IE6 launches msiexec for publisher

Everytime I start IE 6 (sp1) or click on a link, the windows installer starts up and says "The feature you are trying to use is on a CD-ROM or other removable media that is not available. Insert the Microsoft Publisher 2002 disk and click OK" (standard stuff). this is pretty annoying, to say the least. I can't seem to find how this is being called. I have tried various spyware/malware removal programs: hijackthis, aboutbuster, ad-aware, cleanup, ewido, spybotsd, spywareblaster. I am running Nortan anti-virus version 7.60, zonealarm firewall, winpatrol v9.7.4. any help would be appreciated.

Ok do you have your Windows installation CD? IF so put it in and then click on start, then run, then type cmd and press enter. At the prompt type (or copy and paste) SFC /scannow and let it do its thing… so to speak. (make sure you put a space between SFC and /scannow)

done with the system file checker, no messages. I do think I tried this before, but ran it again. No change after I rebooted.

hmm.. ok. Have you installed Microsoft Office recently maybe?

No, I did not. I believe it's something linked with IE. If I boot into safe mode and launch IE, everything works as expected (no msiexec). But I don't see any BHO objects and don't know what is causing this to run.

Ok can you post your log for us




(in case your not familiar with that–> Ok, first, download Hijack This here and then scan but do not fix anything yet. Save your scan to a log file then click here to post your log into a new thread in the "hijack this logs and spyware/malware removal" forum.
)

new thread created in the Hijack this logs spyware/malware forum" - per request. continued there.

hmm.. is that the entire log…?

Yes, that's the entire log. Like I mentioned earlier, I have worked on this PC and used various spyware/malware programs to "clean" it. I'm usually helping others do this too, but I can't seem to find why/how msiexec is getting executed when IE is launched or a link is clicked. any ideas?