CS6 Installer halts when installing Adobe Help

Question

CS6 Creative Suite Design & Web Premium Trial downloads, extracts, but the installer halts when it hits "Currently Installing Adobe Help", and the install time keeps increasing indefinitely. I have tried over and over, re-downloading, using the direct download links, running the creative suite cleaner, the Adobe Support tool, restarting my computer, etc. etc. etc. It does this same thing when I have tried to install Dreamweaver CS6 on its own, but I was able to download & install Lightroom 4 with no problems whatsoever. What can I do at this point?

Answer 1

I too am having this problem, and killing InstallAdobeHelp.exe DOES seem to allow the installer to continue. Thank you for that tip, Dan!
For reference (Adobe or otherwise) here is some log and other useful information:
[    3968] Mon Jul 16 23:43:03 2012  INFO
*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=* Operation complete. Setting status: 0 =*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*
:: END TIMER :: [Payload Operation :{152B1DA7-A342-4EAA-BD28-25DD7B74AB3C}] took 2948.64 milliseconds (2.94864 seconds) DTR = 165.5 KBPS (0.161621 MBPS)
User specified overrideFile:
[    3968] Mon Jul 16 23:43:05 2012  INFO
Successfully updated the csu inventory for {152B1DA7-A342-4EAA-BD28-25DD7B74AB3C} Suite Shared Configuration CS5.5 2.5.0.0 return values 0:0
Calling the custom action code for post-repair for payload {152B1DA7-A342-4EAA-BD28-25DD7B74AB3C} Suite Shared Configuration CS5.5 2.5.0.0
Calling the custom action code for pre-install for payload {D38116C8-C472-4BB0-AD6F-0C1DD1320D1D} AdobeHelp 4.0.0.0
::START TIMER:: [Payload Operation :{D38116C8-C472-4BB0-AD6F-0C1DD1320D1D}]
[    7124] Mon Jul 16 23:43:05 2012  INFO
*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*
Installer Operation: InstallThirdPartyPayloadOperation
*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*
Installing third party payload
Third party application path:C:\Users\<USERNAME_REPLACED>\Desktop\CS6 Master Collection\Adobe CS6\payloads\AdobeHelp\InstallAdobeHelp.exe
CommandLine: appVersion=4.0.244 appId=chc pubId=4875E02D9FB21EE389F73B8D1702B320485DF8CE.1 installerArg1=-silent installerArg2=-eulaAccepted installerArg3=-programMenu installerArg4=AdobeHelp.air
[    2068] Mon Jul 16 23:53:29 2012  INFO
*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*
Visit http://www.adobe.com/go/loganalyzer/ for more information
*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*
-----I CANCEL INSTALL HERE AFTER LONG PERIOD OF TIME---------
*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*
START - Installer Session
*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*
RIBS version: 6.0.98.0
Win OS version: 6.1.1.0 64 bit Type: 1
::START TIMER:: [Total Timer]
CHECK: Single instance running
CHECK : Credentials
Load Deployment File
CHECK : Another Native OS installer already running
Create Required Folders
Assuming uninstall mode
Lookup for master payload
Ready to initialize session to start with ...
::START TIMER:: [CreatePayloadSession]
[    2068] Mon Jul 16 23:53:30 2012  INFO
Supported RIBS version range: [0.0.66.0,6.0.98.0]
----------------- CreatePayloadSession: machine is x64 ---------------
[    2068] Mon Jul 16 23:53:38 2012  INFO
______ Verify Dependency Subscribers ______
BEGIN Operation order for all session payloads: mediaGroup (requires,satisfies)
etc....
A couple notes:
I am installing CS6 Master Collection trial.
I am running Windows 7 Ultimate x64
I had CS4 & CS5 Master Collection installed (non-trial)
I tried removing both, with no luck.
I updated Download Manager and Adobe Air just previous to installing.
I have tried restarting, installing with and without internet access/activation (shouldn't really matter) - Attempted installation about 6 times.
Running InstallAdobeHelp from command line using the same call the installer does (InstallAdobeHelp.exe CommandLine: appVersion=4.0.244 appId=chc pubId=4875E02D9FB21EE389F73B8D1702B320485DF8CE.1 installerArg1=-silent installerArg2=-eulaAccepted installerArg3=-programMenu installerArg4=AdobeHelp.air) Gives the same result - an empty window appears and never goes away.
Canceling the installer doesn't kill InstallAdobeHelp.exe, it will keep running in the background until killed - even if the installer is forcefully stopped, and will even run 4 or 5 InstallAdobeHelp.exe processes at the same time, if you keep trying to install.
Big idea: I saw something in the log about already having AdobeHelp 1.0.0.0 installed (Probably from CS4/5?) I'm guessing this is causing the conflict:
--------------------  END  - Updating Media Sources -  END  --------------------
Supported RIBS version range: [0.0.66.0,6.0.98.0]
----------------- CreatePayloadSession: machine is x64 ---------------
[    9132] Tue Jul 17 23:59:43 2012  INFO
______ Verify Dependency Subscribers ______
[    9132] Tue Jul 17 23:59:43 2012  WARN
DS013: Payload {3BF96AC2-0CA1-11DF-B07B-459956D89593} AdobeHelp 1.0.0.0 is already installed and the session payload {D38116C8-C472-4BB0-AD6F-0C1DD1320D1D} AdobeHelp 4.0.0.0 has no upgrade/conflict relationship with it.