Can't install/uninstall

My son noticed this issue on his laptop, Win7.

Initially he couldn't install a few Garmin mapping programs and he then noticed he couldn't uninstall certain programs. eg other Garmin mapping apps, Google Earth, QuickTime, Skype, Nero.

The errors seen with both install and uninstall were 2503 and 2502. I Googled these errors and they seem fairly common. I checked the Permissions for the Windows Installer folder and the Registry keys and all looks OK.

There is no malware.

I restored an image from a month ago and it was affected but a 6 month old image was fine. I don't really want to roll back 6 months.

Does anyone have a fix?

 

try the suggestion in last post (you might have done some of it already but redo)
http://www.techsupportforum.com/for...502-and-2503-moved-from-vista-7-a-548107.html

 

Thanks. I tried this again and I'm afraid it doesn't work. Things aren't looking promising.

 

Any errors or info events in event viewer logs? Does this occur with any logon (create a new admin profile if there is only one logon)

 

Cudni, no log errors and a new Admin User account behaves the same.

stapp, I could do most of what was on that page but Win7 doesn't have several registry keys mentioned. No luck anyway.

 

Of interest is I can uninstall apps with this...

http://support.microsoft.com/mats/program_install_and_uninstall

... but it doesn't help with installing apps.

 

Avast antivirus, Firefox, Office, TeraByte apps, Acrobat Reader, Google Earth, ImgBurn, Nero, QuickTime... are the major ones. But these are the same apps that are in the 6 month old image which does allow install/uninstall.

He's keen to move back to the 6 month old image if I can't get this fixed in the next day or two. It's probably not such a bad idea as he tells me he hasn't made many changes in that time.

 

This is the typical problem that imaging is intended to solve. I would have restored the image right away.

 

Ron, yes, Windows Updates were done.

Robin, it's a challenge to fix it. Restoring a 6 months old image is looking better each day.

 

Afraid not. I tried that in Message #6.

 

Stapp, we are not stressing about this. We've already restored the 6 month old image once and we know it works. It would save a little work if we could resolve this issue but I can see the 6 months old image being restored again and my son will then bring everything up to date. But we'll think about a fix for another day or so.

 

Try this: Windows Repair (All In One)

Check everything / try all repair procedures it offers (custom mode).

There is a portable version if it can't be installed.

 

Wild Hunter,

I become cynical when I see the words "registry" "booster" "repair " "optimize" in an app's name. But what the heck, I'm probably deleting that partition tomorrow so I did use that app correctly. It didn't work but thanks anyway. You sound less cynical than me.

 

or Dial-a-fix
-http://wiki.lunarsoft.net/wiki/Dial-a-fix

 

Win7 isn't supported.

 

You probably did it already but I find this way of adding permissions very comprehensive. Maybe try this on the whole C:\Windows folder
http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/wind...ership-to-explorer-right-click-menu-in-vista/

 

When I run into cases like these I use total uninstall on a different PC to get a map of the changes that the software makes and then use that as a template to go in and start undoing the changes/additions by hand. Eventually you will have enough removed that can do a reinstall and then proper uninstall.

 

Tweaking.com Windows Repair isn't a "registry cleaner". It's in a totally different class, it's more like Microsoft Fix it - and can actually solve many problems.

Dial-a-fix isn't developed anymore, its last version is from 2006. Tweaking.com Windows Repair is actively developed. But yeah, they have pretty much the same purposes.

 

Cudni,

That app is amazing. I've taken ownership of C:\Windows and our problem is gone. Apps can now be uninstalled/installed. I'll play around with the Take Ownership app later today and see if I can find the offending folder. Many thanks.

 

Umm. Wouldn't taking ownership of C:\Windows like that give full control of the system to your limited user account, which you really don't want? Or am I missing something here?