"Could not access network location \Hewlett-Packard\\" error

While installing some line-of-business software on Windows 7, we've gotten this error:

This is due to a bogus entry in the registry, and it's almost certainly crud left behind by HP's operating system imaging software. The fix is to go into the registry looking for these keys:

• HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\
• HKLM\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\

In each case, look for a value named InstallLocation containing the string "\Hewlett-Packard\\": just delete this value and try running the installer again. The second key above (with Wow6432) might only be found on 64-bit versions of Windows.

When in the Registry Editor, it looks like this: the InstallLocation is on the right (be sure to check both locations):

What's happening is that the MSI installer is having its property INSTALLDIR set from this location (not sure why), and this breaks things.

I don't know why some installers have this problem while others do not: my hunch is that it has something to do with using Microsoft's WIX XML-based tools to create the installer - it may be that this is part of some default template. It's not clear that the installer is doing anything wrong, and it may well be that HP needs to just fix its images. I don't know.

This is almost certainly not a Windows 7 issue, as I can reproduce this on XP by planting the above bogus registry values: instead I think it's an HP problem. I've never seen it on anything but an HP-brand computer.

Those who have to deal with this in bulk may wish to create a small .REG file with codes that delete the locations having problems:

hpinstallfix.reg

REGEDIT4

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall]
"InstallLocation"=-

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall]
"InstallLocation"=-

Running this file (or double-clicking) will apply these values and clean up the registry directly, but it should only be run on systems that are known to have the problem: otherwise it may delete good InstallLocation values found in the registry.

Comments

[Roland Galibert]

Thank you very much for this information, Steve, I was having trouble installing an application this morning on my new Windows 7 HP and this fix was the solution.

[Louis Berkowitz]

Thanks for this. Lifesize Softphone was affected by this issue.

[ronald bushnell]

Excellent! worked straight away for Advanced IP Scanner install.
Thanks for the answer.

[Tim]

Thanks!
Solved problems with Testo comsoft 5 installation on a new HP.

[Malik]

I have tried clearing the registry file and somehow still have the same issue. should I try someting else.

[Marc]

thanks delete the value worked

[Wayne Fuller]

Steve;

Whenever I go the the web looking for solutions and am asked to go to the registery and "delete something..." I always notice that my registry almost, if ever looks like whats described, yours was no exception.

i.s., under the entry "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\" I have NO "InstallLocation?"

Not sure what you mean by multiple locations... ?

Wayne

[Wayne Fuller]

Does not appear to work for MySQL.
Went through my registry at the location indicated and cleared all instances of "InstallLocation", regardless of what it contained, and still cannot install MySQL Server.

?????????????????

BTW, does anyone monitor this page and provide possible alternate solutions????

[Wayne Fuller]

Last comment...

Did finally get this to work. However, all I did was search the registry for "\Hewlett-Packard\\" and clear the value (not delete it), and the install worked.

Thanks,
Wayne

[Steve]

@Wayne: that trick worked. My entry was also somewhere else in the structure.

Many thanks to you and to Steve -- I have now been able to install SDL MultiTerm!

[Anthony]

Amazing! Worked perfectly, thanks!

[ali]

when i scan the scanning on advanced ip address. the msg is cannot connect to the server. wht shud i do.

[Craigwp]

Also deleted the "\Hewlett-Packard\\" and the install worked flawlessly.
Thanks so much.
Craig

[Claudia]

@wayne: could you please tell me how to clear or delete the "\Hewlett-Packard\\"? I'm trying to install SDL Multiterm but also got that error message. A step-by-step guide will help me since I have never modify an entry from the registry. Thank you! Claudia.

[all]

Thank you! It worked.

[Vini]

thank you, save my life!

[Jorge]

Thank you, it works!!

[Luisa]

I have deleted two Install location but it still doesn't work for Multiterm 2011. Please, is there a translator colleague who graciously agrees to help? I tried to contact personally one of you but I did not get reply.

[Rio]

Thanks for this information, it works

:)

[jeon]

oh~ Thanks you :)

[Paul]

5 Jan 13

This fix is still working, although I only had it here:
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall]
"InstallLocation"=-

Didn't happen on my wife's Compaq, just my HP.

Spent hours yesterday trying track down a fix & spent over an hour with HP support today (they want a complete system restore!!) Thank you, Steve. I missed it myself going through the registry the first time because I put \\hp\ instead of \hp\\

[y]

Thanks a lot!! it works

[Ben Loscalzo]

This article saves the day again. Thanks!

[Mike]

Excellent!!!

[Isabelle]

I had the same problem with Multiterm. Deleting the line didn't help. What helped, as a user pinpointed rightly was to delete ONLY the entry \Hewlett-Packard}\\ and not the whole line. So, I thank him a lot for that!