Miscellaneous

Hi!

First of all, I am not a developer, so you people may find that this isn't the proper place to put my questions. I've already tried several Windows' Help places and forums, but nobody seemed able to help me. So, I'm trying to reach people who realy has the know-how on the Windows Installer application and trubleshooting... feel free to indicate me other places where I could get some help, please.

I'm getting Windows Installer pop-ups each time I open a folder or access the Start Menu, so it makes it really hard to navigate in my computer. Theses pop-ups disappear all by themselves: I don't have to click anywhere. I think that this started when I had problems with the un-installation of Adobe Reader 7.0, and I (stupidly) decided to manually delete all the files and registry entries refering to it... After that, I managed to re-install the same program, wich is working properly, but maybe the problem is in the old, corrupted installation.

I have Windows XP Pro SP2, up-to-date (so I think), Windows Installer 3.1 (KB893803) and Windows Installer Clean Up (wich I didn't dare to use yet). I'm the only user of my computer (home, no network).

I've allready cleaned up the registry with Tune Up Utilities 2004 and RegCleaner. I learned how to tell Windows XP to log the activity of Windows Installer, I have already dozens of log files, wich have similar content, as:

=== Verbose logging started: 24-09-2005 12:35:23 Build type: SHIP UNICODE 3.01.4000.2435 Calling process: C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE ===
MSI (c) (14:E4) [12:35:23:247]: Resetting cached policy values
MSI (c) (14:E4) [12:35:23:257]: Machine policy value 'Debug' is 0
MSI (c) (14:E4) [12:35:23:257]: ******* RunEngine:
******* Product: {AC76BA86-7AD7-1033-7B44-A70001000000}
******* Action:
******* CommandLine: **********
MSI (c) (14:E4) [12:35:23:257]: Client-side and UI is none or basic: Running entire install on the server.
MSI (c) (14:E4) [12:35:23:287]: Grabbed execution mutex.
MSI (c) (14:84) [12:35:23:377]: Entering MsiProvideComponentFromDescriptor. Descriptor: 34TL`i`Z5(68q5!$!!!!ReaderProgramFiles>A8VC=`0sI@u{@ZTjitQd, PathBuf: 33EDBD0, pcchPathBuf: 33EDBCC, pcchArgsOffset: 33EDB2C
MSI (c) (14:84) [12:35:23:387]: Machine policy value 'DisableUserInstalls' is 0
MSI (c) (14:84) [12:35:23:387]: A detecção do produto '{AC76BA86-7AD7-1033-7B44-A70001000000}', funcionalidade 'ReaderProgramFiles' falhou durante o pedido do componente '{45758330-D9D2-4BE9-9419-BE8AF4221BB9}'

MSI (c) (14:84) [12:35:23:387]: Entering MsiConfigureFeature. Product: {AC76BA86-7AD7-1033-7B44-A70001000000}, Feature: ReaderProgramFiles, Installstate: 5
MSI (c) (14:84) [12:35:23:387]: Message context already initialized, returning ERROR_INSTALL_ALREADY_RUNNING
MSI (c) (14:E4) [12:35:23:417]: Cloaking enabled.
MSI (c) (14:E4) [12:35:23:427]: Attempting to enable all disabled priveleges before calling Install on Server
MSI (c) (14:E4) [12:35:23:427]: Incrementing counter to disable shutdown. Counter after increment: 0
MSI (c) (14:84) [12:35:23:427]: RunEngine is returning: 1618
MSI (c) (14:84) [12:35:23:427]: MsiConfigureFeature is returning: 1618
MSI (c) (14:84) [12:35:23:437]: MsiProvideComponentFromDescriptor is returning: 1618
MSI (s) (E0:68) [12:35:23:578]: Grabbed execution mutex.
MSI (s) (E0:9C) [12:35:23:578]: Resetting cached policy values
MSI (s) (E0:9C) [12:35:23:578]: Machine policy value 'Debug' is 0
MSI (s) (E0:9C) [12:35:23:578]: ******* RunEngine:
******* Product: {AC76BA86-7AD7-1033-7B44-A70001000000}
******* Action:
******* CommandLine: **********
MSI (s) (E0:9C) [12:35:23:588]: Machine policy value 'DisableUserInstalls' is 0
MSI (s) (E0:9C) [12:35:23:598]: MainEngineThread is returning 1605
MSI (c) (14:E4) [12:35:23:598]: Decrementing counter to disable shutdown. If counter >= 0, shutdown will be denied. Counter after decrement: -1
MSI (c) (14:E4) [12:35:23:608]: MainEngineThread is returning 1605
=== Verbose logging stopped: 24-09-2005 12:35:23 ===

I've searched the expressions in "{}" in the registry and in the HD, and found nothing.

I think the problem is the old corrupted installation of Adobe Reader 7.0, because I found out a folder in C:\WINDOWS\Installer called {AC76BA86-7AD7-1046-7B44-A70000000000}, wich refers to Adobe Reader 7.0, and the {} name is similar to the one in the log file, but not equal.

Please help me getting rid of these pop-ups or I'll go crazy.

Thanks in advance