Windows installer popping out on each Vista boot?

October 18, 2009

Hi all, I keep getting a Windows installer pop up window saying ‘preparing to install…’ and nothing more each time I boot into Vista. It only pops up then. I’m pretty confident it has to do with a corrupted installation of Symantec NIS, since I was unable to install it automatically and thus had to do it manually (deleting files, cleaning registry…)

I’ve tried disable the Windows Installer service but to no avail. I’ve also tried Microsoft Windows Install Clean Up tool, but the offending installation doesn’t show there (I guess it’s due to having removed it by hand).

Any help will be highly appreciated.
Thanks!
Oh sorry I meant I was unable to *uninstall* Symantec NIS automatically, that’s why I deleted it manually. I’ve done the registry cleanups with CCleaner btw.

What is the best spy-ware killer/registry cleaner for Windows?

July 19, 2009

I’m running Windows XP Pro if that has any bearing on your recommendations.
I use Mozilla Firefox almost exclusively to surf the Internet and can’t think of a time when I have gotten a pop-up window while using it.

Some of my desktop apps, however, are associated with Internet Explorer and open IE on launch (as much as I wouldn’t like them to). That’s when and where I get an almost immediate onslaught of pop-up windows.
Ad-Aware keeps getting mentioned so I download a trial. Is it worth purchasing?