HELP! 32 bit IE, WMP and Windows Live Messenger not working

Mattftw · Jan 6, 2009

Hey, Matt here
Ok, here's the problem:

My friend lent me a couple of Iron maiden CD's to rip to my computer, so i put the first one in, and tried to rip it, and it crashed my computer 3 times. After i got logged in after the 3rd crash, windows live messenger wouldn't sign in, and i kept getting an error message saying the service was unavailable, or something. Unfortunately i cant say the exact message, because now it won't open up at all. When i click on the shortcut on the desktop, and the icon in the start menu, the loading indicator by the mouse pointer appears, but nothing happens. A similar thing happens when i try to load Windows Media Player, and my 32 bit Internet Explorer. my 64 bit IE works, but as most people know, it is near useless, as 64 bit IE doesn't support addons like flash.

I downloaded Mozzilla Firefox to replace 32 bit IE, but i really need Windows Live Messenger and WMP, ad it would be good to know that I had 32 bit IE if i felt like using it instead of firefox.

I tried going to add/remove programs and clicking repair on windows live messenger, but it just gives me the message -
"The Windows Installer Service could not be accessed. This can occur if the Windows Installer is not correctly installed. Contact your support personnel for assistance."

I looked on the internet, and some similar looking problems were given the suggestion of using the "windows cleanup utility". I tried to download it, but it didn't work, because of Windows Installer not working.

I'm really stuck here, any help would be much appreciated.

Airbot · Jan 6, 2009

Hi Mattftw,

Have you run a scan with an Antivirus program to rule out the possibility of viruses?

Mattftw · Jan 7, 2009

Its gonna sound stupid, but I don't currently have any antivirus software at the moment. I had Norton, but the subscription ran out, and my dad bought Kapersky Anti-virus, but unfortunately that won't run with Vista. I have considered a Virus to be an option but i'd like to try all other possibilities first.

limneos · Jan 7, 2009

probably some hard reboot has messed up some files from windows installer service...try a disk check but also try logging in safe mode and running in command prompt: sfc /scannow , it should report any missing/corrupt files.

Also such errors appear after installing the new windows live messenger 9. Have you by any chance done that?

Dzomlija · Jan 7, 2009

Mattftw said:
Its gonna sound stupid, but I don't currently have any antivirus software at the moment. I had Norton, but the subscription ran out, and my dad bought Kapersky Anti-virus, but unfortunately that won't run with Vista. I have considered a Virus to be an option but i'd like to try all other possibilities first.

A "Rootkit Virus" is the likely cause here. It may happen with other Audio companies, but those Iron Maiden CDs wouldn't happen to have been produced by Sony?

Sony is notorious for flagging their discs with auto-install rootkit software intended to prevent them from being played and/or copied on PCs. The real problem arose when it was discovered that the rootkits opened backdoors into a system that could allow viruses to enter without detection...

Rootkits themselves are now also considered to be viruses.

Airbot · Jan 7, 2009

I would have to agree, it sounds like something malicious was on the disks.

Mattftw · Jan 7, 2009

Very interesting, thats soemthign new i've learned. I'll check with my friend if the CD's were produced by Sony. If they were, what action do you suggest i take (aside from the obvious installment of antivirus software)?

Mattftw · Jan 7, 2009

limneos said:
probably some hard reboot has messed up some files from windows installer service...try a disk check but also try logging in safe mode and running in command prompt: sfc /scannow , it should report any missing/corrupt files.

Also such errors appear after installing the new windows live messenger 9. Have you by any chance done that?

I can't say whether or not it's Windows Live Messenger 9 because i honestly don't know. I wouldn't think so, because i haven't run any updates on Windows Live messenger.

As for disk checking, i'm not a whizz with the maintenance side of computers so --- How to run disk check?

limneos · Jan 7, 2009

Try here:

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/67612-check-disk-chkdsk.html?filter
and then here:

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/66978-system-files-sfc-command.html?filter

Mattftw · Jan 7, 2009

Thanks :D

Airbot · Jan 7, 2009

Here's a little information on rootkits. If it is this as Dzomlija suggests then I would install an Antivirus program with a rootkit detector and maybe an antispyware program as well and run a full scan in safe mode and inside windows.

Extended Copy Protection - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Rootkit - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

sygnus21 · Jan 7, 2009

Mattftw said:
and my dad bought Kapersky Anti-virus, but unfortunately that won't run with Vista. I have considered a Virus to be an option but i'd like to try all other possibilities first.

:huh: Kaspersky Anti-Virus works just fine on Vista

Mattftw · Jan 7, 2009

Hmmmm.... ill have another go at loading that up then. thanks again

sygnus21 · Jan 7, 2009

Mattftw said:
Hmmmm.... ill have another go at loading that up then. thanks again

Do you know what version you have? Mine's version 7.

Dzomlija · Jan 7, 2009

sygnus21 said:
Mattftw said:

Hmmmm.... ill have another go at loading that up then. thanks again

Click to expand...

Do you know what version you have? Mine's version 7.

View attachment 9308

You'll need Kaspersky 8 for Vista

sygnus21 · Jan 7, 2009

Dzomlija said:
sygnus21 said:

Mattftw said:

Hmmmm.... ill have another go at loading that up then. thanks again

Click to expand...

Do you know what version you have? Mine's version 7.

View attachment 9308

Click to expand...

You'll need Kaspersky 8 for Vista

Uh...I've been using version 7 on Vista x64 since last year with absolutely no problems! But it doesn't matter since version 7 was replaced by KAS 2009 (which I suppose could be version 8).

Thanks

Mattftw · Jan 10, 2009

I found my Kaspersky disc again, and it's version 7.
When i try to load it up it gives me a message saying-
"The installation package could not be opened. Verify that the package exists and that you can access it, or contact the application vendor to verify that it is a valid windows installer package."

This i believe was the same error message i recieved the last time I tried, so i may have had a virus that was bugging my windows installer longer than i thought. Or it is the virus i have now. either way, i have no anti-virus.

I also discovered when i tried to copy a file to my memory stick that i can't copy and paste anything. I tried to copy and paste soem text from the internet and that didnt work, and microsoft word won't save any files.

sygnus21 · Jan 10, 2009

Mattftw said:
I found my Kaspersky disc again, and it's version 7.
When i try to load it up it gives me a message saying-
"The installation package could not be opened. Verify that the package exists and that you can access it, or contact the application vendor to verify that it is a valid windows installer package."

This i believe was the same error message i recieved the last time I tried, so i may have had a virus that was bugging my windows installer longer than i thought. Or it is the virus i have now. either way, i have no anti-virus.

I also discovered when i tried to copy a file to my memory stick that i can't copy and paste anything. I tried to copy and paste soem text from the internet and that didnt work, and microsoft word won't save any files.

I've no idea why you can't install and run Kaspersky AV ver. 7. Mine runs just fine. I will however say again that there is a new version out, Kaspersky Anti Virus 2009, which replaces version 7. Maybe you should get the new version?

I've been running version 7 since Jul 2008 without any issues, and once the subscription ends in Jul 09, I'll upgrade. Again, don't understand why your copy won't work???

As to your other issue, you "might" have a virus, and I would urge you to get an anti-virus program immediately and do a virus scan, get rid of the offending/affected file/program. If you find no viruses, then you may need to reinstall your OS; you may want to do that anyway, depending on how many viruses you find.

Mattftw · Jan 13, 2009

sygnus21 said:
Mattftw said:

I found my Kaspersky disc again, and it's version 7.
When i try to load it up it gives me a message saying-
"The installation package could not be opened. Verify that the package exists and that you can access it, or contact the application vendor to verify that it is a valid windows installer package."

This i believe was the same error message i recieved the last time I tried, so i may have had a virus that was bugging my windows installer longer than i thought. Or it is the virus i have now. either way, i have no anti-virus.

I also discovered when i tried to copy a file to my memory stick that i can't copy and paste anything. I tried to copy and paste soem text from the internet and that didnt work, and microsoft word won't save any files.

Click to expand...

I've no idea why you can't install and run Kaspersky AV ver. 7. Mine runs just fine. I will however say again that there is a new version out, Kaspersky Anti Virus 2009, which replaces version 7. Maybe you should get the new version?

I've been running version 7 since Jul 2008 without any issues, and once the subscription ends in Jul 09, I'll upgrade. Again, don't understand why your copy won't work???

As to your other issue, you "might" have a virus, and I would urge you to get an anti-virus program immediately and do a virus scan, get rid of the offending/affected file/program. If you find no viruses, then you may need to reinstall your OS; you may want to do that anyway, depending on how many viruses you find.

My dad purchased 3 kaspersky licences, used two, then rebuilt his first computer and re-installed kaspersky, thinking it would use the same licence key it had used the first time, so that i'd still be able to install it on my computer. Guess not.

He ran an online virus scan on the kaspersky website, which revealed a couple of trojans and other stuff hanging around on my computer, but kaspersky's virus database had no instructions on how to remove them, so I know I have viruses, i'm just lost for what to do now.

I may just reinstall the OS, it seems like the best idea.

sygnus21 · Jan 13, 2009

If it showed you the files, you could delete them I suppose, or you could just get the latest version of Kaspersky or some other anti-virus program, install it and let it do its thing. If you go that route, once the virus scan is done I would get a malware detector like Ad-Aware 2008 Free - Lavasoft, run it and remove any harmful junk.

If you'll still not satisfied, backup your critical files and reinstall the OS. If you do backup files, do a virus scan on them "before" installing them back on the machine.

Good luck

And remember, always use a anti-virus program.

HELP! 32 bit IE, WMP and Windows Live Messenger not working

New Member

My Computer

---------------

My Computer

New Member

My Computer

Member

My Computer

Resistance is Futile

My Computer

---------------

My Computer

New Member

My Computer

New Member

My Computer

Member

My Computer

New Member

My Computer

---------------

My Computer

Here to learn

My Computer

New Member

My Computer

Here to learn

My Computer

Resistance is Futile

My Computer

Here to learn

My Computer

New Member

My Computer

Here to learn

My Computer

New Member

My Computer

Here to learn

My Computer