Please HELP!!!!!!

[MagpieJoel]

Hi,
Sorry to be a nuisance but I have searched high and low for an answer to this problem, I have asked numerous people but I am unable to find what the problem I having is caused by. I keep receiving the following error (in this case I was trying to install Msn Messenger, but I receive the same sort of error when trying to install most other programs aswell.

Error creating process <C:\WINDOWS\TEMP\IXP000.TMP-msmsgsin.exe -i
MSMSGS.INF DefaultInstall DefaulInstall.IE BLC.Remove.. Reason %1 is not a valid Win32 application.


I believe it is something to do with the Windows Installer but it won't let me update it using the update file (Instmsi.exe) because I get the same error. I unpackaged it using info from the Microsoft site and copied the files manually to where they are suppsed to go, it fixed some of the problems but some programs still come up with the same error. Note: I have formatted and reinstalled Win98 SE numerous times to no avail. Again, sorry to be a nuisance but if you could point me in the right direction it would be appreciated.
Thankyou,
Joel


Please NOTE: This error occurs when I'm trying to install programs.

 

[jim boy]

Not too sure, but I think you may be infected by the sircam virus, as this can cause this sort of thing to happen, have a look at http://vil.nai.com/vil/content/v_99141.htm

 

[Blue'n'Gold]

I'd be inclined to think along Jim Boy's lines... virus maybe?

 

[MagpieJoel]

I would be inclined to think the same thing except I have formatted the computer several times and have come up with the same error.

I think the version of Windows I have is installing a corrupt version of the Windows Installer file and causing it to heppen. Problem is, now I have to find another copy of Windows.

 

[MagpieJoel]

Found a new update for Windows Installer and installed it. Fixed some of the problems, however, there are still some programs that are having the same problem. Frustrating.

 

[Fred]

A registry clean up might be in order.

 

[MagpieJoel]

Fred,

So....what do you mean by that? What exactly in the registry? If you mean a virus has infected the registry...it couldn't have because I've formatted the computer several times to no avail.

I think it is Windows Setup installing a corrupt file. I need to find another copy of Windows...ermm, hint, hint.

 

[MagpieJoel]

I just check the registry and compared it with the registry on my laptop. All seems fine to me, registry keys are the same.

IMO - It's either a corrupt file (although I have installed an update and it did fix some of the problems),

OR

It is a software problem being caused by a harware fault, the sort of thing that can happen if your computer is a bit hot or CPU overclocked. BUT my computer isn't either hot or overclocked so I don't know what is going on.

Still, I'm going to try and find another copy of Win98.

 

[MagpieJoel]

Originally posted by Jim Boy
Not too sure, but I think you may be infected by the sircam virus, as this can cause this sort of thing to happen, have a look at http://vil.nai.com/vil/content/v_99141.htm

Sorry for the numerous replies from myself. Anyway, thanks for the info Jim. However, I checked it all out and nup, no virus.

 

[Fred]

run Ststem file checker and regclean - both via the start/run command.

 

[jay_1972]

windows

would you like someone to send you a copy of windows?

 

[jim boy]

Hmmm, the only other thing I can think of is maybe you have a problem with long file names. I have seen that have a similar effect once or twice b4. Buggered if I remember how it got fixed though. Why don't you try installing messenger (for example) by unzipping the contents of the mmsetup.exe file with winzip to a directory which is totally kosher, eg c:\mms. Then just run the appropriate unzipped exe file.

Also try formatting the master boot record, you never know, it might work (fdisk /mbr).

cheers

 

[MagpieJoel]

Re: windows

Originally posted by jay_1972
would you like someone to send you a copy of windows?

Would be helpful....hmmm!

 

[Fred]

Go to www.windowsbbs.com and have a look around.

 

[MagpieJoel]

Thanks Fred, I will be sure to do that!

 

[MagpieJoel]

I stand corrected. It was infact a virus, very bad one at that.

all is now well. I It was called the W95.Spaces.1445 virus.


http://securityresponse.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/w95.spaces.html Go there for details.




The virus has two known variants, which append either 1,633 or 1,245 bytes to the last section of the Portable Executable (PE) files. The PE header's entry point will point to the start of the virus in the last section. The last section characteristic is changed to writeable and the PE header's Reserved1 field will contain two spaces (0x2020). Hence the name of the virus.

When the virus is executed, it checks for an active copy of itself in memory by calling VxDcallIFSMgr_Get_Version and passing 0x2020 (Spaces) in the AX register. On return, the AX is 0xDEAD when the virus is active in memory. In such a case, the virus checks the time and calls its payload routine on June 1 of each year and corrupts the AT hard disk.

When the virus does not detect itself in memory, the virus allocates memory for itself and hooks the file system to itself. This way it can infect all files that are accessed with the .exe file name extension. Since VxD calls are patched on the fly by Windows 9x systems, the virus fixes its copy for those places before it writes itself to the file. Such a mechanism was first used in the W95.Anxiety virus.