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Jan 10, 2015 64
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Hi, I'm having an issue where I cannot download any apps, programs, or software updates because the Windows Installer process is constantly running. Things such as files, music, game content and Windows updates are the only things that I can download. I will turn on my PC and immediately Windows Installer is running and will never stop unless you force close it from the
Processes tab in Task Manager. Any and all help is appreciated! Specs Last edited: Jan 31, 2020 Apr 13, 2019 2,560 199 5,740 404
Mar 16, 2013 158,783 12,501 176,090 24,391
What specific Windows OS do you have, and where did it come from?
Jan 10, 2015 64 0 18,710 18
What specific Windows OS do you have, and where did it come from?
Apr 13, 2019 2,560 199 5,740 404
Does your Windows Installer process run every time you boot the Windows 11/10 device? Or maybe you are working, and it suddenly pops up randomly? Why does this happen? How do you stop it from running at random times in the background? This post takes a look at some scenarios & discusses your options. Windows Installer Preparing to installThe Windows Installer or msiexec.exe is a Windows OS component and an application programming interface, located in the System32 folder, that is used for the installation, maintenance, and removal of software. So when you see this process running, it definitely means that some software is being installed, changed, or uninstalled. Many software use the Windows Installer to carry out the installation process.  If this is happening with your permission and knowledge, then it is fine – as you may be in the process of installing, uninstalling, or repairing your installed software. But if it is not, then you need to investigate further. This post will probably raise more questions than answers – that is something you will have to answer for yourself – and that may show you the direction to work. 1] Terminate the process manuallyTerminate the process manually and see if it appears again either in the current session or on restart. To do this, right-click on the Taskbar and select Task Manager. Under the Process tab, you may see the msiexec.exe process. Right-click on it and select End task. This will terminate the Windows Installer process. 2] Check Windows Installer versionEnsure that the latest version of Windows Installer is installed. Right-click on msiexec.exe, in the System32 folder, select Properties > Details. The latest version as of writing is 5.0.10586.0. 3] Run System File CheckerMaybe your Windows Installer file has been corrupted. Run System File Checker and reboot once the scan is completed. See this post if Windows Installer Service can not be accessed. 4] Give it some time to runNow ask yourself, did you install any new software in the last day or two? If so maybe some background process or updating is still going on. Give the Windows Installer time to run and see if it shuts down after a while. 5] Check for PUPsWhen you installed the software, did it install any third-party offers? Check the Control Panel. Maybe they are being installed. Check if any software which you installed or updated recently, bundled other software. If so it may be using this process. You may want to uninstall unwanted applications. 6] Check msiexec.exeDid you download or install anything of doubtful value? Maybe something is installing Malware or a PUP on your system. Run a full scan with your antivirus software along with AdwCleaner, which is a good tool to remove PUPs, Browser Hijackers & Adware. If msiexec.exe is located in the C:\Windows\System32 folder, then it is the legitimate Microsoft process. If it is located in any other folder, it could well be malware, as malware files can me named anything. 7] Re-register the Windows Installer engineYou may want also to consider re-registering the Windows Installer engine. To do so, open Command Prompt, type the following and hit Enter: msiexec /unregister Now to register it again, type the following and hit Enter. msiexec /regserver 8] Run Program Install and Uninstall TroubleshooterDownload the Program Install and Uninstall Troubleshooter. This tool is the replacement for Windows Installer Cleanup utility which was discontinued. This tool will help you fix potential issues with Windows Installer. Specifically, it will fix the following problems:
This troubleshooter works on Windows 10/8.1/8/7. Let us know if anything helped, or if you have other suggestions. Want to know how to make Windows Installer work in Safe Mode? Why does Windows Installer keep popping up?Windows Installer popups may be caused by Windows configuration issues, by Windows Update prompting you to install updates or by malware.
How do I stop the Windows 10 Installer?Head to the Control Panel, then System and Security, then Turn automatic updating on or off. In the drop-down menu, click Download updates but let me choose whether to install them. With this enabled you can review the updates that are installed on your computer, and make sure none of them are Windows 10-related.
Is it safe to delete Windows Installer package?The C:\Windows\Installer folder contains Windows installer cache, it's used to store important files for applications installed using the Windows Installer technology and should not be deleted. The installer cache is used to maintain (remove / update) the applications and patches installed on the computer.
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