Control Panel: Add/Remove Programs SETUP.EXE won't work

[AngerEyes]

The application will not work when I select a program to remove. I am getting the below Windows error message:
Setup.exe has encountered a problem and needs to close. We are sorry for the inconvenience. If you were in the middle of something, the information you were working on might be lost.

I have installed Windows XP with Service Pack 2. This all started some days back, when I was prompted to upgrade the CA Security Suite in my pc and selected ok. It downloaded the upgrade and I selected it to install. It was installed but the version turned out to be the one for Windows 98 and it buged up my internet access by blocking everything. So, I uninstall that version and was trying to install the proper one but when trying to install it, nothign seemed to happen and after that I got the Setup box flashing briefly on the screen as if it were trying to open a setup/install program. After that I was not able to get the computer to do anything. So, does anyone know what to do now?

[Mr. Boo Bear]

Can you try to boot into safe mode and then delete all the contents from the below location:
c:\documents and settings\your user name folder\local settings\temp
c:\windows\prefetch
c:\windows\temp

[AngerEyes]

Thanks for the tips, I will try to do that and report back if its working.

[Zachary]

Well, if you are still getting the error message then click on Start and then Run and then type in: control userpasswords2 and then press Enter and then uncheck the box with "Users must enter.." and then click apply and ok.

[AngerEyes]

Thanks for the solution, after I tried the above, everything is back to normal now.