Brackets: Can't install on locked-down user account: "Installation directory must be on a local drive"

[bahtou]

Just downloaded the windows-msi-17.

When i click on the .exe to install i keep getting this pop-up

"Installation directory must be on a local drive"

I am installing it on a local drive:
c:\bracket_17

Any suggestions to overcome this?

[njx]

@bahtou -- does this happen if you install into a directory that isn't at the root of the drive?

[peterflynn]

Googling that error message, it seems to occur in rare cases for many MSI-based installers. Here are some workarounds people have used successfully with other products:

• Re-download the installer and verify it is the correct file size
• Make sure you don't have other installers running at the same time (look in Task Manager for "msiexec.exe")
• Free up more hard drive space
• Close some apps to free up more RAM
• Reboot
• Right-click and run the installer as admin

[bahtou]

Thanks for the help.

Right-clicking does not give me the 'run as admin'

I opened a console with 'admin permissions' and then executed the file. This approached worked.

@njx -- can't install into another directory (C:, D:, M:, etc) unless admin permission.

[peterflynn]

Also, if you're still having trouble -- please help us by giving us this info:

1) What version of Windows are you running?

2) Try running the installer from the command line to generate a log file:

• cd to the folder containing the installer
• Run msiexec /i "brackets-sprint-17-WINDOWS.msi" /l*v .\brackets-install.log
• Send us the generated log file

[bahtou]

1) windows 7 Ultimate

2) https://privnote.com/n/qbhcjshxyvnnmqqk/#woiebhczjwzmjrpa

[istvannonn]

I tried to install on Windows 7 Professional - 32 bit with no success.
I tried also to Unblock the installer. Always I have the same message: "Installation directory must be on a local drive".
I send you a log file: https://privnote.com/n/dckjmvspnbrmnfpe/#nerbsznzbxnutmhj

I really want to use this editor, so any help I appreciate.
Thanks in advanced.

[istvannonn]

I tried to install brackets-sprint-16-WIN.msi and brackets-sprint-17-WIN.msi
Same problem. I tried all the above solutions and I still can't install it.

[peterflynn]

@bahtou & @istvannonn: can you re-upload your files and send the link _only_ to my email address? If you post it here other people will click on it before I get a chance, which blocks me from reading it later (it appears to delete or hide the note after only one view).

My email is: p flynn at adobe dot com.

Thanks!

[peterflynn]

Reopening in light of @istvannonn's posts and an identical report for Edge Code.

[peterflynn]

@bahtou & @istvannonn, a few more questions:

1, Are you running Windows on a VM? I've seen some things online that suggest MSI installer sometimes fail under VMWare.

1. @istvannonn, did you try bathou's solution above? "I opened a console with 'admin permissions' and then executed the file. This approached worked." (I think you basically right-click Command Prompt, run as admin, and then use msiexec as above to run it.
2. Is your user account more restricted than a default account on average Win 7 machines? This Wix installer bug suggests that highly restricted user accounts may show this error message. But in that case I'd expect the 'run console as admin' workaround above to help...
3. Can you check the MD5 hash of the installer to make sure it's not corrupted? Here's an MD5 utility you can use. If you run md5 brackets-sprint-18-WIN.msi you should get 92060C3BB525FDF4035A9F926716FBDC.

[peterflynn]

One final workaround you can try is this big sledgehammer:
msiexec /i "brackets-sprint-18-WINDOWS.msi" WIXUI_DONTVALIDATEPATH="1"

However, _please_ try the other workarounds above first so we can gather more info on why this is happening. Thanks!

[istvannonn]

OK - so for other "newbies" ...
It was the right solution:

1. @istvannonn, did you try bathou's solution above? "I opened a console with 'admin permissions' and then executed the file. This approached worked." (I think you basically right-click Command Prompt, run as admin, and then use msiexec as above to run it.

Sorry for the inconvenience. It is unpleasant that this is happening. Certainly, I'm gonna update from Windows 7.
Thank you for your time.

[bahtou]

1. I am not running windows on a VM
2. User account is master so no restrictions what so ever.

From the md5
92060C3BB525FDF4035A9F926716FBDC

Sending you an email with log info

[peterflynn]

Clarified title to indicate our current theory of what's going on here

[njx]

For now, I just added a note on this to the Troubleshooting page on the wiki: https://github.com/adobe/brackets/wiki/Troubleshooting

Removing from sprint 19 but leaving open for future investigation, and dropping to low priority since only a couple of folks seem to have run into it.

[pthiess]

Last medium priority item re-reviewed.

[pthiess]

@peterflynn Is this still a valid bug?

[peterflynn]

@pthiess We still sporadically get reports of this, so I'd say yes. The reports are pretty rare though, so we could consider dropping this to "no priority," I suppose...

[karlmacklin]

Downloaded sprint 35 today and tried to install, got this problem.
Win 7 home installed on C: and using the standard path in the installer.

Googled my way here and tried the trick with opening a command prompt with admin privileges and then calling the msi file from the prompt. That did work.
It's bad that you can't right click and launch as admin with .msi files in Windows I suppose.

I knew the solution was with admin rights since I've seen this exact message and problem before - during the install of a PC game called "Path of Exile".

So yes as of january 5 2014 this is still a valid bug.

[gavankar]

Hi @karlmacklin,
I've been trying to be recreate this bug internally, but have had no luck so far.

Would you be able to come to connect or screen sharing session with me? If you are interested, i could setup connect session and share the url with you. You can reach me at [email protected]

[Lechus]

1.4.3 (downloaded today)
Windows 7 x64
Need to use: msiexec /i "Vagrant_1.4.3.msi" WIXUI_DONTVALIDATEPATH="1"

[ghost]

Reopen.

Have the same issue with 37, tried solution from https://github.com/adobe/brackets/issues/6839, doesn't work, no way to install 37

[peterflynn]

@Swistaku It's already open :-) Can you try the workaround above? Run the installer this way:

msiexec /i "Brackets.Sprint.37.msi" WIXUI_DONTVALIDATEPATH="1"

[peterflynn]

@gavankar Fyi, another user hitting this -- in case you want to contact them

[ghost]

@peterflynn adding WIXUI_DONTVALIDATEPATH="1" solves the problem, thanks :)

I guess this page should be updated then, http://help.brackets.io/knowledgebase/articles/335157-having-trouble-installing-brackets

[gavankar]

Hi @Swistaku,
I've been trying to fix this bug within the brackets windows installer so that the workarounds we've found so far are no longer required. If you're interested in giving me some information that i can use to debug this issue, you can reach me at gavankar @ adobe.com

[justinkramp]

Same problem here with Brackets.Sprint.40.msi.

On Win 8.1 Pro 64 bit, user account type is Administrator.

Downloaded installer to physical drive E: and tried to install on physical drive C: (which is an SSD).

Running "msiexec /i "Brackets.Sprint.40.msi" WIXUI_DONTVALIDATEPATH="1" worked fine.

[adrianrogers]

I tend to get errors like this quite often with MSI installers on my setup. My fix has been to go to C:\Users\AppData\Local and set the Security permissions on the Temp directory to "Full Control" for "Everyone". This tends to fix any issues I have with msi installers. I think it has something to do with the fact that the MSI need to use the Temp directory and doesn't have permissions to do so.

I set the permissions back to the way they were once I finished the install.
Hopefully that helps somebody

[spmamidi]

Open Command Prompt with run as administrator => run exe/msi it works as expected.

[Santhuj]

This one works FINE.
Follow these few steps to install your program under “Administrative privileges mode”

Locate your installation file and remeMber the path to it.
Let’s say I copy my installation file to C drive and its name is “brackets-sprint-16-WINDOWS“. So, the path to it is “C:\brackets-sprint-16-WINDOWS.msi”
Press Windows key to bring up the menu, and then type cmd
A tiny black DOS icon will show up in your search box. Now, right click on that and choose Run as administrator
Now you are using Command Prompt in Administrator mode. All you have to do is to run MSIexec command MSIexec /i [path to the installation program]
For example, my path to my LAN Access Control.msi is such above. So I type as following
MSIexec /i “C:\brackets-sprint-16-WINDOWS.msi”

Press Enter and your program starts its own.
Complete the installation.

[Kr3m]

Instead of using don't validate path, I had the same issue and I resolved it by running this:

msiexec /i "Brackets.Release.1.2.msi" /qn+

This puts it in quiet mode with no user interface and the plus sign is to provide a dialog box when the installation has completed successfully.

[pderugin]

@Santhuj - Thank you! Your method worked (I'm using Win 7 Ultimate 64 bit)

[anuragd]

This fixed my issue. Thanks
Thanks for the help.

Right-clicking does not give me the 'run as admin'

I opened a console with 'admin permissions' and then executed the file. This approached worked.

@njx -- can't install into another directory (C:, D:, M:, etc) unless admin permission.

[Nomenator]

I had this issue happen today and solved it: the MSI is not really the installer, the installed extracts into a temp folder in AppData of your current user and executes from there. As such, you must run the MSI as an account who has execute permissions in the AppData folder. I did not have such user accounts on my computer (for obvious security reasons), so I had to grant myself the execution permissions for AppData before running the installer. After that, the install went smooth. Similar issues happened with VMWare player, Adobe Creative Cloud and a few other work-related applications, not all applications use AppData to house temporary executables, but some do, so keep that in mind when installing stuff, you might need to put +x on that folder for the duration of install. At least until such a time when the developers fix this.

[randallkasper]

Running Windows 8.1 Pro 64-bit and getting this error. None of the listed suggestions here have worked.

[prahalad-S]

Guys I had the same problem and it got it solved, Its very easy. Just do this exactly. Go to run -> cmd - right click cmd - run as adminsitrator. you will see c:\windows\system32>
copy the brackets.msi file in windows folder and type c:\windows\system32>brackets.msi
and enter..It will install...thats all :)

[prahalad-S]

Also now you work with multi window brackets, like running two brackets at same time working on different folders. :) but first update your brackets software. If it doesn't work. run the brackets as administrator. Any help needed just comment I will attach screenshots too.

[ashwindmk]

The following worked for me:

1. Run command prompt as administrator in Windows.
2. Navigate to the folder which has Brackets installation file.
3. Run the command: msiexec /i "Brackets.Release.1.7.msi". Brackets installation wizard should open.
4. In the installation window, keep default installation directory, next and install.

[gbademon]

The git version 2.15.0 installer is not installing fully and it is giving Failed- Network error

[fafchook]

Hey, non of the solutions working out for me.
I had brackets installed (windows 10). Trying to upgrade to version 1.13, i cant get it to install (and the old version is now uninstalled).
Tried all solutions, and also in this (https://github.com/adobe/brackets/issues/12349), nothing works

[JuniorAguilera]

1.- run cmd as administrator
2.- msiexec /i "gh_1.0.0_windows_amd64.msi" WIXUI_DONTVALIDATEPATH="1"
3.- Next
4.- Acept
5.- Wait
6.- It's works.... Enjoy it...