I've just re-built my PC with XP SP2 for the third time in a week. Each time

after I get up and running I start to install standard programs like Office,

Picasa etc and then "setup" of a new App just fails to complete. I can see

the setup process in the task manager but it just sits there. So far I have

failed on the setup of skype, picasa and printer software. Once a setup has

failed then I can install no more software at all - all just get an hourglass

for 5-10 seconds and then the cursor goes back to an arrow. The PC is quite

usable with all that has been installed prior to the failure.

 

Any ideas? Not sure where to look next.

 

Thanks

--

Jonh

"Jonh" <Jonh@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

news:F1FCBD25-5E2E-428A-BC4D-9E3697EEC73E@microsoft.com...

> I've just re-built my PC with XP SP2 for the third time in a week. Each

> time

> after I get up and running I start to install standard programs like

> Office,

> Picasa etc and then "setup" of a new App just fails to complete. I can

> see

> the setup process in the task manager but it just sits there. So far I

> have

> failed on the setup of skype, picasa and printer software. Once a setup

> has

> failed then I can install no more software at all - all just get an

> hourglass

> for 5-10 seconds and then the cursor goes back to an arrow. The PC is

> quite

> usable with all that has been installed prior to the failure.

>

> Any ideas? Not sure where to look next.

>

> Thanks

> --

> Jonh

 

What do you mean by "re-built"? Do you mean that you did a clean installs,

startint with partitioning and formatting the disk, or repair installs,

or....?

 

It's harder to tell where you actually are with this without that

information.

 

You might also have a look at the Event logs.

 

HTH

-pk

Thanks Patrick,

 

I "re-built" by booting from an original XP disc, reformatted the c: drive,

so doing a totally fresh install. Then upgraded to XP SP2. First installed

Norton OK, then Office, then Picasa (Google picture management software),

then iRiver (iPod lookalike MP3 player software) and DVDShrink. All OK - then

tried to add skype and it didn't install.

 

When I run the exe the cursor goes to the hourglass for about 5 seconds and

then goes back to the standard arrow. The Install "Wizard" doesn't show at

all. Task manager shows a skypesetup process in existance but it has no CPU

usage against it. Couldn't see any errors in event management.

 

I tried to install in Safe Mode and got a pop up that implied the Windows

Installer Service wasn't running. Checked this and saw that it wasn't

started but wasn't allowed to start it in Safe Mode. So went back to normal

mode and Started it but it made no difference.

 

This was my third re-build. On number 2 I tried not applying XP SP2 and

again was able to load a few things until it died trying to load Picasa.

 

Not sure where to look next but grateful for any ideas.

 

Thanks - J

 

 

--

Jonh

 

 

"Patrick Keenan" wrote:

> "Jonh" <Jonh@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

> news:F1FCBD25-5E2E-428A-BC4D-9E3697EEC73E@microsoft.com...

> > I've just re-built my PC with XP SP2 for the third time in a week. Each

> > time

> > after I get up and running I start to install standard programs like

> > Office,

> > Picasa etc and then "setup" of a new App just fails to complete. I can

> > see

> > the setup process in the task manager but it just sits there. So far I

> > have

> > failed on the setup of skype, picasa and printer software. Once a setup

> > has

> > failed then I can install no more software at all - all just get an

> > hourglass

> > for 5-10 seconds and then the cursor goes back to an arrow. The PC is

> > quite

> > usable with all that has been installed prior to the failure.

> >

> > Any ideas? Not sure where to look next.

> >

> > Thanks

> > --

> > Jonh

>

> What do you mean by "re-built"? Do you mean that you did a clean installs,

> startint with partitioning and formatting the disk, or repair installs,

> or....?

>

> It's harder to tell where you actually are with this without that

> information.

>

> You might also have a look at the Event logs.

>

> HTH

> -pk

>

>

>

Still hoping for some help on this - I've looked at a zillion similar threads

which all seem to point to Windows Installer issues so I have reregistered

it, deleted itand re-downloaded etc etc all to no avail. Wondering if it

could be a hardware fault?

 

Currently think I will have to buy a new PC which seems like a bit of

overkill for such a basic problem (though I guess my kids will be happy!).

 

Thanks

--

Jonh

 

 

"Jonh" wrote:

> I've just re-built my PC with XP SP2 for the third time in a week. Each time

> after I get up and running I start to install standard programs like Office,

> Picasa etc and then "setup" of a new App just fails to complete. I can see

> the setup process in the task manager but it just sits there. So far I have

> failed on the setup of skype, picasa and printer software. Once a setup has

> failed then I can install no more software at all - all just get an hourglass

> for 5-10 seconds and then the cursor goes back to an arrow. The PC is quite

> usable with all that has been installed prior to the failure.

>

> Any ideas? Not sure where to look next.

>

> Thanks

> --

> Jonh