QuickBooks Error 1646 : Root Causes and Quick Fixes

QuickBooks Error 1646 is a runtime error that won’t let you install the bookkeeping software on your PC. Let’s delve into the blog to learn about effective countermeasures essential to eradicate this runtime error.

QuickBooks offers a wide array of editions designed according to the varying needs of users and their businesses. You can run multiple software versions on your PC, but there are always chances of their files interfering with each other and causing problems or errors while executing the essential financial tasks. One such error we are going to discuss in this blog is error code 1646 in QB.

QuickBooks error code 1646 comes up when you try installing the software when there’s another edition of the same year already installed on your system. This puts you in a tricky situation as error messages keep interfering with the installation process, and it continues until you take the necessary countermeasures. This blog has in-depth details of the installation error you must know, including its reasons and the troubleshooting techniques to prevent it from terminating the QB installation. Continue exploring the blog to learn how you can get rid of the error like a pro!

QB installation errors won’t let you utilize the software to its full potential, keeping you away from achieving the target of profitable business expansion. Eliminate the QB installation issues with the help of troubleshooting assistance provided by our team of QB experts at 1-855-542-9309, and start managing your finances digitally in QB right away.

What is Error Code 1646 When Installing QuickBooks?

QuickBooks error code 1646 emerges on the screen when you begin installing the bookkeeping software(QuickBooks) on your PC. The error indicates that there are some issues with QuickBooks’ .msi file, which doesn’t allow the Windows installer to use the file for installation. You’ll primarily come across this error when you install QB Premier or QB Accountant with another edition of a similar year already installed on your system. This creates a situation of conflict between the installation folders due to which the Windows installer fails to extract QB’s installation package. The Windows Installer crashes instantly whenever you try installing QB or freezes in between the process. Some other possible reasons for the development of this error are mentioned in the next part of our blog.

Reasons for Facing Error 1646 Installing QuickBooks.msi

As discussed earlier, error 1646 installing QuickBooks.msi mainly emerges due to an already installed QB edition of the same year. However, some other conditions can potentially lead to this QB installation error on your system. QuickBooks Desktop installation gets terminated by this error if-

• The QuickBooks.msi file you use for installation is damaged during the download and cannot be processed on your system now.
• The Windows installer fails to start or access the QB installation file due to interruption of other applications or non-admin permissions, respectively.
• .NET Framework is damaged, or its misconfigured settings interrupt QuickBooks Desktop installation.
• The %temp% folder permissions do not allow the Windows installer to extract the QuickBooks installation package.
• Your Windows OS version is obsolete, which results in compatibility issues when installing QB Desktop.
• The User Account Control settings on your Windows OS restrict the installation or updates of applications on your computer.
• QuickBooks faces problems creating new install folders due to an existing edition of the same year QB on your computer.

QuickBooks installation becomes nearly impossible if one or more of the above conditions develop on your system. If you face this error while re-installing QB, you don’t have to worry about your company file, as it remains in good shape. Now that you acknowledge the potential causes of this QB installation error, let’s move on to the counter techniques you can apply to resolve the issue and install QB on your system without problems.

Also read: Ways to fix QuickBooks Error 213

Methods to Fix QuickBooks Error 1646 While Installing Software

You must get rid of QuickBooks error code 1646 with utmost priority, as installing the software won’t be possible until the error influences your system. Apply the following techniques to eliminate the error messages and install QuickBooks Desktop without any interruptions-

Method 1- Update Windows OS

Let’s begin by downloading the latest updates for your Windows, as the software won’t install due to compatibility issues that are liable to occur due to obsolete versions of your OS. Here are the steps to download the latest Windows OS updates-

• Open the Control Panel window by clicking the Settings option in the Windows Start menu.
• Single-tap the Windows Update option on the left panel and click Check for Updates.
• Wait patiently until you see new Windows updates available for your PC and click Download and Install.
• Let the Windows OS updates install on your system and retry installing QB after the system reboots automatically.

If QB installation fails after updating your Windows OS, move to the next solution.

Method 2- Consider Using the QuickBooks Tool Hub

QuickBooks Tool Hub must be your first approach to counter everyday issues that develop in the software. QB Tool Hub offers a variety of automated tools that are specifically designed to address the errors that can trouble you while installing or using the software. If you haven’t downloaded the latest QB Tool Hub version on your PC, apply the following steps-

Download the Latest QB Tool Hub on your PC

• Close QBDT and download the latest QuickBooks Tool Hub version (1.6.0.3) on your system.
• Wait for the download to complete. Save the QuickBooksToolHub.exe file on the desktop and then launch it with a double-click.
• Use the on-screen directions to install the QB Tool Hub and accept the Software License Agreement.
• Wait until the QB Tool Hub is completely installed on your system.

Run QuickBooks Install Diagnostic Tool

As its name suggests, the QB Install Diagnostic Tool helps remove the issues that occur while installing the software. Hopefully, the error 1646 installing QuickBooks.msi also gets fixed using the tool as discussed in these steps-

• Run the QB Tool Hub application on your computer and go to the Installation Issues menu.
• Click the QuickBooks Install Diagnostic Tool option and wait 15-20 minutes (approx.).
• Retry installing QB Desktop after the tool stops running.

If the installation error isn’t removed after using the QB Tool Hub, move on to the next method.

Method 3- Repair the Windows Components Manually

.NET Framework and MSXML are Windows components used to run and develop applications on your system. QB also utilizes Microsoft Programs to run its web-based applications, and they are also essential for the software installation on your system. In case the .NET Framework or MSXML gets damaged or fails to install, you might encounter an MSI 1625 error when trying to install QuickBooks. Fix the Windows components manually using the following steps-

Step 1- Fixing .NET Framework on Windows 10 or Later Versions

• Ensure no programs are running on your PC and go to the Control Panel window using the search bar.
• Click the Programs and Features option and click Uninstall a program.

• Select the Turn Windows Features on or off option and search for .NET Framework in the list.
• You’ll find .NET Framework 4.5 and .NET Framework 3.5 SP1. Proceed according to the following cases-

Case 1- The .NET Framework 4.5 and .NET Framework 3.5 SP1 checkboxes aren’t marked-

• Single-click the checkboxes to mark them and tap OK.
• Reboot your computer.

Case 2- The .NET Framework 4.5 and .NET Framework 3.5 SP1 checkboxes are already marked-

• Single-click the checkboxes to unmark them and click OK.
• Reboot your computer.
• Turn on .NET Framework 4.5 and 3.5 SP1 again by marking their checkboxes.

Note: These steps work for .NET Framework 4.5, 4.6, 4.7 or later.

Step 2- Fixing MSXML

You’ll have to register MSXML DLL files to ensure the Windows component does not interfere with the QB Desktop installation. Here’s how-

For 64-bit OS-

• Type ‘cmd’ in the search panel and right-click its icon in the results.
• Select Run as administrator and enter cd\Windows\syswow64 at the C: prompt.
• Type regsvr32 MSXML6.dll and press Enter.

For 32-bit OS-

• Open cmd from the search panel.
• Type regsvr32 MSCML6.dll and tap Enter.
• Try installing QuickBooks Desktop after repairing the .NET Framework and MSXML.

If the QB installation is stopped by the runtime error again, move to the next solution.

Method 4- Sign in as Admin and Change Windows Account Settings

You might also face error code 1646 in QuickBooks if the Windows Installer fails to access files stored on your system due to non-admin privileges. The best way to bypass the folder permissions restrictions is to sign in as a Windows admin user and make changes to the Windows account settings. Use these steps-

1st Step- Sign in as a Windows Admin

• Type ‘cmd’ in the search panel and right-click its icon in the search results.
• Select Run as administrator and accurately type ‘net user administrator /active:yes’ in the CMD window.
• Press Enter and close the CMD window after executing the command.
• Tap the Windows Start button on the taskbar and click your username.
• Select Sign Out and click on the Administrator account on the login screen to sign in again.

2nd Step- Configure the User Permissions

• Press Windows + E simultaneously to open the File Explorer and visit C:\ProgramFiles\CommonFiles.
• Right-click the Common Files folder and click Properties in the list.
• Move to the Security tab and click Edit to configure the permissions.
• Click Users in the ‘Groups or user names’ section and go to the ‘Permissions for Users’ section.
• Mark the checkboxes for Modify, Read & Execute, List Folder Contents, Read and Write to allow all the permissions.
• Tap Apply and click OK.
• Try installing QuickBooks Desktop on your PC.

3rd Step- Sign Out of your Windows Admin Account

After QB Desktop is fully installed, use the following steps to sign in again with your regular Windows account-

• Click your user name in the Windows Start menu and sign out of your Windows admin account.
• Sign in back with your regular Windows account and type ‘cmd’ in the search bar.
• Right-click on its icon and select Run as Administrator.
• Type ‘net user administrator /active:no’ in the CMD and tap Enter to hide your admin account.

If QuickBooks Desktop fails to install after configuring the Windows permissions, move to the next solution.

Method 5- Set Up the User Account Control Settings Correctly

User Account Control settings are basically a Windows protocol to ensure that only authorized applications are allowed to change the system configuration. You won’t be able to install or update QuickBooks Desktop if the settings are set at maximum strictness. We suggest you configure the UAC settings in favour of QB Desktop to prevent issues while installing the software. Refer to these steps-

• If you are a Windows 10 user, click the Windows Start button and tap Settings to launch the Control Panel.
• Select the User Accounts option and click the User Accounts option again in the next window.
• Click the Change User Account Control settings option and tap Yes if you see a UAC prompt.
• Turn off the UAC settings by moving the slider adjacent to Never Notify and tap OK.

• Install QuickBooks Desktop on your computer and reopen the User Account Control settings window.
• Bring the slider back to its initial position or drag it beside Always Notify for maximum security.

If QB installation fails after configuring the UAC settings, jump to the next method.

You may also like to read: How do I fix error 6094 in QuickBooks

Method 6- Edit the %temp% Folder Permissions

The %temp% folder is a directory on your system that stores temporary files of the applications for easy accessibility. QuickBooks Desktop also uses this folder to store the files required during installation. QuickBooks installation gets hindered if the Windows Installer doesn’t have sufficient permissions to access the %temp% folder. You must configure the folder permissions using the following steps to ensure Windows Installer can access the QB files without problems-

• Run a search for ‘%temp%’ and open the folder location from the results.
• Right-click anywhere (blank space) inside the folder and select Properties.
• Navigate to the Security tab and click Edit.
• Select your Windows account from the list and mark the Full Control checkbox under Allow with a single click.
• Keep clicking OK until the changes are saved and reinstall QuickBooks Desktop.

If QB installation stops after configuring the %temp% folder permissions, move to the next solution.

Method 7- Use Selective Startup to Install QuickBooks Desktop

You might come across error 1646 when installing QuickBooks if antiviruses, antispyware, or other programs stop the installer from running. This hinders the QB installation process, and you’ll come across error codes/messages whenever you try installing the software. You must install QuickBooks in Selective Startup to stop unnecessary Microsoft services from running and blocking the installation. Here’s how-

Step 1- Use Selective Startup

• Go to the Run command by pressing the Windows + R keys simultaneously on your system.
• Type ‘msconfig’ as a command and tap OK.
• Under the General tab, click Selective Startup.
• Tap Load System Services and move to the Services tab.
• Select the Hide all Microsoft services checkbox and tap Disable All.
• Unmark the Hide all Microsoft Services checkbox and select Windows Installer in the services list.

• Click OK and then Restart in the System Configuration Window.

Step 2- Install QB Desktop

• Try installing QuickBooks Desktop in Selective Startup.
• Open Run (Windows + R) after installing QB and type ‘msconfig’ as you did earlier.
• Click OK and go to the General tab.
• Tap Normal Startup and click OK.
• Hit Restart in the System Configuration window.

These are all effective techniques for preventing QuickBooks error code 1646 and ensuring the software is successfully installed on your computer. We hope you executed them easily and that the QB installation error no longer exists on your system.

Conclusion

This blog is created to help you with the details of QuickBooks Error 1646 which terminates the software installation as soon as it develops. The potential causes of this installation error are discussed in the blog, along with the elimination methods you need to rectify it. Unfortunately, if you get stuck while using the techniques or QB fails to install after applying them, speak directly to our team of QB experts at 1-855-542-9309 for quick resolution of the error from your PC.

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Erica watson

Erica Watson is writing about accounting and bookkeeping for over 7+ years, making even the difficult technical topics easy to understand. She is skilled at creating content about popular accounting and tax softwares such as QuickBooks, Sage, Xero, Quicken, etc. Erica’s knowledge of such softwares allows her to create articles and guides that are both informative and easy to follow. Her writing builds trust with readers, thanks to her ability to explain things clearly while showing a real understanding of the industry.