TurboTax 2018 Updater Fails Installing Updates

[ChrisH]

I purchased TurboTax 2018 Premier from Costco and installed the software from CD.  When I run TurboTax it recognized updates are available.  I receive the following errors when TurboTax attempts to install updates:

Failed to install update.  The signature associated with C:\ProgramData\Intuit\Common\Update Service\v4\Data\<hex>\F\wcoiper.msi is invalid.

When I check the folder, the wcoiper.msi file does not exist.

I found a solution for manually installing updates, but this solution does not include State updates and I do not want to continually install updates manually.

[JNovotny]

ChrisH.  Seeing a very similar problem as you are with TurboTax 2018.  Also, saw the same problem last year and I was finally able to track it down to needing the specific version of .Net Framework specified on the package, namely 4.5.2.  They have been specifying version 4.5.2 since TurboTax 2016!  What is amazing to me is there is a TurboTax FAQ (1900095) that says "Windows 10 comes with .NET Framework 4.6".  I would sure like to know how Intuit tests TurboTax with Windows 10, because unless it's a very early version, I don't think it works.  Unfortunately, what I did last year was drag out my old laptop with its slow Windows 7 spinning disk and install TurboTax on that.   

[ChrisH]

JNovotny,  Thank you for taking the time to respond to my post.  I verified my Windows 10 system has .NET 4.5.2 installed, so... unfortunately, .NET is not the issue I am experiencing.  This is extremely frustrating since I have been using TurboTax for 15+ years without any issues. I am going to try installing on another system and hope it works.  Regards, ChrisH

[JNovotny]

ChrisH - Just to make things more confusing, this morning I updated the Windows 7 disk in my old laptop with the latest Microsoft updates and then installed TurboTax 2018.  It installed fine and also installed the updates.  (Note - I did not fill out the registration info, so it was not "locked" to that particular computer.)  I then took out the Windows 7 disk and installed my Windows 10 SSD disk (makes the old laptop run much faster!).  I made sure it was also updated with the latest Microsoft updates (also running version 1809) and then installed TurboTax 2018.  This also installed fine and the updates also installed normally.  So perhaps this is not a .NET Framework error after all, since my Windows 10 laptop works fine, but my Windows 10 desktop does not and they are on the same Microsoft versions.

I suspect a clue can be found in the C:\ProgramData\Intuit\Common\Update Service\v4\Logs\ClientLog.txt file because I can see the error details there.  I would like to send this log to Intuit for their analysis, but I haven't a clue how to do it.  Perhaps if they monitor this, they will reach out to me.

[ChrisH]

JNovotny.  I examined the Intuit log and found the following message: "This implementation is not part of the Windows Platform FIPS validated cryptographic algorithms".  Windows 10 allows you to Enable or Disable "System cryptography: Use FIPS compliant algorithms for encryption, hashing, and signing".  Being a cyber security engineer, I had this setting Enabled.... which broke TurboTax updates since they chose to not implement FIPS algorithms for encryption/hashing... which goes against security best practices.  When I Disabled this setting, patching/updates works.  To disable this setting, open "Local Security Policy" --> Local Policies -> Security Options and locate the FIPS setting mentioned above.  Double click on the setting to change as needed.  Regards, ChrisH

[JNovotny]

ChrisH - GREAT CATCH!!!   I changed the setting on my desktop and now it works like a champ!  I checked the setting on my laptop and it was already set to "disable", which explains why it worked.  This should be in the TurboTax FAQ!

[networkbandit]

Worked for me too, thanks!

[arecibo2]

Hi. Changing the setting of the Local Security Policy sounds like a great solution, except this option doesn't appear to be available in Windows 10 Home. The secpol.msc file doesn't exist, and I don't see any options for Local Security in Windows settings pages.

Any suggestions for people like me who use Windows 10 Home, or are maybe missing something here?

Thanks,

David

[JNovotny]

David:  If you open Control Panel and select Administrative Tools and don't see Local Security Policy, you'll need to fix it by going into the registry.  This is done by right clicking on the "Windows" icon on the lower left side of your display and selecting "Run".  In the "Open:" box, enter regedit.  Now navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Lsa\FipsAlgorithmPolicy.  Double click on "Enable", change the "Value data:" from 1 to 0, and click the "OK" push-panel.  Close the registry editor, reboot your computer and try updating TurboTax.   

John

[arecibo2]

Thanks, John. That is great information. In the meantime, I called TurboTax support. They enabled me to download a new copy of TurboTax 2018. When I went to install it, there was an option to repair the existing copy, which I did. It is working once again.

I will refer to your instructions to change the Local Security Policy setting through the Registry should the problem recur.

Many thanks!

David

[jmillsp]

Similar problem. Mine is saying it is checking for software updates but then comes up with an "Unexpected Error" System.Runtime.Serialization.serializationException. Type is not resolved for member------and then goes on and on from there!! I have also tried installing the update by going the manual route but that didn't work either! I am running an almost new Windows 10 machine. Any help is appreciated.

[arecibo2]

Call TurboTax support. They were very helpful and stayed with me until it worked. If I remember correctly, we uninstalled, downloaded from a link the support person sent me, re-installed, updated, and it worked. 

[jmillsp]

Thanks! After further research, I learned this is sometimes an issue with Win 10. I went to the Turbo Tax Icon on desktop and right clicked on it. Then clicked on "Troubleshoot Compatability". After going through this process 2 times, I was able to download the updates running in windows 7 compatability.

[donnor]

I have used this laptop running Windows 10 and Turbotax for 2016 & 2017 so am puzzled & frustrated by this problem occurring with TT 2018.  It installed without any problems last spring when I completed my extension to file Form 4868.  Help, please.