Icrontic is proud to offer the Office Hours series of articles. Each week we’ll take a look at a common problem in Windows or often-used software and nail down a quick fix for it. This week, the good doctor explores how to fix a Windows Installer Service that has gone on the blink.

The symptom

The Microsoft Windows Installer Service is a core Windows component that aids in the installation, maintenance and removal of Windows applications. This framework has vastly improved the ease of both installing and removing software on modern Windows operating systems. The most familiar presentation of this service is in the Add/Remove Programs Wizard that nearly everyone has used at one time or another. However, this system is prone to intermittent failure in the form of an error that reads, “The Windows Installer Service could not be accessed.”

Treatment

Like all good tangles with Windows XP’s fickle ways, there’s no rhyme or reason as to why this critical service might break. It’s easier just to accept that it’s broken and move on with the fix that’s described below.

Step 1:

Start the DOS shell for Windows XP by clicking start, clicking run, then typing “CMD” in the box and pressing enter.

Pressing enter here will start the DOS shell.

We will use this DOS shell to replace broken Installer Service files.

Step 2:

Navigate to the System32 directory of your Windows installation by entering “CD %windir%\system32” into the shell as seen below.

Corrupted Installer Service files are stored here and must be replaced.

Step 3:

Type “attrib -r -s -h dllcache” at the command prompt.

This command allows us to rename files in the next steps.

Step 4:

Rename the MSI.DLL file by typing “ren msi.dll msi.old“, then rename msiexec.exe by typing “ren msiexec.exe msiexec.old“, and finally rename msihnd.dll by typing “ren msihnd.dll msihnd.old“. Press enter after each command, and your DOS shell should appear as below.

Renaming these broken files to *.OLD allows us to replace them with healthy copies.

Step 5:

Once these files have been renamed, just restart your computer. Once the computer has booted back into Windows XP, complete step 6 to finish the repair procedure.

Step 6:

Update to version 3.1 v2 of the Windows Installer Service by grabbing WindowsInstaller-KB893803-v2-x86.exe from the bottom of this Microsoft page. Restart one more time, and you’re all set!

Post-mortem

Losing the ability to install or remove software can be a big nuisance, but treating the issue is a cinch. Our fix works because it takes the broken files out of the game and replaces them with good, working copies. If you find that you still have issues even after this process, you can visit our world-class support forums for help and humor to keep you sane.

Do you have a common Windows or software irritation for the good doctor? Register and post on our world-class forums to find support from friendly and knowledgeable professionals and enthusiasts. The best ailments will be featured every Wednesday right here on Icrontic.