Windows 7 x64: TrustedInstalled.exe is missing

Question

Windows 7 Ultimate x64.

The TrustedInstaller service is failing to start with an error about a file missing, and sure enough C:\Windows\servicing\TrustedInstaller.exe is missing.

What is the easiest way to restore this file? I can't run SFC from within Windows, because that results in the error "Windows Resource Protection could not start the repair service"... which happens if the trusted installer service is not running.

Solution 1

The following two commands will allow write access to the Servicing folder:

takeown /f c:\windows\servicing
icacls c:\windows\servicing /grant administrators:F

Once that is done TrustedInstaller.exe can be copied from another Windows 7 x64 system, and the Trusted Installer service started.

Solution 2

You can find trustedInstaller from your PC by seraching it.

In a command line, type :

dir trustedinstaller.exe /A /S

On my computer the TrustedInstaller was found under :

C:\Windows\winsxs\amd64_microsoft-windows-trustedinstaller_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7601.17514_none_ef3338f363c6403c

I guess if you search the folder named "amd64_microsoft-windows-trustedinstaller SOMETHING" you will find it easily.

Don't worry about the AMD the machine was intel and this has nothing to do with amd OR intel;

Its size is 194 048 bytes.

If you follow the previous advice (icacls, takeown)...

then you can copy that copy to the "c:\windows\servicing" directory

Restart the computer and it should work.