Windows installer - fails to install program 1

[PKlein]

I'm running a relatively fresh install of Windows 98SE. I have set up a home network (wired) based on a Microsoft base station MN-100.
I install the software - Microsoft broadband network utility, and everything works fine for a few days. I can reboot several times and all is well. Eventually however I always end up getting the message 'The Windows installer failed to install the program associated with this file. Please contact your system administrator'. Unfortunately, I'm the system administrator and my only solution so far has been to uninstall and reinstall the network hardware and software.

Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. It goes without saying that there was no help to be found from the Microsoft support site.

Thanks.

 

[gargouille]

Once you have it up and running do a Start/Run/scanreg and it'll ask you if you want to back up the registry. Say yes. Doing this several times leaves good backups in the queue so they are easily invoked if/WHEN things go south.
Then the restore might be as simple as doing a
scanreg(space)/restore
at a DOS prompt (booting to DOS, not in a DOS window) will offer nothing but good boots from the .bin files presented.
This doesn't always work but even the possibility it would (IMHO) would seem to justify trying it.

It also might behoove you to boot to safe mode and look around at what Device Manager has in it. There may be duplicates/old stuff hanging 'round you're unaware of until/unless you look at the system this way.