2009 ends, 2010 begins
Well, we come to the close of another year and we look forward to the next with eager anticipation. Some of us will resolve to change ourselves and make resolutions. Hopefully, whatever choices you make will work out for you in a positive way. With 2010 fast approaching, Randosity will continue to write articles based on whatever comes to mind.. in the spirit of randomness.
Hopefully, our economy will continue to improve. Hopefully, the job situation will improve and more companies will begin hiring more staff. Whatever happens in 2010, Randosity will be there to write commentary about it.
With that in mind, Randosity would like to wish everyone a happy and safe holiday season and a very happy new year.
Random Thoughts - Randocity! 
Hello Lisa,
I haven’t personally experienced this issue with iTunes. However, I have seen this issue when in Safe Mode, so I know what the issue might be.
There are a number of reasons that can lead to ‘Windows Installer could not be accessed’. Windows Installer is now running as a service in Vista and Win 7. Application installers, like iTunes, use RPC to contact the Windows Installer service to complete the installation process of the application. If the Windows Installer service is not running, cannot be contacted through RPC, is corrupted or is not functional (for whatever reason), application installers that use this service cannot complete the installation process.
The resolution to this issue depends on what the problem is. If the service is not running, try to start it. You can do this by going to Start->Run… (or through a cmd shell) and then type in ‘services.msc’ and press return. Or, go to Start->All Programs->Administrative Tools->Services. Scroll in this list and look for the ‘Windows Installer’ service and check to see if it’s ‘Started’.
If it isn’t started, right click on it and choose ‘Start’ in the menu. If you do not find this service in the list, that means that the service has somehow gotten corrupted or removed. If the service won’t start or errors when trying to start it, the service is likely corrupted.
If this service is having an issue, you can try to reinstall it. To reinstall this service, you will need to download the Windows Installer package from Microsoft from http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=5a58b56f-60b6-4412-95b9-54d056d6f9f4&displaylang=en
Be sure to pick the x64 package for your 64 bit Vista.
If the service is functional and running, then it could be the RPC service that’s having issues. Look for the ‘Remote Procedure Call (RPC)’ service and ensure that it is ‘Started’. If it isn’t started, try starting it.
If you are unable to start either of these services or if both are already started and you still have issues with the iTunes installer, you can try several things.
1) Try to repair your system using the command ‘sfc’ (system file checker) to scan the system for any system file changes. Use the command ‘sfc /scannow’ to scan from a command prompt. Odds of working: 0-20%
2) Roll your system back to a previous restore point (before the issue started). Odds of working: 0-25% (assuming you have a recent restore point)
3) Repair your system with with the original Windows Vista media. Odds of working: 85-95%
Note, the install media repair process used in XP has been changed in Vista and Windows 7. XP used to delete the old system files and then reinstall them all from the original media which preserved your installed applications. Vista doesn’t do it like this. Vista (and Win 7) require(s) an inplace upgrade. As a result of this upgrade process, you may have to reinstall all of your applications after the repair has completed. XP didn’t require reinstalling applications. Vista and Windows 7 may move the Windows system folder to Windows.old and then completely reinstall it again. If it does this, you will have to reinstall all of your apps which turns a repair into mostly a fresh install (except that it doesn’t format your drive.. so your files will still be there).
You might also want to search Google for the key words ‘itunes windows installer service could not be accessed’. This should lead you to many forums with users that have similar issues and possible resolutions. Hopefully this gets you on the right track and perhaps one of the answers above resolves your problem.
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Hi, I came across your site and sawy you have some info on iTunes and Vista….I have looked everywhere ask just about everyone. First I tried to update to itunes 9.0. It wouldn’t let me, I then tried to uninstall, that wouldn’t work either. I kept getting the following message:
“Windows Installer could not be accessed. This can occur if you are running Windows in safe mode, or if the Windows Installer is not correctly installed. Contact your support personnel for assistance.”
So I used Revo Uninstaller. And had to use the scan side of it. Finally got everything off., but I still get the same message. The only time I get that message is when I try to install iTunes.
I have Vista Home Premium 64-bit.
Any ideas???
Thanks!
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