Another Installation Already in Progress (But it’s Not)

Technology - Tips & Fixes

I keep encountering an annoying error message as I try to set up my new 64-bit Vista laptop. Often when I try to install a program, I’m told that another installation is already in progress and I must complete that one first. But no other installation is in progress, and simply rebooting doesn’t help.

I googled this problem, and found some complicated advice about failed installations and the Windows Installer Cleanup Utility. But I find that this error occurs when a program installs just fine in every respect except that it leaves the Windows Installer Service running.

There’s a easy way to fix this.

Right-click on the Computer icon, wherever it exists on your system, and select Manage. (I’m using the Classic Start menu, so the Computer icon is on my desktop. If you’re using the new Start menu, the icon is in the Start menu.) This opens the Computer Management utility.

Windows Installer Service

Select Services, right click on Windows Installer in the list and select Properties. If you’re having the problem, the Windows Installer service is started, and the Stop button is disabled. Simply rebooting doesn’t stop the service. Here’s how you stop it.

In the Properties dialog, change Startup type to “Disabled”, click OK, and reboot your computer. This stops the service. After your computer reboots, again open Computer Management (right-click on Computer and select Manage), open Windows Installer Properties, and change the Startup type back to Manual. Now you’re good to go and can start a new installation.

464 thoughts on “Another Installation Already in Progress (But it’s Not)”

  3. Aaaaaah. This issue has been troubling me since I got Vista. Everything I tried to install gave me a headache. Sometimes killing MSIexec.exe in the task manager worked, sometimes it didn’t. But finally, a solution that seems to work for everything. I guess I won’t be throwing this new pc off the balcony after all. Many kind thanks. No messing with registries, no downloading “fixes”, just a simple and straightforward solution. Now I just need a fix for my love life 🙂

  5. Recently got a new pc windows vista and tried unsuccessfully to install my printer for same reason. Spent days trying to work this out then ran across your solution.

    YOU THE BOMB!!!!!!!!

    ALL WORKS!

  9. OMG! Sheryl, you are a GENIUS. I’ve been battling this for ages, and your fix is AMAZING. You are really awesome! Thanks a ton!!

  10. Sheryl, I followed your instructions to the letter, but it did not work for me. I am using windows xp pro. Could this be my problem? I am trying to reinstall my printer after replacing a crashed hard drive.

  12. I had the 1618 error problem for ages, not being able to download or update programs has cost me alot of time. no sooner had I paid out for RegCure $29 which didn’t fix the problem I found this page. thank you so much it worked a treat.

  13. Thanks for the info but unfortunately it doesn’t work for me and I followed your instructions to the letter.

  16. Thanks Sheryl. I had a similar issue just now with Windows Installer launching and failing when trying to run Office. This has sorted it, so gracias!

  19. I think this will work, but I have one problem.

    After I rebooted the computer, I went to right click on Computer – then on Manage. It loaded for a few seconds, then nothing happened.

    I went to reclick on it, but when I click on the Start Menu I receive a “ding” which I usually hear when I click on a program that is frozen.

    In order to get rid of it I have to do CTRL ALT DELETE and close all Process Trees for Explore.

    Any alternative paths to Manage?

  20. It takes some time to load – give it a minute before you start clicking other things. Also, you probably need to be logged in as an Administrator.

    You can also get to it through the Admin Tools folder in the Start menu. Exactly where depends on your OS, but in Windows 7 (what I’m running now), it says “Computer Management”.

    If you really can’t load the Computer Management utility (and you’re logged in as an Admin), you’ve got bigger problems than not being able to install!

  21. About “Another installation is in progress” Just had to come back and say Thanks. Your advice worked like a dream. I too looked at several other sites offering complicated work arounds/fixes. Glad I held off until I found your site. Thanks again. Al.

  25. It says:
    “The Windows Installer Service could not be accessed.
    This can occur if you are running Windows in Safe Mode or if the Windows Installer is not correctly installed. Contact your support personnel for assistance.”

    So, what to do?
    Kindly help me in resolving this problem.

    Thanks
    Srinivas Kumar

  27. Hello,

    It was very helpful to me. It saved my life. I have wasted 3 hours to get rid off this error. Thanks for such nice and useful article.

  28. holy crap it worked
    ive had this problem for like 3 years no lie..
    wow
    thank you
    i havent been abled to do a thing
    thanks!

  29. Thanks for the tip…It worked (eventually)

    I am just adding this for the people above who say it didn’t work.
    After the re-boot and setting the installer to “manual” I had to click on “start” the service. It seems obvious but it is not in the original instructions.

  30. No, it does not always work. Sheryl, you should think twice before telling people they did something wrong in your three step process. I followed it and it did not work. I didn’t edit the reg or delete anything before trying this method, so it’s not on my end. The problem is with Visual Studio Express’ persistent installer. As soon as you set the msiexec service back to manual after the initial reboot, it takes over again. I have not found a fix for this problem aside from wiping and reinstalling Windows 7.

  31. hi sheryl,
    i was so excited that i was gonna see light at the end of the tunnel, but it hasn’t worked for me. have been trying to re-install itunes, but just cannot seem to get rid of the ‘another installation is in progress’ devil….. i am using windows XP.

    help!!! anyone!

  33. Thank you very much Sheryl. It worked very smoothly. You are a multitalented woman.

  34. Ok, i did everything that you said. but when i went to chane it back to manual. I can’t because its unclickable ?????????????

  35. Hi,
    I did it but still facing the same problem when i try to uninstall another a program. 🙁

  37. Scrap this registry key off: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Installer\InProgress, or just re-name this key and give it a try.

  39. Thank youuuuuuu! :DThank youuuuuuu! :DThank youuuuuuu! :DThank youuuuuuu! :DThank youuuuuuu! :DThank youuuuuuu! :DThank youuuuuuu! :DThank youuuuuuu! :DThank youuuuuuu! :DThank youuuuuuu! :DThank youuuuuuu! :DThank youuuuuuu! :DThank youuuuuuu! :DThank youuuuuuu! :DThank youuuuuuu! :DThank youuuuuuu! :DThank youuuuuuu! :DThank youuuuuuu! :DThank youuuuuuu! :DThank youuuuuuu! 😀

  41. Hi,
    I am facing the same problem while installing itunes. With your solution i could install itunes. After that i tried to install quicktime player which is required to start itunes. While doing so, a windows installer window popped up which stated some windows installation package problem.
    So i decided to start afresh and uninstalled all the related softwares. I downloaded the itunes software again, tried to install it, and the most dreaded error popped up again, ‘another installtion in progress and blah blah’.
    So again i tried your solution, but now it shows the STOP button enabled.
    I am totally clueless.
    Please help!!!

    Thank You…..

  42. I couldn’t reboot the machine as it was in use by our test team – I simply killed the msiexec task(s) – it asks if you want to backout the orginal half-baked install – when complete the service was restarted, and the new install completed fine

  43. After following all the directions I couldn’t get it to work, then read through all the comments to the tip from John to “start” the service. Not being a whiz with computers it wasn’t obvious to me either, but that’s all it took. This problem had been driving me crazy for ages, so really pleased to get it fixed.

  44. It got this to work but only after a little out-of-the-square thinking.I followed the original instructions as posted and then (later) checked to see if I had started the service again as per John’s post mentioned above by Helga. But, it still would not work.

    Now, this may not work for everybody but it did work for me after trying at least 10 times and attempting all sorts of fixes to resolve the issue of ‘another installation is running’to (re)install my HP Photosmart C5180 Printer.

    After following the original istructions I left the service disable after rebooting. After running the install package for the printer a pop-up informed me the installation could not continue as Windows Installer Service is not running. I was given the option to ‘fix’ or not this problem. I clicked fix. The service then restarted and installation continued – ths time successfully.

  46. Another satisfied customer. Similar to most of the stories above, I spent hours on this before finally finding your simple and successfull solution. Thanks!

  48. Did not work for me.
    The solution mentions to reboot the system, change the startup type of service to “Manual” and proceed with the installation (without starting the service). I tried it twice, but of no use.
    I followed the process mentioned by Travis too, i.e. killing the processes (except the one which is current process). Then it gave me another error saying there is some error with the package. I downloaded the installer again and tried all the above mentioned things again. But still it does not work.
    Please let me know if anybody has encountered the same problem and has found any workaround to this.
    Thanks.

  49. I too have struggled with this problem for some time but following your instructions has enabled me to update programmes without any further problem – thankyou.

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