Installation of Autodesk programs always failing, and you are unable to install.

Does the install fail and roll back?  Does it get some things installed and not others?  Tried everything you can think of?  Do you have problems year over year installing Autodesk programs and DREAD the next release and think this is just normal Autodesk?

Well, it's not normal that this happens.  Typically it comes down to one of a few things.   When I receive one of these very frustrating calls sometimes I go for the throat on the system. 

This is only for those that are really frustrated and are for the more advanced Operating System users (Power User / IT).

Here are a few things I do to workaround these types of problem installs.  Again I'm going for the throat here.

1. Copy the media to c:\DVD so when we run setup it'll be c:\dvd\setup.exe.
2. Create a new temporary folder under the login you'll be using to do the install, this login *must* have administrator permissions.  C:\temp or c:\tmp or c:\Atemp.  IT MUST BE NEW or we may not be the "owner" (it's a permissions thing).
3. Change the Windows Environment variables for TMP and TEMP under User and System to go to this new location.
4. Use MSCONFIG to boot up in a modified mode.  Hopefully the default is "Normal", if it is then select the "Diagnostic startup" selection, then go to the services tab and check the box for the "Windows Installer" service (Note: if you do not do this then the install won't even start).
5. Reboot the computer.
6. Pre-install .NET 4 (this will be in the files you copied over in step 1, you will have to dig down the folder structure to find the NET folder and keep going down from there, see image below).
7. Pre-install Direct X  (this will be in the files you copied over in step 1, you will have to dig down the folder structure to find the DirectX folder and keep going down from there, see image below).
8. Reboot the computer.
9. Install the Autodesk software.

 

 

Image 1.  From the AutoCAD 2012 media.

Now you're thinking, "that's a lot of hoops that I should NOT have to go through." and you're right.  However, the install can only be tested under so many configurations and each IT department has an infinite (almost, well many) number of ways to make your network secure and configure the workstation for security. 

Here's another blog from our own Jeff Arbogast that will help as well.

Autodesk only installs Red X's saying it did not install

http://blogs.rand.com/support/2012/07/autodesk-only-installs-red-xs-saying-it-did-not-install.html

 

Another thing to try is the Microsoft "Fix it" as it has proved effective too. Please see our blog from Bob Felton here:

http://blogs.rand.com/support/2012/07/stuck-installation-resolved-with-microsoft-fix-it-utility.html

 

Comments

[Emile Damisse]

Not able to install Autodesk Revit suite 2012