Solution
This error occurs because there is no program associated with the MSI files, or the reference to msiexec.exe is corrupt and not able to connect to the Windows Installer Service. When the installer fails to connect to the Windows Installer Service it may display an error indicating that Internet Explorer (IE) 5.0 is not installed. This occurs because the installer is unable to query the Windows Registry in order to determine what version of IE is installed on the machine.
Re-registering the msiexec.exe file, reinstalling/restarting the Windows Installer or resetting the Windows Installer settings should resolve the error and allow you to install your National Instruments software correctly. Refer to Microsoft support article
315346 (Windows XP, Windows Server 2003) or
this Microsoft blog post (64-bit OS) to learn how to re-register msiexec.exe. Refer to Microsoft support article
2642495 (Windows 7, Windows Vista) for instructions on resetting and/or starting the Windows Installer Service.
There are some cases when the previous steps do not solve the issue. In those cases the root cause might be a result of the
Microsoft Hotfix 972397 (Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008). Verify that it is not needed for any other application and uninstall it to fix the problem. To check if the hotfix is installed go to
Start»Run and enter cmd. In the command window go to a location where you are allowed to create and write files. Enter systeminfo > installed.txt, this will create a text file with a list of all the installed fixes. Search this text file for the 972397 article ID.
Another solution could be to uninstall the desired NI software, making sure that all related installation files are removed, and reinstalling the software.