Installer fails - no error message

I have just been asked by a colleague to look at a problem he has installing an application onto his Windows XP SP2 machine. The app in question is Sage Payroll - when he starts the installation process the app asks for the install directory and then disappears - no error message is given and there are no errors shown in any of his system logs.

I have got him to try the usual - make sure there are no old versions installed, check he's signed on as an admin, etc., all to no avail.

I got him to run CCleaner and he's got an 'issue' that keeps coming up. I have asked him for a screenshot but for now here's the message :

Problem : obsolete password
Data :?? ?? ???? ????? ??? ?? ????
Registry key : HCKU|SOFTWARE\?? ???? ????? ??? ?? ????

He tells CCleaner to fix this which it says it does but on running the scan again the problem is still there. Obviously this may be entirely unrelated!

The next step is for me to get the machine in my grubby paws but I feel sure you'll have some suggestions as to what this might be...

Off the top of my head I can't think of anything, the only times I can recall an installer failing were a conflict with another process/service, and the AV/anti-spyware mistaking the installer as a trojan and "killing" the installer process. The latter produced an error message (from the AV), the former left the installer process listed in the Task Manager process list (though not under "Applications").

Might also be a corrupt/incorrect DLL or something?

If the installer is InstallShield, you coul try updating it or reinstalling it first to make sure it's "clean".