Error message when you try to install Internet Explorer 7: "Internet Explorer could not be installed"
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Article ID : 917925
Last Review : December 26, 2006
Revision : 8.2
Important This article contains information about how to modify the registry. Make sure to back up the registry before you modify it. Make sure that you know how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For more information about how to back up, restore, and modify the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
256986 (
http://support.micro....com/kb/256986/) Description of the Microsoft Windows registry
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SYMPTOMS
CAUSE
WORKAROUND
Method 1
Method 2
Method 3
Method 4
Method 5
STATUS
MORE INFORMATION
SYMPTOMS
When you try to install Windows Internet Explorer 7, the installation wizard finishes. But after the wizard finishes, you receive the following error message:
Internet Explorer 7 could not be installed. You must restart your system to confirm that any changes to your system are undone.
After you restart, follow the "Internet Explorer Troubleshooting" shortcut on your desktop to get more information.
If the installation wizard never finishes, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
926716 (
http://support.micro....com/kb/926716/) The installation of Windows Internet Explorer 7 never finishes
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CAUSE
This issue may occur when either of the following conditions is true: • Permissions for one or more registry subkeys or for files on the computer are restricted in a way that prevents the update of those registry subkeys or computer files. A failure to update a registry key or a computer file may cause the Setup program to fail.
• Something has caused the computer not to trust the Internet Explorer 7 installation package.
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WORKAROUND
Warning Serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly by using Registry Editor or by using another method. These problems might require that you reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that these problems can be solved. Modify the registry at your own risk.
The steps outlined in this article involve changing permissions on registry keys to allow installation of Internet Explorer 7. Although modifying the permissions is required to install Internet Explorer 7, in some cases these permissions can be configured for a specific reason. Make sure you understand if any such reasons exist and the potential impact of modifying registry permissions before you modify them. In addition, you can modify registry permissions to allow installation of Internet Explorer 7 and change them back to their original configuration after setup is complete.
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Method 1
If you use any antivirus or antispyware programs, disable them before you install Internet Explorer 7. Then, re-enable them after the installation has finished. For example, to install Internet Explorer 7 on a system that has Webroot SpySweeper installed, you must first disable the IE Hijack shield. For more information about how to disable the IE Hijack shield, visit the following Web site:
http://support.webro...questionID=2661 (
http://support.webro...questionID=2661)
Some antivirus and antispyware programs prevent Internet Explorer 7 from successfully installing, even when the antivirus and antispyware programs are disabled. For more information about these issues, visit the following Microsoft Web page:
http://msdn2.microso...e/aa740486.aspx (
http://msdn2.microso...e/aa740486.aspx)
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Method 2
1. Determine whether there is a problem that prevents the registry from being updated:a. Click Start, click Run, type %windir%\ie7.log, and then click OK to open the ie7.log file.
Note By default, the ie7.log file is located in the C:\Windows folder.
b. Press CTRL+END to move to the end of the ie7.log file.
c. On the Edit menu, click Find.
d. In the Find what box, type IECUSTOM: Key is still unwriteable.
e. Under Direction, click Up, and then click Find Next.
If you find the "Key is still unwriteable" text, this indicates that there is a problem that is preventing the registry from being updated. For example, text that resembles the following in the log file indicates that there is a problem:
time_stamp: IECUSTOM: Key is still unwriteable registry_subkey
In this example, registry_subkey is the name of the registry subkey that is causing the problem.
If you do not find the "Key is still unwriteable" text in the ie7.log file, go to step 2 for additional troubleshooting steps.
2. Reset the registry permissions for the registry subkey that has the incorrect permissions. To update the permissions of the registry subkey, follow these steps: a. Click Start, click Run, type regedit, and then click OK.
b. Locate and then right-click each registry subkey that you noted in step 1e, and then click Permissions on the Edit menu..
Note The ie7.log file contains the following abbreviations: • HKCR = HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT
• HKLM = HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
• HKCU = HKEY_CURRENT_USER
c. Under Group or user names, click Administrators.
d. Under Permissions for Administrators, make sure that the Allow check box is selected for the following entries: • Full Control
• Read
Make sure that the Deny check box is not selected for any users or groups.
For more information about how to modify the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
310426 (
http://support.micro....com/kb/310426/) How to use the Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 Registry Editor features
e. Click Apply, and then click OK.
f. On the File menu, click Exit.
g. Try to install Internet Explorer 7 again. You may have to repeat these steps if there are other keys that have permissions that prevent Internet Explorer 7 from installing.
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Method 3
1. Determine whether there is a problem that prevents the files from being backed up or updated. To do this, follow these steps: a. Click Start, click Run, type %windir%\ie7.log, and then click OK to open the ie7.log file.
Note By default, the ie7.log file is located in the C:\Windows folder.
b. Press CTRL+END to move to the end of the ie7.log file.
c. On the Edit menu, click Find.
d. In the Find what box, type ArchiveFileForUninstall:ArchiveSingleFile Cancelled.
e. Under Direction, click Up, and then click Find Next.
If you find the "ArchiveFileForUninstall:ArchiveSingleFile Cancelled" text, this indicates that there is a problem that is preventing an IE6 file from being saved for uninstall. For example, text that resembles the following in the log file indicates that there is a problem:
Time_stamp: ArchiveFileForUninstall:ArchiveSingleFile Cancelled
Time_stamp: DoInstallation:UpdSpCommitFileQueue for AlwaysQueue Failed: 0x4c7
If you do not find the "ArchiveFileForUninstall:ArchiveSingleFile Cancelled" text in the ie7.log file, use Method 4 for additional troubleshooting steps.
2. Reset the permissions for the Vgx.dll file. To set the permissions of the file to the default, follow these steps: a. Click Start, click Run, type one of the following commands, and then click OK: • If you are running Microsoft Windows XP, type the following command:
echo y| cacls "%CommonProgramFiles%\Microsoft Shared\VGX\vgx.dll" /P BUILTIN\Users:R "BUILTIN\Power Users:C" BUILTIN\Administrators:F "NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM:F"
• If you are running Microsoft Windows Server 2003, type the following command:
echo y| cacls "%CommonProgramFiles%\Microsoft Shared\VGX\vgx.dll" /P BUILTIN\Users:R "BUILTIN\Power Users:C" BUILTIN\Administrators:F "NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM:F" "NT AUTHORITY\TERMINAL SERVER USER:C"
b. Try to install Internet Explorer 7 again. If the problem is not resolved, go to the next workaround method.
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Method 4
Use this method if you receive an error message about the Cryptographic Services that resembles the following error message:
Setup could not verify the integrity of the file Update.inf. Make sure the Cryptographic service is running on this computer
For more information about what to do if you receive this error message, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
822798 (
http://support.micro....com/kb/822798/) You cannot install some updates or programs
If the problem still occurs after you follow the steps in Microsoft Knowledge Base article 822798, your installation package may be corrupted. To correct this problem, download Internet Explorer 7 again from the following Microsoft Web site:
http://go.microsoft....k/?LinkID=72018 (
http://go.microsoft....k/?LinkID=72018)
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Method 5
If none of the workarounds in this article have solved your problem, visit the following Internet Explorer 7 Support Web page:
http://www.microsoft...rt/default.mspx (
http://www.microsoft...rt/default.mspx)
You can find additional information, bug reporting methods, and free phone support for Internet Explorer 7 by visiting this Support Web page.
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STATUS
Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section.
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MORE INFORMATION
The third-party products that this article discusses are manufactured by companies that are independent of Microsoft. Microsoft makes no warranty, implied or otherwise, regarding the performance or reliability of these products.
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APPLIES TO
• Windows Internet Explorer 7
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Keywords: kbtshoot kbprb KB917925
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