MSXML 6 not installed properly

[Peter Kinross]

Secunia PSI told me that MSXML4 was in need of an upgrade. Doing that, somehow I have corrupted MSXML 6.
Outlook 2010 told me MSXML 6 was not properly installed as per this error dialog:
"This feature requires MSXML 6 to be properly installed. Run setup and click repair to restore this component".
Couldn’t run setup from the DVD as that told me it needed MSXML 6 (catch 22). Running Repair of Outlook 2010 from ‘Programs & Features’ let me do a repair, but didn’t fix anything.
Office 2007 gave me the same error dialog. Repairing Off 2007 from ‘Programs & Features didn’t fix it.
So I went to a non-destructive repair of Win7 64 bit. This gave me the following error:
"Your current version of Windows is more recent than the version you are trying to upgrade to. Windows cannot complete the upgrade."
Surely anyone doing an repair after having Win 7 installed for over 2 months would be in the same situation. Seems crazy. I got that error dialog even though I had clicked on ‘Upgrade using internet downloads’ or something similar.
I am at a loss, how do I fix a corrupted MSXML 6?

[HansV]

You could try performing a system restore to before you ran the update from Secunia.

(The Secunia warning is a false positive - see Secunia PSI false positive warning - MSXML Core Services 4.x)

[Peter Kinross]

Sadly the instructions for doing a nondestructive install of Win 7 include the dictate that sys restore cache be deleted. As you can understand, I'm not too happy about that.
I do have an image of the drive taken just before messing around, but I am not too sure if 'System Volume Information' can be restored. On top of that I am having huge difficulty getting Macrium Reflect to even see the backup image for restore. All in all, not my day!

[HansV]

Ouch! I don't know what to recommend now...

[JoeP]

You could try downloading and installing one of the MSXML 6 versions listed at List of Microsoft XML parser (MSXML) versions.

NOTE: You may want to uninstall MSXML 6 on your PC before trying any of the installs.

Joe

[Peter Kinross]

Thanks for the suggestions guys. JoeP, that was one of the first things I tried.
However - problem is now solved!
The only solution I could come up with was to persevere with an in place re-install of Win7. To over come the error:
"

Your current version of Windows is more recent than the version you are trying to upgrade to. Windows cannot complete the upgrade."

I downloaded a more current version of Win 7. Although most of the files had a date of 2011 it must have been a more recent version. Then proceeded with the horrible process. It took 4 hours to do this and to install the subsequent 160 Win 7 updates. But now it all works just fine.
Before this fix, I was getting all sorts of errors from Outlook 2010 and Office 2007. Doubly complicated as msxml 6 is used when trying to repair Office products from their DVDs, so that avenue was out.
This is a cause for brickbats to Microshaft. To have to waste all that time just to fix one small file (1.32 Mb out of 3.3 Gb of Win 7) is really, really, really disgraceful.
Wasn't too happy with Secunia either. But as this is the ONLY problem I have ever had with it, and as it is free, I can't complain too loudly. But come on Secunia, you should have fixed the false reporting of msxml 4, as you have known about this since Apr 14.