Helping people with computers... one answer at a time.
Windows Installer can get into a state where it attempts to run on every reboot. There's a free tool that can help clean up Windows Installer.
On my 2004 HPa430n (Win XP SP2), "Windows Installer" launches at start up, trying to install a Fax. When it can find the installation file it wants, the next window requests you insert the Fax disk in the CD drive. The Source box has the numeral 1 in it. When you click Browse the filename box contains "fax.msi".
In Task Manager > Processes two instances of msiexec.exe are running. One belongs to SYSTEM, the other to Owner. When I try to "Cancel" out of the installer, msiexec chews up all my CPU time. When I use Task Manager > Applications > "End Task" the task named Fax, the installer is killed (msiexec.exe Owner) until the next time you boot or re-boot.
Neither HP nor MS offer a solution. Ad-aware, RegCure, Xoftspy and eTrust haven't helped. No other weirdness obvious to me.
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It's deja vu all over again for me. I had a very similar problem - whenever I tried to scan something, upon completion, Windows Installer would run attempting to install some additional HP software component. Cancelling that worked ok, but it was an annoyance I had to face with every scan.
And it's an annoyance many people face with every reboot.
The good news is that there's a free tool that might help.
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The Windows Installer CleanUp Utility is a free download from the Microsoft support web site. Its job is very, very simple.
Caution: its job is simple, but let's be clear about its job before we go any further. It is not an uninstaller. The correct way to uninstall software is to use the Add/Remove programs utility in Control Panel, or the uninstall program that accompanied the software. The Windows Installer CleanUp Utility is a last resort utility for cleaning up issues related to Windows Installer. It does not actually install, or uninstall, any software.
When you run the Windows Installer CleanUp Utility, it presents a list - typically a long list - of items known to the Microsoft Installer:
These are all various components that the Windows Installer service knows about.
Now, backup. First. We're about to make changes to your system, and if something gets screwed up, you'll want to be able to recover, right?
In your case, we'll scan the list looking for something that appears to be FAX related, and something that matches any additional clues you might be seeing from the Microsoft Installer messages on your reboot. For example if it's HP Fax software that the installer is looking for, then look for HP Fax related software in the cleanup utility.
Once you're certain you've found the right thing ... remove it.
Now reboot, and see if that didn't make the problem go away. In many cases if you've selected the correct item it will.
If you then actually do want to install or reinstall the software in question, you'll need to start from scratch with a clean install of that particular package.
Article C2686 - June 12, 2006 « »
Leo A. Notenboom has been playing with computers since he
was required to take a programming class in 1976. An 18 year career as a programmer at Microsoft soon followed.
After "retiring" in 2001, Leo started Ask Leo! in 2003 as a place for answers
to common computer and technical questions. More about Leo.
July 26, 2009 1:46 PM
I also had the problem of Windows XP Installer coming up on restart and asking for the file "fax.msi" on both my PC's. I have an all-in-one HP 2610 printer. Problem started with Iolo System Mechanic 8.0; specifically the Registry Cleaners/Defragmenters. Leo's suggestion of Windows Installer Cleanup Utility aka."mscicuu2.exe" doesn't even run as his screen prints show. I ran that program and... nothing. The screen just sat there as if I clicked nothing. Take out your registry "cleaner" and reinstall your HP printer software and don't use registry cleanup/ defrag software. I still use System Mechanic 8.0 on both PC's, but not the registry tools. Leo's suggestion did not work in my case, yours may be different.
February 1, 2010 11:09 AM
This seems applicable so I'll try it, but I am not sure. Cookie Spook, an application that eats some cookies, I once had on my system. Well, I installed it from time to time, and uninstalled, it.
Now, every time I run Firefox or restart the computer, or just about anything, Cookie Spook tries to install.
Yes I have deleted all of it from the system, even using the Revo uninstaller, and have no idea how the installer that doesn't exist is running, to then not find a component in the folder the installer was in....I think it should just come up with a banner "welcome to Microsoft's version of a product ready for sale to the public" as that seems more appropriate to so many of these errors, many of which have been here since windows 95, 98, etc. I'd buy 7 if not for Vista and this type of ongoing error from 95 to XP. I have little faith in issues being fixed that seem to persist even when Microsoft revamps the engine.
April 12, 2010 5:35 PM
Let me ask this question?
Is it HP that is at fault when Windows Installer tries to install “fax.msi” at each start up and reboot or is it Microsoft?
I run Windows XP Home and this problem started when someone stupidly installed Service pack 3. Not only did this damage my Office 2000 Pro but also initiated this Windows Installer “fax.msi” nightmare!
I find HP printer software to be insidious, a disease, cancer to computers. I had a 5700 loaded at first but then I got rid of that printer and installed a simple 1500. I found that HP covertly loaded other software such as “customer participation” program at 270 MB along with some other cancerous software.
So, is this "fax.msi" problem an HP disease or Microsoft?
April 7, 2011 3:05 PM
I still don't see any solution to my problem of what to do when the Fax msi installation thing keeps appearing every time I reboot. I need some personal help, please. Do I need to download one of the Fax free trial pacs?
April 14, 2013 3:14 PM
Some of you have posted that the "mscicuu2.exe" does not work like Leo posted. That would be because that file is now part of the Office 2010 installation and Microsoft has discontinued the Installation Cleanup Utility program altogether. Their latest suggestion is to contact the software manufacturer for help and any reference to the "mscicuu2.exe" file on Microsoft's support site sends you to a KB article about Office products.