WINDOWS INSTALLER SERVICE

Question

Windows Update has been returning a message 'The windows installer could not be accessed' and error message #'s 641 & 80070641 The items to update were related to Net framework & Office 2007 - 12 updates in all. - error message # 641 & 80070641. This problem has been going on for about 4 weeks. I tried all the 'fixes' I could locate on the Microsoft website, which included using their 'fix it', plus many, many other options. Then lately, other programs were also not able to be updated due to this problem. Through utter frustration I decided to reformat C drive two days ago. After getting everything back on the system it worked for a day. I then got a message about the photo screensaver - 'The app has failed to start because MSVCR100.dll was not found'. Back to the website to find a solution. I tried all I could find including trying to download M Visual C++2008,2010. Now the original problem returned  -  'The windows installer could not be accessed...' so it could instal anything. The earlier updates that could not be downloaded were downloaded in the update following the reformat & prior to the problem returning. I would have thought that a reformat should have solved the original problem. POSSIBLE SOLUTION Some articles here: Error 'The Windows Installer Service Could Not Be Accessed' when installing or updating programs on Windows 7 or Windows Vista http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2642495 How to troubleshoot problems that may occur when you install, uninstall, or upgrade a program on a Windows-based computer http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2438651 RESPONSE I tried both the articles you (ABOVE)provided and their problem solvers with varied success. The second option was the best but the only advanced I am is that I now have the latest version of Windows Installer V4.5. I'm sure that in past couple of days I had already tried most of their solutions without success. Now every time I attempt to use Windows Update I still get the error message 80070641 & when I leave the computer for a while & come back, and the screensaver was supposed to be on, the MSVCR100 message pops up. I have thought of upgrading to Windows 7 but reformat I did two days ago hasn't seemed to have any use in overcoming the problem, so I therefore reluctant to pour more money into the exercise at this stage. Are there any other solution that I can try MORE SUGGESTIONS Hi, You may refer the following links for the error related to error 80070641. How to troubleshoot problems connecting to Windows Update or to Microsoft Update http://support.microsoft.com/kb/818018/en-us How to troubleshoot failures updating your Office installation from the Office Update Web site http://support.microsoft.com/kb/304498 Hope it helps. RESPONSE I started to follow the steps in the first article but found that I was unable to download Java, some changed settings would put my computer at risk. Apart from that nobody has explained why the problem exists AFTER A REFORMAT. To continue to complete the istructions in article 1 & then article would take me many more hours to complete. I shouldn't have to waste all that time on somebody else fault product The same old problem keep coming back about WINDOWS INSTALLER is not correctly installed. sometimes the settings show the thing has stopped while other times it is on start. In any event it is still working. Is it possible to UPGRADE the operating system or buy a brand new one to overcome this problem. At least this way it will only take a limited numbers of hours to reach a happy conclusion. The only other solution I can see is to switch to APPLE which has a very good reputation and even one of my friends, who knows absolutely nothing about computers, can operate successfully. FINALLY During the last re format I noticed that all was fine UNTIL i loaded Dell PC Tuneup now called System mechanic. When I loaded this software the problem came back very quickly. I then re formatted for the umteenth time without the Dell software and have not had a problem Does anybody have a solution to the Dell software issue Thanks

Lennyyates · Answer

im having the same problem i canot run adobic readear what is the problem need help

DELL-Jaspreet K · Answer

Hi thetrees17,

Welcome to the Community.

The error message provided by you “The Windows Installer Service Could Not Be Accessed” occurs sometimes if a 3rd party application is conflicting with windows updates or installer file.

Please follow the instructions mentioned below in the link:

support.microsoft.com/.../2642495

Please reply for any clarifications.

Thanks,

Jaspreet

Dell | Social Media Outreach | Global Social Media & Community

Philip_Yip · Answer

If you have been formatting the hard drive and reinstalling the OS, then you should confer with my wiki A Clean Install of Windows Vista and follow the exact instructions with regards to install order, Windows, Service Packs and then the drivers (in the correct order). For security I recommend using the free Microsoft Security Essentials for security and the free or pro version of Malwarebyte's Antimalware.

DO NOT INSTALL Dell PC Tuneup or System mechanic these registry cleaning/optimising programs are junk whether they are Dell branded or not. As you have seen for yourself they provided more hassle than they are worth. Forget about this software and instead use ccleaner and defraggler which are both free and don't tend to ruin the OS. P.S. Dell Support Centre is good to have, this is not the same as PC Tuneup.

Oh and Adobe Reader is also junk, it gets buggier every version released it seems. I recommend to uninstall it and instead use PDF-XChange Viewer. Note don't install any of the toolbars while installing it.

Windows General

Was this post helpful?