Installation Fails with "Error 1316"

During installation of software that uses Windows Installer (MSI) technology, an "Error 1316. A network error occurred while attempting to read from the file..." often indicates an error in uninstalling the previous version of the software, rather than a problem in reading the new installation file. Uninstallation of a previous version is often invoked automatically as part of the installation of a new version.

If a previous version of the software is installed, it should be uninstalled manually from the Windows Control Panel ("Add/Remove Programs" in Windows XP, or "Programs and Options" in newer versions).

If the uninstallation fails, it should be kept in mind that sometimes an MSI installation or uninstallation may fail because a previous installation or uninstallation has not yet completed. In this case, a reboot may solve the problem.

If the uninstallation still fails after a reboot, it is helpful to submit a log file recorded during the uninstallation attempt together with the technical support request.

Once the uninstallation succeeds, the installation of the new version may succeed as well. Before retrying the actual installation that gave the "Error 1316", verify in the Control Panel that the previous version of the software has been successfully uninstalled.

The procedure described here solves the problem in a majority of cases. Even if it doesn't, it helps determine whether the actual cause of the problem lies in the installation of a new software version, or in the uninstallation of a previous version.

Related Links

• Windows Installer Logging
• Troubleshooting Installation Errors