I ran into a nasty problem with my Dimension 8250.
Periodically Windows installer would pop up and ask for Sherman.msi, and referenced the path C:\DELL\4W297\.  After clicking cancel twice it would go away.  Certain events would trigger that Windows intaller prompt.  One specifically was a residential appraiser software called Wintotal.

I did some digging around, did a search for sherman, and found a sherman.log file with the following entry in the c:\i386 folder:
========START LOG========
INI File: C:\DELL\4W297\Content\en\US\ISetup.ini
Bios String: Dimension 8250              
Dimension 8250               =Dim 8250
LOB=Dimension
MODEL=8250
Service tag: H3MS021
Extracting Content for C:\DELL\4W297\Content\en\US\D8250.cab
======== END LOG ========
I called Dell tech support and the tech couldn't quite figure it out, but had narrowed it down to one of the Dell Support apps.  He had me attempt to uninstall Dell Support, which popped up with the request for the path of Sherman.msi.
He directed me to Dell Software support.  The technician wasn't helpful and very rude.  I offered the advice given me by the Dell tech support person and my own findings, log files, registry entries.  I told her about the registry key referencing sherman.msi and the fact that it was associated with the product "Dell Support."  I was told that didn't prove anything (she was very defensive).  She then had me disable all of the Microsoft services in msconfig and reboot.  The error didn't happen upon reboot.  She said that it seems the issue was resolved.  I asked her if I should leave ALL of the MS services disabled, if that would be okay and she actually told me yes. She then ended the call.

It turned out that didn't fix the issue.  I had to delete the registry key I described above.  There still seems to be a install routine that occurs when the application is launched but it never displays an error.

Russell