Vista - Vista is not running some install apps

I have a vista home basic 32bit. I had it for a while as an offline desktop for doing office work, but recently i installed an EDIMAX wireless NIC. I then tried to install McAfee VirusScan Plus 2009. it would not show the install screen. There was a box, but it stayed blank. I am now having a similar problem installing a game. it will not show graphics in the install window, yet i can use already-installed programs. Does anyone know how i can fix this? I am no computer genius, but i know a little bit but i have no idea what the problem is.

If you don't have SP1 and the installers are window installer type installers, you may need to get the windows installer cleanup tool. If you search Microsoft knowledge base you should find it. What happened on my Vista Home Premium 32 bit, soon after I got it, was I'd run a program and it would come up and ask me if I wanted to install it, even though it was already installed. Guess windows installer got munged up for awhile.