windows live messenger error 1603

When you try to install MSN Messenger, you may receive the following error message:
Error 1603

PROBABLE CAUSE
The following conditions may apply:
• You may have insufficient space on the hard disk to install MSN Messenger.
• The system temp directory is not clean and may contain files that conflict with the setup files.
• The temporary folder is encrypted.
• A file that must be overwritten is being used.
• Another software application blocks the installation of the MSN Messenger files.
TROUBLESHOOTING STEPS
Note: Try the following solutions in the order that they are listed:

1. Exit Messenger setup.
2. Verify that you have sufficient disk space on the hard disk:
Windows Vista
a. Click Start , type windows explorer in the Start Search box, and then press ENTER.
b. Right-click drive C in the Navigation Pane, and then click Properties.
c. Make sure that you have at least 50 megabytes (MB) of free space on drive C.
Microsoft Windows XP
a. Right-click Start, and then click Explore.
b. In the Start Menu window, right-click drive C in the left window, and then click Properties.
c. Make sure that you have at least 50 megabytes (MB) of free space on drive C.

3. Use the Disk Cleanup Manager utility to clear the temporary files and folders:
Windows Vista
a. Click Start , type cleanmgr in the Start Search box, and then press ENTER.
b. If you are prompted to, click C: in the Select the drive you want to clean up list, and then click OK.
Notes If you partitioned the hard disk, the CleanMgr utility prompts you to select a drive.
c. Click Files from all users on this computer.
If you are prompted for an administrator password or for a confirmation, type the password, or click Continue.
d. On the Disk Cleanup tab, make sure that the following options are selected, and then clear any other options that are selected:
• Downloaded program files
• Temporary Internet files
• Temporary files
• Temporary Offline files
• Offline files
The Disk Cleanup utility displays how much disk space can be released. This process can take several minutes.
e. Click Delete files.
Windows XP
a. Click Start, click Run, type cleanmgr , and then click OK.
Note If you have more than one hard disk in your computer, the Select Drive window appears. If this is the case, select drive C on the drop-down menu, and then click OK.
The Disk Cleanup utility analyzes the drive to determine the free space that you can achieve.
Note This process may take several minutes.
b. In the Disk Cleanup for (C:) window, click the Disk Cleanup tab.
c. Click the check boxes to select the following items:
• Downloaded Program Files
• Temporary Internet Files
• Temporary Files
• Temporary Offline Files
• Offline Files

d. Click OK to delete the selected file types.
e. When you are prompted, click Yes to start the Disk Cleanup utility.
Note This process may take several minutes.

4. If your computer is running Microsoft Windows XP or Microsoft Windows 2000, the Encrypting File System may have encrypted the %temp% folder on your computer. If the Encrypting File System encrypted this folder, you must temporarily decrypt the folder before you install MSN Messenger. To do this, follow these steps:

Windows Vista
a. Click Start , type %temp%\..\ in the Start Search box, and then press ENTER.
b. Right-click the Temp folder, and then click Properties.
c. In the Temp Properties window, click the General tab, and then click Advanced.
d. In the Advanced Attributes window, under the Compress and Encrypt attributes section, click to clear the Encrypt contents to secure data option.
e. Click OK two times to save the changes and to close the Temp Properties window.

Windows XP
a. Click Start, click Run, type %temp%\..\ , and then click OK.
b. Right-click the Temp folder, and then click Properties.
c. In the Temp Properties window, click the General tab, and then click the Advanced button.
d. In the Advanced Attributes window, under the Compress and Encrypt attributes section, clear the Encrypt contents to secure data check box.
e. Click OK two times to save the changes and to close the Temp Properties window.

5. If you have a spyware detection tool running on your computer when you try to install Messenger, you must disable it. To do this, follow these steps:
a. Locate the spyware detection tool icon, such as Lavasoft Ad-Aware, in the notification area, at the far right of the taskbar.
b. Right-click the icon, and then click Close, Exit, Stop, or Disable to disable the application.

6. If you had an earlier version of Messenger installed, remove it:

Windows Vista
a. Click Start , type programs and features in the Start Search box, and then press ENTER.
b. In the list of programs, click MSN Messenger or Windows Live Messenger, and then click Uninstall.
c. If you are prompted to confirm that you want to remove the program, click Yes.
If you are prompted for an administrator password or for a confirmation, type the password, or click Allow.

Windows XP
a. Click Start, click Run, type control appwiz.cpl , and then click OK.
b. In Add or Remove Programs, click MSN Messenger or click Windows Live Messenger, and then click Remove.
c. If you are prompted to confirm that you want to remove the program, click Yes.

7. Try to install MSN Messenger again. For more information, go to step 12.
8. If you still receive the error message, spyware may be preventing MSN Messenger from installing correctly. Some spyware can affect the system files that the system requires to connect to the Internet. To remove the spyware, use the following methods:
a. To clean the computer of spyware, use any anti-spyware tool that you may already have on your computer. To download and install the Microsoft-recommended tool, visit http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/spywareremove.mspx
Note Read the system requirements for each tool before you try to install it.
b. To remove the spyware from your computer:
1. Install the antispyware tool.
2. Start the antispyware tool, scan the system, and then remove any detected spyware.
3. Restart the computer.


9. To verify that you can connect to the Internet, visit https://www.microsoft.com . If you receive a “Page cannot be displayed” message, you may have lost Internet connectivity when you removed the spyware.
10. After you verify that you can connect to the Internet, try to install MSN Messenger again. For more information, go to step 12.
11. If you still cannot install Messenger, reregister and reinstall the Microsoft Windows Installer files. To do this, use the method for the operating system that you are using:

United States:
Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2)
a. Click Start, click Run, type msiexec /unregserver , and then click OK.
b. Click Start, click Run, type msiexec /regserver , and then click OK.

All other Windows operating systems
• To install the Windows Installer file for Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition or Microsoft Windows 98:
a. Visit http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?displaylang=en&FamilyID=4B6140F9-2D36-4977-8FA1-6F8A0F5DCA8F .
b. Click InstMsiA.exe at the bottom of the page, and then click Run in the File Download dialog box to start the installation.

• To install the Windows Installer file for Windows 2000 Service Pack 2 (SP2) or Windows 2000 Service Pack 1 (SP1):
a. Visit http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?displaylang=en&FamilyID=4B6140F9-2D36-4977-8FA1-6F8A0F5DCA8F .
b. Click InstMsiA.exe at the bottom of the page, and then click Run in the File Download dialog box to start the installation.

• To install the Windows Installer file for Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Windows XP Service Pack 1 (SP1), Windows XP, Windows 2000 Service Pack 4 (SP4), or Windows 2000 Service Pack 3 (SP3):
a. Visit http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=5fbc5470-b259-4733-a914-a956122e08e8&displaylang=en .
b. Click WindowsInstaller-KB884016-v2-x86.exe at the bottom of the page, and then click Run in the File Download dialog box to start the installation.

Other countries
a. Visit http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/wwlist.aspx?displaylang=en .
b. Select the language that you want.
c. In the Keywords box type Windows Installer .
d. In the Product and Technology box, select the operating system that you are using.
e. Follow the instructions that appear on the screen to download and install Windows Installer.


12. Try to install Messenger again. To do this, follow these steps:
a. To install the latest version of Messenger, visit http://get.live.com/messenger/overview
b. Click Downlaod Now or click Get it Free, and then step through the wizard to install Messenger.
c. If the installation does not start automatically, click Install to start the installation.
d. Follow the instructions in the MSN Messenger Setup wizard to complete the installation.
e. Click Finish.