I deleted Windows\Installer folder, is there a chance to repair?

I accidentally deleted the Windows\Installer folder in Windows 7. Is there a way to repair this, because I can't install new Microsoft software anymore.

Tykacz

Posted 2010-10-07T18:58:02.003

Reputation:

1Have you tried using the Windows install cd and selecting the repair option? – Daisetsu – 2010-10-07T19:39:30.923

Answers

Try recovering the files using a Shadow Copy (Previous Versions). If your edition of Windows doesn't expose the Previous Versions tab, use the free ShadowExplorer to do it.

If that doesn't work, recover from backup.

If you don't have a backup, you're in big trouble.

The only real options you have at that point are reinstalling Windows (and all of your applications that use Windows Installer) or, maybe, trying to use the msizap.exe command line tool to reset all the Installer's registry information.

afrazier

Posted 2010-10-07T18:58:02.003

Reputation: 21 316

1msizap *! ALLPRODUCTS worked for me - but as a last ditch effort - not recommended! Everything has to be reinstalled now. – user12007 – 2012-01-17T17:08:04.490

Open an elevated command prompt and type:

sfc /scannow

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/929833

Moab

Posted 2010-10-07T18:58:02.003

Reputation: 54 203

Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations. – FindOutIslamNow – 2019-03-07T10:29:38.503

You can't reinstall it, because actually version 5.0 is not redistributable.

The simplest solution is to copy the folder from an other Win7 computer.

mems

Posted 2010-10-07T18:58:02.003

Reputation: 364

You can use my PowerShell script “Restore-InstallerFiles.ps1” which is capable to scan for the missing files, and to restore them from different sources such as local folder, shared folder or another machine which can be accessed from the target machine. http://ahmad.jempress.com/post/restore-the-missing-windows-installer-cache-files

https://gallery.technet.microsoft.com/scriptcenter/Restore-the-Missing-d11de3a1

Ahmad

Posted 2010-10-07T18:58:02.003

Reputation: 11

2Please quote the essential parts of the answer from the reference link(s), as the answer can become invalid if the linked page(s) change. – DavidPostill – 2017-02-24T11:06:41.110

Have you tried using System restore, or even just restore from the recycle bin?

Bryan

Posted 2010-10-07T18:58:02.003

Reputation: 1 563