Often there are factors that can affect your program installation such as security software, anti spyware software, programs that load on start up, or services that start up with other applications. In these situations you may wish to try installing the software in Safe Mode.

Safe Mode is a mode in which Windows loads only the bare minimum services and applications to start up. This will ensure no other application or service is running that may interfere with your installation.

Windows Installer will not work under Safe Mode, this means that programs cannot be installed or uninstalled in safe mode without giving a specific command using msiexec in Command Prompt. If you try to uninstall programs in Safe Mode, you may receive the following message:

The Windows Installer Service could not be accessed. This can occur if the Windows Installer is not correctly installed. Contact your support personnel for assistance.

This tutorial will explain how to make the Windows Installer service work in Safe Mode to be able install and uninstall programs in Safe Mode in Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 10.



Here's How:

1 While in Safe Mode, open an elevated command prompt.

2 Copy and paste the commands below into the elevated command prompt one at a time, and press Enter after each command.

The first two command adds the "Service" registry value to add the Windows Installer service to Safe Mode. The third command starts the Windows Installer service.


REG ADD "HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\SafeBoot\Minimal\MSIServer" /VE /T REG_SZ /F /D "Service"

REG ADD "HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\SafeBoot\Network\MSIServer" /VE /T REG_SZ /F /D "Service"

net start msiserver

3 Close the elevated command prompt.

4 You should now be able to install and uninstall programs in Safe Mode.


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