Trying to run a programs setup.exe file, but no install windows/prompts start up.

I've tried running the setup file as a local-admin, as the domain admin, I've deleted and re-downloaded the setup files, and I've done Alt+Tab to see if the window was hidden beyond the border of the monitors.

This program has been installed on many other end-user PC's, but this one seems not to want to work. I've even copied the setup folder from a different PC instead of from the server, ruling out the source folder being borked.

After double-clicking on the setup file, the Windows 7 loading wheel pops up, but no prompts/windows pop up. A setup.exe entry does show up in Task Manager, though. Nothing shows up in the Event Logs.

Where else should I look? What should be my next steps in troubleshooting?

Windows 7 x64 Ultimate (same as the other working computers). UAC is disabled. Setup.exe uses InstallShield.

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7 Answers

Interesting question :)

Are you sure that computer can run other installers, and that the problem is not windows installer itself?

Also, sometimes you can extract the setup files from certain installers. Then you will get a new setup file that doesn't have the preferences (silent, no interaction) set to it, as the parent installer has. Check if you can extract files from the installer with an unzip tool like WinRar or Universal Extractor.

It might be worth a shot to check if all system files are correct. Hit windows key + R, type 'cmd'. Then in the newly opened dos venster type 'sfc /scannow'.

Finally you might try running the setup.exe in safe mode. See if that changes anything.

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Run Process Monitor. Filter for setup.exe. Compare what happens when it terminates with an example that works correctly.

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Kill the setup.exe process in the task manager and then try rerunning it. Sometimes you get a "zombie"* process that's launched but for whatever reason bugs out and doesn't load correctly, preventing a new one from starting, and doesn't go away by itself.

*Note: I'm using "zombie" in a colloquial sense. "Zombie" processes are real things in OS terms, but I am not certain of what state these processes are in.

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Try temporarily disabling the antivirus. Especially if the antivirus you use on this PC is different from the other PCs. I have seen similar behaviour many times before, and this has fixed the problem a few times.

Note: only do this if you're certain the setup file is not infected with any malware.

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Going to Task Manager-->processes-->Go to Details-->Select the non working application, right clicking and going to Analyze Wait Chain worked. It was waiting for WinRAR.exe for some reason. To get around this, I selected winrar.exe and "disabled" it and the setup.exe program opened no problem.

Seems to work okay on Windows 10, just not 7 and 8.

If you have administrator authority, right click on the setup and choose properties. It might be set to read-only, if so, uncheck the "read-only" box and click apply, then okay. It might also be blocked for some reason, if so check the "unblock" box and click apply, then okay.

Took me sooooooooo long to figure that out, but it was the issue in my case.

Hopefully this helps someone!

This could be due to Microsoft's WaitChain logic in Windows 7 and later OSes. "Analyse the Wait chain" to see which program is blocking it. It is visible in Windows 8.

WaitChain means the setup.exe is waiting to launch soon after another process is finished. So, You can start killing processes from TaskManager one by one to see which one is blocking the setup.exe. You may start with Skype or some other Microsoft Processes.

For Windows 8.1 and Newer OSes, Taskmanager->Processes>Go to Details-->select the non_working_application-->right click will show the "Analyze Wait Chain" option. For Windows 7, The "Analyze wait chain..." command can be invoked from Resource Monitor.

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