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.
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
> 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.
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