Visio2000: "The Windows Installer Service Failed to Start" Error When You Are Installing Visio (273603)

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Visio 2000 Standard Edition
Microsoft Visio 2000 Professional Edition
Microsoft Visio 2000 Technical Edition
Microsoft Visio 2000 Enterprise Edition
the operating system: Microsoft Windows NT 4.0

This article was previously published under Q273603

SYMPTOMS

When you try to install Visio 2000 on a computer that is running Microsoft Windows NT 4.0, you may receive the following error:

The Windows Installer service failed to start. Contact your support personnel.

After you receive the error, the installation quits.

CAUSE

This behavior can occur when you try to install a program that is installed by using Windows Installer. The following registry key contains a value of data type REG_EXPAND_SZ, and the string is null:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Environment

Userenv.dll returns an error message when it tries to process the value, and Windows Installer quits. The following example shows a null value:

Value Name: CLASSPATH
Data Type: REG_EXPAND_SZ
String:

RESOLUTION

A supported fix that corrects this problem is now available from Microsoft. Click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

251274 Error Message When You Attempt to Install Program Using Windows Installer

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in Windows NT 4.0.

Modification Type:	Major	Last Reviewed:	7/12/2001
Keywords:	kbbug kberrmsg KB273603