RPC and Microsoft Installer Issues

[MrJohnson]

I am running Vista Ultimate 64 bit. Approximately 2 weeks ago I started to notice problems whenever I attempted to install an application that had an .msi extension. It would give get to the Windows Installer box and give me the error "The Windows Installer Service could not be accessed. This can occur if the Windows Installer is not correctly installed. Contact your support personnel for support". I can uninstall applications without problem and install 70% of my applications. But anything that goes to that Windows Installer phase completely fails. I have researched this for hours, tried system restores to various points, and so on all to no avail. I have tried the following:

Manually starting the service from services.msc. It begins to start then stops with an error "Windows Installer service on Local Computer started and then stopped. Some services stop automatically if they are not in use by other services or programs."

I read a thread about RPC helping the problem if set, from the Log On tab, from This Account to Local System Account. The problem there is that those options are greyed out. I found another thread on a regedit option to manualy set that value but I am not allowed to change ObjectName for that service.

I have checked the 4.5 Windows Installer download option as well but none of the packages will install as they say I do not need them after a quick install screen.

I should note that I am logged on as an administrator and have attempted to run every app as an admin from mmc to services. I have also ran scans to check for malicious software but nothing has come up. I have over 900GBs of information with no practical method of backing up so a reformat and clean install of Vista would be a nightmare. I am hoping that you good people may be able to shed some light on the issue and help me. Please ask for any additional information I may have missed and I thank you in advance for any help you can lend.

Edit: I have also tried msiexec /unreg and /regserver while in both normal and safe modes with no luck still. I have tried to also set the installer to Automatic from services.msc which also has yielded nothing. This is becoming extremely annoying to say the least. I think I may have luck if I can change that RPC value in services to LocalSystem but with it being greyed out and regedit blocking me from manualy entering it I am at a loss. I also am new to the site so I apologize if this request for help is posted in the incorrect area.

 

[fowang]

Have you installed sp1 and sp2?

 

[MrJohnson]

Have you installed sp1 and sp2?

Yes, although the installer application just got even more fouled. I am in the process of backing up the contents of my primary drive in preparation for a format and clean re-install of Vista. It sucks but I am wasting more time trying to find the cause and as I do more and more issues are popping up. I would attribute that normally to malware of some sort but I have scanned my system extensively several times. I have learned my lesson though. I built the system and did not make a recovery partition nor did I bother with backup images, just sloppy. Well, lesson learned I guess. Thank you for the input. To anyone else that has a similar problem, save yourself a headache. If a System Restore does not solve the issue, time for a clean reinstall and format because more than likely the issue is beyond a simple Windows Installer fault but a cascade of many other problems as well. Well, back to finishing my backup...good times.

 

[fowang]

Yeah but sometimes its the best and quickest way of sorting a problem instead of spending days trying to fix it.