Vista: The Installation Package Could Not Be Opened

Vista was bought brand new--not an upgrade. Here is the text of a post on another forum:

For every Windows Installer file that I try to install, my Windows Vista says:

This installation package could not be opened. Verify that the package exists and that you can access it, or contact the application vendor to verify that this is a valid Windows Installer package.

This is the message but I can install some things as noted above. The odd thing is I've installed iTunes on a home premium copy of Vista before. The last thing I tried was downloading a new version of Windows Installer 4.5--it didn't work. I've saved it, run it as Administrator--that doesn't work. Nothing I've tried to install is anything that didn't install on Vista before.

Here's an interesting tidbit: After reinstalling Windows Installer Vista wouldn't touch the download from Apple but would download one from filehippo--it still didn't work. I'm wondering if this is SP1 quirk? Microsoft has nothing about this to my knowledge.

But is SP1 so different that it is not compatible with regular Vista?

The Heath Stewart stuff was as close to getting to a solution as I've been able to get. A little beyond me, however. Thanks for the lead.

They're with the other system files. I do think your idea (#1) that Windows isn't sure where to look is on the right track. #2 is possible--but I'm using a user and folders created during the Vista install. I wish it were as simple as #3. Thanks for your input. co-codamol?

File sharing is another one of those Vista "quirks". I've got it on.

Thanks for looking in on this. Off a product page, I got the following marching orders:

Method 1: Unregister and Then Re-register Windows Installer
Method 2: Upgrade to Higher Windows Installer Version
Method 3: Uninstall Failed Product using the Windows Installer CleanUp Utility
Method 4: Check Windows Installer Startup Type
Method 5: Clear the Contents of User and System "temp" Folders
Method 6: Enable Windows Installer logging
Method 7: Ensure that DCOM and System Permissions are Correct
Method 8: Update Removal Process
Method 9: Check the Length of Installation Path And Environment Variables
Method 10: Fresh Installation Packet
Method 11: Check Your System for One or More Pending Installations
Method 12: Get Update MSI Package for the Program

I've gone through the first five--some for the second or third time. I'm getting ready to do the logging thing. And that's the crux of the matter: Why should a consumer (not a computer beginner but not an expert) have to pursue these types of solutions in the first place. I'm learning lots of new stuff but I should be working on my dissertation in...marketing.

An interesting point I've tried a clean install on a blank partition and an install over the O/S and it comes back saying I'm missing a file and the install can't be completed. This is happening off an OEM disk.

The Windows Installer is a routine that is part of Vista as a whole. As such the installer routine should exist within the system\system32 directory structure.

What I am referring to is the executable files that you click on to invoke a program's installation.

For example, if you were to download a zipped file of an antivirus program - within the zip there would be an executable file that starts the install procedure for that particular utility program. (This executable will interact [i]in the background[/i] with the MSI routines, but you don't 'see' that.)

Since the launch of Vista there have been numerous instances of users downloading files from the internet, but when they go to launch said programs they can't find them. These users are invariably folk that previously ran systems under Windows 2000 or Windows XP.

Vista doesn't follow the same path when downloading files. Even if the dialogue box says that it is downloading the file to the Desktop, it's NOT the Desktop that you or I would think of. No - it's a 'Desktop' directory buried 2 or 4 levels down, within the hard drive (I forget the tree structure path) but it ends up as a folder called Desktop that lies inside the USER directory, within the profile directory for the specific user.

Still with me ??

So, what I am suggesting is - if the programs you are trying to install, are sitting as executable files (to install from), but these executables are sitting somewhere that YOU copied them to - Vista in all likelihood will never find them. Even when you know they are there.

You cannot even ask Vista to look for the files, because for some really odd reason, Vista will only conduct a search of the directories that it assumes the files should be in! Vista does not conduct a entire-drive-wide search.

Usually the only recourse available is to type the name of the download into the Search box at the bottom of the Vista Menu system. For some reason it then shows the file and the user can then figure out where the file is located.

So, copy one of the executables (the program that you would double-click on to install from) and place it in the PROGRAMS or DOWNLOADS directories within the USERS directory, under your own login id directory.

Sorry for being lengthy but it needs to be clear. ;)

Or better still, copy the program installers to a CD or a memory stick and double click them FROM THERE. That way you are doing exactly the same as you would if you were installing a commercially purchased original program for the first time. :)

PHEW !! I need to exercise my caf?tiere again!