Error Message: A Previous Program Installation Was Never Completed (221863)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5 for Windows NT 4.0 SP 1
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5 for Windows NT 4.0 SP 2
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.01 for Windows NT 4.0 SP 1
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.01 for Windows NT 4.0 SP 2
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 for Windows NT 4.0
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 for Windows NT 3.51
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.01 for Windows NT 3.51
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0 for Windows NT 3.51
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.03 for Windows NT 3.51
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5 for Windows 98 Second Edition SP 1
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5 for Windows 98 Second Edition SP 2
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.01 for Windows 98 Second Edition SP 1
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.01 for Windows 98 Second Edition SP 2
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 for Windows 98 Second Edition
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5 for Windows 98 SP 1
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5 for Windows 98 SP 2
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.01 for Windows 98 SP 1
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.01 for Windows 98 SP 2
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 for Windows 98
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5 for Windows 95 SP 1
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5 for Windows 95 SP 2
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.01 for Windows 95 SP 1
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.01 for Windows 95 SP 2
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 for Windows 95
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 for Windows 3.1
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.01 for Windows 3.1
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0 for Windows 3.1
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.02a for Windows 3.1
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5 for Windows 2000 SP 1
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5 for Windows 2000 SP 2
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.01 for Windows 2000 SP 1
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.01 for Windows 2000 SP 2
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 for Windows 2000
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.01 for UNIX on Sun Solaris
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.01 for UNIX on HPUX
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 for Macintosh
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.5 for Macintosh
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.01a for Macintosh
  • the operating system: Microsoft Windows 2000
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer version 6 for Windows 2000
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer version 6 for Windows 98
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer version 6 for Windows 98 Second Edition
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer version 6 for Windows Millennium Edition
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer version 6 for Windows NT 4.0
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 for UNIX on HPUX
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 for UNIX on Sun Solaris
This article was previously published under Q221863
IMPORTANT: This article contains information about modifying the registry. Before you modify the registry, make sure to back it up and make sure that you understand how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For information about how to back up, restore, and edit the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

256986 Description of the Microsoft Windows Registry

SYMPTOMS

When you attempt to install Internet Explorer, you may receive the following error message:
Windows Update Setup

A previous program installation was never completed. You need to restart your computer to complete that installation before running Internet Explorer Setup. Setup will now close.

CAUSE

This error message can occur if Windows was not restarted after installing or updating files that were in use by Windows.

For example, some program installations or updates need to replace files that are currently in use by Windows. Some files cannot be replaced while Windows is running. Windows must be restarted so that these files can be updated during the initial startup of Windows before they are loaded into memory.

Internet Explorer detects that these operations are pending and cannot be installed until these operations have been completed.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this issue, click OK, and then restart Windows. After Windows has restarted, run Internet Explorer Setup again. If you receive the error message again, click OK, and then restart Windows. After Windows has restarted, run Internet Explorer Setup again.

Note that restarting Windows may not resolve the issue. You may need to perform the appropriate procedure below.

Windows 95, Microsoft Windows 98, and Windows Millennium Edition (Me)

Rename the Wininit.ini file, restart the computer, and then run Internet Explorer Setup again. To rename the Wininit.ini file, follow these steps:
  1. Exit Windows by clicking Start, clicking Shutdown, and then clicking Restart in MS-DOS mode.
  2. From DOS, run wininit.exe, and then press ENTER.
  3. Type Exit and let Windows start backup.
If that does not work, then try the following steps.
  1. Click Start, click Find (or Search), and then click Files or Folders.
  2. In the Named box, type wininit.ini.
  3. In the Look in box, click Local Hard Drives.
  4. Click Find Now.
  5. Right-click the Wininit.ini file, and then click Rename.
  6. Type Wininit.nin, and then press ENTER.
  7. Close the Find window.

Windows NT 4.0 and Windows 2000

WARNING: If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

Locate the following registry key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager

Delete any PendingFileRenameOperations values in this key.

You may also need to check for and remove pending file rename operations in the following registry keys:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnceEx

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunServicesOnce

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce

NOTE: If the problem is still not resolved, check for the existence of old installation files in your TEMP or TMP folders, check for the existence of a folder named "$!$!$!$!" in the root folder, or try emptying the Temporary Internet Files folder.

To Delete Temporary Files

  1. Double-click My Computer, double-click drive C, double-click the Windows folder, and then double-click the Temp folder.
  2. Press CTRL+A to select all the files in the folder.
  3. Press the DELETE key.
  4. Close My Computer.

To Delete Temporary Internet Files

  1. On the desktop, right-click Internet Explorer, and then click Properties.
  2. Under Temporary Internet Files, click Delete Files.
  3. Click to select the Delete Offline Content check box, and then click OK.
  4. Close Internet properties.
Internet Explorer only forces a reboot in a live install case. If an administrator is writing a script to chain together a number of installs, they should use the quiet-mode Setup (/Q:A). This does not check for pending file renames before installing (the error noted above does not occur).

STATUS

This behavior is by design.
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:12/6/2003
Keywords:kberrmsg kbprb kbsetup KB221863
©2003 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.