Windows Installer error when installing Windows Media Encoder

[Ric_]

"I need to install Windows Media Encoder 9 Series" on a laptop (Lenovoi X60 running XP Pro SP3). This isn't usually a problem but on this particular one I keep receiving the following error message:

The Windows Installer service cannot update one or more protected Windows files.

I can't seem to find a solution to this anywhere

To date I have:
* Re-installed Windows Installer (version 4.5)
* Re-installed SP3
* Tried installing from the WMEncoder.exe and the WMEncoder.msi (extracted from within)
* Re-downloading the file (although it does work on other machines)
* Crossing my fingers as I press 'Install'!

The typically cryptic message from the Application Log is:

Product: Windows Media Encoder 9 Series -- Error 1933. The Windows Installer service cannot update one or more protected Windows files. SFP Error: -536870654. List of protected files:\r\nc:\windows\system32\wmerror.dll

[MrBeatnik]

If you go into recovery console, you should be able to remove the offending file.

Or you could "zap.exe" the file, which will kill a file in use and delete it (Comes in a windows tool kit, can't remember which one), but Windows dllcache may come along and replace it within a matter of seconds.

You could also try renaming the file, but the cache may step in again.



If it's in use though, maybe turn off any services that may be related to WMP...



Always tricky these files in use.

[Ric_]

I think the wmerror.dll isn't the conflicting file.... hence I don't know what to delete.

Running in safe mode (so that file protection is disabled) doesn't work because Windows Installer doesn't work in safe mode

[Arthur]

Do you have Windows Media Player 11 installed? If not, it might be worth installing this before you re-install WME 9.

[sparkeh]

Have you checked that the dll actually exists?

This usually happens if a dll is missing. If not you get can it from here.

If it is there, it might also be worth trying to replace it with a fresh copy in case it is corrupt?

[Ric_]

... and the idiot of the week award goes to.... Ric_

I had indeed forgotten to install Media Player

[sparkeh]

... and the idiot of the week award goes to.... Ric_

I had indeed forgotten to install Media Player

At least it was an easy one

[Ric_]

At least it was an easy one

They are only easy when you know how to fix them!!!