Windows Installer errors are perhaps the most annoying and hardest to figure out. Here are a few steps to try when encountering these errors.

1. Download and Install the latest Windows Installer Redistributable. For Windows 2000 Service Pack 3, Windows 2000 Service Pack 4, Windows Server 2003, Windows XP, Windows XP Service Pack 1 or Windows XP Service Pack 2.

For Windows 95, Windows 98 or Windows ME use the click here.

2. Clean the temp directory. Click START–>RUN. Type %Temp% and click OK. Delete all of the files you can from this folder. These are only temporary files and can cause problems with installations.

3. Temporarily disable any antivirus or spyware applications. It should be as simple as right clicking the corresponding icon down by your time and selecting EXIT or QUIT.

4. Try the Microsoft Windows Installer Cleanup utility. You can find more information at the link below:

5. Detect if another installation process is running Press Ctrl + Alt + Del and select Task Manager. Go to the Processes tab. Check the running processes for any or some of these names:

setup.exe
isetup.exe
ikernel.exe
msiexec.exe
idriver.exe
IsUninst.exe
IsUn16.exe
Uninst.exe
Uninst16.exe

Select each process.
Select End Process.

6. Manually register the Windows Installer executable: Launch Windows Explorer by pressing the Windows key + R or select Start –> Run and type EXPLORER. Browse to the Windows System folder, which is usually C:\Windows\System32 or C:\WINNT\System32. Locate the file MSIEXEC.EXE. Note the location (path) to the file. Use this path to register MSIEXEC.EXE.

On the Taskbar, select Start –> Run. In the Open field, type system32/msiexec.exe /REGSERVER or system/msiexec.exe /REGSERVER (depending on where this file is on your system) and press Enter.

This document can help with various Windows Installer problems such as the ones below:

• Error 1603: Fatal Error During Installation
• Error 1603: General Windows Installer engine error. Increase DiskSpace requirement in Setup.ini and try again.
• Error 1605: This action is only valid for products that are currently installed
• The parameter is incorrect
• Error 1628: Failed to Complete Installation
• Windows Installer Error