get an error when installing a third party product; product tech support (Steinberg) blames Windows

Hi Keith Croxton, 

I understand how frustrating error 1603 can be, especially after you’ve already followed the standard guidance and reached out to Steinberg support. The Q&A Assist has also given some suggestions, I think it’s better to capture the exact MSI failure first:

• Open Command Prompt (Admin) > run the installer with full logging
• msiexec /i "PASTE THE PATH TO THE INSTALLER HERE" /l*v C:\Temp\install.log
• Let it fail, then open the install.log file > search for: Return value 3
• This should show the failing action, not just the generic 1603.
• Another way to do it is to check Event Viewer:
  • Press Win + R > type eventvwr > press Enter
  • Go to Windows Logs > Application > MsiInstaller
  • Search for any related entries at the time of failure.

While waiting for your updates, I do have some suggestions based on similar cases. The solutions depend on the possible causes, and here are some considered most common:

1 - Previous Steinberg components not fully removed

• Go to Settings > Apps > Installed apps > remove anything:
  • Cubase
  • Steinberg Library
  • eLicenser / Steinberg Activation
• Restart PC > Disk Cleanup (esp. Temp files) > install again.
• More nuclear, open Settings > Accounts > Other Users:
  • Create a local user account and log into it
  • Try to run the installer there to check.

2 - Perform a clean boot

• Follow this guide on How to perform a clean boot in Windows - Microsoft Support 
• Press Win + R > type msconfig > press Enter to open
• Go to Services tab > Check Hide all Microsoft services > Disable all
• Go to Startup > it will open Task Manager > Disable all items
• Restart your PC and try the installer again.

If the problem is gone, it's likely that one of the disabled entries was the cause. You may need to manually enable them half-by-half to identify the offender, then consider removing or disabling it. 

Disclaimer: A "clean boot" starts Windows with a minimal set of drivers and startup programs. It helps to determine whether a background service is interfering with your game or program and to isolate the cause of a problem. They might look complicated at first glance but can help you get back on track. To avoid any trouble, please follow them in order and step-by-step.  

3 - Verify system permissions

• Right-click your installer > Properties > make sure it’s unblocked
• Navigate to and right-click where you want to install it to (e.g. C:\Program Files)
• Open the folder Properties > select Security > SYSTEM is set to Full Control > save changes.

4 - Missing or conflicting prerequisites

• Reinstall Latest Supported Visual C++ Redistributable | Microsoft Learn 
• Repair .NET Framework with Repair Tool from Official Microsoft Download Center 
• Or open your other PC that you successfully installed on:
  • Check C++ and .NET > compare to your current PC
  • If they’re different versions, look for and download them.

Overall, you’ve already done the correct initial steps. At this point, continuing without pinpointing the failing component is unlikely to get us anywhere. If you’re not sure about the results, share the Return value 3 from your log or Event Viewer.

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Error 1603 is a generic Windows Installer (MSI) failure. Since the vendor has stopped troubleshooting, focus on isolating Windows-side causes using the supported Windows Installer and upgrade/installation guidance.

1. Verify the installer media/package

• If installing from downloaded media, copy the full installation set to a local drive and run setup from there, not from a network share or removable media.
• If the installer was downloaded some time ago, download a fresh copy of the installation package from the vendor and run that. Corrupted or stale packages are a common cause of MSI failures.
• If the installer is on physical media, clean the disc and/or copy all discs to a single local folder (higher-numbered discs first) and run setup from that folder.

2. Avoid running the raw MSI directly

• If the product provides an executable bootstrapper (for example, Setup.exe, Install.exe, or Autorun.exe), use that instead of running the .msi directly. The bootstrapper may perform prerequisite checks and set required properties that a direct MSI call will not.

3. Eliminate interference from other software

• Perform a selective startup (clean boot) to reduce interference from third‑party processes and services:
  1. Select Start, type msconfig, and run msconfig.exe.
  2. On the General tab, choose Selective startup and clear Load startup items.
  3. Restart and then run the Cubase installer again from the local folder.
• Temporarily remove or disable third‑party security software that might be blocking MSI actions, then reinstall it after testing. Windows Defender/Windows Security will continue to protect the device in the meantime.

4. Check for Windows upgrade/servicing issues If the failure started after a Windows update, verify that the underlying Windows servicing stack and system files are healthy:

• Run Windows Update repeatedly until no further updates (including drivers) are offered.
• Repair system files and the Windows image:
  1. Open an elevated Command Prompt.
  2. Run DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth to repair the Windows image.
  3. After DISM completes, optionally run chkdsk /f C: to repair disk errors (requires restart).

5. Check for device/driver problems

• Open Device Manager and look for devices with a yellow exclamation mark.
• Update or uninstall problematic devices/drivers, then retry the installation.

6. Try an alternate installation method

• If the product offers multiple installation methods (online installer, offline ISO, separate content installer), try a different one. For example, if the current method is a web-based stub installer, use a full offline installer if available.

7. If all else fails

• Since the previous Cubase version installed successfully on the same machine, compare:
  • Whether any major Windows upgrades (e.g., feature updates) occurred between then and now.
  • Whether any new drivers or hardware were added.
• If Windows itself shows other upgrade/installation anomalies (e.g., Windows updates failing with 0xC1900*** or 0x8007**** codes), follow the Windows upgrade error guidance to stabilize the OS first, then retry the Cubase installation.

References:

• How to troubleshoot Windows Installer errors
• Get help with Windows upgrade and installation errors