Bizarre Installshield problem in XP

[Naythn]

Recently I've had a problem with XP running installshield installer files. They will crash in certain sections with complete reliability. Oddly enough, I've discovered that they don't crash when I use the guest account, but I still can't install the game because of the limited nature of the guest account. Any ideas as to what is causing this, or even a way to let me install from the guest accounts would be greatly appreciated.

-Naythn

 

[calpha]

Sounds like you're having a temp file problem. If the installer bails in a normal user acccount, but doesn't in the guest account (except for needing admin privelages), then I'd be pretty confident it's a temp file issue. Windows Installer files are decompressed to your temp folder (usually in Docs and Settings/Local Settings) before execution.

You can ty:
1. delete your temp folder contents.
2. Look up msiexec switches/command line. I think it's msiexec /A---but you want to do an admin install (or network install) which will just decompress all the files of a .msi package to a particular folder (you specify it). Then you can run the setup from this folder without having to decompress the original .msi first.

 

[Naythn]

I tried deleting my temp files, but that didn't work. I tried the msiexec commands in both administrator and guest accounts, but I could only get the error message that "The installation package could not be opened", even on Installshield programs that I am able to install. Do you think there's something wrong with my msiexec?

 

[calpha]

Could be...I'm no windows installer wiz in determining where an installer has gone awry. One thing that will greatly help you out is that all MSIExecs (read windows installer packages) create a log file in the temp directory they're attached too. Just clear out your temp directory again, and run one of the installers' that's not working. Going back in the temp folder.....(make sure to not end the install.....if it gives you an error message....just leave it open) there will be a .log file that will show you what was done and what failed.

Since you're on XP, you're already running windows installer 2.0, so I'd be inclined to say that MSIExec is not the source of your problems. Are you sure you ran the correct msi switch? If you're using a publicly available software that's crashing......lmk what it is, and I'll get the MSI command to extract it locally for you to make sure you typed it right. If you were on Winders 2000 or 98, I'd have no problems saying that msiexec (the windows installer runtimes) are hosed, as I had a boatload of problems running windows installer 1.2. Sort of funny when you could install a package, and then have Office die b/c of an SDK bug.

 

[screw3d]

Could it be that your CD or CD drive is acting funky?

I've problems once with an installation that would crash at a point.. turns out that i had a defective disc.

 

[Naythn]

First, the problem happens on installers on my hard drive and on CDs.

I ran one of the installers after clearing my temp directory and no files seemed to appear. (at least in C:\windows\temp. I couldn't find a temp directory anywhere else.)

I've been using the command "msiexec /a C:\downloads\3DMark03.exe" at the c:\ prompt. The file and location should both be apparent.

 

[TheWart]

i have had a problem with installshield before. it was solved by downloading a fresh version of the installshield kernel (which i guess automatically came into my computer in the first place, not a programmer here). you can do the same by reading through installshield's troubleshooting guide here or downloading the updated ikernel.exe here. hope this helps.