Installer pop up on startup

#1 RED21

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Posted 27 October 2008 - 12:29 PM

An installer pop-up appears right after I startup Vista, it says it is installing an application and disappears in 5 to 10 seconds. Then I can neither install nor uninstall any applications, I get an Error 1500 pop up (which means another installation is on progress).

The only way I can install or uninstall anything is by disabling Windows Installer in the Services Manager, restarting windows, and re-enabling Windows installer beforehand.

I suspect it is a bad installation of an application, though I don't know which.

Please help.

BTW I'm using Vista Home Premium and would prefer avoiding reformatting my system.

This post has been edited by RED21: 27 October 2008 - 04:04 PM

#2 Jacee

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Posted 27 October 2008 - 06:05 PM

See if Windows Installer Cleanup Utility will help:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/290301

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#3 RED21

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Posted 27 October 2008 - 11:09 PM

Jacee, on Oct 28 2008, 06:05 AM, said:

See if Windows Installer Cleanup Utility will help:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/290301

Tried that one (twice) before I posted the thread. I might have found the culprit, a corrupt installation of Dell Support Centre, I just uninstalled it. No pop up after starting up today (or I might have not noticed it) and then gave the Installer Cleanup Utility another go . I'll give it a few days, before dismissing the problem as solved.

Please keep the thread open for now, until I'm sure the problem is gone.