Please wait while Windows installer configures ArcGIS Desktop

Error Message

Note:
This article pertains to ArcGIS versions 9.x only. Later versions of ArcGIS may contain different functionality, as well as different names and locations for menus, commands and geoprocessing tools.

TheMSXML 4 Service Pack 2 is no longer available from the Microsoft download links listed below.

When launching ArcMap or ArcCatalog, the Windows MSI installer launches and tries to repair the ArcGIS Desktop installation. The following message displays:

"Please wait while Windows installer configures ArcGIS Desktop."

If the above message displays, open Event Viewer and perform the following steps:

1. Click Start > Run.
2. Type eventvwr
3. Select Applications.
4. Look for entries with 'MsiInstaller' under the Source column.
5. Double-click on the entry with 'MsiInstaller' and the following error message displays:

"Detection of product '{1F34839E-4826-4B64-B1B3-42E5AE8DEC5A}', feature 'MicrosoftMsms', component '{303994BA-6487-47AE-AF1D-7AF6088EEBDB}' failed. The resource 'C:\WINDOWS\WinSxS\x86_Microsoft.MSXML2_6bd6b9abf345378f_4.20.9818.0_x-ww_8ff50c5d\msxml4.dll' does not exist."

Cause

A shared component that ArcGIS Desktop and Microsoft use is missing. MSXML4.dll is required by ArcGIS Desktop, and if the program cannot find this file, it begins to repair the installation.

Solution or Workaround

1. Open Windows Explorer and browse to C:\WINDOWS\WinSxS\x86_Microsoft.MSXML2_6bd6b9abf345378f_4.20.9818.0_x-ww_8ff50c5d.
2. If the directory cannot be found, proceed to the next step. If the directory exists, delete it and proceed to the next step.
3. Open a Web browser and go to the Microsoft link in Related Information below.
4. Download and install MSXML 4 Service Pack 2.

NOTE
If MSXML 4 Service Pack 2 is already installed, download again. Download ‘msxml.msi’ only. If this service pack was previously installed, an error message occurs during installation. This is expected; no action is required.

5. Once finished, run ArcMap again and see if the problem is corrected. If an error still occurs, contact Support Services for additional assistance.