Solve : Can't install/uninstall anything!?

1.	Solve : Can't install/uninstall anything!?
Answer» Hi all, This is driving me crazy because I've never seen anything LIKE this. I can't install or uninstall anything unless I'm in safe mode. I'm running WinXP Pro SP2 and I have full admin rights. I get the following error message when trying to install anything: I get the following error message when trying to uninstall anything: Also whenever I attempt to run an uninstaller I end up with 26 identical files (with different names) in the TEMP directory named A~NSISu_.exe, B~NSISu_.exe, etc. (one for each letter of the alphabet) and I'm getting tons of error messages in the system LOGS regarding these files. Source: SideBySide Event ID: 58 Syntax error in manifest or policy file "C:\DOCUME~1\\LOCALS~1\Temp\G~NSISu_.exe" on line 0. and Source: SideBySide Event ID: 59 Generate Activation Context failed for C:\DOCUME~1\\LOCALS~1\Temp\G~NSISu_.exe. Reference error message: The operation completed successfully. Any ideas? Thanks in advance.Are you attempting to (un)install using an unprivileged account?No, it's an Administrator account.What virus and spyware scanners are you using and what happened prior to the events that led to this problem?I'm using NOD32 (real-time) and Kaspersky (on-demand) for antivirus protection. As for spyware scanners I'm using Ewido Anti-Spyware, Spybot S&D and Ad-Aware SE. I can't think of anything that I did prior to this happening that would have caused these problems.Either an install/uninstall or both did not FINISH completely or was interrupted by another task... Can you boot into safemode and clean out your temp files and see if this changes anything ? ? You stated you can't think of anything recently that would have caused this but it's an installer problem. What were you attempting to install/uninstall ? ? Quote I'm using NOD32 (real-time) and Kaspersky (on-demand) for antivirus protection. As for spyware scanners I'm using Ewido Anti-Spyware, Spybot S&D and Ad-Aware SE. I can't think of anything that I did prior to this happening that would have caused these problems. The on demand scanner, is it loaded into the memory when you start the computer? NOD32 (Isn't that Mcafee?) and Kaspersky might not be playing nice together. Do the scanners pick up anything at all when you scan in safe mode? Quote Either an install/uninstall or both did not finish completely or was interrupted by another task... Can you boot into safemode and clean out your temp files and see if this changes anything ? ? You stated you can't think of anything recently that would have caused this but it's an installer problem. What were you attempting to install/uninstall ? ? I first noticed the problem about a week ago when my e-mail client (Thunderbird) automatically tried to update to a new version but kept failing over and over during the install. It kept telling me that a new version was available even after I tried to update. I already tried booting into safe mode and CLEANING out the temp files, it doesn't change anything. Quote The on demand scanner, is it loaded into the memory when you start the computer? NOD32 (Isn't that Mcafee?) and Kaspersky might not be playing nice together. Do the scanners pick up anything at all when you scan in safe mode? YES Kaspersky is loaded into memory at startup but it doesn't do anything if real-time scanning is turned off. I have been using this combo for years without problems but just for good measure I've uninstalled Kaspersky (in safe mode of course) and still have the same problems. All virus and spyware scans I've done in both normal and safe mode haven't picked up anything. BTW, NOD32 is not the same as McAfee. OK i just after re-reading this thread noticed something that escaped me before... At the top of the 2nd error gif it states NSIS error. From what i dug up this is an open source installer designed to work like the Windows installer. I'm not sure if the people over at Mozilla use this for TBird and Firefox but i'm awaiting an answer from someone i know over there. Just to be sure though wrack your brain and try and remember all programs you have DLoaded and or installed in the last few weeks. I'll get back to you.patio, did you ever find out anything? Anyone else have any other ideas?Have you simply tried emptying the temp folders? I already tried booting into safe mode and cleaning out the temp files, it doesn't change anything. I wish it was that simple, I'll probably just have to wipe/re-install Windows since I can't find any information about how to fix this. I was going to re-install the OS anyway but I really wanted to find out how to troubleshoot this problem in case I ever came across something like this again. Oh well, thanks to everyone who tried to help. I found a problem like that on my Neighbours computer, i couldn't find anyway to fix it, they said it started happening after a Norton update failed , it locked up every thing on the computer , i couldn't even launch EXE's the only thing that worked was IE needless to say , it was easiest just to format and reinstall. I think it may have been a virus. Quote patio, did you ever find out anything? Anyone else have any other ideas? I have yet to hear back from them...

Answer»

Hi all,

This is driving me crazy because I've never seen anything LIKE this. I can't install or uninstall anything unless I'm in safe mode. I'm running WinXP Pro SP2 and I have full admin rights.

I get the following error message when trying to install anything:

I get the following error message when trying to uninstall anything:

Also whenever I attempt to run an uninstaller I end up with 26 identical files (with different names) in the TEMP directory named A~NSISu_.exe, B~NSISu_.exe, etc. (one for each letter of the alphabet) and I'm getting tons of error messages in the system LOGS regarding these files.

Source: SideBySide
Event ID: 58
Syntax error in manifest or policy file "C:\DOCUME~1\\LOCALS~1\Temp\G~NSISu_.exe" on line 0.

and

Source: SideBySide
Event ID: 59
Generate Activation Context failed for C:\DOCUME~1\\LOCALS~1\Temp\G~NSISu_.exe. Reference error message: The operation completed successfully.

Any ideas? Thanks in advance.Are you attempting to (un)install using an unprivileged account?No, it's an Administrator account.What virus and spyware scanners are you using and what happened prior to the events that led to this problem?I'm using NOD32 (real-time) and Kaspersky (on-demand) for antivirus protection. As for spyware scanners I'm using Ewido Anti-Spyware, Spybot S&D and Ad-Aware SE.

I can't think of anything that I did prior to this happening that would have caused these problems.Either an install/uninstall or both did not FINISH completely or was interrupted by another task...
Can you boot into safemode and clean out your temp files and see if this changes anything ? ?
You stated you can't think of anything recently that would have caused this but it's an installer problem. What were you attempting to install/uninstall ? ? Quote

I'm using NOD32 (real-time) and Kaspersky (on-demand) for antivirus protection. As for spyware scanners I'm using Ewido Anti-Spyware, Spybot S&D and Ad-Aware SE.

I can't think of anything that I did prior to this happening that would have caused these problems.

The on demand scanner, is it loaded into the memory when you start the computer? NOD32 (Isn't that Mcafee?) and Kaspersky might not be playing nice together.

Do the scanners pick up anything at all when you scan in safe mode? Quote

Either an install/uninstall or both did not finish completely or was interrupted by another task...
Can you boot into safemode and clean out your temp files and see if this changes anything ? ?
You stated you can't think of anything recently that would have caused this but it's an installer problem. What were you attempting to install/uninstall ? ?

I first noticed the problem about a week ago when my e-mail client (Thunderbird) automatically tried to update to a new version but kept failing over and over during the install. It kept telling me that a new version was available even after I tried to update.

I already tried booting into safe mode and CLEANING out the temp files, it doesn't change anything.

Quote

The on demand scanner, is it loaded into the memory when you start the computer? NOD32 (Isn't that Mcafee?) and Kaspersky might not be playing nice together.

Do the scanners pick up anything at all when you scan in safe mode?

YES Kaspersky is loaded into memory at startup but it doesn't do anything if real-time scanning is turned off. I have been using this combo for years without problems but just for good measure I've uninstalled Kaspersky (in safe mode of course) and still have the same problems. All virus and spyware scans I've done in both normal and safe mode haven't picked up anything. BTW, NOD32 is not the same as McAfee.
OK i just after re-reading this thread noticed something that escaped me before...

At the top of the 2nd error gif it states NSIS error.
From what i dug up this is an open source installer designed to work like the Windows installer.
I'm not sure if the people over at Mozilla use this for TBird and Firefox but i'm awaiting an answer from someone i know over there.

Just to be sure though wrack your brain and try and remember all programs you have DLoaded and or installed in the last few weeks.

I'll get back to you.patio, did you ever find out anything? Anyone else have any other ideas?Have you simply tried emptying the temp folders? I already tried booting into safe mode and cleaning out the temp files, it doesn't change anything.

I wish it was that simple, I'll probably just have to wipe/re-install Windows since I can't find any information about how to fix this.
I was going to re-install the OS anyway but I really wanted to find out how to troubleshoot this problem in case I ever came across something like this again. Oh well, thanks to everyone who tried to help. I found a problem like that on my Neighbours computer, i couldn't find anyway to fix it, they said it started happening after a Norton update failed , it locked up every thing on the computer , i couldn't even launch EXE's

the only thing that worked was IE

needless to say , it was easiest just to format and reinstall.
I think it may have been a virus. Quote

Solve : Can't install/uninstall anything!?

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