WinXP not able to install Java Runtime Environment

When I try to install the JRE an error message occurs (platform is WinXP) ...

Somehting like: "A windows-installer-package refering problem occured."

Reinstalling the windows-installer didn't fix the problem.

JRE is in windows' software-list but doesn't work (isn't implied in browsers at least).

[325 byte] By [Pfabia] at [2008-1-8]