TurboTax 2018 WinPerReleaseEngine then Reinstall error

[skierpage]

I returned to TurboTax 2018 Premier on Windows for the first time since April 2019 to make an estimated tax payment. When I double-clicked its icon, TurboTax displayed an alert

TurboTax 2018 WinPerReleaseEngine
Please wait while Windows configures TurboTax 2018 WinPerReleaseEngine

but after several seconds displayed the error

BUG: TurboTax won't let me select and copy the text of the error message, this is me hand-typing:

The file ‘_lmth.0003001_tnetnoCpleH_gnimroftalpeR_tib23_rgnerepw_ cannot be installed because the file cannot be found in Cabinet file ‘TurboTax.cab’. This could indicate a network error, an error reading from the CD-ROM, or a problem with this package.

and then "Fatal error during installlation."

I don't know where WinPerReleaseEngine or TurboTax.cab live, they aren't in C:\Program Files (x86)\TurboTax\Premier 2018\ .

I found an Installer in that directory and am attempting Repair, and that popped up its own failure alert

BUG: I can't ^%$#@! select the text in this error either! Get a clue, Intuit!

Error Installing C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Intuit\TurboTax\TY18

ApplicationController: MSI Install Exception occurred: Microsoft Installer error: 1334, with error code: 1334

stack trace:  at Intuit.Tax.Installers.Setup.MsiHelper.InstallMSIPackage(boolean install, String msipath, String cmdLine, IntPtr ownerWindowHandle, Boolean userCanceled)
  at Intuit.Tax.stack trace:  at Intuit.Tax.Installers.Setup.MsiHelper.ReInstallProductWithRecaching(MsiProductInfo pr...)

Error Code: 1334

BUG: I apologize for the poor formatting, but when I try to indent the error messages, this forum post editor complains about invalid HTML in the message body. Sigh.

[Anonymous_]

You can always uninstall and reinstall the software (sounds like some files are either corrupt or missing entirely in your case). Ensure that you save your .tax2018 file(s) in a safe place (separate hard drive, SSD, flash drive, etc.).

If you cannot resolve these errors, then you should contact Support (link below) during regular business hours.

https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/using-turbotax/help/what-is-the-turbotax-phone-number/00/25632

[skierpage]

> You can always uninstall and reinstall the software

Yes, that's what I did. Removing the old version also failed with an internal error, but it got rid of enough stuff that I could reinstall.

I guess chalk it up to software entropy: unchanged programs stop working as everything else on a Windows PC changes.

[RogerW]

When you want to run any previous year of TurboTax, go DIRECTLY to THAT year's folder in the ProgramFiles (x86) folder and run TurboTax.exe from there!  I always make a desktop link to each year's TurboTax.exe file after I first install to avoid the troublesome WinPerReleaseEngine bugs and long delays. Using this method, I can still open my tax returns back to 2007!

For example,  2019 TurboTax lives at:

C:\Program Files (x86)\TurboTax\Premier 2019\32bit\TurboTax.exe