Wrong version WinXP seen on software install

[hubbly59139]

I am using Windows XP Pro, SP3, which is correctly recognized using the "System Information" utility.

However, when trying to install some software, including Acrobat Reader 9 and Truecrypt 6a (and numerous others), I get error messages which stop the installations, indicating that the software that I'm trying to install "requires Windows XP, SP2 or higher" or "requires Windows 2000, SP4 or higher". Consequently, it appears that something in the installation routines are not recognizing that I am, in fact, using Win XP, SP3.

Any ideas as to what the problem might be? Is there a key in the registry which might be corrupted? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks,

 

[kimsland]

Is this the authentic version of SP3? (there were a few beta-releases)

I would suggest to uninstall Windows SP3 from Add/Remove programs
And re-install it from MS

 

[hubbly59139]

As far as I know it was the automatic MS download of SP3... but I'll try your suggestion on Monday. Thanks very much for the suggestion.

 

[hubbly59139]

I removed XP service pack 3 but that did not solve the problem. Hopefully someone will have other solutions. Thanks.

 

[kimsland]

Microsoft's Windows XP Professional Repair Install step by step
http://www.windowsxpprofessional.windowsreinstall.com/installxpcdrepair/part3.htm

Note: this will not hurt any of your data (I've done it hundreds of times without data loss) but to be proper You should back up first.

Doing a Repair install, will put Windows back to its proper state, the only thing it does remove is all the MS Security updates (since release of your Windows CD) So you'll need to re-install SP3 once completed, again

Please try that

 

[hubbly59139]

Thank you... I'll give that a try.

 

[hubbly59139]

Ok... I tried a Windows repair re-install as suggested and then installed all the XP updates...

and I still cannot install several program updates and get messages which all, in substance, say I cannot install with any version of Window prior to Win 2000 or Win XP (I am now using Win XP, SP3 but clearly that is not being recognized for some reason). Any other ideas?

 

[kimsland]

Can you please tell me the exact text as seen by the error you receive:

"requires Windows XP, SP2 or higher" ?
or
"cannot install with any version of Window prior to Win 2000 or Win XP" ?

What exactly is the wording? And is there any error number as well?

 

[hubbly59139]

The Adobe Reader 9 error message reads: “To run this program one of the following operating systems with given minimal service pack is required: - Windows 2000 Service Pack 4 (or later)”

The TrueCrypt error message reads: "TrueCrypt does not support this operating system.

The Windows Live Installer error message reads: "Sorry, Windows Live programs cannot be installed on Windows Server, Windows XP Professional x64 Edition, or Windows operating systems earlier than Windows XP Service Pack 2."

These are just some examples. And I am using

Version 5.1.2600 Service Pack 3 Build 2600
OS Manufacturer Microsoft Corporation



THANKS

 

[gbhall]

Oh dear, looks very much like yet another SP3 insufficient testing problem. Your best bet is - are there updates yet for the balky applications? If not, try reinstall SP2 and critical updates since then, but dont update to SP3 for another several weeks, even months.

I know you're not going to find this amusing, but MS had to actually re-issue SP3 to cover problems with their own software - SQL server in one case, Dynamics suit in another.

You better review this link too http://support.microsoft.com/kb/950717/

 

[kimsland]

Another SP3 hater, even though SP3 is not at fault!

Hey I can download/run all those programs, with SP3, so I don't believe that's the problem.
Also he removed SP3 and tried too with SP2, and no go!

Maybe SP2 is faulty? The strange part is-It is (That's why SP3 was released!)

Now back to trying to resolve this matter (non SP3 related)
Please give me time on this
But if you do decide to re-install clean, then make sure you install the 100% recommended SP3 update.

 

[kimsland]

I think I might have it

You need to do one or more of these things:

Uninstall the old versions of these programs first: (try one or more of the following)
In Add/Remove Programs
By running the original MSI (setup program) ie Acroread.msi (just search for this, it's probably in the "Installer" folder and hidden!)
By downloading the original version of the installed products, and re-running them
Use the Windows Installer CleanUp Utility: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/290301/en-us

Once Adobe (and the others) are removed
Download and install the newest versions

Or

Reconfirm your LANGUAGE setting in Control Panel-->Regional settings
Confirm that it is set for your locale (note this is in two places in Regional settings)


or

Try this Windows Live Messenger : http://www.softpedia.com/get/Internet/Chat/Instant-Messaging/MSN-Messenger-8.shtml
The .exe does a check for server version, the msi on the otherhand doesnt care

You can also run this command:
RunDll32 advpack.dll,LaunchINFSection %windir%\INF\msmsgs.inf,BLC.Remove
To remove Windows Live
I also found another Windows Live :http://g.msn.com/8reen_us/EN/INSTALL_MSN_MESSENGER_DL.EXE
That users reported that this download works, with those errors

Please try all of the above, and let me know the outcome
Also I'm trying to individualize the issues to one program at a time (this is usually better)

 

[hubbly59139]

I'll give the suggestions a try. Thanks

 

[LookinAround]

I've spent a good bit of time recently going through info about SP3 and have read that a number of software products don't properly recognize SP3 and will give the type of error you are indicating. (Unfortunately, don't recall just where online i read it)

But would think kimsland's suggestion to uninstall/reinstall could circumvent the problem as i'm guessing most vendors will have fixed this issue by now. (you might even first just trying looking for and try updating with the newest version as their update may also be fixed their update by now)

If you continue to have the problem, please indicate the current version of each product you are trying to update which fails (clicking Help->About should show you a product's current version number)

 

[hubbly59139]

I have tried all the suggestions without success. I cannot give you the current "installed" versions for the problem programs, because when I uninstalled them to try the suggestions even the old program versions would not reinstall.

I can tell you that I was trying to upgrade from Adobe Reader 8 to version 9 and Truecrypt 5.0a to version 6a... as just two of many programs that I'm having trouble installing.

 

[hubbly59139]

'Wrong version WinXP seen on software install'

I don't know whether the problem is related or not but I just tried to do a Windows update, which indicated that I need to update to 'Windows Messenger 4.7 and the update failed without explanation twice.

I am, by the way, running a variety of antivirus and spyware programs, along with a firewall.

 

[kimsland]

Well you can only have 1 Antivirus program (2 would cause issues)

I really thought it was the regional settings part
Please continue to update this thread, I did see this a long time ago, but can't remeber what (unless it was reinstall) fixed it. (note: normally I don't re-install, I find out what the issue is, even if it takes days)

 

[kimsland]

By the way, Windows update (manually from going to the link) works, doesn't it?

 

[LookinAround]

Absolutely. You should only be running 1 antivirus, 1 antiyspware and 1 firewall. (i.e. not more then one of each. And make sure XP firewall is OFF if you're using someone else's!)

Suggest you fix this first then try again.

 

[hubbly59139]

'Wrong version WinXP seen on software install'

Update does work and it installed some updates but failed twice with the Messenger update.... and I am running only one antivirus, one firewall and one spyware protection (have for years w/o any problems, eg, no conflicts).

 

[kimsland]

It's not that
Well actually, corrupt Antivirus or firewalls can cause strange issues
Seeming this is a long time to resolve, what the issue is. ...

Can you please uninstall all 3, then try the downloads again

 

[LookinAround]

hmmm... you can also see if you can reinstall adobe 8 successfully as is on your current installation http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2_allversions.html

/*** Edit ***/
Ooops. Just noticed you said you already tried the re-install of earlier version. Never mind.

 

[LookinAround]

fyi... something else i found

on the one hand as you're having the SP3 "not recognized" with several products so i think you still have a different issue but fyi (for you and others) it seems adobe recommends Reader 8 is uninstalled before Reader 9 is installed

http://kb.adobe.com/selfservice/viewContent.do?externalId=333223&sliceId=1

 

[LookinAround]

I don't want to confuse things with alternate instructions so you can coordinate these debugging tests with kimsland and kimsland's instructions. Consider

1. Run Windows Update then copy/paste the list of High Priority Updates it lists into your post (or attachment to your post if it's long) so can see exactly what updates it's attempting
2. Download Belarc Advisor. Run it to get a system profile and copy the profile into notepad and attach to a post (or at minimum copy the sections on installed Security Updates and Hotfixes from the Belarc profile and attach it to your next post)

Just fyi... i found that XP stores info on all updates in the registry (is where Belarc finds it to summarize) under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Updates. Belarc should provide a full formatted list of all the updates but just for visual comparison to check for registry corruption, the subkeys on my XP Pro SP3 installation under HKLM\....\Updates are:

.NETFramework
MSXML4SP2
SpNpInst
WGA
Windows
Windows Media Format 11 runtime
Windows Media Format 11 SDK
Windows Media Format SDK
Windows Media Player
Windows Media Player 10
Windows Media Player 11
Windows Media Player 6.4
Windows Media Player 9
Windows Presentation Foundation
Windows XP

SP0
SP1
SP10
SP2
SP3

KB936929
WIC​

SP4​

XML Paper Specification Shared Components Pack 1.0​

 

[c3333g]

I'm having the same issue as hubbly59139. I'm running Windows XP Pro, Version 2002, Service Pack 2. However, certain programs that I try to install do not see this OS. When I try to install TrueCrypt 6.0a, I get the following error message: "TrueCrypt does not support this operating system." Likewise, when I try to install Advanced WindowsCare Personal 2.8.6, I get the following error message: "This program requires Windows NT version 5.0.2195 or later."

Have any of the solutions suggested above worked?