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Fix Another Installation is in Progress Error on Windows
This issue is most likely related to Windows Installer
11 min. read
Updated onJuly 15, 2024
updated onJuly 15, 2024
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Is there a worse thing than being unable to install a third-party application as, seemingly, something else is currently installed in the background?
That’s the whole deal with theAnother installation is already in progresserror on Windows 10. Any solutions? More than a few, actually.
The best way of knowing if another installation is in progress is to check the Windows Installer service.
What is Install in progress?
As the message clearly suggests, although you might not even see that, probably another program or update is being installed at the same time.
This issue usually occurs in Microsoft Office but it can happen with any other software. Here are some other examples of the error:
For all these errors, you will find a suitable solution below and things are going to return to normal.
Right below, in our first solution, you will learn how to do that and even restart the service to fix this issue.
But don’t worry because here, we’re going to show you how to fix that error on Windows 10.
How do I fix Another installation is in progress?
1. Restart the Windows Installer service
Windows relies on its services in order to run properly, and there’s a service called Windows Installer that’s in charge of installing new software.
Whenever you try to install a new application, this service will start and help you install it.
Sometimes, certain repair or uninstall processes can start automatically in the background, and it can require Windows Installer service in order to run.
If you try to install another software while Windows Installer is running, you’ll encounter this error.
One of the simplest ways to fix this problem is to open the Services window and restart the Windows Installer service just like we described in the solution above.
2. End the Windows Installer process
As we previously mentioned, the Windows Installer service is in charge of installing new applications on your PC.
Windows Installer process is related to this service, and according to some users, you can fix this problem simply by ending the Msiexec process using Task Manager.
3. Disable Windows Installer service and restart your PC
Windows Installer service is a common culprit forAnother installation is already in progresserror, and if restarting the service doesn’t help, you might want to temporarily disable it.
A few of our readers also reported that they fixed the problem simply by changing theStartup Typeof Windows Installer service toAutomaticjust as described in our solution above.
4. Perform Disk Cleanup
Few of our readers reported that performingDisk Cleanupfixed the issue for them. It seems thatAnother installation is already in progresserror is caused by temporary files left by previous installations.
By running Disk Cleanup you’ll easily remove any temporary files left by older installations.
For more advanced clean-up we advise you to check some of thebest tools to delete junk filesthat we selected.
Sometimes errors like this show up because of corrupt files, like installers in our case. This can only be resolved by finding a good version of it with no issues.
For this kind of situation, we usethird-party softwarethat searches your system for corrupted files and replaces them with original Windows files from its database.
5. Perform a Clean Boot
When your PC restarts, check if the problem still persists. If the issue is resolved, it means that a third-party application or service was causing the problem.
To identify the problem, open System Configuration window and turn on disabled services one by one.
Keep in mind that you’ll need to restart your PC after enabling a service in order to apply changes. Be sure to repeat the same process in Task Manager for Startup applications.
6. Check your Registry
Sometimes this problem can be caused by certain values in your registry, so you’ll have to manually edit those values.
Editing your registry can be a dangerous process, so we recommend that you export your registry and use it as a backup in case anything goes wrong.
7. Uninstall and reinstall Office
Users reportedAnother installation is already in progresserror message while installingMicrosoft Office. This can occur because another Office installation or update was running in the background when you started the setup.
To fix this problem, check for the Office icon in the system tray to see if the installation is running. If Office is installing or updating, you’ll need to wait for the process to finish.
If there’s no Office icon in the system tray, you need to uninstall and reinstall Office.
If the problem persists, consider using a professional-level tool. Unfortunately, some apps are really difficult to uninstall completely.
They leave behind residual files that will interfere with the functionality of your system, in one way or another.
We recommend trying one of thebest uninstaller softwareavailable because they are equipped with up-to-date technologies that detect and safely remove the smallest traces of any app.
8. Uninstall Java and download offline installer
Users reported this error message while installingJavaon their PC. To fix this problem you need to uninstall your current version of Java.
After Java is uninstalled from your PC, you need todownload offline installation of Java. After you download it, start it and follow the instructions on the screen.
9. Re-register Windows Installer
In most cases, this error is caused by Windows Installer, and one potential solution is to re-register Windows Installer.
10. Create a new Windows user
If none of the previous solutions work, yourWindows user profile might be corrupted. If that’s the case, you’ll need to create a new user profile and use it instead.
After creating a new user account, log out of our current account and switch to the new one. Check if the error message appears on a new user account.
If everything is in order, you might want to move your personal files to a new account and start using it as your main account.
11. Fix theAnother installation is in progresserror for Visual Studio 2015
Another installation is already in progresserror can appear while installing any application, and users reported that it appears while installingVisual Studio2015.
To fix this problem, you need to delete a single value from your registry. This is relatively simple, but before you make any changes to your registry, we strongly advise that you create a backup.
By doing so, you can remedy any potential issues that can occur after modifying the registry.
How do I stop background installation?
The quickest and easiest way to stop a background installation is to stop the Windows Installer service.
You have the full indications on how to do that right in Solution 1 of this guide.
Another installation is already in progresserror will prevent you from installing new software. This can be a tedious problem, but we hope that you solved it by using one of our solutions.
You should also consult our guide onwhat to do if the Windows 11 Installation Assistant disappeared.
If you have any suggestions on how to fix this problem, we’re waiting for your input in the comments section below.
More about the topics:System Errors,Windows Installation errors
Milan Stanojevic
Windows Toubleshooting Expert
Milan has been enthusiastic about technology ever since his childhood days, and this led him to take interest in all PC-related technologies. He’s a PC enthusiast and he spends most of his time learning about computers and technology.
Before joining WindowsReport, he worked as a front-end web developer. Now, he’s one of the Troubleshooting experts in our worldwide team, specializing in Windows errors & software issues.
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Milan Stanojevic
Windows Toubleshooting Expert
Before joining WindowsReport, he worked as a front-end web developer. Now, he’s specialized in Windows errors & software issues.
