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Question

Cannot Install Programs

Mar 3, 2016 6:15AM PST

When I try to install programs, I get the message "Could not initialize installation. C:\~1034.TMP The system cannot find the file specified." Any help is apprecciated. I have been at this for two days with no luck.

Discussion is locked

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Answer
Re: installing programs
Mar 3, 2016 6:21AM PST

Does it work OK if you use system restore to go back to when it still worked?

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Re: installing programs
Mar 3, 2016 7:02AM PST

I used system restore. It did not help. As of now, my only restore point is yesterday March 2, when this already was a problem.

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Answer
Apps should not place tmp files in the root.
Mar 3, 2016 8:41AM PST

I wonder if some malware or other has changed the TEMP variable or more. Open a command window/prompt, type SET and copy what you find there in the forum for a check if you can't read it.

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SET Values From Command Prompt
Mar 3, 2016 5:23PM PST

Microsoft Windows [Version 6.1.7601]
Copyright (c) 2009 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

C:\Users\Dominic>set
ALLUSERSPROFILE=C:\ProgramData
AMDAPPSDKROOT=C:\Program Files (x86)\AMD APP\
APPDATA=C:\Users\Dominic\AppData\Roaming
asl.log=Destination=file
CommonProgramFiles=C:\Program Files\Common Files
CommonProgramFiles(x86)=C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files
CommonProgramW6432=C:\Program Files\Common Files
COMPUTERNAME=OFFICE1
ComSpec=C:\Windows\system32\cmd.exe
FP_NO_HOST_CHECK=NO
HOMEDRIVE=C:
HOMEPATH=\Users\Dominic
LOCALAPPDATA=C:\Users\Dominic\AppData\Local
LOGONSERVER=\\OFFICE1
NUMBER_OF_PROCESSORS=4
OS=Windows_NT
Path=C:\ProgramData\Oracle\Java\javapath;C:\Program Files (x86)\AMD APP\bin\x86_
64;C:\Program Files (x86)\AMD APP\bin\x86;C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsof
t Shared\Windows Live;C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Windo
ws Live;C:\Windows\system32;C:\Windows;C:\Windows\System32\Wbem;C:\Windows\Syste
m32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\;C:\Program Files (x86)\ATI Technologies\ATI.ACE\Core
-Static;C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Live\Shared;C:\Program Files (x86)\QuickT
ime\QTSystem\;C:\Program Files (x86)\Skype\Phone\
PATHEXT=.COM;.EXE;.BAT;.CMD;.VBS;.VBE;.JS;.JSE;.WSF;.WSH;.MSC
PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE=AMD64
PROCESSOR_IDENTIFIER=Intel64 Family 6 Model 30 Stepping 5, GenuineIntel
PROCESSOR_LEVEL=6
PROCESSOR_REVISION=1e05
ProgramData=C:\ProgramData
ProgramFiles=C:\Program Files
ProgramFiles(x86)=C:\Program Files (x86)
ProgramW6432=C:\Program Files
PROMPT=$P$G
PSModulePath=C:\Windows\system32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\Modules\
PUBLIC=C:\Users\Public
SESSIONNAME=Console
SystemDrive=C:
SystemRoot=C:\Windows
TEMP=C:\Users\Dominic\AppData\Local\Temp
TMP=C:\Users\Dominic\AppData\Local\Temp
USERDOMAIN=OFFICE1
USERNAME=Dominic
USERPROFILE=C:\Users\Dominic
windir=C:\Windows

C:\Users\Dominic>

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That looks clean.
Mar 3, 2016 5:37PM PST

I'm working as if this is all apps and not just the one you want to install.

A few more things.

1. How many files are listed in C:\ ?
2. What app is failing to install.

And finally, is the Doninic account an admin?

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RE: That Looks Clean
Mar 3, 2016 8:44PM PST

1. How many files are listed in C:\ ?
This number comes from my last virus scan last weekend. 585,518

2. What app is failing to install.
I am trying to install RegRepair. It all started when I went to upgrade MCEBuddy. I had to manually uninstall the previous version. When I went to install the new version, the installer would shut down with the following message: "The advertised application will not be installed because it might be unsafe. Contact your administrator to change the user installation interface option of the package to basic". Since I did a manual uninstall, I assumed I deleted something in the registry. So I did a system restore. When that didn't work I wanted to try RegRepair. This is when I got the original TMP message in the original post. I tried installing a few random apps and get a "Can not create temp folder archive" During my app install testing, I deleted Firefox off the computer and went to download again from Mozilla. The only workaround the can not create temp folder archive error was to run the install in IE.

Yes, I am the administrator. I even tried running the installations by right clicking and running as administrator.

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That's not the file count in the root directory.
Mar 3, 2016 9:16PM PST
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Re: install issues
Mar 4, 2016 1:43AM PST
https://mcebuddy2x.codeplex.com/wikipage?title=MCEBuddy%20Installation%20Issues tells how exactly to uninstall did. Did you follow that to the letter? Not that I thnk this MSI error is related, but it might help.

If you deleted something from the registry, how could any program (such as regrepair) know what to add again? These kind of programs don't work or make it worse. Feel lucky it didn't install.

"Run the install in IE". That's strange. The recommended way is to download the setup (an exe or an msi or whatever) to a folder on the hard disk, and then run that setup (as administrator maybe) from Windows Explorer. Describing that as "I even tried" is strange.

It's not clear from your post what what errors you get when, and what errors you work around when and how.

A thing to try: make a new Windows account with administrative capabilities. Run the install there. What happens?
- If all is fine: keep using that new account. Delete your old administrator account after you copied out all you need.
- If still no luck, the easy solution might be to go back to factory conditions and start all over.

Kees
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Hmm, answer went missing. Short, no link version.
Mar 4, 2016 8:19AM PST

1. That was the total files on all of C: I want to know the count of files in the top folder only. Figure 100ish?

2. Those Registry Repair programs do quite a lot of damage. I usually have to reinstall the OS if the damage can't be undone with system restore.

But do try Disk Cleanup as you used to see this when too many files were in temp.

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Answer
clean boot
Mar 6, 2016 7:23PM PST

How about start your computer with clean boot?

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Answer
Thank you To All That helped
Mar 7, 2016 5:30AM PST

I want to thank all of you who helped me. Unfortunately, there is more going on. Enough that I have made a decision to back up the necessary files, wipe the drive clean and do a fresh install of Windows. Thank you all again.

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Answer
Cannot Install Programs
Mar 8, 2016 6:37AM PST

Just check your computer time and date then try again

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Answer
Cannot Install Programs
Mar 10, 2016 6:38AM PST

The issue can be due to Windows installer issue or it can be issue with the Software which is downloaded there would be some missing files. You can try this step that is System Configuration Utility By Disabling Non-Microsoft & Disable Startup programs.