Lost Windows Installer!

[Gen]

Earlyer today i noticed that my general setup was different but i paid it now mind untill i tryed to uninstall a program and then i start to get these messages about it couldn't access the windows intaller service or something like that, my installshield isn't working and i'm not sure really what to do. I have searched the microsoft site for a replacement but so far i haven't found anything to help, i'm not sure if alot of system files were lost or just this was messed up. i am runnin windows XP. the message also says that i am either in safe mode or the installer was installed wrong and i am not ni safe mode, i have cheaked that many times already, if you have a link to help or you know where i should go let me know. i am at a compleate loss.

[chinook_apache]

could you post a screenshot or exactly what installer cant be found? then it will easier to resolve the problem effectively

[Gen]

i don't remember how to post a screen shot, if you would kindly direct me in this way i would be more than happy to.

[chinook_apache]

just press the printscrn button located next to f12 on keyboard, then open paint and edit past and then save a jepg, gif and uplaod to the web and show the pic in your post using the img tags

[Gen]

that might have to wait for a bit, but i could be something else. i cheaked my device manager and i see nothing, that isn't good. but could i have no drivers? would the computer still run. i have no sound so...

[chinook_apache]

if you have no sound, then most probably you need to install the drivers and as for the device manager, if you are not seeing anything, then thats bad! you got admin rights on the PC?

[Gen]

no but i can get them, if you know what to do go ahead and tell, it will be alittle while before i get the pass.

[supersonic]

Originally posted by Gen@5 August 2004 - 02:53
Earlyer today i noticed that my general setup was different but i paid it now mind untill i tryed to uninstall a program and then i start to get these messages about it couldn't access the windows intaller service or something like that, my installshield isn't working and i'm not sure really what to do. I have searched the microsoft site for a replacement but so far i haven't found anything to help, i'm not sure if alot of system files were lost or just this was messed up. i am runnin windows XP. the message also says that i am either in safe mode or the installer was installed wrong and i am not ni safe mode, i have cheaked that many times already, if you have a link to help or you  know  where i should go let me know. i am at a compleate loss.
go to :
start>run and type "services.msc" with no quotes to display the services
look for "windows installer" service, it shoud be in the "Running" state.
If it is disabled, right click-properties, enable it and start it.

if that didn't solve the problem, please post

[Gen]

Well, it works more. I do not get that error but when i try to uninstall something it will freeze during the preperations and if i try to install it will give the error that another installation is already started. alot of other things were disabled also, should they have been enabled, if there are some critical ones please let me know. so i am a little bit closer but not quite there.

[supersonic]

Go to both:
http://www.theeldergeek.com/protected_storage.htm

and

http://www.blackviper.com

and see which ones you should enable, disable and set to manual :)

[Gen]

i followed all theeldergeek advice and everything is working right again as far as i can tell. i assume that i couldn't see the devices in my manager because i am not the admin but i could be wrong, and i am couriuos as to why it all happened. and this is more of a cosmetic question but my taskbar before this was the nice deep blue and had the green start. now it is sort of a classic brownish cream. i've gone through my properties and i can't really find where to change it, so these are my last questions for a bit i sappose.

i found what made the new look go away, i had themes disabled. it is back now but i would still like to know what could have cause all of this.

[supersonic]

Tweaking programs maybe :rolleyes: