Windows Installer Error 1316

Summary

This article discusses how to address the Windows Installer Error 1316.

Symptoms

Error 1316 is a Windows Installer run-time error displayed in the following format:

Error 1316. A network error occurred while attempting to read from the file <PATH>\default.msi
Error 1316. The specified account already exists.

<PATH>\default.msi is the path to the Windows Installer package that is causing the error message.

Cause

One known cause of this error message is a change in the name of the .msi file in an update. This could happen in InstallShield if the Product Name is changed between versions. By default, InstallShield names the .msi based on the Product Name. If this is changed, the .msi filename will change upon rebuilding the project.

The 1316 error may also occur when a corrupted uninstallation is taking place, either directly from the Control Panel or through an MSI major upgrade.

Resolution

To correct this problem:

Change the Product Name back to the original name.

If the Product Name must be changed:

1. Open the Releases view.
2. Select the appropriate Product Configuration.
3. Modify the MSI Package File Name field to match the original .msi file. Note that the .msi file extension is not necessary and will be added automatically at build time.
4. Rebuild your release.

Use the Microsoft Utility to cleanup corrupted registry keys.

Additional Information

For more information on Error 1316, refer to the following Knowledge Base articles: