[FIXED] Error 1720 “There is a problem with this Windows Installer package”

Are you looking for solutions on how to get rid of the Error 1720 in Windows 10 Installer? Well, you’ve come to the right page.

Windows users have been complaining about encountering this error on several occasions on their computers.

The Windows Installer performs some of the most critical tasks on the operating system, such as program installation, software removal, and maintenance.

The installer is packed with registry keys, shortcuts, and other metadata and usually carries out its functions without issues.

The thing is, errors can occur randomly. You may receive the following message:

“There is a problem with this Windows Installer package. A script required for this install to complete could not be run.”

What is the Error 1720 on Windows 10?

The “Error 1720: There is a problem with this Windows Installer package” can be triggered by registry issues.

The error appears to affect Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 10 machines and pops up when a software update/upgrade or installation fails. It also appears when users try to uninstall programs.

The most annoying thing is that the error can be quite resilient and can interfere with your daily tasks. Fortunately, the error is temporary and can easily be fixed by the workarounds in this post.

How to Fix ‘There is a Problem with this Windows Installer Package’ on Windows 10

Solution 1: Be sure to run the installer with administrative permissions

Installing any third-party application requires administrative permissions for the process to succeed.

This is a standard requirement on all Windows machines that gives you more control over what gets installed on your device.

It’s a preventive measure that helps to keep applications from installing in the background. It also helps prevent the installation of malware.

Now, you might not have the proper permissions to install the program that triggered the Error 1720. Well, you can resolve it by running the installer as an administrator. Here’s how:

• Open the location in File Explorer containing the application you want to install.
• Right-click the installer and select Run as Administrator.

That’s it. If the issue was caused by a lack of administrator rights, this should fix it. If not, try the next troubleshooting step below.

Solution 2: Re-download the installer and setup files

An application package comprises several installation setup files or a single .exe file, accompanied by numerous DLL files.

If the download was incomplete, or for some reason one of the files got corrupted, the installation will fail and may trigger the Error 1720.

Besides, the file could have been corrupted by the presence of a virus in your computer. Your antivirus can also block the .exe file, deeming it malicious.

For that case, you should run a malware scan to eliminate any kinds of threats. Additionally, try re-downloading the file once again to check if this works.

You can also temporarily disable your antivirus software and try to run the installer. However, this is a risky move unless you are 100 percent certain that the application is trustworthy.

One more thing. Be sure your system meets the minimum requirements to run the program. Otherwise, the entire process will fail again.

Solution 3: Run the troubleshooter

Windows 10 comes with troubleshooting tools to help find and fix common computer problems. Usually, you’ll find the Troubleshoot option in the Settings app under this path:

Update & Security > Troubleshoot > Additional troubleshooters.

Alternatively, you can open Control Panel and type “Troubleshoot” (no quotes) in the Search Control Panel input box.

However, the Program Install and Uninstall troubleshooter is not listed here, and you’ll have to download it to proceed with this process. Here are the steps:

• Go to Microsoft’s download page and click on the blue Download Troubleshooter button.
• Choose your preferred location to save the file and download it. Once downloaded, select Run or Open.
• Follow the instructions provided to complete the process. Once done, try to install or uninstall the problematic program to see if it goes through this time.

Solution 4: Install pending Windows Updates

The Error 1720 could be caused by a buggy Windows Installer. Typically, Windows releases updates periodically to address buggy updates and improve system performance. That’s why you’re always encouraged to keep your system up to date.

To check if there are pending Windows updates for your system, follow the guide below:

• Press the Windows Key + I to launch the Settings app.

• Type Updates in the Find a Setting input box and select Check for Updates.

• On the page that opens next, check if pending updates are waiting to be installed and install them. If no updates are displayed, click on the Check for Updates button and wait for Windows to search online for available updates. If updates are available, Windows will automatically download and install them on your machine.

Restart your Windows PC and try running the installer again. If you’re still getting the error, proceed to the next fix.

Solution 5: Check Windows Installer for errors

If Windows Installer is corrupted or disabled by mistake, you won’t be able to install anything on your machine. You need to make sure that it’s working accordingly. To do that:

• Press the Windows + R keyboard shortcut.
• Type CMD into the Run text box. Press the Ctrl + Shift + Enter key combination to launch Command Prompt with elevated rights.

• Type the command MSIExec and press Enter. If everything checks out, a pop-up window with Windows Installer details will appear. If an error report is displayed instead, you’ll need to re-register Windows Installer.

Solution 6: Re-register Windows Installer

If the previous step shows a Windows Installer error report, you must re-register it to get rid of those errors, and hence the Error 1720. Follow these instructions for guidance:

• Open the Quick User Menu using the Windows + X shortcut and select Command Prompt (Admin). If the option is not available here, repeat Step 1 from Solution 5 above.
• In the Command Prompt window, execute the commands:

exe /unregister

exe /regserver

• After the commands run successfully, exit Command Prompt and repeat the action that triggered the error in question to see if it has been resolved.

Related: Windows Command Prompt: 28 Most Useful CMD Commands [with Examples]

Solution 7: Restart the Windows Installer Service

Like we noted above, you or someone else may have disabled Windows Installer unintentionally. To check this fact and restart it, follow these steps:

• Press the Windows logo on your keyboard, type Services, and press Enter.

• In the Services window, locate Windows Installer and double-click on it to open its Properties.

• Under Service Status check if it says Running. If it does, click on Stop and then click on Start to run it again. If it says Stopped, click on Start to run it.

• Change the Startup Type to Automatic.
• Click on Apply > OK.
• Restart your computer to effect the changes and check if this fixes the “Error 1720: There is a problem with this Windows Installer package” issue.

Solution 8: Re-Register the Scrrun.dll File

Scrrun.dll is the Scripting Runtime DLL (Dynamic Link Library) file responsible for reading and writing scripts and text files.

It’s essential for your Windows machine to run properly and enables the installer to function accordingly. If it stops working, Windows Installer ceases to run correctly.

We’ll attempt to fix Windows Installer by re-registering the scrrun.dll file.

Here are the steps:

• Press the Windows Key, type Services into the Windows Search box, and hit Enter to launch the Services window.

• Navigate to the Windows Installer service, which should be toward the bottom of the page.

• Right-click on it and open its Properties.

• Select Manual under Startup Type.

• Click on Apply > OK and restart your PC.
• Next, open Command Prompt with administrator rights. To do that, press the Windows + R key combination, type CMD, and hit the Ctrl + Shift + Enter keys at the same time.
• On the elevated command prompt window, type or paste the commands below, one after the other, and then press Enter after each one:

For Windows (32-bit): cd C:\\Windows\\System32

For Windows (64-bit): cd C:\\Windows\\SysWow64

• Next, still on the Command Prompt window, type regsvr32 scrrun.dll to re-register the DLL file.
• Once done, reboot Windows and check if the error has disappeared.

Scan Your Registry for Issues: Final Thoughts

If none of these solutions gets rid of the Error 1720 in Windows 10 Installer, we recommend scanning the registry for corruption and other issues.

We mentioned at the beginning of this article that registry problems are mainly to blame for Windows Installer errors. We understand trying to identify corrupt keys or broken entries in such a vast database is nearly impossible.

That’s why we suggest an automatic repair tool like Auslogics BoostSpeed.

This application detects and fixes registry issues, stabilizing your PC. It’s safe, fast, and reliable. You don’t have to worry about the wrong keys or entries being deleted since the tool is designed to work with precision.

Cleaning the registry is recommended every once in a while to remove keys that may have been left behind after the uninstallation of programs. You don’t want them to accumulate since they’ll start causing issues.

Registry Cleaner is just one of the many tools that come with Auslogics BoostSpeed. You can also clean PC junk, defrag the registry and your hard disks, remove file duplicates, and so on.

What’s more, you can schedule automatic scans to ensure that your system runs at optimal levels every time you use it.