VS 2010 SP1 repair is not easy

Installation using Web Platform Installer 3.0 is easy but repairing is anything but..

I had corrupted my Microsoft LightSwitch Beta 2, so I removed the Beta but then I think the problem was the VS 2010 Professional and I tried to repair the VS 2010 SP1.

I was trying to repair my SP1 with the following program, 

Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 Service Pack 1 (Installer), downloaded from here,

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/details.aspx?FamilyID=75568aa6-8107-475d-948a-ef22627e57a5&displaylang=en

This installs the VS10sp1-KB983509.exe file (795KB)

I found this very difficult to use as it stops and asks for files very difficult to locate. For example it will ask you locate RiaServices.msi file and no matter where I get it from it does not accept (even after downloading the iso  file and creating a folder for its layout .

 I finally got around downloading WCF RIA Services V1.0 SP1 and it stopped asking for this file. But it just did not install. Looking into error log file I find that an UrlMon did not download. 

What the heck is this? I am not researching and specializing on installation of MS Products, I just want to use the program.

Actually I am on a (x32) bit machine and I don't care about this (x64bit) stuff,

 I am beginning to think that the registry (who else is to blame) is both the strength and weakness. Moreover, the warning while if you try to remove does not help,

Warnings:

The removal of Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 Service Pack 1 may put this computer in an state in which projects cannot be loaded and Service Pack 1 cannot be reinstalled. For instructions about how to correct the problem, see the readme on the Microsoft Download Center website.

The readme file which is quite extensive and more details (downloading iso file etc )did not help and leads you to another web page and so on.

 Well I was about to give up, but then I came across this Web Platform Installer 3.0.

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/details.aspx?FamilyID=32b0dfe5-f139-4e1c-b412-3da39f50bbf9#Overview

I installed this (WPI) and Voila! this installer installs the VS 2010 SP1 without any problem (does it and can it?). This is a real time saver (I should have known about this some 3 days ago!!).

 

Unfortunately it did not repair, it just assumed that (the installed, but broken) VS 2010 SP1 is present and moved on. 

The problem never got rectified. So much for the WPI 3.0.

Here are some of the programs that WPI did install out of the 12 it tried.

I am back to the forum to figure out what this URLMon is about and how to fix the broken VS 2010 SP1