Suspect Registry problem...and nervous

[Simaril]

I've recently had a moderately annoying problem that's just bad enough to make me want to fix it, but minor enough that if something goes wrong with the fix I'll kick myself into next week. Wondering if you folks might have any suggestions.

So here's the deal. I run XP on a core2duo, and not long ago went through the windows update sequence. (Don't use automatic updates, so do this manually every so often.) During the update process, the computer hard locked while installing an update for the .net framework 3.0. Tried what tricks I know, but in the end there was no choice but to use the 3-sec power button to shut down.

Since then, I've been in an endless loop with the machine trying to install the 3.0 update when I turn the computer off, looking fine when I turn it back on and for that session, and then trying to install the update again when I shut down the time after that. I've done a system clean trying to get rid of retained temp files, and I've completely uninstalled the .net framework without any improvement. I've also tried repeating the windows update process to no avail. Then I tried going to old system restore points, but all the points prior to the attempted update fail to "go back," and no changes are made to the computer.

There's another wrinkle in this. We use Netflix and have come to like their instant view service, which lets us stream disks to the computer and watch there. Well, over the past 6 months I've had to restore a mirror disk backup twice (for unrelated reasons), and after the second time I found the instant view didn't work. In discussions with their tech people, it appears that when they say you can install it "on up to three computers" they actually mean "you can run our installation program three times." The program puts a key into the registry to identify the computer as an allowed client, so when I restored my mirror backups (which were unfortunately from an image before the Netflix installation) I used up one my allowed installations without knowing it. They OK'd the reinstallation under the circumstances, but made it clear I couldn't do it again until January of '09. All of which means I HAVE to have a reliable copy of the registry from after the "last chance" activation, and I'd rather live with the annoying loop than lose the Netflix.

I've not yet run a registry cleaner partly because I didn't think it would identify the update as a problem, and partly because I'm a little nervous to use even a previously successful automatic program when I'm not sure quite what's going on.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

[BaldEagl]

I don't know how to help you but I find it odd that it's trying to install when you shut down rather than boot up.  If it were during boot-up I'd tell you to look at the Autoexec file by booting to DOS and try to find/delete the line that's causing the problem.

Also, as to the Netflix key, I have in the past uninstalled a program, gone into the registry manually and deleted it's keys then re-installed to get around a problem just like the one you describe but I don't recommend tinkering with the registry unless you are comfortable that you know what your doing.

[BaldEagl]

I've been thinking a little more about your problem and I really doubt it's registry related.  The first places I would look are the Autoexec and the Confisys files for a command line that prompts this behavior, or, there's always MS Tech Support.

<--- Goes and hides behind desk awaiting an explosion.

[wabbit]

if you want to try a registry cleaner. I've been using a this one for 4 months with no problems. I used to use JV16, but that's a 'pay' program and this one is free and works just as  well (IMHO).

http://www.glarysoft.com/

It's called Registry Repair. After you clean the registry the first time, run the program again, as some registry goofs don't show up until other goofs, above them are removed.

Here's another program that is VERY good at finding those annoying hidden registry entries that companies use to limit the number of installs, etc, etc.  This program does have a free version and it also has a 'donationware' version, with a fixed 'donation' price.

http://www.databack4u.com/snc/rtkf_eng.html

I used to use 'Your Uninstaller' but that company hides it's registry entries, especially the registration entry, so that if you screw up an install, it prohibits you from re-installing the program. Jv16 didn't find the entry, but Registry Trash keys finder, found the hidden entry and fixed the installation problems I was having. It's very good at finding those hidden 'screw-with-you' entries. Make certain, you are sure the entry you select for deletion is the one you want gone, so you don't shoot yourself in the foot.

Like Baldeagl said, anytime you mess with the registry, you're walking through a mine field. So I was suggest you make an image backup of your system before using either of these programs, especially Registry Trash Keys Finder.

If you don't have image backup software, then you can download  the following as it's free.

Self Image  (this is the one I like, and I'm watching for the options I want which are
                   slated to be included in a later version)

http://selfimage.excelcia.org/

If you have a network, it will backup the image over the network, but at present it creates one image file, instead of automatically breaking up the image into DVD-sized portions for burning on a Dvd. You can backup the image over the network or to a second drive.

The best software for image backup, (IMHO), is Acronis True Image Home, but it costs around $50.00 these days. It will break up the image into DVD-sized bits for burning, and has lots of other nice features, that Selfimage is starting to have.

If you have more then one system on a network, or a seond hard drive, that can hold the image, Selfimage is free and should do the job for ya just fine, so you won't have to spend the money on Acronis.

Also are you running 'System Restore'? If so you can try restoring the system to a date before the date you initially had the problem with the update. If you have 'System Restore' running, then I would suggest trying that first, if you can't find anything in the autoexec.bat or config.sys, like Baldeagl suggested. System Restore unfortunately doesn't work most of the time, but it might do the trick just the same.


If you have any problems, or concerns, post here, or PM me, as I might not see your post, and I'll try and help ya out.


Good Luck!

Wabbit

[Simaril]

thanks for the tips, guys.

As you expected, the registry cleanup did nothing. And now, for reasons which follow, I don't think its a registry problem either.

After trying the registry cleaners, my next step was to use the Microsoft Windows Install Cleanup Utility. With that I was able to more definitively delete the entire sequence of .net framework programs and updates. That completed, I went back to microsoft and downloaded the most recent versions of .Net framework 2.0, and then .Net Framework 2.0 Service Pack 1. Figured that should give me clean and undamaged copies of the underlying software, and might interrupt the continuous attempts to update.

After rebooting, to see if that did the job I ran the Framework 3.5 install. Unfortunately, that encountered an error every time I tried to run it. After doing this twice, I had the rather obvious idea of digging down to see what the error message actually was. The microsoft error reporting system only let me do that partly, and while I could see the names of the error files being sent I couldn't read them. So, I noted some strings of characters in the names, and did a search for them.

Lo and behold, I found sets of 3 error files (with file names ending in "installtime," "failInfo," and "summary." It seems that every time the install files tried (and failed) to do their job, a set of these three files was generated...all the way back to March 16, the day of the infamous hard lock. The text files are pretty dense, especially to a non-IT person like myself, but they end with "Error 1714.The older version of Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 Service Pack 1 cannot be removed.  Contact your technical support group"

Next step on the journey was to Google that text. Without the error number, I got postings on several tech message boards and found that this was not as bizarre and isolated a problem as I thought. In fact, I'm wondering if the error CAUSED the hard lock up, instead of the other way around. I googled again, using the entire error message -- and found a thread on the microsoft problem resolution system for Visual Studio. The resolution team was able to reproduce the poster's particular situation, and suggested running this at the command prompt: "msiexec.exe /x {7131646D-CD3C-40F4-97B9-CD9E4E6262EF}" They said it would completely remove all traces of 2.0.

I suppose I'll try that next.

By the way, if any of you guys would like a look at the log files, I'd be happy to post or email them. Maybe you can see something else in there, or maybe find directory information that will let me manually delete the (curses!) already downloaded update files. Truth is, I think I'm doing just fine without current .Net framework files...wouldn't mind ripping them out and starting over if the arcane command and key above don't do the trick.

[Simaril]

Ran the executable.

"Are you sure you want to completely uninstall the components indicated?"

Oh, yes.

"This action only valid for components already installed."

<checks add/remove programs...yep, Framework 1.0, 2.0, and 2.0 SP1 all there>


Sigh.

[BaldEagl]

This is from Wikipediea:

"Microsoft .NET Framework is a software component that is a part of Microsoft Windows operating systems. It has a large library of pre-coded solutions to common programming problems and manages the execution of programs written specifically for the framework."

Ironic huh?

OK, so I know that didn't help.  These things can be so frustrating.  If I were you I'd copy those error messages to a tee and go to the MS knowledge base and do an exact search.  Someone else has had the same problem and there's likely a fix.

BTW, have you tried the Autoexec.bat and Config.sys files yet (or do you have an older version of these files you can try to run)?  For an older version look in your C drive root directory.

[wabbit]

I did some searching on the 'Error 1714', and found little. However I did find the follow, which suggests you problem is with the Windows Installer software. The link has a download for an installer cleaner that might help your problem.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/290301

The download link is about 1/3 of the way down the screen.


Try it and let us know what happens. I'd suggest a backup or restore point just to be safe.


Wabbit

[Ghosth]

Thanks for reminding me once again why .net doesn't live on my machines Simaril.

Best of luck fixing it.