'Error accessing system registry' occurs when reinstalling SmartSuite

After installing all applications in Lotus SmartSuite 9.8 on a computer running Microsoft Vista, you decide that you only want a few of the SmartSuite programs so you uninstall SmartSuite using Control Panel --> Add/Remove Programs. When you try to do a custom install again, you receive the following error message and the install stops:

"Error accessing system registry."

In another case, some features, icons, and toolbars did not appear after an initial install of SmartSuite on Vista.

Possible workarounds:

* In one case, the following steps provide an additional workaround. If you are in the error message dialog box, click OK to exit.

1. From the Windows taskbar, choose Computer --> find the SmartSuite icon in the CD/DVD drive.

2. Right-click the SmartSuite icon and choose Explore to display the files included on the SmartSuite CD.

3. Navigate to setup.exe, right-click setup.exe --> choose Run As Administrator. The install should begin without error.

In another case, the computer was restored to an earlier state before the original installation of SmartSuite and was restarted. You can then do a successful custom install and choose which of the SmartSuite applications to install.

* This issue also occurs on the Windows 7 and 8 operating systems. The steps above also corrected the problem on Windows 7 and 8.


SmartSuite is not supported on the 64-bit version of the Vista operating system. Cleaning the Windows Registry and the C:\Lotus folder and restarting the computer did not work since the error constantly occurred. Performing a clean uninstall as explained in Document #1096343, "How to perform a clean installation of SmartSuite or Organizer," and then trying to reinstall also did not work.

For more information about SmartSuite and Vista, refer to Document #1253536, "Information about SmartSuite and Organizer working on the new Microsoft Windows Vista operating system."