Windows installer ..preparing to install keeps popping up. What to

I listened to a friend and tried to delete some already deleted stuf in my
hidden files on my computer. I got a little carried away and started deleting
anything I didn't use. It created a huge problem as I must have deleted some
necessary stuff. I keep getting a Windows installer box...'preparing to
install' whenever I open a new window. I have done a system restore and the
problem is still occuring. Any suggestions? It is driving me crazy!!!!! Thanks

Download and install the Windows Installer Cleanup Utility.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/290301

See if the files you deleted are still in your Recycle Bin and if they are
restore them.
In the future do not remove any programs except by using Add/Remove
programs.

[antimind]

Ok. I fixed the same problem. uninstall office xp if thats what your using. restart. open internet explorer and see if the installer starts. It should be fine. reinstall office. seems to be an overlay problem when you upgrade.

[natarie]

I have the same problem with windows installer preparing to install popping up. I tried the windows cleanup utility suggested by S.Sengupta, howwever that didn't work. Willing to try anything at this point.

windows installer preparing to install
SO WE NEED MORE INFO
windows cleanup utility
WILL NOT WORK
THY GIVING MORE INFO WILL HELP!

[ankit9j]

Simple fix:

I went into c:\program files\microsoft office\office 12\ and ran winword.exe from there.
It ran without the windows installer message.
So, I just created shortcut to that it works great!

[lerikson]

Hi All,

I went crazy with this problem all day yesterday.

First, you should all know that I have Windows Vista operating system.

The problem started happening after I installed Microsoft Office 2010.

A little history: I had Microsoft Professional Edition 2003 installed on my computer, and I think there may have been some corrupted files in it before I did the upgrade to Office 2010. Also, Microsoft Office 2007 was pre-installed on my computer when I bought it. I never used it, but when I upgraded to 2010, Windows upgraded Office 2007, and left Office Professional Edition 2003on my computer. After I installed Office 2010, the error message started popping up randomly upon startup or basically just starting any program or clicking on any program.

I thought that Windows Vista gotten corrupted, but in the end, it turned out that I just needed to completely uninstall Microsoft Office 2010, Microsoft Office Professional Edition 2003, and Microsoft Office 2007, and then reinstall Microsoft Office 2010. I had a little bit of trouble with the uninstallations, because of the corrupted files. First, I had to put the Office 2010 disk back in the computer and uninstall using the disk. Then, I had to visit the following site and run the "Fixit" downloads for both 2007 and 2003:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/290301

That pretty much fixed the problem with the windows intaller popping up.

Last, I went ahead and ran the following from the command prompt (right click and run as administrator) to verify and fix any corrupted files that might be left: sfc/scannow

After reinstalling Office 2010, I did a Windows update, and my computer is just about as good as new. The only problem is that Professional Edition 2003 had Microsoft Access on it, and now I don't have Access anymore, so I'll probably have to suck it up and just buy the 2010 version.

I hope the details I have posted here help somebody, because I wasted an entire day on this, and it turned out the fix was just so easy. It was just some kind of incompatibility/file corruption issue.