[MisterT]

Hi,
New here. just found the forum. I am not able to update my Office to the latest SP3. I keep getting the error 1913: Unable to update win.ini...bla bla bla. I verified that the read-only box in unchecked (as advised by Microsoft). Rarely does MS advice help! I opened the win.ini in notebook and found the following:

[PrestoApp]
PageManager=C:\PROGRA~1\NewSoft\PRESTO~1\Prestopm.exe
[Printfun]
Directory=C:\PROGRA~1\NewSoft\PRESTO~1
[MCI Extensions.BAK]
m2v=MPEGVideo

How do I correct this win.ini cannot access crap?

thanks!

[~Candy~]

Hi and welcome.


http://support.microsoft.com/kb/235242

Try renaming win.ini

[MisterT]

I did that, too. I just forgot to mention it.
Rename Win.ini and Install Office
1. Locate the Windows directory on your computer.
2. In the Windows directory, locate the Win.ini file, and right-click the file. On the menu that appears, click Rename.
3. Type win.old and then press ENTER.
4. Restart the computer.
5. Install Office 2000.
6. Repeat steps 1 and 2, and rename the file back to Win.ini.
7. Restart the computer

[MisterT]

Is there a way to obtain a new win.ini? Presto Page manager was installed after I got a new printer. I have uninstalled Presto Page Manager and reinstalled it to no avail. I do not understand why or how this happened. What the heck is a win.ini and why can O not change it or get a new one as a download. This is very frustrating because it prevents me from updating Windows apps.

[~Candy~]

Are you sure that the win.ini file was in the correct directory? And that it wasn't a backup win.ini?

[MisterT]

It was in the Windows directory. send me an IM at wg1951 (Yahoo). I will be back online in about 30 min. Thanks!

[~Candy~]

You list yourself as computer illiterate, so, I'm going to go out on a limb here and ask that you double check the win.ini file to be sure that it is INDEED NOT read only.

As for yahoo, I'm sure folks who are following this thread would like to see what we are doing, so, let's carry on here, since that is what forums are all about

[MisterT]

C:\WINDOWS\WIN.INI

Properties - Atributes - Read Only is not checked.

[~Candy~]

Here is what I would try......rename it as it mentions......then DO NOT replace it after the install....then reboot......

I have to call it a night, I'll check back on you tomorrow.

[MisterT]

changing the name didn't work either. Once I changed the name I tried to update MS Office and got the same error. Everything I read about XP says that I do not need the win.ini file. Why is this file a problem? Is there another step I can take short reformatting and loosing everything?

[MisterT]

perhaps it's a virus that corrupted this. I located a win.ini file on my backup drive and it's completely different. It has a lot more code in it. I transferred this one over to the Windows folder and attempted to update and still got the same "cannot locate win.ini..." error 1913.

[~Candy~]

Have you tried a system restore point back to when things were working?

Other than that, perhaps a windows repair install would fix things.

As usual though, have anything VERY important backed up just in case. Usually a repair install doesn't lose existing files, but, there's always a chance.

[WhitPhil]

Are you logged in as an Administrator?

[Jeruvy]

I would suggest posting 'complete' details please.

Even screenshots would help to see what your seeing.

You must be ADMIN to install office and/or updates. You need to ensure that win.ini is in the right location, and no others exist (sign of malware). If the win.ini is greater than 64 kb you will have problems installing office and other backwardly compatible applications.

Having said all this win.ini is not critical nor should it contain much in terms of your system, but legacy apps will want to see it so it's important to have, just not that useful anymore thanks to the registry.

[MisterT]

I will check the login as admin. however I am the only one who uses this computer so I believe I am logged in as admin. Also, the restore point will not work as I had this pc cleaned a while ago and had to reload everything. To the best of my memory, I do not think this was an issue until I loaded the software that came with my printer. That's Page Manager. Should the win.ini file only be located in the c:\Windows folder?

I will reply later with what I find after logging as ADMIN. Thanks, boith of you for your time and advice thus far.