Troubleshooting windows installer errors

As long as you have installation media and all required activation information, you can always reinstall the software after you upgrade. Select the program, and then select Uninstall. Select Yes to confirm. Outdated software can cause problems with a Windows upgrade, so removing old or nonessential applications can help. If you plan to reinstall the application later, make sure you have the installation media and all required activation information before removing it. To upgrade to Windows 11, you need enough space on your hard drive for the installation to take place.

If there are multiple drives listed, the system drive is the drive that includes a Microsoft Windows logo above the drive icon.

If it looks like your drive is running low on space, see Tips to free up drive space on your PC. An error that begins with 0xC is usually a driver error. If you see any of these error codes, try the following steps first to fix the problem.

Make sure that your device has enough space. For more info, see Free up drive space in Windows. Run Windows Update a few times. Download and install any available updates in Windows Update, including software updates, hardware updates, and some third-party drivers. Check third-party drivers and download any updates. Unplug extra hardware. Check Device Manager for errors. In the search box on the taskbar, type device manager. Choose Device Manager from the results. In the window that pops up, look for any device with a yellow exclamation mark beside it you may have to select each category to switch to the list of devices.

Press and hold or right-click the device name and select either Update Driver Software or Uninstall to correct the errors. Remove third-party security software. Make sure you know how to reinstall your programs and that any necessary product keys are on hand.

Windows Defender will help protect your device in the meantime. Repair hard-drive errors. In the search box on the taskbar, type command prompt. Choose Command Prompt from the list of results. Note: You must have administrator permissions on your device to do this. Do a clean restart into Windows. See How to perform a clean boot in Windows. Restore and repair system files. In the window that pops up, type DISM. Learn to repair a Windows image.

The following table lists the most common upgrade and installation errors and some things you can try to fix them. If you continue having problems upgrading or installing Windows, contact Microsoft support. This indicates that there was a problem downloading and installing the selected update. Windows Update will try again later and there is nothing you need to do at this time.

This could indicate that an incompatible app installed on your PC is blocking the upgrade process from completing. Check to make sure that any incompatible apps are uninstalled and then try upgrading again. A cleanup operation from a previous installation attempt is still pending, and a system restart is required to continue the upgrade.

Restart the device and run setup again. If restarting device does not resolve the issue, then use the Disk Cleanup utility and clean up the temporary files and the System files. Common error codes The steps in this guided walk-through should help with all Windows Update errors and other issues— you don't need to search for the specific error to solve it. How does it work? Need more help? Join the discussion. Was this information helpful?

Yes No. Thank you! Any more feedback? The more you tell us the more we can help. Can you help us improve? The following are common methods that are used to install software:. Browse to the CD, DVD, removable media, or other location where the programs installation files are stored, and then double-click the Setup program.

The setup file is typically one of the following:. To resolve this issue, follow these methods:. Or, use a soft, lint-free cotton cloth to gently wipe the silver side of the disc.

Do not use paper cloth, as this can scratch the plastic or leave streaks. When you clean the disc, wipe from the center of the disc outward. Do not use a circular motion. If the problem continues to occur, clean the disc by using a damp cloth or a commercial CD or DVD disc-cleaning solution. Dry the disc thoroughly before you insert it into the drive. Method 2: Copy the installation files to your computer or to other removable mediaWhen you do this, note the location, and then run the installer from that location.

The installation file is typically named Autorun. If you're not sure, check the Readme file in the folder for instructions about how to run the installation process. If an executable file. Note If multiple CDs or DVDs are required, we recommend that you copy all the disks to the same folder, in reverse order higher disk numbers first. Be prepared to approve the overwriting of existing files if you are prompted, and then install from that location.

Check the software manufacturer's website for a more recent version of the software package. Download and install the new version. If you already have the latest version, download the program from the manufacturer's website, and then run the installation.

Method 1: Copy the installation files to your computerCopy the installation files to a local hard disk on your computer or to other removable media. Note the location, and then run the installation from that location.

If you're not sure, check the Readme file in the folder for instructions about how to run the installation. If you are installing a program from the Internet, redownload the file select Save instead of Run in the download dialog box , save the file to a folder on a local hard disk on your computer or to other removable media. Then, run the installation from that location. If your installation files are on a network for example, a commercial or corporate environment , copy all the files to a folder on a local hard disk on your computer, and then run the installation from that location.

Method 2: Obtain a fresh version of the installation packageIf some time has elapsed between when you downloaded the package and when you tried to install it, do the following:. If you already have the latest version, download the program again, and then run the installation. Programs that are currently running on your computer are interfering with the installation process. Disable programs that might be interfering with the installation process.

To do this, follow these steps:. Click Start , type msconfig in the Search box, and then click msconfig. If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password, or provide confirmation. On the General tab, click Selective startup , and then clear the Load startup items check box. Click Services , click Hide all Microsoft services , and then click Disable all.

When you are finished troubleshooting the problem, restart the computer in Normal Startup mode. For more information about how to use MSConfig, see How to troubleshoot a problem by performing a clean boot in Windows 8, Windows 7, or Windows Vista. There are typically several ways to remove any program. In this situation, try some other method to remove the program. Click Start , and then click All Programs. Select the program, and then click Uninstall.

Follow the instructions. Make sure that you don't have any file or folder names that are longer than characters. For more about the maximum path length limitation, see Naming files, paths, and namespaces. Most programs create an installation log. If you can't locate such a log, you can enable verbose MSI logging. For more information, see How to enable Windows Installer logging. Note If you're running the. For example, you can run the following command:.

A failed installation typically logs "Return Value 3" where the problem occurred and where the installation rollback began. The description of the failure appears immediately before the Return Value 3 log entry.