Quick update, Comodo Support/Development emailed with a couple questions regarding the situation. I hope I told them what they need to know. 
Waiting patiently for their response. :THNK ;D
While were waiting I think I will paint the walls my favorite color GREEN
I crashed my computer fairly hard this afternoon trying to FIX the little anoyance.
Wonder if I can change the bsod to gsod (:LGH)
My success rate isn’t too good so far, if Iam not careful I will have to format to fix it.
Waiting patiently,
Dr Pete
Okay, here’s the response from Comodo Development/Support:
"Hi,
It seems that the CAV1.x was not uninstalled properly. Anyway you can
delete this registry key by opening regedit.exe
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\ComodoGroup\CAV
Then install CAVS Beta 2.0.
Regards
Mark
Technical Support"
Heh, I could say myself that CAVS1.x was not uninstalled properly! ;D That’s been the root of the problem.
So I guess according to this, we should uninstall CAVS2 (MAKE A BACKUP, MONITOR THE UNINSTALL, CREATE A RESTORE POINT), delete the regkey (MAKE A BACKUP, MONITOR THE UNINSTALL, CREATE A RESTORE POINT), and reinstall CAVS2.
I did some looking in Windows Viewer this morning, and found that MSIExec.EXE keeps erroring with the following:
Detection of Product ‘{6617B209-C45E-4ED7-86A6-50C55D17BFBEE}’, feature ‘Default Feature’ -ERFfailed during request for component ‘{E79E3ED7-50A7-49F7-8C11-EF73F5650180}’
I found the “Product” {6617…} in c:\prog files\Installshield Installation Information and sent it to my jumpdrive; rebooted. No difference.
I also found in Viewer that the Service Control Manager keeps sending a “start control” to Windows Installer Service, which by default is set to “Stopped”/“Manual” so that it can respond to installation needs. My question is, why is the SCM sending the start control message? Perhaps it has something to do with the above-mentioned regkey.
Well, I guess I’ll try that now. If you don’t hear from me by noon CST today, the computer must’ve killed me… ;D
LM
Did not work. Let me repeat that, in case you didn’t hear… The suggested registry key deletion did not resolve the installer popup issue. (:AGY) ;D
It was worth a shot, but sure didn’t fix it. I replied, to that effect.
I’m having trouble running my scanner through the app provided w/the scanner, so I tried to reinstall it from the CD (just the interface, not the twain). The installation completely froze, with msiexec.exe using 99% under my user account. As soon as I closed that process, the system account for the .exe jumped from 0% to 40%, until I shut it down too, since it wasn’t responding anyway. When I terminated the installation, Windows said that I chose to end a nonresponsive program, Macromedia Projector. ??? What’s more, the installer was Installshield, not MSInstaller.
Yesterday I downloaded and reinstalled msiexec.exe and msi.dll from Microsoft, just in case those had gotten damaged. That obviously didn’t change anything…
LM
Update here… I found a similar “common problem” on installshield website, and followed their instructions to delete the Engine file and download a new one. My scanner software installation completed on reboot. However, the app still doesn’t open. (I can scan w/the twain; that’s not a problem per se, but yet another annoyance). I see this as all being interconnected…
My thoughts are that it’s a two-part problem:
- An Installer issue of some sort (looking for files that aren’t there, perhaps a regkey or something)
- A Restore issue (perhaps because of the way it goes back in time; I know it’s not a true reversal to that state, as it leaves downloads and things in place, so there may be other issues)
However, Dr Pete, if you’ve gone thru a monitored reinstall of beta 1.x, followed by an uninstall, and that didn’t fix the issue, then I think that kinda throws my idea of it being connected to the Restore out of the water. The main reason I thought that was that this annoying popup wasn’t there after I uninstalled beta 1.x the first time; it only showed up after I Restored following explorer.exe’s failure after installing beta 2. During the Restore, of course, beta 1.x was reinstalled. Maybe I’m smokin’ ■■■■■…
At any rate, we’re still left with the Installer issue. I know that the SCM is telling WIS to start service; I just don’t know what’s calling the SCM to do that. I’m not seeing it in the logs. I need more logs. 
BTW, the Macromedia error was because the installation package/process on the CD was created w/Macromedia. Also, Installshield is currently owned by macrovision (no connection that I can tell).
Wow, what a fun time we are having (:AGY)
Yes the monitor and install just did not work for me. As best I can tell there still was something on the machine (note to self: monitor before you install) from the first installation.
I was looking at the ms installer issue, I tried to remove it (this crashed my machine hard)
Back ups are nice
I did notice something new now, whenever I open anything click on program to start, go to my computer the installer flashes in the background for milliseconds.
Even while I am working in a program and click something it flashes.
(starting to become more than an annoyance)
Hey Little Mac you feel like the Lone Ranger yet, I sure do (THANKs for your help)
I think this is just not getting fixed although we sure tried.
Running out of things to try 
and I am missing out on trying V2 beta.
And my restore points on my computer have been giving me trouble not completely restoring all my desktop.
Anyways, I think Iam giving up and thinking about the format option and starting clean (:SAD)
What ya think?
Dr Pete
I’ve seen that as well. At the least, very annoying. I’m not quite at the format point yet. For one thing, it’s my work machine, and that would require that I create a lot of outside storage of files and downloaded applications to be able to get all that back on (both backup of files and reinstalling). Sure would be an awful lot of work (this is work too, but it’s different…). Beta 2 is working; it has its issues but it’s working. It’s just this annoying installer window. Maybe I’m stubborn, but I really wanna get that figured out. I know others have/are having this same problem, and I know how happy I’d be if someone came up with the solution - or at least the cause. If there’s no solution, then there isn’t, and I have to live w/it or format. 
I think my next step is hanging out on the Microsoft forums to see what I can come up w/there. Maybe with a Hijack This log someone can make something of it, or tell me where to find the trigger for the Service Control Manager to call the Windows Installer Service. I’m nothing it not a good researcher. Now, if only I were a programmer as well…
Perhaps Comodo can come up w/something, but my personal feeling is they’re probably moving on to issues w/Beta 2, rather than trying to (again) address uninstallation-caused problems w/Beta 1. Which makes sense; that’s why I’m looking externally…
LM
The response you received from e-mail is what leads me to believe were kinda in this alone with very little support.
We removed everything and all registry keys and it still didn’t fix the issue, I was hoping for something more I guess.
They (Comodo support) have moved on and while I sure would like to fix this I know when to throw in the towel and move on also.
Not in any hurry to format so I’ll keep my thinking cap plugged in while I paint the walls Green (:WIN) and see if anything develops.
Take care Little Mac and Thanks for all your helpful suggestions.
Dr Pete
I think one of the more aggressive free registry cleaners finds those rouge MSI entries. Problem is I can’t remember which one & I have several. I’ll post a list if them if you want.
Sounds good to me. I’m currently trying to force an occurrence of the problem, with Process Monitor up, to see if that gives me any insight into what is creating/causing the call (besides SCM, that is).
Sorry for the delay… watching TV. ;D
I cannot stress how important it is that you be very careful with these registry cleaners. Some of them are extremely aggressive or maybe just plain optimistic in their approach. Some are better & warn you by icons or colour. Some assume you know what you’re doing. Do NOT believe everything they say, otherwise you might break your system. A good guide line here is that you should not allow them to delete anything that you do not understand or in rhyme, if in doubt, leave it out.
Some of these utilities have registry backups procedures & others do not. Always backup first. If you’re on XP, its check point time.
Abexo Free Registry Cleaner
TweakNow’s RegCleaner
jv16’s RegCleaner
GlarySoft’s RegCleaner
PC-Tools’ Registry Mechanic
I hope something here helps. Please be careful… I’d be very upset if you thrashed your system. And if you do end up deleting loads of stuff… then check Registry Mechanic, it has a registry compactor. You need to do that to get the benefit of any deletes.
Thanks, Kail.
I have a couple of those already. And yes, I trust them about as far as I can throw them, so to speak… I always create backups, I cross-reference results, and I ruthlessly assassinate the victims… ;D I don’t think Registry Mechanic is free, but I do have a (trash) compactor.
There’s always a first time to thrash a system, but I haven’t done it yet. I’m very methodical, and try to follow a logical process, rather than one of random destruction. :THNK
Thanks again,
LM
All the versions I have are the free versions. You might have to dig for some, going to download sites like tucows, pc-mag, etc. Registry Mechanic is version 5.0 (they’re on v6 now) & I think it was posted on these forums by Justin (?) as a free time-limited offer. Chase it down as it might still be open. PM Justin if you can’t find it.
A registry compactor is not the same thing as a trash compactor. A registry compactor focuses on compacting the registry hive files. Effectively, defragmenting the registry or making the registry smaller.
Pst CAVS 2.0.0.2 beta has been released.
Aargh! I hate it when my jokes fail. (:TNG)
I know, I dl’d it a while ago, and will install in a bit (after uninstalling Beta 2.0.0.1 first, of course - hopefully no issues with that…)
Oops. :-[
LittleMac
I just remembered something about MSI…
Every time that MSI message flashes on the screen, you should be able to find a corresponding entry in the event log. If you’re lucky you’ll find a directory for an MSI “msi” file that it is trying to run. The msi files are normally in C:\WINDOWS\Installer directory or as the \Installer subdirectory off whatever directory Windows is installed. If find such a reference, hunt down the file & the
If you’re unlucky you’ll find a reference number (maybe more than one) that looks exactly like a registry CLSID key (eg. {296E642C-7129-44E0-AC79-A23ABF82909C}). And if you have more than one, then one of them will be a CLSID key in the MSI section of the registry. NB: Some CLSID keys link together by being specified backwards! It’s an attempt to hide from nasty software I think. However, there are two different ways that MSI uses CLSID keys. One is the normal registry way & the other way is having subdirectories under the \Installer directory called things like… {296E642C-7129-44E0-AC79-A23ABF82909C}. So, you should probably investigate the \Installer directory anyway.
I can not believe that this issue is still going on. This has been a issue since July 4th. I feel this looks very bad on Comodo. A fix to this issue should have been the very top priority. Looking at the time that has passed I do not feel Comodo has made this a priority.
This will be a throne in the side of Comodo for some time to come.
Kail,
As stated in my previous post above, I found the Product {6617…} in C:\Program Files\Installshield Installation Information - it contains a 41KB Setup.ilg file. I sent it out to my jumpdrive, then rebooted, but it didn’t make any difference (I didn’t know if would, just thought I’d see). To be honest, I did not think (I don’t think I did, anyway) to look in the registry for either key. But if I did find it in the registry, what should I do to it? Wave, poke it a couple times, call it names, backup and delete? (:WIN)
Given if things are in some kind of reverse order, is that what is causing the SCM to make the call to start the MSI Service? That’s what I don’t get - what’s causing the SCM to call the MSI, cuz MSI can’t start w/o the call.
Ooh, maybe it’s an anti-American Independence Day bug! To be honest, I didn’t have the problem when previously uninstalling/reinstalling Beta1.x, as others did. I didn’t have it until I uninstalled 1.x, installed 2.x, and had explorer.exe wig out on me. At that point I Restored to pre-2.x, and this has been w/me ever since. Shoulda/coulda/woulda done diagnostics instead of Restore… ;D I’m hoping I’m just stubborn enough to figure this thing out instead of dropping it (although I don’t blame others for reformatting or leaving…). Maybe if I can get it resolved, Melih will be so grateful that Comodo will issue me some shares of stock. :BNC
It’s certainly been a ■■■■■■, and I imagine that Comodo’s been focusing on moving on, improving the product, instead of spending the kind of man-hours necessary to track down a somewhat-unrelated glitch that occurs on some systems. Too many variables make it very difficult, to be sure.
LM
I hope moving on is worth it. This issue gets many hits on google, so lots of people know about it. For the issue to go on this long will show that they do not care about at least this one issue.
Just my 2 cents.
Actually MSI does have its own sneaky start-up section. I think they’re called InprocServer32 in the registry, its normally used to start things like shells, your systray network icon & MSIE toolbar add-ons. Check your system with StartDreck, it can view & alter this section.
Yes, backward CLSID keys, I’m not kidding. I think a script/program in the Installer directory does the CLSID translation for MSI.
Rick24: Why do say they don’t care? Because they’ve not posted?