Damn… This days it seems that Adobe CS2 is messing with me! After Illustrator giving me a hard time, it’s time for Photoshop!! Since a few days when I start Photoshop it gived me this error: “The Adobe Updater could not be started, please reinstall application and components.” After reinstalling the application a couple of times I remain getting the same error! So when I got the same error at my internship company I started a quest for the solution! Anyway, after a while I found the answer to this error message, and the problem was solved! So here’s what I did…

1. Determine if you have your hard disk is formated with the NT File System (NTFS) or FAT32. Wel, I know that I have my harddisk is formated with NTFS, but in case you’re not sure, you can check it out by going to: Start -> Control Panel -> Administrative Tools.
2. So here you have to edit the file permissions for the All Users folder and the Windows\Installer folder by running the CALCS commands. Then, run the common files installer to complete the Adobe Updater utility installation.
   • Choose Start
   • Go to Run
   • Type cmd in the Open box, and click OK.
   • Type the following CACLS commands for your operating system exactly as they appear, pressing Enter at the end of each command line:
     Important:Enter spaces before and after /T, /E, /C, and /G in each line. The best way is just to Copy / Paste the command lines.

   • cacls c:\windows\installer /T /E /C /G administrators:F

   • cacls “c:\documents and settings\all users” /T /E /C /G administrators:F

   • Exit
     

     Note: If you use Photoshop on a localized Windows operating system (for example, German Windows XP) the CACLS commands must be localized. Use the translated terms for “documents and settings” and “administrator.” “All users” is not translated on localized operating systems.

     For example, the CACLS command on German Windows XP should be: cacls “c:\Dokumente und Einstellungen\all users” /T /E /C /G Administratoren:F

3. Now you have to run the common files installer:
   
   • Insert the Photoshop installation media. (If you purchased Photoshop as part of Adobe Creative Suite, insert the Installer 1 CD.)
   • Select a language and click OK.
   • Click Accept to accept the license agreement.
   • Select Explore CD Contents.
   • Navigate to, and then double-click, the Adobe Common File Installer.msi file in the following location:
     • Adobe Creative Suite Installer 1 CD: Adobe Creative Suite 2.0/Adobe Bridge Services folder
     • Photoshop CD: Adobe Photoshop CS2/Commonfilesinstaller folder
       NOTE: If you don’t see this folder or the Adobe Common File Installer.msi then try downloading a Photoshop CS2 tryout, and use the Adobe Common File Installer.MSI file and folder. You can download a CS2 tryout here…
     • Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation. If the Program Maintenance dialog box appears, click Repair.
4. That’s it! Your Photoshop has been repaired! If you’re using Windows 2000, then click here…

Background information
Full administrator access allows the installer to create the files that Photoshop needs. Your file permissions may prevent the Adobe Common Files installer from correctly installing the Adobe Updater utility when you run Adobe application installers. If this occurs, Photoshop returns an error when you try to start it. The CACLS command lets you modify file permissions on NTFS-formatted hard disks to correctly install the Adobe Updater utility.