Summary: 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.
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.
Related:
Ask Leo! - Why do I get "Window Installer, Preparing to install" each time I boot Windows?
Ask Leo! - What's all this stuff running after I boot Windows?
Microsoft - Windows Installer CleanUp Utility
Article C2686 - June 12, 2006
"Windows Installer" runs at startup after installing Registry Mechanic. There is no listing in the "Windows Installer Cleanup Utility" for Registry Mechanic. I have tried installing and uninstalling Registry Mechanic several times.
Posted by: Paul at April 3, 2008 4:29 PMSome articles say that software will have to be reinstalled if you use this program, this article
says, "It does not actually install, or uninstall, any software." I don't know who to believe and I don't want to start guessing and have to reinstall all of my programs if I use the cleanup utility.
There is no reference in my pop up window as to what program is being installed. In the old DOS, you could step through the startup process. Is there a similar command to start windows XP? If I could figure out what program is trying to be installed, I could remove it. I ran the windows installer cleanup, but it talked about having to reinstall all the programs that had been installed with windows installer, so I didn't want to unload the wrong one(s).
Posted by: Bob Cassel at June 25, 2008 11:39 AMIf it is still continues;
Posted by: Mustafa Akad at August 19, 2008 6:54 AMRemove Kaspersky (If you have), remove all kaspersky related files, folders, databases, setting files, just everything on kaspersky.
It is worked on my computer.
HP software will cause this a lot. I see "photogallery" as the problem most of the time, and since no one keeps their HP CDs, I just kill any process starting with "hp", then go into this utility and get rid of photogallery (or whichever app is trying to install itself), and everything works again.
Posted by: Andy at August 28, 2008 1:50 PMOH MAN thanx! It worked for me too!
Posted by: pitbullstew at September 20, 2008 7:02 AMI never thought that this utility program from Microsoft exist until I read your article.
Great Info! Thanks.
Posted by: Gerard Espinas at November 28, 2008 4:00 AMI have problem with my snagit installation, where every reboot it will try to install again. I have deleted the folder, clean up the registry, using the windows clean-up. But nothing help. any ideas?
Posted by: Roy at February 4, 2009 4:22 AMi installed errorfix in my computor two days ago,
Posted by: clyde henderson at March 26, 2009 3:18 PMi still have the same problem with windows install trying to load fax
I used Windows Installer CleanUp Utility and found 2 items that should not have been there so I removed them. After a restart windows installer did not show up, my problem was also when I right clicked on anything on the desk top windows installer would start, but no more
Posted by: John Perry at June 16, 2009 3:21 PMBEWARE of registry mechanic. I used it for a long time till it became the cause of the dreaded blue screen. the result total reinsatall of XP pro along with the long long reinstall of all updates.
Posted by: Brian Bevan at June 16, 2009 6:35 PMI emailed Reg Mech under my subscription for help but they did not even respond to any messages. They took my money and ran.
So why all the praise?