Add hardware error: Cannot run two device installations

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May 4th, 2008, 01:33 PM
CCT

Other/additional solutions:

per: http://technicalsupport.businessobje...1%200%20356275

""Error 1500: Another installation is in progress. You must complete that installation before continuing this one."

Why does this error message appear, and how can it be resolved?

Resolution
This error message appears because a registry entry for the Windows Installer is indicating that an install is already in progress. This registry entry must be removed in order to complete the installation.

To remove the registry entry:

========================

CAUTION:

The following resolution involves editing the registry. Using Registry Editor incorrectly can cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall the Windows operating system. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

For information about how to edit the registry, view the Changing Keys And Values online Help topic in Registry Editor (Regedit.exe). Note that you should make a backup copy of the registry files (System.dat and User.dat) before you edit the registry.

========================

1. On the task bar click the 'Start' button and then click 'Run'. The 'Run' dialog box appears.

2. Type 'Regedit' without the quotes in the 'Open' box and click 'Ok'. The 'Registry Editor' dialog box appears.

3. Right-click the plus (+) sign to expand each of the folders listed below in the order shown.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE

SOFTWARE

MICROSOFT

WINDOWS

CURRENTVERSION

INSTALLER

4. Under the expanded 'Installer' folder right-click the 'InProgress' entry, and click 'Delete'. The 'Confirm Key Delete' message box appears. Click 'Yes' to delete the entry.

5. Close Registry Editor."

per: http://www.rickrogers.org/fixes.htm#Installation

"Installation Problems:

Try cleaning up the installer. Click start/run, type services.msc and click "ok". Scroll down to "Windows Installer" and double click it. Stop the service if it is running, set the startup type line to disabled. Click apply/ok and reboot.

Delete the contents of the temp folders, there may be a file in there interfering with the setup routine of the installer. Check both:

C:\Windows\temp
C:\Documents and Settings\<username>\local settings\temp

Now reverse the first set of steps and re-enable the Windows Installer (You can just set the startup type to manual). Reboot.

Turn off all other running programs, especially your antivirus software. Use ctrl+shift+escape, if necessary, to "end task" on everything.

Now retry installing some software. If everything goes ok, but you see that it is only installing for certain users, or you are having trouble with limited accounts, please see this page on running software in a WindowsXP environment. You may also find it useful to run the installer cleanup utility:

Description of the Windows Installer CleanUp Utility
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=290301

Updating the Windows installer can help as well:

Windows Installer 3.1 (v2) is available
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=893803

If it doesn't help, here are some further articles that may:

"Error 1719. The Windows Installer Service Could Not Be Accessed" Error Message When You Try to Add or Remove a Program
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=315346

Windows Installer Error 1619 When You Install from NTFS-Protected Directories
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=316309

OFF: "The Windows Installer Service Could Not Be Accessed" Error Message When You Try to Install Office
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=324516

There is also a known problem documented on systems that have SP2 installed. The fix is downloadable from this article:

Computer stops responding when you try to install an update in Windows XP Service Pack 2
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=885894"
May 5th, 2008, 01:39 PM
Ortodox09

i followed those instructions in regedit,but i couldn't find the "InProgress" entry.
i also followed your second approach to the problem,over the services.msc. i did as you told me and then tried to install my video card drivers.On the beginning of the installation a window popped up,saying:The NVIDIA Setup has detected that one or more Microsoft hardware installation wizards are still active.Do you want to continue with the setup?Click Yes to minimize Setup until you complete or cancel other installation wizard(s).Click No to exit Setup.
............. i haven't only tried with those cleanup utilities yet
August 13th, 2008, 08:50 AM
davidb

I just had this problem on my IBM T42 laptop which I just purchased refurbished from an online reseller. It was running XP SP2 and had an apparently clean install of the operating system when it was shipped to me.

The fix from DoubleTrouble2004 worked well. Step II . 2 allows the system to run the Plug and Play software. Without this key disabled or removed, the system would allow for installs of drivers manually and then install of logical volumes, however, the drives would never show up on My Computer, even though one could open the drives via the Drive Manager.

Step II.4 allows for changing the Start Menu. Otherwise the Start Menu will not change on a new startup, even if it is changed by you through "pinning" the program to the Start Menu.

Another problem I ran into was installing a current antivirus program on my PC. The factory install disks the company used assumed that another version of the program would be installed. It clearly was not installed. I ended up deleting the names of the vendor and the program from the registry files and then the install went cleanly.

So even though the post was from 2004, the problems can still exist.

Thanks!
September 25th, 2008, 08:56 AM
NooNoo

Welcome to Windrivers davidb

Thanks for your comments and I am glad it was of some help. If you need anything else, just post.
December 24th, 2008, 10:46 AM
KAG

THANK YOU very much DOUBLETREE2004 for your help - this fixed my "Cannot run two device installations" error. You saved me a lot of time! Thank you!
December 24th, 2008, 11:08 AM
NooNoo

Welcome to Windrivers KAG

Which post were you referring to?
December 24th, 2008, 11:14 AM
KAG

Message from DOUBLETREE2004 re: fix for "cannot run two device installations-Error FIX" It worked for me.
December 24th, 2008, 11:22 AM
NooNoo

Ah DoubleTrouble's post ok, thanks!
August 4th, 2009, 06:42 PM
oldphoneman

Quote:

Originally Posted by DoubleTrouble2004

After an exhaustive search on Google and contacting Microsoft on two different occassions for support on the Add Hardware Wizard error of "Cannot run two device installations", I have fixed my Windows XP.

Solution that worked for me:

Step I. backup registry

-------------------------------------

1. Click Start->Run, type "regedit.exe" in the Open box, and click OK.

2. In Registry Editor, click File->Export.

3. Specify a name in the File Name box, making sure that "All" is selected in the Export range box, and then click Save.

***(Probably not a bad idea to create a RESTORE point in XP also just to be safe)

Step II. Delete some keys

-------------------------------------

1. Click Start->Run, type "regedit.exe" in the Open box, and click OK.

2. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\Setup"

3. If there is any key or values named "FactoryPreInstallInProgress", please right click and delete it.

4. Repeat the above steps to delete HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Factory

5. Restart the computer.

Upon restart my PC ran the Hardware Wizard and prompted me for a restart so it could rebuild the deleted registry keys. After restart it was fixed and I am now able to use the "Add Hardware Wizard".

I am new to this forum. Found Double Trouble 2004's reply. I have had this problem for months and could find no one that knew how to fix it. Then today I found your fix for the problem. It worked!

I wish I could buy you a steak, but a heart felt thank you will have to do. You made my day.

Oldphoneman
August 20th, 2009, 04:08 PM
NooNoo

Welcome to Windrivers Oldphoneman

I am glad this forum helped you - if you have any other questions, please feel free to post again.
November 4th, 2009, 09:25 PM
appox

Hey, registered because I had this problem. This thread one of the only real thing I could find in the google search that actually offered solutions.

I was having an issue with a Logitech USB cordless mouse, It wouldn't install, the hardware wizard was running and wouldn't let me manually install the drivers because it was 'using them'.

I tried the registry solutions in this thread, non of them worked (didn't have those entries). Even did an XP re-install no dice.

So anyway, to fix my problem I used Revo Uninstaller to uninstall Set-point, and everything else it installs with it.

I then went into task manager and noticed update.exe running, I closed this, and all of a sudden the hardware wizard told me the driver installed had failed. But, this ended it's process, meaning I could just add-hardware again.

Worked.

So if you happen to be having this issue with a cordless mouse, hope that helps.
November 5th, 2009, 01:51 AM
Platypus

Welcome to WinDrivers appox, and thanks for posting the details of what worked for you.
October 10th, 2011, 05:00 PM
fishingwithfredo

Thank you!

Registered so I could say thank you to the person(s) who helped with this solution..six years later it still did the job! Thank you again.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DoubleTrouble2004

After an exhaustive search on Google and contacting Microsoft on two different occassions for support on the Add Hardware Wizard error of "Cannot run two device installations", I have fixed my Windows XP.

Solution that worked for me:

Step I. backup registry

-------------------------------------

1. Click Start->Run, type "regedit.exe" in the Open box, and click OK.

2. In Registry Editor, click File->Export.

3. Specify a name in the File Name box, making sure that "All" is selected in the Export range box, and then click Save.

***(Probably not a bad idea to create a RESTORE point in XP also just to be safe)

Step II. Delete some keys

-------------------------------------

1. Click Start->Run, type "regedit.exe" in the Open box, and click OK.

2. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\Setup"

3. If there is any key or values named "FactoryPreInstallInProgress", please right click and delete it.

4. Repeat the above steps to delete HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Factory

5. Restart the computer.

Upon restart my PC ran the Hardware Wizard and prompted me for a restart so it could rebuild the deleted registry keys. After restart it was fixed and I am now able to use the "Add Hardware Wizard".
October 10th, 2011, 06:31 PM
Platypus

We're glad to know you were helped. Thanks for taking the time to sign up.
October 11th, 2011, 08:10 AM
DoubleTrouble2004

Very Cool that my fix from 2005 is still helping users. Thanks for taking the time to sign up and give feedback. That's what tech support is all about. Thanks FishingwithFredo!
December 17th, 2012, 05:29 AM
atkin

Hi,
Registered just to thank you for the solution to this problem.
I was installing a camera from Hewlett Packard when the error occurred.
Like the others I did not find on Microsoft , HP or the internet.
PHEW !!
December 17th, 2012, 05:42 AM
NooNoo

Quote:

Originally Posted by atkin

Hi,
Registered just to thank you for the solution to this problem.
I was installing a camera from Hewlett Packard when the error occurred.
Like the others I did not find on Microsoft , HP or the internet.
PHEW !!

Wow this thread just keeps on giving! Welcome to Windrivers Atkin. Let us know if you have any more questions.
December 17th, 2012, 01:00 PM
DoubleTrouble2004

I second the WOW! This thread has been going a long time.

Quote:

Originally Posted by NooNoo

Wow this thread just keeps on giving! Welcome to Windrivers Atkin. Let us know if you have any more questions.

I'm glad that this fix is still helping people. Awesome!

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