Solved Accidentally Uninstalled The 'Windows Installer Service' - How To Reinstall It?

pm2397 · Oct 16, 2010

My HP Pavilion DV6516TX Notebook has 32 bit Windows Vista Home Premium with Service Pack 2 installed. I accidentally and somewhat stupidly uninstalled the 'windows installer service' known as 'msiserver' yesterday using emsisoft hijackfree (i have post that event rechecked in services.msc and that specific service is just not available and is absent from the list) and since then i cannot install anything including installing windows updates. Even system restore cannot restore the 'windows installer service' and fails to restore the system completely. Is there any simpler solution to reinstall the 'windows installer service' short of completely reinstalling windows vista home premium back from scratch. I have to inform that all the other default standard services applicable for 32 bit Windows Vista Home Premium with sp2 installed are all available in services.msc

I have the 'windows vista recovery disc' specific for my system from HP when i purchased the notebook in October 2007 but that will restore the system only to factory settings without service pack 1 and 2. There is also an equivalent recovery partition on my system's hard disk. My system already has the windows installer msiexec.exe (version 4.5) in the system32 folder of windows. The winsxs store is also there. The registry however is bereft of msiserver.

I do agree it was completely stupid of me to uninstall the windows installer service but if there is a simpler solution from you as experts please do provide the stepwise details to reinstall this specific service. Can it be done solely through a registry modification or something more is required? I would be highly thankful to any or all of you if you can help me with the stepwise details of the re-installation of the windows installer service msiserver. If however, the only solution is to completely reinstall vista from scratch please state so.

bruce2 · Oct 16, 2010

Hi pm2397, welcome to the board.

I don't see any short cuts to it. To restore the system to original factory settings with the recovery disk HP provided seems to be the best option. Plus this will avoid any other issues might show up later. Service pack 1 and 2 with be automatically update when recovery is completed. Please remember to backup all your important data.

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

Bruce

mitchell · Oct 16, 2010

Hallo pm2397, have a look at this tutorial you may be able to use parts of it to re establish the service or at least be able to use it in safe mode.
It is written for Windows Seven & i don't have Vista at the moment to compare the Registry & Services to see if you can apply it to Vista, worth a look anyway

Uninstall and Remove Software in Safe Mode - Windows 7 Forums

pm2397 · Oct 17, 2010

bruce2 said:
Hi pm2397, welcome to the board.

I don't see any short cuts to it. To restore the system to original factory settings with the recovery disk HP provided seems to be the best option. Plus this will avoid any other issues might show up later. Service pack 1 and 2 with be automatically update when recovery is completed. Please remember to backup all your important data.

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

Bruce

Sir, i am sure there must be a simpler method such as a 'solely specific' (msiserver branch in the registry) exported compatible .reg registry file from a similar Vista system (with 'common msiserver settings' in the registry) in which the windows installer service is working properly. This can then be merged with my system registry to make the windows installer service to work once again. Please consider this method and provide your comments.

Secondly, the method you suggested will only be a last option scenario but in that too the service pack 1 and 2 will not be automatically updated when recovery is complete, because the recovery disc is for the retail version of the OS and provided with my system by HP when purchased in October 2007 when neither service pack 1 nor service pack 2 was in existence. So, these 2 service packs will have to be downloaded online and then installed. Further, Microsoft support is no longer available for the retail version of the OS as on date but only for the service pack 2 installed version of the OS currently. So, altogether it may not be a very practical solution and much time-taking. Anyway thanks for your response at least.

pm2397 · Oct 17, 2010

mitchell said:
Hallo pm2397, have a look at this tutorial you may be able to use parts of it to re establish the service or at least be able to use it in safe mode.
It is written for Windows Seven & i don't have Vista at the moment to compare the Registry & Services to see if you can apply it to Vista, worth a look anyway

Uninstall and Remove Software in Safe Mode - Windows 7 Forums

Sir, maybe it may apply to Vista maybe not because i do not know the exact differences between Vista and Windows 7 as i have never worked with a Windows 7 system. But can i take that risk unless it is an established procedure for 32 bit Windows Vista Home Premium with service pack 2 installed is the moot question running in my mind. Please do reassess and respond if you find some solution that can surely work out as quite logical. Anyway thanks at least for responding quickly.

Please see if you can assess and comment on the method i have discussed in my reply above to Bruce2.

niemiro · Oct 18, 2010

Give me a few minutes to compose my reply!

Richard

niemiro · Oct 18, 2010

Hello pm2397!

My name is Richard, and I will be helping you to try and fix this problem. Before you follow these instructions, please do the following:

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/76332-system-restore-point-create.html << I know it does not work, but we should create one anyway.

ERUNT and NTREGOPT << Please create an ERUNT backup.

Right, please run steps 1, 2A, 3 (about 15 minutes), 4, 5, and then Step 1 from the top yellow box, but only follow this last one if Integrity Violations were found. Please upload the new sfcdetails.txt from your Desktop. http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/66978-system-files-sfc-command.html

If the issue has been fixed, do not continue!

Please check to see if it is in the quarantine box of Emsisoft HiJackFree, and restore it if it is.

If the issue has been fixed, do not continue!

Import the registry script included at the bottom of this post.

If the issue has been fixed, do not continue!

Re-run SFC, and upload the latest sfcdetails.txt from your Desktop.

If the issue has been fixed, do not continue!

Tell me the symptoms you are still getting. Include:

Any changes that have taken place.
If it (Windows Installer) shows up in services.msc.
if it does, what error message do you get when you try to start it up.
Any additional information.

Thanks!

Richard

ilikefree · Oct 18, 2010

How to Restore Windows Installer Service | eHow.com

niemiro · Oct 18, 2010

ilikefree said:
How to Restore Windows Installer Service | eHow.com

msiexec.exe /unregister
msiexec.exe /regserver
msiexec.exe /unreg
etc.

These have been discontinued in Vista and 7. This article only applies to Windows XP and below, and serves no function on modern systems. The registry permissions changes may even cause more problems. Please see my post above

pm2397 · Oct 18, 2010

niemiro said:
Hello pm2397!

My name is Richard, and I will be helping you to try and fix this problem. Before you follow these instructions, please do the following:

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/76332-system-restore-point-create.html << I know it does not work, but we should create one anyway.

ERUNT and NTREGOPT << Please create an ERUNT backup.

Right, please run steps 1, 2A, 3 (about 15 minutes), 4, 5, and then Step 1 from the top yellow box, but only follow this last one if Integrity Violations were found. Please upload the new sfcdetails.txt from your Desktop. http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/66978-system-files-sfc-command.html

If the issue has been fixed, do not continue!

Please check to see if it is in the quarantine box of Emsisoft HiJackFree, and restore it if it is.

If the issue has been fixed, do not continue!

Import the registry script included at the bottom of this post.

If the issue has been fixed, do not continue!

Re-run SFC, and upload the latest sfcdetails.txt from your Desktop.

If the issue has been fixed, do not continue!

Tell me the symptoms you are still getting. Include:

Any changes that have taken place.

If it (Windows Installer) shows up in services.msc.

if it does, what error message do you get when you try to start it up.

Any additional information.

Thanks!

Richard

FAO: niemiro - Reply To Your Post #7

First of all i want to inform you that it was while surfing the Web using Google Search in relation to some issue i was facing some time back i first landed up on a Web page on this Forum and that thread involved specifically you helping out a person whose system registry was widely and badly messed up. It was then that i really admired your specific skills and painstaking and persistent approach in resolving that issue. I had then read that whole thread and kept in my mind that if i ever faced any issues may God hopefully help me through you. So i remembered this forum and posted this specific issue i had now faced on it. And see now you are specifically available there to help me with the msiserver.reg file.

However, even before your post on this present specific issue offering me help with the msiserver.reg file was in my notice on my e-mail address, i had been helped with a similar msiserver.reg file by someone else not on this forum because it was in my mind (as already apparent from my earlier replies to other Posters on this thread that such a msiserver.reg file from a similar system in which the 'Windows Installer Service' works) could help me resolve this issue and i had spread my hands for help for it elsewhere too.

I have to inform you that that msiserver.reg file from that someone else not on this forum has helped me to fully resolve the issue i posted in this thread. On merging that msiserver.reg file into my system registry and rebooting the system the 'Windows Installer Service' is now up and listed in Services.msc with Startup type as 'Manual'. And nothing else was required to be done to resolve the issue. Now Windows Updates are being downloaded and installed on my system and even i can install applications on my system or even uninstall them.

I am sure that had your post offering help with the msiserver.reg file preceded the one already made earlier by someone else not on this forum in the meantime, it would surely have been you would be the one to have definitely resolved this issue faced by me through the msiserver.reg file attached with your post. So equal thanks to you as to that someone else too. Definitely if someone else faces a similar issue on a Vista system in future the msiserver.reg file you have attached may help to resolve it.

I will come back to specifically you for help in future if i face any issues on my system because i know you are one of the best technically and your approach is with a never-say-die attitude.

Coming to the other steps you have suggested in your post i have the following comments to make although at this stage they are only of academic interest as the issue is already resolved.

Restore point Creation - Sir, you must be aware that in 32 bit Windows Vista Home Premium with SP2 installed the System Restore Configuration is disabled by Group Policy default setting. The other point is that in this Edition of Vista, the Group Policy Editor is not made available. in view of this manual creation of Restore Points is normally not possible as the Create Button is greyed out and even temporary disabling of System Restore is not normally allowed by the default Group Policy settings. I seem to remember having read somewhere that a registry hack can be used to get around this issue but do not remember exactly how it is done. Further, in that case the reverse hack must also be made available to restore the settings back to default later. I think it may be sometimes important to disable System restore temporarily to remove a virus from a System permanently that resides in the System Volume Information area where earlier versions of a System are stored by System Restore. But this technique has the downside that all earlier System Restore Points are then gone permanently.

Backing up the Registry using ERUNT and NTREGOPT: I think there are some known issues with Vista in backing up the Registry using ERUNT as already mentioned on the ERUNT Website but yes that is still otherwise good enough. I am not very sure about NTREGOPT.

SFC /Scannow (Issue is already resolved so not needed as per your suggestion): I am sure you must be suspecting the integrity of some system files on my system but is there any reason for that unless some virus has infected some files. Norton Internet Security is up and running on my system since i purchased the System in October 2007. In that case it can be done. But is there any downside to using SFC /Scannow considering if it does not complete because it may then entail a repair installation ultimately?

Starting up the Windows Installer Service in Services.msc after the merger of the msiserver.reg file in the registry and a System Restart: Sir, no issues there it starts up. Its really fine.

Quarantine box check of Emsisoft Hljackfree to see if the 'Windows Installer Service' is there in it and to restore it.: Sir, there is no quarantine box in Emsisoft Hijackfree. One is available in Emsisoft Anti-Malware but there it only stores files infected by Malware not uninstalled files.

Additional Information: Sir, everything is fine except that in Services.msc i find that the Volume Shadow Copy Service is set to only 'Manual', whereas as per the required default settings it should be 'Manual Started'. However when i start it up there are no issues and it starts up but on a system Restart it again reverts back to only 'Manual'. I don't understand why this should be so?

If you so insist after specific confirmation by you i will run SFC /Scannow on my system and upload the sfcdetails.txt .

Looking Forward to your reply to the above and your esteemed help in future too. Thanks a lot

pm2397

ilikefree · Oct 18, 2010

niemiro said:
ilikefree said:

How to Restore Windows Installer Service | eHow.com

Click to expand...

msiexec.exe /unregister
msiexec.exe /regserver
msiexec.exe /unreg
etc.

Click to expand...

These have been discontinued in Vista and 7. This article only applies to Windows XP and below, and serves no function on modern systems. The registry permissions changes may even cause more problems. Please see my post above

Reading further would take you to this page about Vista.

Windows Installer Redistributables (Windows)

niemiro · Oct 19, 2010

ilikefree said:
niemiro said:

ilikefree said:

How to Restore Windows Installer Service | eHow.com

Click to expand...

msiexec.exe /unregister
msiexec.exe /regserver
msiexec.exe /unreg
etc.

Click to expand...

These have been discontinued in Vista and 7. This article only applies to Windows XP and below, and serves no function on modern systems. The registry permissions changes may even cause more problems. Please see my post above

Click to expand...

Reading further would take you to this page about Vista.

Windows Installer Redistributables (Windows)

Missed that, well done, but the Windows Installer Redistributable v4.5 will only install on Vista and Vista SP1. It will not install on Vista SP2, with a "This update does not apply to your system" error message, however, I do now see that the article does apply to more than just Windows XP as I made out that it did.

niemiro · Oct 19, 2010

First of all i want to inform you that it was while surfing the Web using Google Search in relation to some issue i was facing some time back i first landed up on a Web page on this Forum and that thread involved specifically you helping out a person whose system registry was widely and badly messed up. It was then that i really admired your specific skills and painstaking and persistent approach in resolving that issue. I had then read that whole thread and kept in my mind that if i ever faced any issues may God hopefully help me through you. So i remembered this forum and posted this specific issue i had now faced on it. And see now you are specifically available there to help me with the msiserver.reg file.

Did you remember my name, or my annoying avatar!? That was one of the few issues that I failed to solve satisfactorily.

However, even before your post on this present specific issue offering me help with the msiserver.reg file was in my notice on my e-mail address, i had been helped with a similar msiserver.reg file by someone else not on this forum because it was in my mind (as already apparent from my earlier replies to other Posters on this thread that such a msiserver.reg file from a similar system in which the 'Windows Installer Service' works) could help me resolve this issue and i had spread my hands for help for it elsewhere too.

I have to inform you that that msiserver.reg file from that someone else not on this forum has helped me to fully resolve the issue i posted in this thread. On merging that msiserver.reg file into my system registry and rebooting the system the 'Windows Installer Service' is now up and listed in Services.msc with Startup type as 'Manual'. And nothing else was required to be done to resolve the issue. Now Windows Updates are being downloaded and installed on my system and even i can install applications on my system or even uninstall them.

I am sure that had your post offering help with the msiserver.reg file preceded the one already made earlier by someone else not on this forum in the meantime, it would surely have been you would be the one to have definitely resolved this issue faced by me through the msiserver.reg file attached with your post. So equal thanks to you as to that someone else too. Definitely if someone else faces a similar issue on a Vista system in future the msiserver.reg file you have attached may help to resolve it.

I am really glad the issue has been solved. Well done on finding a solution. I am really happy for you! :party:

I will come back to specifically you for help in future if i face any issues on my system because i know you are one of the best technically and your approach is with a never-say-die attitude.

I try to fix everything without a re-install, although once or twice I have had to say that. The case that springs to mind is the one that you saw. However, don't be afraid of other users

because I am not a specialist. I can deal with the normal stuff, but there are people out there who can deal with Windows Update issues, BSoDs, and malware, far better than I can, and I would not try to deal with those issues.

Coming to the other steps you have suggested in your post i have the following comments to make although at this stage they are only of academic interest as the issue is already resolved.

Let us see what we can all learn from this!

Restore point Creation - Sir, you must be aware that in 32 bit Windows Vista Home Premium with SP2 installed the System Restore Configuration is disabled by Group Policy default setting. The other point is that in this Edition of Vista, the Group Policy Editor is not made available. in view of this manual creation of Restore Points is normally not possible as the Create Button is greyed out and even temporary disabling of System Restore is not normally allowed by the default Group Policy settings. I seem to remember having read somewhere that a registry hack can be used to get around this issue but do not remember exactly how it is done. Further, in that case the reverse hack must also be made available to restore the settings back to default later. I think it may be sometimes important to disable System restore temporarily to remove a virus from a System permanently that resides in the System Volume Information area where earlier versions of a System are stored by System Restore. But this technique has the downside that all earlier System Restore Points are then gone permanently.

You are correct, the Group Policy Editor is not available in Home Premium, however, you can create a restore point manually. See here: http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/76332-system-restore-point-create.html

Backing up the Registry using ERUNT and NTREGOPT: I think there are some known issues with Vista in backing up the Registry using ERUNT as already mentioned on the ERUNT Website but yes that is still otherwise good enough. I am not very sure about NTREGOPT.

ERUNT is all we want. We use ERUNT all the time over at my malware removal school on Vista and 7, and never had a problem yet.

SFC /Scannow (Issue is already resolved so not needed as per your suggestion): I am sure you must be suspecting the integrity of some system files on my system but is there any reason for that unless some virus has infected some files. Norton Internet Security is up and running on my system since i purchased the System in October 2007. In that case it can be done. But is there any downside to using SFC /Scannow considering if it does not complete because it may then entail a repair installation ultimately?

There is never any harm to running SFC. I don't particularly suspect a virus or corrupted file, but if you would like us to check anyway, we are more than happy to do so. We always run SFC because it is so easy, causes no problems, and we may as well check. It would be embarrassing if we did all this complex diagnostic and registry work, and SFC just fixes it like that.

Starting up the Windows Installer Service in Services.msc after the merger of the msiserver.reg file in the registry and a System Restart: Sir, no issues there it starts up. Its really fine.

Good news!

Quarantine box check of Emsisoft Hljackfree to see if the 'Windows Installer Service' is there in it and to restore it.: Sir, there is no quarantine box in Emsisoft Hijackfree. One is available in Emsisoft Anti-Malware but there it only stores files infected by Malware not uninstalled files.

There is for me on Version 4.5. I was not familiar with this program, so I downloaded it yesterday. See screenshot below. You are aware that you are using the Spin-off/spoof Emisoft HiJackFree, rather than the original and trustworthy Trend Micro HiJackThis?

Additional Information: Sir, everything is fine except that in Services.msc i find that the Volume Shadow Copy Service is set to only 'Manual', whereas as per the required default settings it should be 'Manual Started'. However when i start it up there are no issues and it starts up but on a system Restart it again reverts back to only 'Manual'. I don't understand why this should be so?

I am running SP2, and although Black Viper says that it should be set to Manual (Started), it is not on my machine. I have the same symptoms as you. See here: Volume Shadow Copy - Process and Service wiki

However, I don't actually use the Volume Shadow Copy, and this is probably why it is not actually started on my computer. Do you use it? See here to find out what it is: Shadow Copy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

If you so insist after specific confirmation by you i will run SFC /Scannow on my system and upload the sfcdetails.txt .

No need to. Only if you want absolute confirmation that there is no detected file system corruption on your computer.

Looking Forward to your reply to the above and your esteemed help in future too. Thanks a lot

pm2397

You are most welcome! It has been a pleasure working with you!

Richard

niemiro · Oct 19, 2010

Since you seem quite interested (you may not be, if this is the case, just ignore this) in how we might deal with a corruption of the Windows Side by Side configuration. Have a look at the thread below. What starts off as a simple file replace, turns into a very complex script to try to repair the Windows SxS (Side by Side) http://www.vistax64.com/system-security/281406-corrupt-parental-controls-file.html

Richard

senojdr2 · Oct 20, 2010

pm2397 said:
My HP Pavilion DV6516TX Notebook has 32 bit Windows Vista Home Premium with Service Pack 2 installed. I accidentally and somewhat stupidly uninstalled the 'windows installer service' known as 'msiserver' yesterday using emsisoft hijackfree (i have post that event rechecked in services.msc and that specific service is just not available and is absent from the list) and since then i cannot install anything including installing windows updates. Even system restore cannot restore the 'windows installer service' and fails to restore the system completely. Is there any simpler solution to reinstall the 'windows installer service' short of completely reinstalling windows vista home premium back from scratch. I have to inform that all the other default standard services applicable for 32 bit Windows Vista Home Premium with sp2 installed are all available in services.msc

I have the 'windows vista recovery disc' specific for my system from HP when i purchased the notebook in October 2007 but that will restore the system only to factory settings without service pack 1 and 2. There is also an equivalent recovery partition on my system's hard disk. My system already has the windows installer msiexec.exe (version 4.5) in the system32 folder of windows. The winsxs store is also there. The registry however is bereft of msiserver.

I do agree it was completely stupid of me to uninstall the windows installer service but if there is a simpler solution from you as experts please do provide the stepwise details to reinstall this specific service. Can it be done solely through a registry modification or something more is required? I would be highly thankful to any or all of you if you can help me with the stepwise details of the re-installation of the windows installer service msiserver. If however, the only solution is to completely reinstall vista from scratch please state so.

Go to microsoft in downloads type windows installer.Page will offer installer for your system.download and install.This should fix problem

niemiro · Oct 20, 2010

senojdr2 said:
pm2397 said:

My HP Pavilion DV6516TX Notebook has 32 bit Windows Vista Home Premium with Service Pack 2 installed. I accidentally and somewhat stupidly uninstalled the 'windows installer service' known as 'msiserver' yesterday using emsisoft hijackfree (i have post that event rechecked in services.msc and that specific service is just not available and is absent from the list) and since then i cannot install anything including installing windows updates. Even system restore cannot restore the 'windows installer service' and fails to restore the system completely. Is there any simpler solution to reinstall the 'windows installer service' short of completely reinstalling windows vista home premium back from scratch. I have to inform that all the other default standard services applicable for 32 bit Windows Vista Home Premium with sp2 installed are all available in services.msc

I have the 'windows vista recovery disc' specific for my system from HP when i purchased the notebook in October 2007 but that will restore the system only to factory settings without service pack 1 and 2. There is also an equivalent recovery partition on my system's hard disk. My system already has the windows installer msiexec.exe (version 4.5) in the system32 folder of windows. The winsxs store is also there. The registry however is bereft of msiserver.

I do agree it was completely stupid of me to uninstall the windows installer service but if there is a simpler solution from you as experts please do provide the stepwise details to reinstall this specific service. Can it be done solely through a registry modification or something more is required? I would be highly thankful to any or all of you if you can help me with the stepwise details of the re-installation of the windows installer service msiserver. If however, the only solution is to completely reinstall vista from scratch please state so.

Click to expand...

Go to microsoft in downloads type windows installer.Page will offer installer for your system.download and install.This should fix problem

No it won't in Vista SP2. This is what we have just been discussing. Anyway, the problem is now solved.

pm2397 · Oct 20, 2010

FAO: niemiro. Reply to your Post #13

Quote: Did you remember my name, or my annoying avatar!? That was one of the few issues that I failed to solve satisfactorily.

Reply: Just by 'niemiro'. It does not matter to me that that issue was not solved. That actually 'largely' depends on how much corrupted that person's system was. The important thing for me was your dedication towards solving that issue and your persistence in fighting against the odds.

Quote: You are correct, the Group Policy Editor is not available in Home Premium, however, you can create a restore point manually. See here: http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/76332-system-restore-point-create.html

Reply: Yes. Thanks for the above link. In fact i think most users do not realize how powerful the Task Scheduler application really is. But i also think then malware programmers must be also using it for their own disruptive purposes which is the bad part.

Quote: There is for me on Version 4.5. I was not familiar with this program, so I downloaded it yesterday.

Reply: Actually when you download Emsisoft Anti-Malware there is a trial period in which you get the full functionality of the program. I had already completed the trial period so now the program works only in 'free license' mode so all the features are not enabled any longer.

Quote: However, I don't actually use the Volume Shadow Copy, and this is probably why it is not actually started on my computer. Do you use it?

Reply: I don't actually use it. But actually the difference just struck me when i was comparing Black Viper's Default Services Configuration for Vista SP2 with the status of the services on my system as viewed in Services.msc. I think it may be of use to those who install Norton Ghost or other similar applications which then must require to use the Volume Shadow Copy Service.

Quote regarding SFC / ScanNow: No need to. Only if you want absolute confirmation that there is no detected file system corruption on your computer.

Reply: Ok i will just let it slide for the present at least.

Quote: You are most welcome! It has been a pleasure working with you!

Reply: I just found out two (i think mutually related) issues in my same system that i want that you specifically tackle and help me with. I already know it has to go into a new thread. But i want you to inform me in which section of the forum (and also suggest an apt Title description of the twin issues as requested later below) i should post it given the following details:

These two issues occur only in Safe Mode and surprisingly not at all in normal boot mode.

1. If i right click on 'My Computer' (to open it in 'explore mode') in Safe Mode the system hangs.

2. If however i double click 'My Computer' in Safe Mode Windows Explorer then opens in 'open' mode. In the Windows Explorer window that opens, if i right click on any folder or file again the system hangs. If however instead of this i left click on a folder or file in the window and then click the 'File' Menu on top, surprisingly the right click Options all become visible. Strange isn't it?

Now i want you to also suggest an appropriate Title description of the New Thread that reflect the exact issues.

Think you are upto it? If yes, i shall be waiting for your reply. If not, i will still wait for your reply. Thanks in advance.

pm2397

niemiro · Oct 20, 2010

Hello again!

You are correct, the Group Policy Editor is not available in Home Premium, however, you can create a restore point manually. See here: http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/76332-system-restore-point-create.html

Click to expand...

Yes. Thanks for the above link. In fact i think most users do not realize how powerful the Task Scheduler application really is. But i also think then malware programmers must be also using it for their own disruptive purposes which is the bad part.

Malware writers do use it, but not often. There are several disadvantages for them:

We know about it, and it is easy for us to clean. Scanned by anti-malware scanners.
There are some lovely, extremely rare startup locations in the registry, which are more productive for them.

Those are the biggest two. Most will stick with registry startups. Now the choice of looking suspicious in an odd startup location, but being missed by some scanners, or choosing a normal registry startup location, and trying to pretend to be something else, something good. May fool some humans, but would a good malware scanner scan the file and pick them up? Big choices for a malware writer. We bust them all up with our specialist tools!

There is for me on Version 4.5. I was not familiar with this program, so I downloaded it yesterday.

Click to expand...

Actually when you download Emsisoft Anti-Malware there is a trial period in which you get the full functionality of the program. I had already completed the trial period so now the program works only in 'free license' mode so all the features are not enabled any longer.

Fine, shows how little I know about this spoof!

However, I don't actually use the Volume Shadow Copy, and this is probably why it is not actually started on my computer. Do you use it?

Click to expand...

I don't actually use it. But actually the difference just struck me when i was comparing Black Viper's Default Services Configuration for Vista SP2 with the status of the services on my system as viewed in Services.msc. I think it may be of use to those who install Norton Ghost or other similar applications which then must require to use the Volume Shadow Copy Service.

I don't think Norton Ghost relies on VSC. It is an alternative to, but does not have to be turned on. I think that it is simply whether you turn it on or not as to whether it is started or not.

No need to. Only if you want absolute confirmation that there is no detected file system corruption on your computer.

Click to expand...

Ok i will just let it slide for the present at least.

Since that we are now trouble shooting another issue, you probably should run it, just to be safe.

You are most welcome! It has been a pleasure working with you!

Click to expand...

I just found out two (i think mutually related) issues in my same system that i want that you specifically tackle and help me with. I already know it has to go into a new thread. But i want you to inform me in which section of the forum (and also suggest an apt Title description of the twin issues as requested later below) i should post it given the following details:

These two issues occur only in Safe Mode and surprisingly not at all in normal boot mode.

1. If i right click on 'My Computer' (to open it in 'explore mode') in Safe Mode the system hangs.

2. If however i double click 'My Computer' in Safe Mode Windows Explorer then opens in 'open' mode. In the Windows Explorer window that opens, if i right click on any folder or file again the system hangs. If however instead of this i left click on a folder or file in the window and then click the 'File' Menu on top, surprisingly the right click Options all become visible. Strange isn't it?

Now i want you to also suggest an appropriate Title description of the New Thread that reflect the exact issues.

Think you are up to it? If yes, i shall be waiting for your reply. If not, i will still wait for your reply. Thanks in advance.

pm2397

Not fussed about the title. Certainly put them into one thread "explorer.exe issues in Safe Mode only" or something. That sort of title is intriguing, and not specific, so nobody says "not for me" or "I have no clue". We are supposed to encourage you to make titles very specific, but this will draw in the entire forum!

In the mean time, please run SFC following the instructions below, just to check.

There is however one more interesting registry entry point that allows us to add a startup to Safe Mode. I will check to see if anything has been added here which could cause an incompatibility, but it is a very strange problem. I have never seen anything like it.

Right, please run steps 1, 2A, 3 (about 15 minutes), 4, 5, and then Step 1 from the top yellow box, but only follow this last one if Integrity Violations were found. Please upload the new sfcdetails.txt from your Desktop. System Files - SFC Command

And the entry point:

OTL - Download or alternative link here and here

Download OTL to your Desktop

Double click on the icon to run it. Make sure all other windows are closed and to let it run uninterrupted.

Under the Custom Scan box paste this in:

safebootnetwork
safebootminimal

Click the None button, followed by the Run Scan button. Do not change any settings unless otherwise told to do so. The scan wont take long.
- When the scan completes, it will open one notepad window. OTL.Txt These are saved in the same location as OTL.
- Please copy (Edit->Select All, Edit->Copy) the contents of this file, and post them here.

I am not too fussed if you continue with this here, since this is your thread, but you would get a better response by posting a new thread. Once you have created your new thread, post the link here. Thanks!

Richard

pm2397 · Oct 22, 2010

FAO: niemiro Reply to Post #18

[Quote: Once you have created your new thread, post the link here.]

Reply: Here it is. http://www.vistax64.com/general-dis...xplorer-occur-only-safe-mode.html#post1294536

[Quote: In the mean time, please run SFC following the instructions below, just to check.

Right, please run steps 1, 2A, 3 (about 15 minutes), 4, 5, and then Step 1 from the top yellow box, but only follow this last one if Integrity Violations were found.

Please upload the new sfcdetails.txt from your Desktop. System Files - SFC Command]

Reply: I followed your above instructions and accordingly find attached the file sfcdetails.txt with this post. At the end of running SFC /Scannow i got the message 'Windows Resource Protection did not find any Integrity Violations'.

[Quote: And the entry point:

OTL - Download or alternative link here and here
Download OTL to your Desktop * Double click on the icon to run it.
Make sure all other windows are closed and to let it run uninterrupted.
Under the Custom Scan box paste this in:

safebootnetwork
safebootminimal

* Click the None button, followed by the Run Scan button.
Do not change any settings unless otherwise told to do so.
The scan wont take long.

o When the scan completes, it will open one notepad window.
OTL.Txt These are saved in the same location as OTL.
o Please copy (Edit->Select All, Edit->Copy) the contents of this file, and post them here.]

Reply: Followed your instructions and therefore please find below the contents of the file OTL.txt:

OTL logfile created on: 10/21/2010 03:39:19 - Run 4
OTL by OldTimer - Version 3.2.16.0 Folder = C:\Users\Prashant Mujumdar\Desktop
Windows Vista Home Premium Edition Service Pack 2 (Version = 6.0.6002) - Type = NTWorkstation
Internet Explorer (Version = 8.0.6001.18975)

Locale: 00004009 | Country: India | Language: ENN | Date Format: M/d/yyyy
2.00 Gb Total Physical Memory | 1.00 Gb Available Physical Memory | 35.00% Memory free
4.00 Gb Paging File | 2.00 Gb Available in Paging File | 40.00% Paging File free
Paging file location(s): c:\pagefile.sys 0 0 [binary data]

%SystemDrive% = C: | %SystemRoot% = C:\Windows | %ProgramFiles% = C:\Program Files
Drive C: | 140.84 Gb Total Space | 26.27 Gb Free Space | 18.65% Space Free | Partition Type: NTFS
Drive D: | 8.20 Gb Total Space | 2.44 Gb Free Space | 29.70% Space Free | Partition Type: NTFS

Computer Name: PM-INDIVIDUAL | User Name: Prashant Mujumdar | Logged in as Administrator.
Boot Mode: Normal | Scan Mode: Current user
Company Name Whitelist: Off | Skip Microsoft Files: Off | No Company Name Whitelist: Off | File Age = 30 Days

SafeBootNet: AppMgmt - Service
SafeBootNet: Base - Driver Group
SafeBootNet: Boot Bus Extender - Driver Group
SafeBootNet: Boot file system - Driver Group
SafeBootNet: File system - Driver Group
SafeBootNet: Filter - Driver Group
SafeBootNet: HelpSvc - Service
SafeBootNet: LanmanWorkstation - File not found
SafeBootNet: Messenger - File not found
SafeBootNet: NDIS Wrapper - Driver Group
SafeBootNet: NetBIOSGroup - Driver Group
SafeBootNet: NetDDEGroup - Driver Group
SafeBootNet: Network - Driver Group
SafeBootNet: NetworkProvider - Driver Group
SafeBootNet: NTDS - File not found
SafeBootNet: PCI Configuration - Driver Group
SafeBootNet: PNP Filter - Driver Group
SafeBootNet: PNP_TDI - Driver Group
SafeBootNet: Primary disk - Driver Group
SafeBootNet: rdsessmgr - Service
SafeBootNet: sacsvr - Service
SafeBootNet: SCSI Class - Driver Group
SafeBootNet: Streams Drivers - Driver Group
SafeBootNet: System Bus Extender - Driver Group
SafeBootNet: TDI - Driver Group
SafeBootNet: WinDefend - C:\Program Files\Windows Defender\MpSvc.dll (Microsoft Corporation)
SafeBootNet: WudfUsbccidDriver - Driver
SafeBootNet: {36FC9E60-C465-11CF-8056-444553540000} - Universal Serial Bus controllers
SafeBootNet: {4D36E965-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318} - CD-ROM Drive
SafeBootNet: {4D36E967-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318} - DiskDrive
SafeBootNet: {4D36E969-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318} - Standard floppy disk controller
SafeBootNet: {4D36E96A-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318} - Hdc
SafeBootNet: {4D36E96B-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318} - Keyboard
SafeBootNet: {4D36E96F-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318} - Mouse
SafeBootNet: {4D36E972-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318} - Net
SafeBootNet: {4D36E973-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318} - NetClient
SafeBootNet: {4D36E974-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318} - NetService
SafeBootNet: {4D36E975-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318} - NetTrans
SafeBootNet: {4D36E977-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318} - PCMCIA Adapters
SafeBootNet: {4D36E97B-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318} - SCSIAdapter
SafeBootNet: {4D36E97D-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318} - System
SafeBootNet: {4D36E980-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318} - Floppy disk drive
SafeBootNet: {50DD5230-BA8A-11D1-BF5D-0000F805F530} - Smart card readers
SafeBootNet: {533C5B84-EC70-11D2-9505-00C04F79DEAF} - Volume shadow copy
SafeBootNet: {6BDD1FC1-810F-11D0-BEC7-08002BE2092F} - IEEE 1394 Bus host controllers
SafeBootNet: {71A27CDD-812A-11D0-BEC7-08002BE2092F} - Volume
SafeBootNet: {745A17A0-74D3-11D0-B6FE-00A0C90F57DA} - Human Interface Devices
SafeBootNet: {D48179BE-EC20-11D1-B6B8-00C04FA372A7} - SBP2 IEEE 1394 Devices
SafeBootNet: {D94EE5D8-D189-4994-83D2-F68D7D41B0E6} - SecurityDevices

SafeBootMin: AppMgmt - Service
SafeBootMin: Base - Driver Group
SafeBootMin: Boot Bus Extender - Driver Group
SafeBootMin: Boot file system - Driver Group
SafeBootMin: File system - Driver Group
SafeBootMin: Filter - Driver Group
SafeBootMin: HelpSvc - Service
SafeBootMin: NTDS - File not found
SafeBootMin: PCI Configuration - Driver Group
SafeBootMin: PNP Filter - Driver Group
SafeBootMin: Primary disk - Driver Group
SafeBootMin: sacsvr - Service
SafeBootMin: SCSI Class - Driver Group
SafeBootMin: System Bus Extender - Driver Group
SafeBootMin: WinDefend - C:\Program Files\Windows Defender\MpSvc.dll (Microsoft Corporation)
SafeBootMin: {36FC9E60-C465-11CF-8056-444553540000} - Universal Serial Bus controllers
SafeBootMin: {4D36E965-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318} - CD-ROM Drive
SafeBootMin: {4D36E967-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318} - DiskDrive
SafeBootMin: {4D36E969-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318} - Standard floppy disk controller
SafeBootMin: {4D36E96A-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318} - Hdc
SafeBootMin: {4D36E96B-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318} - Keyboard
SafeBootMin: {4D36E96F-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318} - Mouse
SafeBootMin: {4D36E977-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318} - PCMCIA Adapters
SafeBootMin: {4D36E97B-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318} - SCSIAdapter
SafeBootMin: {4D36E97D-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318} - System
SafeBootMin: {4D36E980-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318} - Floppy disk drive
SafeBootMin: {533C5B84-EC70-11D2-9505-00C04F79DEAF} - Volume shadow copy
SafeBootMin: {6BDD1FC1-810F-11D0-BEC7-08002BE2092F} - IEEE 1394 Bus host controllers
SafeBootMin: {71A27CDD-812A-11D0-BEC7-08002BE2092F} - Volume
SafeBootMin: {745A17A0-74D3-11D0-B6FE-00A0C90F57DA} - Human Interface Devices
SafeBootMin: {D48179BE-EC20-11D1-B6B8-00C04FA372A7} - SBP2 IEEE 1394 Devices
SafeBootMin: {D94EE5D8-D189-4994-83D2-F68D7D41B0E6} - SecurityDevices <

End of report >

Hope there are not too many issues lurking in there, are there?

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