Windows Installer 2.0 Issues on Win 98

Yet again, I am having an odd issue with Windows 98, imagine that. I
am trying to install an application from a network drive onto the
local machine. I go to the network drive via windows explorer, double
click the installer, then it gets odd. I get the box that pops up and
asks me what program I want to use to run this particular program. I'm
thinking to myself ok, Windows Installer isn't on this machine yet. I
go out to Microsoft's site and get the 2.0 distributable go back to
the offending PC and when I try to install it I get a pop up box that
says this service is already running. I'm figuring this could mean one
of two things. A. Windows Installer is trying to install something
else or B. The computer is recognizing it already has the installer
service on it. I'm kinda stuck at this point. What is the best thing
to do here? Should I delete all files related to the Installer
service? What is the best fix for this kind of issue. Thanks for any
help you can provide!

"Jamie Benson" wrote in message
ps.com...
Yet again, I am having an odd issue with Windows 98, imagine that. I
am trying to install an application from a network drive onto the
local machine. I go to the network drive via windows explorer, double
click the installer, then it gets odd. I get the box that pops up and
asks me what program I want to use to run this particular program. I'm
thinking to myself ok, Windows Installer isn't on this machine yet. I
go out to Microsoft's site and get the 2.0 distributable go back to
the offending PC and when I try to install it I get a pop up box that
says this service is already running. I'm figuring this could mean one
of two things. A. Windows Installer is trying to install something
else or B. The computer is recognizing it already has the installer
service on it. I'm kinda stuck at this point. What is the best thing
to do here? Should I delete all files related to the Installer
service? What is the best fix for this kind of issue. Thanks for any
help you can provide!


Try copying the setup file to your machine...then run the installation from
there

Windows 98 recognises the file type from the filename extension, not the
contents of the file. What is the filename extension of the file you are
clicking on to start the installation?
--
Jeff Richards
MS MVP (Windows - Shell/User)
"Jamie Benson" wrote in message
ps.com...
Yet again, I am having an odd issue with Windows 98, imagine that. I
am trying to install an application from a network drive onto the
local machine. I go to the network drive via windows explorer, double
click the installer, then it gets odd. I get the box that pops up and
asks me what program I want to use to run this particular program. I'm
thinking to myself ok, Windows Installer isn't on this machine yet. I
go out to Microsoft's site and get the 2.0 distributable go back to
the offending PC and when I try to install it I get a pop up box that
says this service is already running. I'm figuring this could mean one
of two things. A. Windows Installer is trying to install something
else or B. The computer is recognizing it already has the installer
service on it. I'm kinda stuck at this point. What is the best thing
to do here? Should I delete all files related to the Installer
service? What is the best fix for this kind of issue. Thanks for any
help you can provide!

Jamie Benson wrote in
ps.com:

Yet again, I am having an odd issue with Windows 98,
imagine that. I am trying to install an application from a
network drive onto the local machine. I go to the network
drive via windows explorer, double click the installer,
then it gets odd. I get the box that pops up and asks me
what program I want to use to run this particular program.
I'm thinking to myself ok, Windows Installer isn't on this
machine yet. I go out to Microsoft's site and get the 2.0
distributable go back to the offending PC and when I try to
install it I get a pop up box that says this service is
already running. I'm figuring this could mean one of two
things. A. Windows Installer is trying to install something
else or B. The computer is recognizing it already has the
installer service on it. I'm kinda stuck at this point.
What is the best thing to do here? Should I delete all
files related to the Installer service? What is the best
fix for this kind of issue. Thanks for any help you can
provide!

This is not exactly a direct answer, and certainly useless if
you HAVE to install the SPECIFIC app in question. Still...

I find MSI to be SUCH a pain in the neck, often accounting for
70% of the DL size of a perfectly well-written small program,
and doing SUCH stupid things to the machine, that whenever I run
across an app. that uses it, I hit "DEL" and find an
alternative.

There are ALWAYS alternatives, often better and cheaper (or
free).



--
Disagreements and the usual insults expected and welcomed.

Thanks for the info and responses! I have tried copying it locally and
I still have no luck. The file extension is MSI. Unfortunately it's a
program I have to install. The weird thing is that I have installed it
on about 20 other 98 machines no issue. Sometimes, Windows Installer
just baffles me. If I could find something else to install it with I
would, trust me. Like I said thanks again for all your input so far.
Let me know if y'all have any further suggestions.

Jami

Figured I would let everyone know that I found a resolution to this
issue. Although I wasn't having the exact issue referenced in this KB
article, I used Microsoft KB article 315346. Here is the link in case
anyone ever has an issue that is similar to it. Thanks again for your
help!


Jami

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/31546/en-us

"Jamie Benson" wrote in message
ups.com...
| Thanks for the info and responses! I have tried copying it locally and
| I still have no luck. The file extension is MSI. Unfortunately it's a
| program I have to install. The weird thing is that I have installed it
| on about 20 other 98 machines no issue. Sometimes, Windows Installer
| just baffles me. If I could find something else to install it with I
| would, trust me. Like I said thanks again for all your input so far.
| Let me know if y'all have any further suggestions.
|
| Jami
|

The MSI issue may be due to an improper version of the installer or loss of
its entry in the registry.
InstMsiA.exe 1670KB ver 2.0.2600.2 is apparently the last one to work in
Win9X.

ALSO:

---- likely a KB now
Install ikernel
Document ID: Q108312
Last Revised On: 3/24/2003

Description
Sometimes in an attempt to fix installation-related errors, you may have to
update the engine that runs the installation itself. This article provides
the link to download the latest ikernel engine along with the steps to
install it.
Procedure
Launch Windows Explorer by pressing Windows Key + E on your keyboard or
select Start Run and type explorer.
Browse to C:\Program Files \Common Files\InstallShield\engine.


Right-click the highlighted engine directory and select Delete.
Install the latest version of the iKernel engine.
Download iKernel engine update and save it to your Desktop.
Double-click ikernelupdate.exe to install it.
-------- END

This site gives a good quick run down of the current tools:
http://www.installsite.org/pages/en/msi/authoring.htm

AND finally:

The Windows Installer CleanUp Utility
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/290301

--
MEB
http://peoplescounsel.orgfree.com/
BLOG - http://peoplescounsel.spaces.live.com/ Public Notice or the "real
world"
http://groups.google.com/group/the-peoples-law?hl=en - discussion group for
general aspects of Law verses the Peoples' of the world

"Most people, sometime in their lives, stumble across truth.
Most jump up, brush themselves off, and hurry on about their business as if
nothing had happen." Winston Churchill
Or to put it another way:
Morpheus can offer you the two pills;
but only you can choose whether you take the red pill or the blue one.
_______________

That link should be:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315346/en-us

Thanks for the follow-up!

--
Gary S. Terhune
MS-MVP Shell/User
www.grystmill.com

"Jamie Benson" wrote in message
ups.com...
Figured I would let everyone know that I found a resolution to this
issue. Although I wasn't having the exact issue referenced in this KB
article, I used Microsoft KB article 315346. Here is the link in case
anyone ever has an issue that is similar to it. Thanks again for your
help!


Jami

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/31546/en-us