Removing Phantom Registry Entries

Question

First, some background: I'm trying to install an HP OfficeJet 6500. I've got the printer setup on my network fine, but the driver software installation on Windows XP (SP3) is a PITA.

The installation program keeps dying with the following error:

Product: Network -- Error 1324. The folder path 'WD Sync Data' contains an invalid character.

WD Sync Data is a program on external Western Digital harddrives, which I used to use on this computer, but no external drive is current mounted. I've searched my registry for those keywords, but haven't found anything. I also ran CCleaner on the registry just to make sure, but no loose ends detected there, either.

There are a number of Google results for the error, but no solutions.

One post pointed me to the Windows Installer Cleanup Utility, but this utility doesn't even run - it dies with the same error before even starting.

Any thoughts on where I could look to clean up this invalid character so I can get the HP installation wizard to successfully run? Many thanks in advance!

Answer 1

You could try a registry cleaner like Eusing Free Registry Cleaner .

Answer 2

First double check that WD Sync data is not in Add/Remove programs, if it is uninstall. I would use CCleaner http://www.piriform.com/ccleaner it has a registry cleaner and you can backup the changes. I would be careful about cleaning any entries you are unsure of. Here is a Microsoft article for generic fix for that error: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/292582 I would avoid using the installer cleanup tool, its original intention was only for a few specific products and wasn't instead as a fix all. Microsoft has removed that tool so that should say it all.