Issues with WSH and Adobe and MSI clean-up a little help please

OK:
I need some guidance please.
Probably about to show off my ignorance

I've got a box with an older installation of XPHome Sp2 fully patched
Has Acrobat 6.06
Has had various Security softs and optimising utilities on it over the last 4 years: was my 'work horse'.
Got around to doing some updates: specifically Acrobat Reader to v9.
Uninstalled Reader 6.x or thought I did Left an entry in the Add/remove list.
>CCleaner
>Reg Cleaner
>Reboot
DL v9 and run installer: goes to 99% then exits
OK > google> dl and try to run MSI Cleanup tool: Get a message box:
"Windows Script Host is disabled: Contact Administrator"
Find old Norton antiscript tools: reset to enable scripts
Rerun MSI tool installer: same

> google > Check file associations: VBS is associated with ??!! Audio files ??
Create .vbs association

DL and run WSH 5.7 for XP: get dire looking message :
"Cannot complete install some updates cannot be applied, XP may not work properly"

Reboot and get back to User login that I haven't seen for ages: havent used that password for ages : no idea what it was
>google
Safe Mode: Admin Acct: reset passwords; reboots OK

> google furiously

> lots of references to Reg entries re WSH and 'Dword enable'
> hundreds of references to Adobe and uninstall issues and 'left over Reg entries'
> hundreds of references re various scripting issues

Haven't changed anything in the registry yet

OK so advice please:
Cannot install MSI cleaner tool
Cannot install WSH
??
I seem to have a partially uninstalled Adobe Reader v6.x,
an uninstalled Reader v9 ( all pdf files on that box open with acrobat 6)
There is some issues with scripting tools here: what ??
Box seems fine but ...there have been literally hundreds of installs and uninstalls on this box prior to finding FDISR and Terabyte
Hasn't had a clean reinstall for years

I would like to try to fix whatever is wrong rather than reformat and reinstall, just for the intellectual exercise

I have image made of this disc and FDISR has been called so I can have a serious go at this if any one has any insights.

So..?