Installing HP drivers in safe mode (vista HP 32)

FireSBurnsmuP · Sep 3, 2009

Hello, all. I'm trying to fix a broken system for a friend of mine, and I've basically ruled out all possible problems except faulty/incompatible video card drivers.

The system only works in safe mode right now, and the HP support drivers for the computer will only install in normal mode, because they use the Windows Installer Service, which is unavailable in safe mode.

So, the question is this: Is there a work-around to get the Windows Installer Service to run in Safe Mode?

Background: this is a Compaq Presario F700 series (F739WM) laptop with Windows Vista Home Premium 32-bit installed.

VaguelyRapt · Sep 3, 2009

Here's a procedure that might help:

Windows installer will not work under Safe Mode, this means that programs cannot be installed or uninstalled in safe mode without giving a specific command using msiexec in command prompt.

To make windows installer to work under safe mode you need to create a registry entry for every type of safe mode you are login into:

Safe Mode:

Type this in a command prompt:

REG ADD "HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\SafeBoot\Minimal\ MSIServer"/VE/T REG_SZ /F/D"Service"

Then start the Windows Installer service by typing net start msiserver

Safe Mode with Network:

Type this in a command prompt:

REG ADD "HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\SafeBoot\Network\ MSIServer"/VE/T REG_SZ/F/D"Service"

Then start the Windows Installer service by typing net start msiserver.

I noticed that I could only install HP drivers properly in Safe Mode, and didn't have any issues with Windows Installer (also Home Premium 32-bit). Let me know if this helped.

Installing HP drivers in safe mode (vista HP 32)

FireSBurnsmuP

New Member

My Computer

System One

VaguelyRapt

Electrosexual

My Computer

System One