Internet Explorer Installation cannot complete

Working on a Dell tower w/xp sp3. It had some hijack stuff going on with Firefox. Seemed to get that repaired then I checked out IE version and it said 6 but when loaded there were tabs. Tried to reinstall IE7 and 8 and got that title message above. Must have been a bad upgrade on the install. Chkd out MS site and removed the bad install and got IE6 back to normal but now still cannot install any IE upgrades. Went to MS site again and tried all of the fixes they have without any luck. I believe this issue is bogging the pc down. Need serious help with this beyond the MS site. There may still be bad things but if so Im not seeing it. Tried rootkit killers, malwarebytes, superantispyware, HijackThis, Spybot Search and Destroy, Combofix, CA Antivirus. If you have a good technical fix Icould use the help...thanks

Given that XP needs to be periodically reinstalled anyway, and as it breaks very easily, especially after malware infection, the easiest course of action here might be to bite the bullet and do a clean reinstall. Personally, I never mess about much with infected systems, I can do a new install far quicker than getting the nasties out (and it's always hard to be certain that you've got everything), and fixing the stuff that got broken by the malware.

popman--
You could still try the following
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/917925
Nothing to lose but time.

Before a clean install back up your personal data first--to an external location.

Welshjim you found the key! That fix you posted was the only thing I did not try and it did exactly what I thought it would do, lift the bog out of the computer. I thank you tremendously!! I have one more problem to fix and I am done. Seems to be bad installs of .NET Framework also. I cannot install or uninstall any versions. There is v2.0 sp2, v3.0 sp2 and v3.5 sp1 in the add/remove area of control panel and I don't know where to start with it. Also in the file area there are other versions as well.

popman--What makes you think you have bad installations of the various versions of .NET Framework? Are you being asked to install any or all of these? There are relatively few websites requiring .NET Framework. They usually will tell you when you visit. And you rarely need all. But you can get them here
http://www.microsoft.com/net/download.aspx
As far as uninstalling read here
http://blogs.msdn.com/b/dougste/arch...k-3-5-sp1.aspx
In summary, if things work, do not fix them.

Glad to hear the good news about installing IE.

Some programs need .NET Framework to work.
Examples:
CDBurnerXP, and Family Tree Maker are 2 that I use.

To answer your Q about why bother, automatic updates tried this and it cannot install..kinda like the IE thing. I am still wondering if something is causing these install problems and besides auto update will bug you every day about it.

Links to remove various versions of the Dot Net Framework. Once they are removed, you can reinstall any versions needed by your other software.

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&s...2g-v2&aql=&oq=

popman--Following jdc2000's posting of a Google search page, here is the one about problems installing .NET Framework (various versions). :)

Thanks for your help on the IE issue and consider it resolved! I am, however going to open a thread in the XP forum for installation issues of common programs.

popman--I now see I did not post the URL of the Google search site for installing .NET Framework yesterday.
http://www.google.com/search?q=canno...ddress&ie=&oe=