Million And One Installation Errors

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#1

I been using computers since 1970s. I been installing software since then too, obviously. I been on the internet since 1987. And I have some computer programming knowledge in C, and a lot in Dbase IV (having written a 50,000 line program in that language). I also have asperger’s type autism, and people with aspergers tend to be good with logic and computer programming. So I know enough about computers to know when something is frankly not working the way it should ever work, or programmed in a way it should never be programmed.

Trying to install LibreOffice: First off, I started out with an error saying I did’nt have enough disk space, which I figured out had to do with the temp directory. Then after trying to fix that, I get error code 2203. My operating system is Windows 64 Professional. Then after reinstalling an earlier version of my operating system’s registry settings via a registry tool from over a month ago, now I am getting an error about having to install a PREVIOUS version of LibreOffice CD ROM disk (I believe it was 5.3.3.2), in order to install the CURRENT version. The only period of time while using computers that I had this much trouble trying to install a program was back in the 1980s on DOS. The insanity of the programming for the current LibreOffice and apparently many years previously is beyond belief.

I am not trying to insult anyone. Autistic people’s brains tend to be wired to spit out the truth, unlike a normal persons. The reason I wrote this post is because I think the concept of a program like this is a good one, but the installation problems are pretty serious and should be addressed.

Update: I edited the above to correct what I meant about restoring to earlier version.

#2

Are you sure you re-downloaded a clean right installation version (32bit, 64bit etc.) for your OS? Is the downloaded installer free of viruses (after downloading…)? disk space message from Windows may mean you do not have the rights to write in temp dir. Since you are next trying Windows 7 have you try to run the installation as Administrator? Does “reinstalling an earlier version” means Rolling Back to a Restore Point?

#3

Yes, I downloaded directly from the LibreOffice site. Can’t run as administrator (tried for 30 minutes to try to figure out how, even trying to change compatibility options to administrator, etc).

No restoring to earlier, actually was just restoring the registry to about a month ago via a registry tool (this fixed the permissions on the temp dir so installation could proceed). But it now thinks LibreOffice (I think 5.3.3.2) is installed? How to fix this, without making it worst?

#4

Right click->Run as Administrator, but restoring to a previous point means you restored also older installations of many programs… probably including a left over from older LO installation (finished or not) . This left over will continue to create problems, unless you totally remove older installation (or make a clean MSWindows installation). This problem is Windows registry related.

#5

If there is still an uninstall option for older LO, use it to totally uninstall previous installation. And please, unless you are very sure for what you are doing, do not revert to previous registry (because sometimes you may “reinstall” viruses or others problems and “uninstall” OS’es updates-fixes for those…)

#6

But it now thinks LibreOffice (I think 5.3.3.2) is installed? How to fix this, without making it worst?

If I were you I would use a tool for uninstalling rests of older and obsolete installations. There are some available like:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/17588/fix-problems-that-block-programs-from-being-installed-or-removed

https://www.ccleaner.com/ccleaner/registry-cleaner

#7

Well, you do have installation not working properly on your system. But of course, it’s not something with Windows Installer service that happened to be broken on your system. It’s some software that happened to come across that breakage that is to be blamed.

Windows Installer service (a Windows OS component) has an internal database, which can get corrupt at times. MS knows that, and has a dedicated troubleshooter and a fix tool.

But when people come across that breakage now and then (installing various softwares), each time they tend to blame that software. If you search Internet for any MSI error, you will see that people have those errors randomly with different softwares.

#8

Hi Staragox

You have a problem with Windows, rather than with installing LO. That is the key understanding to fix this.

Error-Code: 2203 on Install

error code 2203

The link above is to an MS user-help site. The advice to fix the problem starts:-

  1. Right click on the program’s setup file and select “Run as Administrator”.
  2. When the UAC message is displayed, click Yes to start the installation.

If that does not work, then the follow-up advice quickly becomes akin to descent into a pit-of-despair.

Difficulty Uninstalling the Previous Version

now I am getting an error about having to install a PREVIOUS version of LibreOffice CD ROM disk (I believe it was 5.3.3.2), in order to install the CURRENT version

Your statement on this one only makes sense if you are being asked to insert the CD-ROM for the previous version of LO. Not to install, but to uninstall it. The sequence goes like this:-

  1. You decide to upgrade LO
  2. You obtain the MSI install file for the new version, and begin the install
  3. As part of 1st steps on install, the new MSI file discovers that a previous version of LO is already installed & asks MS-Windows to remove it

INFORMATION:-

  • when a program is installed, all the information related to it’s installation is stored by Windows within a system-database called the Registry
  • that info also includes information specific to allow the program to be uninstalled
  • all of this meta-data [info for the Registry] is part of every MSI installation file
  • the Windows Registry has proven to be prone to corruption, and particularly if the user makes use of some Registry cleaners or other tools

CONTINUING NOW WITH THE INSTALL SEQUENCE:-

  1. MS-Windows is unable to locate the LO-5.3.3.2-64bit uninstall info in the Registry, so it asks for the original LO-5.3.3.2 CD-ROM to be inserted, so that it can discover the uninstall info from the MSI file
    (notice that this is classic 1990 language; many modern MSI files will not fit on a CD-ROM!)

Fixing the Error

the installation problems are pretty serious and should be addressed

LO is unable to fix systemic issues with the Windows Registry, and neither are you. I shall offer what is (hopefully) a simple method to fix the issue, but if it does not work then you may need to address the fact that your installation of Windows is shagged. The only way in that situation will be to reinstall Windows from scratch. Essentially, wipe your disc & make a clean start from fresh.

Here is a step-by-step fix:-

  1. Obtain the original MSI file from the LO Download Archive. Be careful to get the exact same install file, including bit-wise (I believe that it is in this directory (top file in the list)).
  2. Run the uninstall option.
    There are a massive number of ways to do this! I think that the simplest method for you is to:-
  • “right click it in Windows Explorer and select Uninstall”
  1. Having successfully removed the old version you should now be able to install the new version. Hooray!

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