Fix Fatal Error 1603 When Trying to Update TurboTax

TurboTax is a useful tool for hundreds of American households. The application can help you with the preparation of your income tax returns. The application was developed by Intuit Software Company. Many users who use TurboTax have come across a fatal error 1603 when trying to update TurboTax. MSI error 1603 can prevent the installation of an update with TurboTax. This error can be bothersome to you because the update process abruptly stops. In this guide, we have explained the reasons and methods to resolve Microsoft installer error 1603 on TurboTax issue.

How to Fix Fatal Error 1603 When Trying to Update TurboTax

There can be various reasons for this error, some of the possible reasons are mentioned here.

• Overloaded hard drive
• Interfering background programs
• Interfering Antivirus program
• Errors due to outdated Windows update
• Missing Microsoft Visual C++ runtime packages
• Issues due to various system errors
• Error due to improper installation

In the following guide, we will explain methods to fix fatal error 1603 when trying to update TurboTax.

Method 1: Perform Clean Boot

Sometimes the error can be caused due to software conflicts between Windows and the TurboTax program. You can try to fix MSI error 1603 issue by performing a clean boot of your system. You can check out the How to Perform Clean boot in Windows 10 guide to follow the steps to safely perform the clean boot of your system and fix TurboTax Error 1603.

 

Method 2: Free Up Hard Drive Space

One of the first methods that can be used to fix this error is to clean the hard drive space on your computer. Many users found that the issue was sometimes caused by an overloaded hard drive and freeing it up fixed the problem. You can follow the How to Use Disk Cleanup in Windows 10 guide to follow methods and thereby safely free up the hard disk on your computer.

Note: Freeing up the hard disk with Disk Cleanup can remove files from your computer. Therefore, always make sure to create a backup for your important data before using this method to fix MSI error 1603.   

Also Read: Fix Hard Disk Problems in Windows 10

Method 3: Close Background Programs

If other programs and processes are running in the background while TurboTax is updating. They can interfere with the TurboTax update and cause it to fail resulting in TurboTax Error 1603. To resolve Microsoft installer error 1603 on TurboTax you can try to end all the background programs and processes on your computer. You can check out the How to End Task in Windows 10 guide to follow steps to safely end the background programs on your Windows 10 computer while you update the TurboTax program. If this method does not resolve the issue for you, you can try to move on to the next method.

Method 4: Disable Antivirus Temporarily (If Applicable)

If you are using antivirus software on your computer. Sometimes it can interfere with the updating process of TurboTax causing fatal error 1603 when trying to update TurboTax. This generally happens when the antivirus mistakenly flags a file as a possible virus or malware causing the error. One of the best solutions to avoid this issue is to disable the antivirus software on your computer. If you are not sure, how to disable your antivirus on your Windows 10 computer, you can check out the How to Disable Antivirus Temporarily on Windows 10 guide, to follow steps to disable various antivirus software.

Method 5: Update Windows

Sometimes Microsoft installer error 1603 on TurboTax with the TurboTax update can be caused by an outdated Windows version. An outdated Windows version can cause various errors with programs on your computer including the TurboTax program update MSI error 1603. If your Windows are not updated you should try to check for the available updates to fix TurboTax Error 1603. You can check out the How to Download and Install Windows 10 Latest Update to learn methods to download and install Windows 10 updates.  

Also Read: Fix Windows Keep Asking for My Credentials Error

Method 6: Install Microsoft Visual C++ Runtime Packages

If the Microsoft Visual C++ runtime package files are missing on your computer. You can run into trouble with various programs including the TurboTax program. Many users found that the missing Microsoft Visual C++ runtime package caused errors while updating the program. To fix this issue you can install the latest Microsoft Visual C++ runtime packages. You can check out the How to Reinstall Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable guide to find out how to install Microsoft Visual C++ Runtime Packages. If this method does not work for you and you still are having the same problem, try the next method.  

Method 7: Manually Update TurboTax

One of the most effective methods to fix the fatal error 1603 is to manually update it on your computer. You can update the program without even opening the software on your computer. You can follow these simple steps to update TurboTax manually and fix Microsoft installer error 1603 on TurboTax.

1. Open your Web Browser and visit the Intuit TurboTax update page.

2. Follow the instructions mentioned on the page to update the TurboTax.

Also Read: Fix Unexpected Zip File Error 0x80004005

Method 8: Reinstall TurboTax Program

If none of the previously mentioned methods works, you can try to reinstall the TurboTax program on your computer to fix the update issues. Many users found that reinstalling TurboTax fixed the issue with an update in the future. You can follow these simple steps to uninstall the program from your computer to solve fatal error 1603 when trying to update TurboTax.

1. Press the Windows + I keys simultaneously to open settings on your computer and click on Apps.

2. Locate and select the TurboTax application and click on the Uninstall button.

3. Click on Uninstall to confirm the procedure.

4. Now, reboot the PC.

5. Press Windows key, type Control Panel, then click on Open.

6. In the Control Panel window click on System & Security.

7. Now, click on Windows Defender Firewall.

8. From the left side panel click on Turn Windows Defender Firewall on or off.

9. Here check the boxes for Turn off Windows Defender Firewall for both Private and Public networks.

10. Click OK to save the changes.

11. Now, press Windows + E keys together to open File Explorer and navigate to the following location.

C:\Program Files (x86)\Turbotax

12. Rename the Turbotax folder into TurbotaxOldInstall.

13. Open your Web Browser and login to your Intuit account and download the TurboTax software.

14. Now, right-click on the TurboTax installer and click on Run as administrator.

15. Follow the on-screen instructions to install the software and see if the issue has been resolved.   

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1. What is the TurboTax program used for?

Ans. TurboTax is a program developed by Intuit to help American households with processing their income tax returns.

Q2. Why can’t I update TurboTax?

Ans. Many users come across an error while trying to update the TurboTax program on their computer. This error can be fixed by reinstalling the program.

Q3. What should I do to fix update issues with TurboTax?

Ans. There are various methods to fix the issues with updating the TurboTax program. Some of the most followed methods are closing interfering background programs, and manually updating the software.

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We hope this guide was helpful to you and you were able to fix fatal error 1603 when trying to update TurboTax. Let us know which method worked for you. If you have any suggestions or queries for us, please let us know in the comment section.