Trouble installing Nuance's Dragon Naturally Speaking v12.5, which involves msxml4, on Windows 8.1

Question

Problems installing DNS 12.5 on Windows 8.1

The following is my history of trying to get Nuance's Dragon Naturally speaking installed on my computer.  I have been using DNS for 19 years, ever since version #1 came out and this is the first time I have ever had a problem.  Please assist if you can as I have run out of options.

The following information has also been published on the Microsoft Community Site.

Prod uct Name        Ver # Serial Number Purchase/Registration Date

Dragon NaturallySpeaking Premium 12 ************* Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Computer and Resources:  Profile Date: Friday, May 2, 2014 7:42:14 PM

Operating System

(Started with Windows 8, upgraded to 8.1 after initial install failed)

Windows 8.1 (x64) (build 9600)

Install Language: English (United States)

System Locale: English (United States)

Installed: 4/30/2014 12:28:11 AM

Boot Mode: UEFI with successful Secure Boot

System Model

Hewlett-Packard HP ENVY dv7 Notebook PC 

Enclosure Type: Notebook

Processor a

2.40 gigahertz Intel Core i7-3630QM

64 kilobyte primary memory cache

256 kilobyte secondary memory cache

6144 kilobyte tertiary memory cache

64-bit ready

Multi-core (4 total)

Hyper-threaded (8 total)

Main Circuit Board b

Board: Hewlett-Packard 181C 52.24

Bus Clock: 100 megahertz

UEFI: Insyde F.26 04/03/2013

Drives

998.90 Gigabytes Usable Hard Drive Capacity

894.84 Gigabytes Hard Drive Free Space

hp DVD-RAM UJ8D1 [Optical drive]

HN-M101MBB [Hard drive] (1000.20 GB) -- drive 0

Status: Healthy

Memory Modules c,d

8082 Megabytes Usable Installed Memory

Slot 'Bottom-Slot 1(top)' has 4096 MB

Slot 'Bottom-Slot 2(under)' has 4096 MB

Local Drive Volumes

c: (NTFS on drive 0) * 968.85 GB 891.34 GB free

d: (NTFS on drive 0) 30.05 GB 3.50 GB free

* Operating System is installed on c:

******************************************

This computer has never had DNS installed on it.

This DNS installation is new, out of box, as noted above.

Inserting DVD in drive...

https://www.dropbox.com/s/9oeaq8dkwbik1ux/JuandrahDNS1a.png

Selecting "Run Setup.exe" from the menu or from Windows Explorer results in...

https://www.dropbox.com/s/xujvutr1lledkrm/JuandrahDNSd2.png

Clicking "OK" and closing the "E:\ISSetupPrerequisites\MSXML4.0 SP2\msxml4.msi window results in the screen...

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ci79pm6658ddopf/JuandrahDNSd3.png

Clicking "No" ends the installation.

Clicking "Yes" results in...

https://www.dropbox.com/s/xoeeemmmasp3o4v/JuandrahDNSd6.png

Clicking "Yes" Again results in the end of the failed installation with the following message.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/2uwaukjiu65rpj2/JuandrahDNSd9.png

Which puts me back to the original state of needing to open the msxml4.msi on the cd, which generates the errors in the second image above.

*******************************

I have tried in order...

1) I called Nuance tech support and after many helpful questions about the problem, I was advised to try re-installing msxml.

2) Making sure all Windows Updates are installed.

3) Turned off both Microsoft Defender and AVG Free.

4) Upgrading from Windows 8 to 8.1.

5) Attempts to download and install msxml from Microsoft site produces the same results for both versions of Windows.

Per MSXML 4.0 Service Pack 2 (Microsoft XML Core Services)

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=19662

*****

MSXML 4.0 Service Pack 2 (SP2) is a complete replacement of MSXML 4.0 and MSXML 4.0 Service Pack 1 (SP1). MSXML 4.0 SP2 provides a number of security and bug fixes. MSXML 4.0 SP2 does not replace MSXML 3.0.

Details

Note:There are multiple files available for this download.Once you click on the "Download" button, you will be prompted to select the files you need.

Version: 40SP2

File Name: msxml.msi

msxml4msms.exe

MSXML4SP_RelNote.htm

                msxmlcab.exe

msxmlsdk.exe

Date Published: 6/2/2003

MSXML 4.0 Service Pack 2 (SP2) is a complete replacement of MSXML 4.0 and MSXML 4.0 Service Pack 1 (SP1). MSXML 4.0 SP2 provides a number of security and bug fixes. For more information about MSXML 4.0 SP2 see the release notes. 

*****

double clicking "msxml.msi" again resulted in the same "error whle opening file" for both versions of windows.

6) Per Microsoft Community.

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows8\_1-winapps/fix-for-windows-installer-on-windows-81/20ba242a-5992-4c4d-a3e0-3d7c69a1d2c6

The following process was unsuccessful.

*****

There are chances that the Windows installer is not working properly. Follow these methods to troubleshoot the issue:

 Method 1:

I would suggest you to Unregister and re-register the Windows Installer to resolve the issue with installer:

a.     Press Windows key + R on the keyboard to bring up Run.

b.    Type “MSIEXEC /UNREGISTER” without quotes, and then click OK. Even if you do this correctly, it may look like nothing occurs.

c.     Press Windows key + R on the keyboard to bring up Run.

d.    Type “MSIEXEC /REGSERVER” without quotes, and then click OK. Even if you do this correctly, it may look like nothing occurs, or you may briefly see an hourglass. After you run this command, the operation is complete.

e.    Restart the computer and check if the issue persists.

*****

7) Per Microsoft Support.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/929833/en-us

*****

Run the System File Checker tool (SFC.exe)

To do this, follow these steps:

Open an elevated command prompt. To do this, do the following as your appropriate:

Windows 8.1 or Windows 8

Swipe in from the right edge of the screen, and then tap Search. Or, if you are using a mouse, point to the lower-right corner of the screen, and then click Search. Type Command Prompt in the Search box, right-click Command Prompt, and then click Run as administrator. If you are prompted for an administrator password or for a confirmation, type the password, or click Allow.

*****

Succeeded only turning up "Amd64\CNBJ2530.DPB"

Which was repaired per

http://www.sysnative.com/forums/windows-update/7702-guide-cnbj2530-dpb-and-prncacla-inf-corruptions-windows-8-8-1-a.html

*****

To use DISM - 

Press the Windows Key on your keyboard and X to open up the Power User Tasks Menu

Click (or tap) Command Prompt (admin)

When command prompt opens, copy and paste the following commands into it, press enter after each

DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth

*****

Successfully resulting in "Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations." when running the System File Checker tool (SFC.exe) after completing the repair.

8) Downloaded a copy msxml4.dll => no results.

9) Checking for Dot.Net Framework installed because it includes msxml.  Result, V4 is part of Win 8/8.1.

10) Turning off UAC (User Account Control set to "never modify").

11) A "Clean Boot" install, again with the firewall and antivirus disabled, and UAC permissions set to minimum as well as all windows services hidden, and all processes disabled.

Answer 1

RajithR,

Remember in my last post where I said...

At this point, Murphy "says" it is probably something so "brick in the forehead" simple and obvious that I am not seeing it.  

Weeeeeellllllllll......,

It seems that sometime in the past I downloaded and tried out a freeware "ultimate" file opener and apparently it hijacked ALL of my default file opening permissions... including .msi, files, so the Windows installer, msiexec.exe,  was not being called up to open the file package on the cd to install the necessary files required to install the software.

To anyone reading this post.  PLEASE let this be a lesson in using freeware.  You get what you pay for.

The problem is now solved at great expense.

Of course, it is also a lesson in the systematic approach involved in solving a problem when you are hoping for an easy answer for any problem.  As you can see from my efforts, there are so many different possibilities.

So, if you are new to looking for answers on a forum, please appreciate the knowledge and experience of the people trying to help you and understand that providing/documenting as much information as you can helps them help you.  In this case, I figured out the solution myself after many days/hours (about 2 weeks) and I'm left feeling just a little foolish. It can take, or has taken, those helping you just as many hours, or more, individually or collectively to come up with the solutions you may think seem so easy.  They are not over your shoulder watching what you are doing when you are doing it so, document, document, document!  Even the best of us get blindsided sometimes. 

Good luck all,

Charles

Answer 2

Big thread so I wasn't sure if my solution to the MSXML.MSI install has been mentioned. I too had the same problem with installing DNS 12.x on Win 8.1. 

My solution was to go to Microsoft and download msxml.msi to my desktop. Right click and select troubleshoot compatibility and walk through the prompts. Installed fine and DNS is working. :-)

Hope my pearl of wisdom is helpful to someone.

Happy New Year

Answer 3

RajithR

Thanks again for the reply.

The following is a log of my newest attempts and my subsequent post on the Nuance forum.  Any other suggestions please?

*****

Thank you Nuance Moderator for your response

I tried your suggestions with no results.  The following is a copy of the post documenting those and subsequent efforts to solve my problem which I placed on the RPC1 Bulletin Board, which is dedicated to problems with CDROM and DVD drives.  As you can see, I tend to consider every possibility I can conceive and then some, following the "Domino Effect". Any other suggestions, please?

*******

Hello all,

I know relatively little about this particular technology issue but I know enough to research anything thoroughly before making any changes to my system.

Problem: I have purchased a boxed copy of Nuance Dragon Naturally Speaking and I cannot get it to install.

I have tried numerous solutions. ranging from calling Nuance Tech Support, turning off all firewall, UAC, and Security/antivirus settings, updating drivers, updating operating system, updating and reinstalling msxml and DotNet framework, scanning and repairing, system resource checks,  and clean Boot Install.  All this to no avail.

Now I am researching the DVD drive.

1. Attempting to open required folders on the DVD involving installation of "DotNet Framework" and "msxml4sp2" results in the "folder empty" and the drive simply spinning out of control with no response.
2. Other software DVDs can be navigated with no problem.
3. Device Manager says the drive is working properly and current driver is correct.
4. DVD Region states "not selected" and has never been reset.

Per the Windows Administrative Events Log...

Log Name:       System

Source:            cdrom

Date:               5/6/2014 1:52:50 AM

Event ID:          51

Task Category: None

Level:              Warning

Keywords:        Classic

User:               N/A

Computer:       CharlesLap

Description:     An error was detected on device \Device\CdRom0 during a paging operation.

Per http://support.microsoft.com/kb/244780 "Information about Event ID 51"

"In this case, no harmful effects are experienced. For example, Event ID 51 is logged when blank media such as CDR, CDRW, DVDR, and so on, is inserted into a writable drive while a USB device is plugged in. The system logs the event even though the disc is writable, and the USB device is still usable. In these particular cases, you can safely ignore the log entries, and no additional action is required."

So, on the off chance Nuance DNS sent me a mislabelled product version,[u]"DNS PRE 12 US ENG RET"[/u] (ie. incorrect region), before opening the can of worms of changing regions, autoreset, or re-flashng:

I downloaded and ran "LtnRPC.exe" from http://dhc014.rpc1.org/LtnRPC/ and it has returned the following information:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/8xsu8ti3q80e5w4/JuandrahltnRPC1.png

:arrow: ? **Question:**As far as I can tell from the threads on this forum, there is no problem with the DVD drive, but instead, the problem is with the DVD? <==== Is this true?

I am very frustrated and confused.

Any feedback or suggestions from anyone would be greatly appreciated.

Also, any feedback on my presentation of the problem would be helpful to me as well as providing guidelines to anyone else posting problems on the forum.

Thanks in advance,

Juandrah

Answer 4

RajithR

Thanks for the reply.

1. I have updated the original post to show better graphics of the errors in the installation.  I also renumbered the steps to reflect that I called Nuance DNS Tech Support before trying anything else (step 0 became step 1 in the renumbering).   Please note from the improved graphics that there are no specific identifiers to the errors, only that msxml4 failed to install from the disk.
2. Yes, I have been able to install all other software on this computer, both from download and purchased in box.
3. I tried your suggestion of installing DNS in a Clean Boot state following the guidelines:

How to perform a clean boot to troubleshoot a problem in Windows 8.1

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/929135

and again making sure that the Win Firewall and AVG Antivirus were turned off, UAC set to lowest state, as well as having all Windows Startup hidden, and all Services disabled. per the above instructions.  Still no luck.

4. This same post was already on the Nuance Forum before you reply and has also been updated accordingly.
5. My next stops are A) per a DNS Beta Tester on the DNS Forum, to post this log on the KnowBrainer Speech Recognition Forums as well, and B) call DNS Tech Support back, directing them to read my efforts to date, subsequent to my first contact with them.

Thanks again for the feedback.  I will welcome any other suggestions that you may think of.  At this point, Murphy "says" it is probably something so "brick in the forehead" simple and obvious that I am not seeing it.  I just can't, for the life of me, figure out what it is. :D

Best regards,

Juandrah

Answer 5

Hi,

I understand how frustrating it can be when things do not work as expected.

1. What is the complete error message that you receive? The error shown in the screeshot is not clear.
2. Are you able to install all other software of this computer?

I see that you have tried numerous troubleshooting. I would suggest you to try installing DNS in a Clean boot state to check if any third-party program is conflicting with the installation.

How to perform a clean boot to troubleshoot a problem in Windows 8.1

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/929135

Note: Follow the section "More information" to reset the computer to start as usual after troubleshooting with clean boot.

Also, please post your query in the Nuance support forum.

http://support.nuance.com/communities/

Hope this helps. If you have further queries, we will be happy to help you further.