msiexec, follow these steps:
1. Click Start, click Run, type "C:\Program Files\Common Files\InstallShield\Developer\7\Intel 32\IDriver.exe" /REGSERVER, and then click OK.
2. Click Start, click Run, type C:\Windows\System32\msiexec.exe /REGSERVER, and then click OK.
When I try step 1, I get the message that it refers to a location that is unavailable.
When I try step 2, I see the hour glass for barely a second and then nothing happens.
Change Permissions
Log on to the Windows XP computer with an administrator user account, and verify that you have the correct permissions for the C:\Windows\Installer folder. Follow these steps:
1. Click Start, click All Programs, point to Accessories, and then click Windows Explorer.
2. Click Folder Options on the Tools menu.
3. Click the View tab.
4. Click Show hidden files and folders, and then click OK.
5. Locate the folder C:\Windows\Installer.
6. Right-click the Installer folder, and then click Properties.
7. Click the Security tab.
8. Click System, and then verify that the Full control check box is selected.
9. Click Administrators, and then verify that the Full control check box is selected.
10. Click your user name, and then verify that the Full control check box is selected.
Under C:\Windows, I don't have a folder called Installer.
1. At a command prompt, type: dcomcnfg.exe. The Distributed COM Configuration Properties dialog box is displayed.
2. Click the Default Security tab.
3. In the Default Access Permissions section, click Edit.
4. Ensure that you have "Allow Access" beside your name.
5. If you do not have "Allow Access" next to your name, either modify an existing profile or create a new profile that has the necessary permissions.
6. Apply all the changes and attempt to run Setup.
After step 1, I don't get a dialog box with tabs. I get a window called Component Services and the main folder is Console Root. Under that are three folders: Component Services, Event Viewer (Local), and Services (Local).
I searched the C drive again and there is a dcomcnfg.exe folder under C:\i386 and another one under C:\Windows\System32. There are two more files with dcomcnfg:
C:\Windows\Prefetch\DCOMCNFG.EXE-09BE2159.pf C:\Windows\Prefetch\DCOMCNFG.EXE-2503EEF7.pf
Is it possible that there is already something corrupted in Windows or with the Windows Installer? I've run AdAware; AVG is running, and so is the Windows Firewall.
Any ideas?
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Solved: .EXE files will not run!!!!!