Microsoft Security Essentials Upgrade won't run

User avatar
sobershea
2StarLounger
Posts: 184
Joined: 08 Feb 2010, 23:37
Location: Howell, Michigan USA

Microsoft Security Essentials Upgrade won't run

Post by sobershea »

Windows Update said there was a software upgrade for MSE and I allowed it to run. It worked fine on both laptops but failed on the HP desktop. I tried downloading the actual file and installing it but it keeps failing. I tried uninstalling it to then reinstall, but it won't let me uninstall it. I Googled the problem and it seems there are a lot of people with the same problem but there doesn't seem to be a solution. I did make sure I had the 64-bit version. I can still run a scan so MSE is still working. Right now I am ignoring it while being slightly bugged. :hairout: Any ideas?

TIA
Sherry

User avatar
John Gray
PlatinumLounger
Posts: 5401
Joined: 24 Jan 2010, 08:33
Location: A cathedral city in England

Re: Microsoft Security Essentials Upgrade won't run

Post by John Gray »

Sorry, can't help, since it installed neatly from Windows Update on one PC, and via its own update on another.
John Gray

Venison is quiet deer, and quite dear.

JoeP
SilverLounger
Posts: 2051
Joined: 25 Jan 2010, 02:12

Re: Microsoft Security Essentials Upgrade won't run

Post by JoeP »

Is there a log file from the installation effort?

Have you checked the system log?

Joe
Joe

User avatar
sobershea
2StarLounger
Posts: 184
Joined: 08 Feb 2010, 23:37
Location: Howell, Michigan USA

Re: Microsoft Security Essentials Upgrade won't run

Post by sobershea »

There are several logs that appear to pertain to MSE but reading them is not for the faint of heart. When the install gets to a certain point it says it can't find epp.msi and when I point it to the file it says it isn't a valid file. If I knew what to look for in the logs...I'm not sure I'm even looking in the right place. I just searched for *.log. Is there someplace more specific I could look?
Sherry

JoeP
SilverLounger
Posts: 2051
Joined: 25 Jan 2010, 02:12

Re: Microsoft Security Essentials Upgrade won't run

Post by JoeP »

Installation log files sometimes end up in your Temp folder.

Use the Event Viewer to check the system log & application log for anything related the MSE installation.

Have you tried the install in Safe Mode?

Joe
Joe

User avatar
Bigaldoc
PlatinumLounger
Posts: 3757
Joined: 24 Jan 2010, 11:00
Location: Lexington, KY, USA

Re: Microsoft Security Essentials Upgrade won't run

Post by Bigaldoc »

Sherry, check the properties of the file you downloaded and see if it's 4.0.1526.0

I haven't fired up my Windows 7 laptop yet, so I don't know what'll happen there, but yesterday, I downloaded BOTH the 32 and 64 bit versions and checked properties, reading what's above.

This morning I let my XP go to the Windows Update site and I had two .NET updates AND an MSE update. I have auto-update turned on for 4 am, so I don't know why XP didn't do the job. Anyway, I let the three run and it went OK. You can see from the "definition" file nums in both versions that they didn't change and WERE updated overnight last night.

I did a small screen clip of MSE before and after I did the above and it's startling what the "old" numbers were. BTW it said the KB number is 2691905 just in case that helps.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.

User avatar
Bigaldoc
PlatinumLounger
Posts: 3757
Joined: 24 Jan 2010, 11:00
Location: Lexington, KY, USA

Re: Microsoft Security Essentials Upgrade won't run

Post by Bigaldoc »

I just let Windows Update install the MSE update on my Windows 7 laptop and it installed without a problem.

The first three entries in my above graphic are the same "engines" in 64-bit Win 7 but I also got a more recent version of this morning for the two "definition" files.

I also have not ever noticed before that MSE on Win 7 has two more entries called " Network Inspection System," engine and definition files. I don't know if that's just Win 7 or if it's because mine is 64-bit.

User avatar
sobershea
2StarLounger
Posts: 184
Joined: 08 Feb 2010, 23:37
Location: Howell, Michigan USA

Re: Microsoft Security Essentials Upgrade won't run

Post by sobershea »

All,
I finally got MSE to update. First, after researching I followed a few steps suggested by Microsoft:
  • 1. Downloaded and ran a Norton Uninstaller. My new PC came with a trial version which I had uninstalled, but Microsoft said to be sure to use the Norton Uninstaller, so I did.
    2. Made sure Windows Installer was running; actually, it was stopped and it's startup type was Manual, so just to be sure, I changed it to automatic and started it
However, the install still failed through Windows Update and when installing it manually I got the same error - it couldn't find epp.msi and opened a Browse window for me to point it to the right location. I had originally kept pointing it to the folder it had just created on C which had the file it wanted but it kept saying that file wasn't a valid format. Then I tried pointing it to C:\Program Files\Microsoft Security Client\Backup\AMD64, and pointed it to epp.msi. It started to install but then was looking for a 2nd file, dw20shared.msi, which again was in the folder it had just created but wasn't valid. So, again, I pointed it to the Backup folder. It then installed just fine. I checked the version and it is the same as my laptop, and the same as the screen-shot BigAl posted.
I'm not sure what the take-away is on this. :scratch: Also, I'm never sure if I should post all the stuff I tried, but then I figure someone else might encounter the same issue and it could help.
Thanks everyone.
Sherry

User avatar
Bigaldoc
PlatinumLounger
Posts: 3757
Joined: 24 Jan 2010, 11:00
Location: Lexington, KY, USA

Re: Microsoft Security Essentials Upgrade won't run

Post by Bigaldoc »

I don't understand what happened to you and why. But, I sure am glad you figured out how to get around it. I hope it doesn't happen to you again in future updates.

However, if IT DOES, and were it my problem, I would use something like Revo Uninstaller Freeware (bottom of the page) to remove MSE, letting it "deep clean" all files and registry entries. Possibly then a fresh install might get rid of this annoyance.

Lastly, I am sure we all thank you for posting what happened and what you learned. Future Loungers might very well benefit from your experiences! Thanks for posting.

GzusCriest
NewLounger
Posts: 1
Joined: 09 Oct 2012, 14:08

Re: Microsoft Security Essentials Upgrade won't run

Post by GzusCriest »

@Sherry

You're my savior
Luckily I found this post right away, I didn't even have to point the uninstaller to where the other file was :)
I don't understand that M$ simply ignores their errors and leaves it to the community to correct their mistakes (without any cost at all to M$ of course)

User avatar
sobershea
2StarLounger
Posts: 184
Joined: 08 Feb 2010, 23:37
Location: Howell, Michigan USA

Re: Microsoft Security Essentials Upgrade won't run

Post by sobershea »

I'm glad it helped! :clapping:
Sherry

sds6jlj
NewLounger
Posts: 1
Joined: 17 Oct 2012, 20:43

Re: Microsoft Security Essentials Upgrade won't run

Post by sds6jlj »

If found that when the upgrade asks for where the "resource" is for the epp.msi file , I browsed to my Hard drive (C) > Program Files > Microsoft Security Client > Backup > X86 > EPP.MSI

I struggled with this for little awhile also. When I directed it through the Browse option on the install screen, and told it where it was, it installed just fine.

Hope that helps.

User avatar
RonH
SilverLounger
Posts: 2057
Joined: 02 Mar 2010, 16:53
Location: An Aussie in Norway

Re: Microsoft Security Essentials Upgrade won't run

Post by RonH »

Just had a look at MSE on my pc ... it seems to be a much later version to that quoted above by Bigaldoc.
Perhaps its because I am using Windows 7 64 bit?
MSE Version.JPG
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
CYa Ron
W11 pc, Android toys.
The only reason we have the 4th dimension of Time is so that everything does not happen at once.

User avatar
Bigaldoc
PlatinumLounger
Posts: 3757
Joined: 24 Jan 2010, 11:00
Location: Lexington, KY, USA

Re: Microsoft Security Essentials Upgrade won't run

Post by Bigaldoc »

RonH wrote:Just had a look at MSE on my pc ... it seems to be a much later version to that quoted above by Bigaldoc.
Perhaps its because I am using Windows 7 64 bit?
Keep in mind that my clip was back in APRIL !!! My laptop is also Win 7 64-bit.

Today, at this moment, my versions are the same as yours, BUT my definitions are more recent than yours because mine just updated. MSE is an ever-moving target.

User avatar
RonH
SilverLounger
Posts: 2057
Joined: 02 Mar 2010, 16:53
Location: An Aussie in Norway

Re: Microsoft Security Essentials Upgrade won't run

Post by RonH »

Bigaldoc wrote:
RonH wrote:Just had a look at MSE on my pc ... it seems to be a much later version to that quoted above by Bigaldoc.
Perhaps its because I am using Windows 7 64 bit?
Keep in mind that my clip was back in APRIL !!! My laptop is also Win 7 64-bit.

Today, at this moment, my versions are the same as yours, BUT my definitions are more recent than yours because mine just updated. MSE is an ever-moving target.
Put it down to 'brain failure' ... sorry, didn't look at your post date :sad:
CYa Ron
W11 pc, Android toys.
The only reason we have the 4th dimension of Time is so that everything does not happen at once.