Vista Tutorial - Installation errors, error codes, and failed uninstallation -- helpplease.

Hello.

Recently I tried to install the supposedly Vista-Compatible PHP version
5.2.3 on my computer, running Vista Home Premium. From the website
php.net, I download the following installer:

php-5.2.3-win32-installer.msi

It has the following md5 sum, taken locally on my system:

4d042f649d9c264477e1b421c64c6435

Installation seemed to go as expected. However, near the end of the
installation process, I received a dialog window titled "PHP 5.2.3
Setup" with only an "OK" button and the following message:

"The installer has encountered an unexpected error
installing this package. This may indicate a problem with
this package. The error code is 2738."

I pressed "OK", my only option, and then got to the page on the setup
wizard with the "Finish" button. I hit the "Finish" button, was met
with a dialog window from Microsoft Installer with just an OK button
with the message:

"Fatal error during installation".

It seems that PHP was put on my system, and the path was set up
correctly. Some simple tests indicate it is working, however, since I
am a careful sort, I thought I would try to uninstall and start over.

The trouble is that I can't. I can use the "Repair" option from
ControlPanel->ProgramsAndFeatures->PHP, and it seems to "repair" without
comment, but if I try to uninstall the software, or "Change" it in any
way, I get the same two dialog boxes shown above, and the software does
NOT uninstall. This makes me uneasy.

I would appreciate help with any of the following (roughly in my
priority order):

1. How can I uninstall this and remove it from my system?

2. What is error code 2738 and what does it mean? Is this an
error code from the OS, from the installer, or from the
third party (PHP in this case)?

3. What steps might I take subsequently to install without
incurring this error?

Thanks in advance for any assistance.

-Stephan G

Hi,

1. Try to launch installer again without deinstallation. If you will get an
error or not possibility to install or uninstall go to the: Run > regedit
find HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall
key and next look up subkey with DisplayName entry related to PHP
installation. Delete all subkey.

2. 2738 - Could not access VBScript run time for custom action.
Seems like Windows Installer engine problem.

3. Try this:
http://blogs.msdn.com/heaths/archive...m-actions.aspx

Marcin Domaslawski


"Stephan G." <stephan-g@viewpage.net> wrote in message
news:%23pIhLzXyHHA.5024@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
> Hello.
>
> Recently I tried to install the supposedly Vista-Compatible PHP version
> 5.2.3 on my computer, running Vista Home Premium. From the website
> php.net, I download the following installer:
>
> php-5.2.3-win32-installer.msi
>
> It has the following md5 sum, taken locally on my system:
>
> 4d042f649d9c264477e1b421c64c6435
>
> Installation seemed to go as expected. However, near the end of the
> installation process, I received a dialog window titled "PHP 5.2.3 Setup"
> with only an "OK" button and the following message:
>
> "The installer has encountered an unexpected error
> installing this package. This may indicate a problem with
> this package. The error code is 2738."
>
> I pressed "OK", my only option, and then got to the page on the setup
> wizard with the "Finish" button. I hit the "Finish" button, was met with
> a dialog window from Microsoft Installer with just an OK button with the
> message:
>
> "Fatal error during installation".
>
> It seems that PHP was put on my system, and the path was set up correctly.
> Some simple tests indicate it is working, however, since I am a careful
> sort, I thought I would try to uninstall and start over.
>
> The trouble is that I can't. I can use the "Repair" option from
> ControlPanel->ProgramsAndFeatures->PHP, and it seems to "repair" without
> comment, but if I try to uninstall the software, or "Change" it in any
> way, I get the same two dialog boxes shown above, and the software does
> NOT uninstall. This makes me uneasy.
>
> I would appreciate help with any of the following (roughly in my priority
> order):
>
> 1. How can I uninstall this and remove it from my system?
>
> 2. What is error code 2738 and what does it mean? Is this an
> error code from the OS, from the installer, or from the
> third party (PHP in this case)?
>
> 3. What steps might I take subsequently to install without
> incurring this error?
>
> Thanks in advance for any assistance.
>
> -Stephan G

Dear Marcin:

The blog mentioned in Step #3 worked like a charm....

MANY thanks.

-stephan

Marcin Domaslawski wrote:
> Hi,
>
> 1. Try to launch installer again without deinstallation. If you will get
> an error or not possibility to install or uninstall go to the: Run >
> regedit
> find
> HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall
> key and next look up subkey with DisplayName entry related to PHP
> installation. Delete all subkey.
>
> 2. 2738 - Could not access VBScript run time for custom action.
> Seems like Windows Installer engine problem.
>
> 3. Try this:
> http://blogs.msdn.com/heaths/archive...m-actions.aspx
>
>