How do I resolve "Installation failed to Initialize" message?

[castledun]

I've used Adobe products for over 20 years. Now I'm truly stuck, and live chat hasn't been helpful at all (no responses to my questions, just instructions ignoring what I'm saying, which is basically that I tried all the suggestions/instructions already, and they didn't work). My OS is Windows 7, Home Professional. I purchased CS5.5 Design Premium on a CD and attempted to install it. The CD seemed to work; the installation started. Then nothing happened for over an hour, so I cancelled the installation and rebooted my machine. Now when I try to install, I receive a message saying that the "Installation failed to initialize" and that I must clink on the link for Support Advisor. When I do this, the Manager finds no errors. I can't find installation logs. Live chat suggested that I change the ODBE (or something like that) file to "old" and then try again. This didn't work. I downloaded the Application Manager. This didn't help, either. Copying the contents of the CD to the desktop didn't get better results. Live chat suggested that I download the trial version and then attempt to use my legitimate serial number. I said this probably wouldn't work either, because the issues from the first CD attempt hadn't been resolved. Nine hours later the trial version finished downloading, and after all that, I got the same failure to initialize message. I replied to my "case file", and, so help me, the same customer rep responded, telling me to download the trial version. In other words, he completely ignored the fact that I'd tried and it didn't work. I've looked on the forum, and there was a discussion about this "failure to initialize", but the discussion was completely in German, which doesn't help me at all. I'm hoping that someone on this forum can help me through this process; this software is mega expensive and should come with better support.

[Jeff A Wright]

Castledun the failure to initialize error message can be a bit generic.  I would recommend reviewing the Analyze the Creative Suite 5 or CS5.5 PDapp log section of Troubleshoot with install logs | CS5, CS5.5 - http://helpx.adobe.com/creative-suite/kb/troubleshoot-install-logs-cs5-cs5.html#main_Analyze_the_Cre....  Reviewing the PDapp.log should reveal the point of failure.

[castledun]

Thank you for the information. What I found was [WARN] PIM-Fail to find node. I couldn't find anything in the knowledge support. Is this making more sense, and is there some other file I should look at, other than the PDapp log? The only log I see, by the way, represents the initial attempt with the CD a week ago; all the attempts made through live chat and adobe connect aren't there, and I did look at the dates. Jeff, if you can help, I'd really appreciate this!

[Jeff A Wright]

I would recommend that you delete the log and try the install again.  This will give you the most recent version of the PDapp.log.  Beyond that the key thing you want to look at is doing searches on [ERROR] and [FATAL] per step 3.  These are sign posts which can help you identify the point of failure.  [WARN] is just a warning but is not a critical failure.  [ERROR] and [FATAL] are where the difficulties are located.

[castledun]

4/12/2012 13:43:45 [INFO] Setup - Build Version - 2.0.242.0

4/12/2012 13:43:45 [INFO] Setup - Logging Level verbosity Set  to 4

4/12/2012 13:43:45 [INFO] Setup - Start Adobe Setup

4/12/2012 13:43:45 [INFO] Setup - TimeLog: Bootstrapper Start

4/12/2012 13:43:45 [INFO] Setup - TimeLog: Start initial checks

4/12/2012 13:43:45 [INFO] Setup - Dictionary Path: D:\Adobe CS5_5\resources\Dictionary\en_US\stringTable.zdct

4/12/2012 13:43:45 [INFO] PIM - Trying to access xml at path:D:\Adobe CS5_5\resources\setup.xml

4/12/2012 13:43:46 [INFO] PIM - XML is valid

4/12/2012 13:43:46 [WARN] PIM - Failed to find Node

4/12/2012 13:43:46 [INFO] Setup - Found 3 packages in setup manifest

4/12/2012 13:43:47 [INFO] PIM - Build Version - 2.0.242.0

4/12/2012 13:43:47 [INFO] PIM - Logging Level verbosity Set  to 4

4/12/2012 13:43:47 [WARN] PIM - Detected Old content in USF trying to delete it...

4/12/2012 13:43:47 [INFO] Utilities - Unable to remove file:5

4/12/2012 13:43:47 [WARN] PIM - Failed to delete Old content in USF.

4/12/2012 13:43:47 [WARN] PIM - pim db in USF exists.

4/12/2012 13:43:47 [FATAL] Setup - Unable to create PIM object

4/12/2012 13:44:18 [WARN] PIM - PIM library reference not initialized or invalid libref.

4/12/2012 13:44:18 [INFO] PIM - Build Version - 2.0.242.0

4/12/2012 13:44:18 [INFO] PIM - Logging Level verbosity Set  to 4

4/12/2012 13:44:18 [FATAL] PIM - Error Invalid Library reference.(PIM_STATUS_INVALID_LIBRARY_REF)

4/12/2012 13:44:18 [ERROR] Setup - Unable to free PIM object

4/12/2012 13:44:18 [INFO] Setup - End Adobe Setup. Exit code: 1

Does any of this make more sense?

[Jeff A Wright · Accepted solution]

Yes it looks as if you are running into a permission issues when the installer is trying to write to your drive.  I would recommend creating a new local administrator account and trying the installation under that account.  You might also consider running the installation in a selective start up to minimize any potential interference from other applications or services.

The following documents should help if you need any guidance regarding these steps:

Create local administrator account | Windows 7, Vista - http://helpx.adobe.com/x-productkb/global/create-local-administrator-account-windows.html

Restart Windows in a modified mode | Windows 7, Vista - http://helpx.adobe.com/x-productkb/global/restart-windows-modified-mode-windows.html

If this fails you may also want to try Log in using the built-in Administrator account (Windows 7 and Vista) - http://helpx.adobe.com/x-productkb/global/log-using-built-administrator-account.html and try the installation with the built-in admin account.  I advise the creation of a local user account first though in case your existing user accounts have had their permissions compromised.

If you can please respond back with the results it would be appreciated.  If you have any additional questions about the steps listed please feel free to respond to this thread as well.

[castledun]

Sorry; this is a stupid question, but how does a new administrator account work? What would be on the new account? If it's just the CS 5.5, then would I have to keep switching between the two accounts (I have to multitask a great deal)? This would be almost as bad as having to use two different computers. Or am I misunderstanding what the administrator account does?

[Arpit_Kapoor]

Castledun, you won't feel the difference between the old user and the new user, as we need you to only install the application into the new user, which is turn can be access by your old user account as well.

So, in other words, if you install CS5.5 into new user, it can be accessed by the old account as well, so that you don't have to switch between the two accounts everytime.

[Arpit_Kapoor]

You may also try turning off User Account Control and the anti-virus program.

http://helpx.adobe.com/x-productkb/global/disable-user-account-control-uac.html

[castledun]

Thank you for the clarification! It's bedtime for me, so I wont' be able to try this until tomorrow, probably afternoon, but I do promise to give the results of this attempt as soon as possible. Appreciate the help so much!

[castledun]

Jeff, the instructions you gave me for creating a local administrator account say Windows 7 and Vista. I'm unable to locate the same instructions on Windows 7. Control panel gives me access to creating a new user account, but it would be password protected, and I don't see how I can switch one account to the next without logging off each time I want to use the other account. This would be a monumental headache, since MS Office is on the main account, and often I'm given files in Office to use in Adobe. A live chatter told me there would be no way to "switch" between accounts. Is there a way around this block, or does this only happen in Vista? I watched the demo, and nothing like that appeared when I right-clicked Computer and reached Manage. What am I missing?

I'm not trying to be difficult here; would like to follow the instructions so I can use CS5.5 (this process has become more than a nightmare).

[Jeff A Wright]

This would be used during the installation process.  You should then be able to use it in the old account.  Although if it is successful it does indicate that the rights on your current account are not currently sufficient to install the program.

[castledun]

Jeff,

My state of mind was such that I didn't dare post any updates until I'd made sure that each component of CS5.5 actually worked. Eureka! Using the new administration account, I was able to get the CD to install the software in less than an hour...which does tell me that there was a problem all along with the first attempt which hung for over an hour. I still don't know what is wrong with the rights on the current account, because I haven't had a problem installing other software, so I don't know how helpful this will be to someone in the future who encounters the same "failed to initialize" message and goes searching through this form for answers.

Other notes...I did disable all other running programs; didn't do the modified mode this time, though that had been a previous attempt which didn't work (perhaps because I didn't remove some of the files, such as the cache, or rename the ODBE file -- you know more about this than I do). This was part of the frustration with the live chat experience; there was never an identification of the errors (I didn't know about the logs in the temp file, and apparently neither did the live chatter), so we just kept trying and trying without making other changes that I thought should have been addressed before we continued the attempts to install. I did state this many times, but my comments were ignored.

As per my concern, built upon a comment by a live chatter -- that I couldn't switch between the two administration accounts--, it wasn't a problem, at least in my version of Windows. I went to the shut-down button, selected the arrow to the right, and the first option that appeared in the fly-out panel was "switch users". Completely not a problem.

For anyone else who encounters the same frustrations that I did, I'd strongly recommend communicating with Jeff...don't know how to thank him enough for helping restore whatever is left of my sanity. Thank you so much, Jeff. Sounds so trite to say that I appreciate your help; I'm an editor, but  I'm at a loss for words that will convey the depth of my gratitude. Now I can address all those projects that have been backlogged while I've fought with the installation.

[Jeff A Wright]

You are very welcome Castledun!  Hopefully this thread will also help other users who experience the same difficulties.  I would still recommend keeping an eye on your current use account and if you have additional difficulties you may want to migrate your settings and documents to a new user account.

[castledun]

Believe me, I intend to follow your recommendation! For now, all is well; the Adobe updater worked, much to my delight. I do hope this thread will help others, thanks to your help.

[Guest]

Hello. i have the same problem (or a similar one at least). I have tried all the suggestions in this thread, but i still cannot install any help would be appreciated

[Jeff A Wright]

Funkeehdk if the error you are going off of is the Installer Failed to Initiaize then that is a very generic error message.  Please see message #1 for information on how to review your installation log.  As it is likely that your error log is not identical to Castledun's I would recommend you open up a seperate discussion in the Download, Installation, and Setting up forum - http://forums.adobe.com/community/download_install_setup with your specifics.

[castledun]

By the way...I did locate a couple of comments about Failure to find Node, and I WAS running as administrator, signed in as the administrator.