Adobe AIR installation on Vista. Message: 'An error occurred while installing Adobe AIR. Installation may not be allowed by your administrator. '

[Rockmeister]

After failing to apply an update to Adobe Air, I attempted to re-install it from scratch.  This is at the end of the installation log:

[2014-09-27:20:02:36] Rolling back install of c:\users\martin\appdata\local\temp\air6641.tmp\setup.msi

[2014-09-27:20:02:36] Rollback complete

[2014-09-27:20:02:36] Exiting due to error: [ErrorEvent type="error" bubbles=false cancelable=false eventPhase=2 text="1603" errorID=0]

[2014-09-27:20:02:36] Exiting due to error: [ErrorEvent type="error" bubbles=false cancelable=false eventPhase=2 text="1603" errorID=0]

[2014-09-27:20:02:36] Runtime Installer end with exit code 7

[2014-09-27:20:02:38] Runtime Installer end with exit code 7

[2014-09-29:07:59:54] Runtime Installer begin with version 15.0.0.249 on Windows Vista x86

[2014-09-29:07:59:54] Commandline is:

[2014-09-29:07:59:54] No installed runtime detected

[2014-09-29:07:59:59] Relaunching with elevation

[2014-09-29:07:59:59] Launching subprocess with commandline c:\users\martin\appdata\local\temp\aire002.tmp\adobe air installer.exe -ei

[2014-09-29:08:00:03] Runtime Installer begin with version 15.0.0.249 on Windows Vista x86

[2014-09-29:08:00:03] Commandline is: -stdio \\.\pipe\AIR_3488_0 -ei

[2014-09-29:08:00:03] No installed runtime detected

[2014-09-29:08:00:03] Starting silent runtime install. Installing runtime version 15.0.0.249

[2014-09-29:08:00:04] Installing msi at c:\users\martin\appdata\local\temp\aire002.tmp\setup.msi with guid {7BBAEC47-1CC0-4CB8-ADB4-531B78DBD1DD}

[2014-09-29:08:00:06] Error occurred during msi install operation; beginning rollback: [ErrorEvent type="error" bubbles=false cancelable=false eventPhase=2 text="1603" errorID=0]

[2014-09-29:08:00:06] Rolling back install of c:\users\martin\appdata\local\temp\aire002.tmp\setup.msi

[2014-09-29:08:00:06] Rollback complete

[2014-09-29:08:00:06] Exiting due to error: [ErrorEvent type="error" bubbles=false cancelable=false eventPhase=2 text="1603" errorID=0]

[2014-09-29:08:00:06] Exiting due to error: [ErrorEvent type="error" bubbles=false cancelable=false eventPhase=2 text="1603" errorID=0]

[2014-09-29:08:00:09] Runtime Installer end with exit code 7

The log covers many attempts.  The latest was on 29th September.

Following a suggestion in another forum thread, I checked the file permissions for folder 'c:\users\martin\appdata\local\temp'.   As far as I can see, they give full control to the SYSTEM, administrator and sole user (martin) accounts.  There are no options with 'Deny' against them.

I have run Microsoft FixIt.  I also tried the Windows Installer Cleanup utility (msicuu2.exe) but I got 'Access Denied' with no further details. 

Any suggestions?

[A_Kubba]

Hi,

Please check this link: Troubleshoot AIR installation | Windows

Thank You

Arjun

[Rockmeister]

Hi Arjun

Is there any particular suggestion on this site that I should try? I think I have already tried all the ones that seem to be relevant.

Martin

[alexmartinmd]

Did you ever resolve your adobe air downloading issues?  I have the same error message (An error occurred while installing Adobe AIR. Installation may not be allowed by your administrator.) and I cannot seem to get it to download. I have tried all of the suggestions on the adobe air installation page and have not had success.

Words of wisdom?

[Rockmeister]

I had an online chat with someone from Adobe online support.  I was told that Adobe has does not provide support for AIR, which I found astonishing.  No progress there.  There is something on the msigeeks page: Troubleshoot the error 1603 “Fatal Error During Installation” that might help but I am having trouble understanding exactly what they are suggesting.   It might be worth contacting Microsoft for help with Windows Installer but it is a bit of a maze to navigate online to the right expert.

I followed a suggestion from another forum that the problem might be anti-virus software stepping in somewhere but I tried turning of my Norton auto-protect but this made no difference.

[Rockmeister]

I have managed to edit the Registry so as to get the Windows Installer (MSIExec) to write a verbose (detailed) log.  From this, and some web forums, I found that the problem has been caused by a Microsoft Windows security update, KB2918614.  This was applied on my PC on 14 August but I think it was released on 12 August.  My Windows version is Vista and I don't know if this update or a similar has been applied to other Windows versions.

For more information see wix-users - SECREPAIR: CryptAcquireContext: Could not create the default key container.

I went into Windows Update on my Control Panel and found how to uninstall update KB2918614.  When I had done this, followed by a Restart, I was able to install AIR and the software that uses it.

[Rockmeister]

For even more information see:

KB2918614 breaks Windows Installer Service - Microsoft Community

It would appear that the problem is not confined to Vista.

If you have automatic Windows updates set on, you will find that KB2918614 gets re-installed on the next boot so you will need to go manual Windows updates 

or do the AIR install after a Restart but before any other reboots. Of course you will have to uninstall the update it before you run Windows Installer again.

Lets hope Microsoft fixes the problem with this Windows update soon.