windows vista Vista Windows Installer Service quit working

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I am running a 2009 Dell XPS ONE 2010 with Vista Home Premium SP2.  About two years back, I noticed that Windows Installer had quit working and I could not install Microsoft programs or uninstall most programs, could load 3rd party programs like Turbotax,

but could not uninstall them.  I purchased Microsoft Expression Web software and had to pay MS $100 to load it.  MS uninstalled Office 2007, cleaned up Windows, installed Expression Web, and reinstalled Office 2007.  When MS loaded Expression Web, they advised

me to use Revo Uninstaller which can be forced to work. because the normal MS Program Uninstaller will not work  I cannot install any MS programs such as the Windows 7 upgrade advisor or other MS software.  When MS installed Expression Web, they said they

could not fix the installer failure without a custom reinstall of Vista which I chose not to do.  Strangely, MS Windows Updates work just fine.  

Over the last three months, I have read and tried all the MS suggestions to fix this problem without success.  The installer failure message is "The Windows Installer Service could not be accessed.  This can occur if the Windows Installer is not correctly

installed........."

Now I want to install new web site creation software but it will not install.  I purchased the Windows 7 Upgrade Home Premium package but it fails with the message my computer in not compatible with Windows 7.  I suspect the upgrade fails because the Installer

Service fails.  

 

I don't want to do a Custom install of  Windows 7 due to the work required to reinstall all my software.  

 

All recommendations to restore the Installer Service will be appreciated,  If this is not the right forum for this problem, please let me know.  

 

Thanks,  Bruce in Elfin Forest.  

 

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