How to Fix Error 1603

You may receive the error 1603 message when you try to install a Windows Installer package on your PC:

“Error 1603: A fatal error occurred during installation.”

What are the Causes?

Here we list three causes:

You install the Microsoft Windows Installer package to an encrypted folder.
The folder to which you install the Microsoft Windows Installer package is stored in a substitute drive.
The folder to which you install the Microsoft Windows Installer package doesn’t get Full Permission rights from the System account.

Download to Fix Error 1603 Related Errors

How to Fix it?

Here we introduce three methods as follows:

Method 1 – Choose an unencrypted folder to install the Microsoft Windows Installer package

This method can be used if the error is due to the fact that you install the Microsoft Windows Installer package to an encrypted folder.

Method 2 – Choose a non-substitute drive to store the folder to which you install the Installer package

This method can be used if the error 1603 is cause by installing the Windows Installer Package to a substitute drive.

Method 3 – Let the certain folder get Full Permission Rights from the SYSTEM account

Note: Only if your operating system is Windows 2000 or Windows XP, can you apply this method.

This can be realized by the following steps:

1, Double-click My Computer.
2, From the windows that open, right-click the drive that stores the folder to which you will install the Windows Installer package and choose Properties.
3, From the Disk Properties dialog box that opens, press Security and do as follows:
- For Windows XP, verify whether the SYSTEM account is in the Group of user names account box.
- For Windows 2000, verify whether the SYSTEM account is in the Name box.
4, If the SYSTEM account doesn’t exist in the Group or user names account box (Windows XP) or in the Name box (Windows 2000), do as follows:
- Press the Add button.
- Choose SYSTEM from the Name field and then press OK.
5, Choose the checkbox before Full control from the Permission section and press Advanced, then do as follows:
- For Windows XP, choose the check box of Replace permission entries on all child objects with entries shown here that apply to child objects for the SYSTEM account and tap OK to implement it.
- For Windows 2000, choose the check box of Reset permissions on all child objects and enable propagation of inheritable permissions for the SYSTEM account and tap OK to implement it.
6, If you find a security message on your screen, choose Yes.
7, Run the Installer Package on your computer.

You may also come across repeated errors and problems if your computer registry gets corrupted. Therefore, you’d better scan and repair your registry regularly by credible registry clean software like Lotoshare Registry Cleaner. With its help, you can keep your registry in a healthy state and avoid the above issues.

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