Windows Error When Installing or Uninstalling NI Software

Issue Details

I am trying to uninstall or install NI software but I am getting a Windows error that is preventing me from doing so. My software was working correctly before but after uninstalling I am now getting one of the two Windows errors listed below. Sometimes the installer gets to 10-20% before the error pops up. How can I successfully uninstall/install my NI software? The error codes I am seeing are listed below:

1. Windows Error 1303, with an error message similar to the following:

Error 1303. The installer has insufficient privileges to access this directory: <install directory>. The installation cannot continue. Log on as administrator or contact your system administrator.



2: Windows Error 1603, that states:

A fatal error occurred during installation.
 

Solution

This error can be caused by a variety of factors. The following list is a compilation of steps that have previously resolved this issue: 

• Ensure you are logged on as an Administrator.
• Close all other active programs. 
• Disconnect your computer from the network(s).
• Disable all virus protection software and firewalls.
• Make sure all other users are signed out of the computer.
• Disable file sharing for the installation directory folder and check the administrator privileges.
  • Right-click the installation directory folder and select Properties. Select Sharing»Advanced Sharing. Uncheck Share this folder. 
  • On the Security tab, edit the permissions to ensure the Administrator has full privileges.
• Restart the computer.

After installation is complete, you can return any security measures on the computer to their original states. 
 

If the above steps do not resolve the issue, the following can be attempted:

• Repair the software. If the software has installed a small amount before the error occurs the portion of software that has installed can be repaired.
• Ensure that you have a recent Windows upgrade and that no components related to the Universal C Runtime failed to install properly. If you do not have Windows 10, download Windows 10 Universal C Runtime.
• Force reinstall the software from the command prompt.
• Recreate the file directory.
  • Rename the HelpAsst directory found at C:\Program Files (x86)\National Instruments\Shared\HelpAsst to something else like HelpAsstBackup for backup.
    • If you are unable to do this, reboot your computer in safe mode and try again.
  • Run the installer again. Make sure to use the right-click option to Run as administrator. This should force the installer to recreate the HelpAsst directory. 
• Verify that the MD5 checksum is the expected value.
  • If you installed the software using a disk or offline installer, verify the integrity of the downloaded installation files .
  • If you installed the software online, verify the checksum using CertUtil, which should be downloaded on Windows by default.
    • Locate the file path for the program 2017LV-WinEng.exe (or 2016LV-WinEng.exe, etc. based on what version you are using). This should be located in your downloads folder after downloading LabVIEW from the internet.
    • Open the command prompt window and run the following command: certutil -hashfile "full path to file" MD5
  • ​​​Verify that the MD5 checksum value matches that listed on our online download page for the version of LabVIEW you are using. 
• Kill nierserver.exe.
  • Open the task manager open the Processes tab.
  • Select nierserver.exe from the list and click End Process.

If the above steps do not resolve the issue, please generate an installation log following the steps in Creating an Error Log File for a Software Installation and contact NI support .