Windows XP W2K - Windows Installation (programs)

[Dujon]

I run Windows 2000, theoretically all up-to-date.

At the moment it is used as a stand alone unit.

For reasons unknown the Windows Installer program has started throwing up an error. The problem started a few weeks/couple of months ago and, despite desperate efforts I have not found an answer.

The program of which I write is not the installer for Windows itself but the one used by some programs for their own installation - e.g. Acrobat Reader.

When I attempt to install programs I get a message such as this:

"Error 1606. Could not access network location
%SystemDrive%\Start Menu\Programs\Administrative
Tools\."

I might add that I am a sole user and log on as Admin.

When I check the path mentioned the sub-directory surely does not exist. I have attempted to create the directory (successfully) and changed its attributes to allow access to any and every body.

Regrettably this does not solve the problem. I'm somewhat afraid that it may be a registry problem - though this is only a gut feeling - and am terrified that I might have to reinstall Windows (I had to reinstall it and all my programs after a hard drive failure a year or so ago and have no desire to do it again). The system works fine, so there is no problem with sorting out back up of data - apart from the time.

Has anyone else struck this problem? Believe you me, any practical advice will be most welcome. Thanks.

 

[muckshifter]

Try this ... back-up your registry first.

1.Click Start, and then click Run.
2.In the Open box, type regedit, and then click OK.
3.Locate and then click the following registry key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders
4.In the right pane of Registry Editor, double-click Common Administrative Tools.
5.In the Value data box , type the following line, and then click OK: %ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Start Menu\Programs\Administrative Tools
6.On the File menu, click Exit to quit Registry Editor.
7.Restart the computer.

 

[Dujon]

Thanks for your trouble, muckshifter of Glamorgan. Unfortunately it didn't work.

For some reason, though, the Common Administrative Tools entry did not exist. So I've added it. Regedit automatically allocates type REG_SZ; do you know if this is correct? I think Regedt32 will allow change of type, but I don't want to muck around with it - the registry - unless it's necessary.

Yours, with thanks from the bottom of the midden.

 

[Dujon]

Further to that:

Whilst trying to install one program I am shown a message reading;

Error 1606.Could not access network location
%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Start
Menu\Programs\Administrative Tools\.

On a different program installation I receive:

Error 1606. Could not access network location
%SystemDrive%\Start Menu\Programs\Administrative
Tools\.

The pessimist within tells me I'm in for a rough ride and will have to back up everything I can think of and reinstall the operating system and all my programs - go on, make my misery complete.

On the other hand I do have a small optimistic part of my make up which tells me there is always a good samaritan type of genius out there somewhere.

In the interim I'm stocking up on writable CDs and clearing my Thursday appointments. Aarghh!