Hi,
This issue is documented in 2 Micorosoft KB article. I am not too sure
which one fits you better. 217521 and 324516.
1.)
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;324516
This article was previously published under Q324516
IMPORTANT: This article contains information about modifying the registry.
Before you modify the registry, make sure to back it up and make sure that
you understand how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For
information about how to back up, restore, and edit the registry, click the
following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge
Base:
256986 Description of the Microsoft Windows Registry
SYMPTOMS
When you try to install Microsoft Office, you may receive an error message
similar to the following:
The Windows Installer Service could not be accessed.
CAUSE
This problem may occur if the Windows Installer files are damaged or
missing.
RESOLUTION
To resolve this problem, use one of the following methods.
Method 1: Re-Register Windows Installer
WARNING: If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious
problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft
cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using
Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.
Note Because there are several versions of Microsoft Windows, the following
steps may be different on your computer. If they are, see your product
documentation to complete these steps.
To re-register Windows Installer, follow these steps.
Note If you cannot complete the following steps, go to method 2.
Click Start, and then click Search.
Click All files and folders.
In the File name box, type Msiexec.exe, and then click Search.
After the search is complete, make a note of the location of the
Msiexec.exe file. The location of the file should be similar to the
following example:
C:\Windows\System32
On the File menu, click Close to close the Search dialog box.
Click Start, and then click Run.
In the Open box, type regedit, and then click OK.
Locate and click the following registry key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\MSIServer
In the right pane of the Registry Editor window, double-click ImagePath.
In the Edit String dialog box that appears, make sure that the string in
the Value data box contains the correct path for the Msiexec.exe file that
you determined in step 4.
Note The following is an example of the correct path, where drive is the
drive where Windows is installed:
drive :\Windows\System32\msiexec.exe /V
If the Value data box does not contain the correct path, make changes to
correct the path, and then click OK to close the Edit String dialog box.
On the File menu, click Exit to quit Registry Editor.
Start your computer in Safe mode, and then register the Msiexec.exe file.
To do this, follow these steps:
Shut down your computer, and then restart your computer.
Restart your computer and press the F8 key on your keyboard. On a computer
that is configured for booting to multiple operating systems, press the F8
key when you see the Boot Menu.
Use the ARROW keys to select Safe Mode, and then press ENTER.
If the Boot menu appears again, and the words "Safe Mode" appear in blue at
the bottom, select the installation that you want to start, and then press
ENTER.
Log on to the computer.
Click Start, and then click Run.
In the Open box, type msiexec /regserver, and then click OK.
Shut down your computer, and then restart your computer normally.
If you still cannot install Microsoft Office successfully and you receive
an error message similar to the message listed in the "Symptoms" section,
go to Method 2.
Method 2: Reinstall Windows Installer
To reinstall the Windows Installer, follow these steps.
NOTE: Because there are several versions of Microsoft Windows, the
following steps may be different on your computer. If they are, see your
product documentation to complete these steps.
Click Start, point to All Programs, point to Accessories, and then click
Command Prompt.
Windows opens a command prompt window.
At the command prompt, type one of the following commands, and then press
ENTER, where drive and Windows are the drive and folder where Windows is
installed.
If you are running Microsoft Windows XP, Microsoft Windows 98, Microsoft
Windows 2000, or Microsoft Windows NT, type the following:
attrib -r -s -h drive:\Windows\System32\dllcache
If you are running Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition, type the following:
attrib -r -s -h drive:\Windows\System32
At the command prompt, type the following. Press ENTER after you type each
line.
ren msi.dll msi.old
ren msiexec.exe msiexec.old
ren msihnd.dll msihnd.old
At the command prompt, type exit, and then press ENTER.
Restart your computer.
Update the Windows Installer files to the latest version. To do so, visit
one of the following Microsoft Web sites, and then download and install
Windows Installer 2.0.
Note Windows Installer 2.0 is included with Microsoft Windows XP. You do
not have to perform this step if you are using Windows XP.
For Windows 98, Windows 98 Second Edition, and Windows Millennium Edition:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/release.asp?ReleaseID=32831
For Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 and Microsoft Windows 2000:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/release.asp?releaseid=32832&NewList=1
After the installation of the Windows Installer is complete, shut down and
restart your computer normally before you install Microsoft Office.
-------------------------------------------------------
2.)
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;217521
SYMPTOMS
When you run the Office Setup program, or in Control Panel click Add/Remove
for Microsoft Office 2000, the following error message appears:
The Windows Installer service could not be accessed. Contact your support
personnel to verify that the windows Installer service is properly
registered.
CAUSE
This error will appear when both of the following are true:
You are logged into a Microsoft Windows Terminal Server from a Windows
Terminal Server client as a non-administrator user. -and-
You try to run Setup for Office.
WORKAROUND
If you want to run setup for Office, follow these steps:
Log in to the Windows Terminal Server console (not from a client) as a
member of the Administrators group.
Click Start, point to Settings, and click Control Panel.
In Control Panel, double-click Add/Remove Programs.
Double-click <Microsoft Office 2000 product> in the Add/Remove Programs
list. where <Microsoft Office 2000 product> is the installed version of
Office.
If you do not have administrative permissions on the computer running
Windows Terminal Server, see your System Admininstrator.
MORE INFORMATION
When running the Windows Terminal Server Client you cannot run Windows
Installer without administrative permissions. When you run the Office Setup
or click Add/Remove Programs in Control Panel, the Windows Installer
service will run. Administrative permissions are required because certain
components of Office programs write to keys in the Windows registry.
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
