2020 TurboTax updater fails with Microsoft Installer error 1603

[CINDY444]

Hello I totally feel your frustration.  The exact same thing happened to me.  first day it was fine.  the next time logging in would not update and could not pass it.  Spent hours on phone with Turbo Tax.  Final solution.  Delete file and reload.  That worked for me.  Good luck

[SForrestLO]

Try this Error 1603: "A fatal error occurred during installation or updating"

If it does not work you can contact an agent for further troubleshooting.  This FAQ will provide you with the steps to contact an agent. Contact an agent

[jedgarajedi]

Worked for me this time with these steps, including the Warning prompt that appeared for you

[james630]

worked

[Kerry66]

I've been fighting this for a while now and today, I finally got it to go. I  originally purchased a download from Amazon and no matter what I tried, it would not update. Today, I re-downloaded the program, and using Revo Uninstaller Pro, uninstalled every file it could find but first, when the programs uninstall program opened I did try repairing it first. That failed miserably. Then, I re-installed TT using the new file I just downloaded and Shazam, everything updated and worked perfectly. Hope this helps someone.

[robsolomon]

I initially installed TurboTax 2020 on my D: drive, where all my other applications are installed. I spent an hour dealing with the MS installer error 1603 before reinstalling TTax 2020 on the C: drive.

After that, it worked like a charm.

thanks @dcp46

[Critter-3]

The program updates look for it on the C drive ... they cannot find the program on the D drive so uninstalling and reinstalling on the preferred drive is the only fix for this unless you are a computer wiz who can manipulate the drive situation. 

[e7f11bode2]

Please repair Turbo Tax program for 2020 tax filing. I am logged in as administrator when program tried to review Federal report said it needed to update. Now get a fatal 1603 failed message and program is locked. All Winpws10 files have been updated. at this point Turbo Tax is  not usable.

Eileen Bode

[email address removed]

[jimku]

All,

I struggled with the 1603 error all day.  Was in an endless loop of downloading the manual updates, but it still wouldn't let me transmit my returns because it said "another update was available", and when I tried to get that update I got the same 1603 error.  THE FIX THAT WORKED:  I installed on another computer in the "C:" location... not on my ONEDRIVE.  I also moved my tac return to C: location.  Everything then worked.

Jim

[MrScience]

Thank you for the effort and posting, unfortunately, I saw this too late!

After 2 weeks of trying all the recommended fixes without any luck, I found your post, followed your steps and was able to get TT Premier to work without 1603 and 1334 errors.  My final version of TT (checking Help / About / Version) is WinPerReleaseMsi  Version 020.000.1610

I've added some notes below:

1.  I did not sign in as "Administrator" but used my normal sign in and used "Run as Administrator"
2.  Windows 10 64-bit Professional 20H2 [OS Build: 19042.804]
3.  Downloaded both w_turbotax_1040_prm_[phone number removed].exe and w_perrelsuperpatch_ttax_[phone number removed].exe
4. Uninstalled TurboTax using Windows' Setup / Apps / TurboTax 2020 "Uninstall" (after selecting, it gave me an option to do repair - I tried it but it failed with same errors)
5. Restarted my PC
6. Used CCleaner to clean the registry (repeated until no errors)
7. Restarted PC
8. Installed TT by right-clicking on the install package listed above and selected "run as administrator" - I also hit the "X" to close install window and did not start TT.
9. Installed the manually downloaded the update listed above using same method as in step 8.  I also hit the "X" to close the install window so TT would not start.
10. Restarted my PC
11. Using my normal sign in account - Started TurboTax 2020 using Icon on my Desktop
12. After starting, it also installed an additional Update on top of the one installed above.  I did not get any access control issues.
13. All works now and it was able to pick-up where I left off 2 weeks ago.

[jsmith7897]

I don`t know how to get error number but my screen freezes when Activation of Turbo tax.

[SForrestLO]

@jsmith7897

Troubleshoot installation and running TurboTax for Windows Troubleshooting installation issues

Error 1603

[nanajoan42]

This has been the most helpful of all proposals on this subject.

Follow these links to the end without stopping:

1) https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/troubleshooting/help/troubleshoot-installing-and-running-turbotax-...

2) https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/bugs-and-error-messages/help/unable-to-uninstall-turbotax-from-win...

3) https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/installing/help/forcefully-uninstall-and-reinstall-turbotax/00/260...

Solution

1. Browse to the following location on your hard drive: C:/Program Files (x86)/Common Files/Intuit/TurboTax/TY19/PER/MSI (replace XX with the 2-digit tax year of the TurboTax program you want to uninstall, for example 18 represents TurboTax 2018).
2. Right-click each file in this folder and select Uninstall.
3. Delete the following directories (where XX is the 2-digit tax year of the program you've just uninstalled):
   • For Windows 10/ 8 / 7
     • C:/Program Filesx86/Common Files/Intuit/TurboTax/TYXX
     • C:/Program Filesx86/TurboTaxTYXX
     • C:/Users/[Your username/]AppData/Roaming/Intuit/TurboTax/TYXX
     • C:/Program/Data/Intuit/TurboTax/TYXX
   • For Windows 10/ 8 / 7
     • C:/Program Files/Common Files/Intuit/TurboTax/TYXX
     • C:/Program Files/TurboTax/TYXX
     • C:/Users/[Your username]/AppData/Roaming/Intuit/TurboTax/TYXX
     • C:/Program/Data/Intuit/TurboTax/TYXX
4. When finished, restart your computer, and then install TurboTax.

If that didn't work, try a more sophisticated method detailed below. Start by selecting your TurboTax version:

Alternate solution for CD

1. Insert the TurboTax CD into the CD drive. If a message appears, select Cancel or No.
2. Hold down the Windows key and press R.
3. In the Run window, select Browse, select the Setup.exe file on the TurboTax CD, and select Open.
4. Place your cursor right after the last e in the Open field, add a space, then type /u /l (be sure to enter a space between /u and /l). Your entry should look like this: 
5. (Windows 7, 8 or Vista) Press Ctrl+Shift+Enter. (To close the User Account Control window, press Alt+C.)
   (Windows XP) select OK.
6. In the Repair/Uninstall TurboTax window, select the second button, Uninstall TurboTax.
7. After TurboTax has been uninstalled, install TurboTax from the CD.

If you're still unable to uninstall the CD, try the flush command:

1. Follow Steps 1 through 5 above, except type /f instead of /u /l (don't forget to precede /f with a space). Ignore Steps 6 and 7.
2. Wait for the Flush Install window to close. TurboTax is now reinstalled.

It worked like a champ with no errors to date.

Clearly, this shouldn't have been an issue if proper testing had been done before release; however...

[vger2020]

Simple. Call up tech support and get no help. Ask for a refund and go and get H&R Block software. Taxes done...😊

[PATRICK_MOBILE_PMCS]

ALOT OF TIMES YOU CAN FIND THE FIX HERE LIKE I POSTED A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO TO FIX YOUR ISSUE AND YOU WOULD BE UP AND RUNNING , NO NEED TO GET UPSET ON HERE , THIS IS WHERE YOU CAN GETS SOME HELP AND IT DOES NOT COST YOU ANYTHING SO IF YOU WANT IT TO WORK THEN TRY what i have posted and you will be up and running again