SharePoint 2013 Prerequisites fails with MSI Installer error code 1603 while installing AppFabric 1.1

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When installing SharePoint 2013 prerequisites on Windows Server 2008 R2, the prerequisite installer fails with the following error

Appfabric installation failed because installer MSI returned with error code:1603

This is a generic MSI error message and does not give any indication about how to get the issue fixed. Uninstall or reinstalling only makes it worse.

The issue can be caused due to the following:

  1. The path to the PowerShell executable that is needed for the AppFabric installation is incorrect.

  2. In some scenarios, repeated uninstallation and re-installation does not fix the issue. This is because the installer does not remove the PSModulePath entry in Environment Variables during un-installation and the installation fails because the entry already exists.

  3. If you are trying to install all the prerequisites manually as the server does not have a connection to internet.

    Note: Appfabric installation and configuration has to be done by the prerequisite installer ONLY and not in a stand-alone manner.

You can implement any one of the two solutions listed below

  1. Solution 1

    Append the following path to PSModulePath entry in the environment variables -
    %SYSTEMROOT%\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0

    • Go to My Computer, right-click Properties
    • On the System' page, click Advanced System Settings on the left-side pane.
    • If you receive a UAC prompt, click on Yes to launch the System Properties dialog box
    • From the Advanced tab, click Environment Variables
    • Within the System Variables section in the lower half, select PSModulePath and click on Edit (or double-click PSModulePath')
    • Append the following path to PSModulePath entry in the environment variables

    %SYSTEMROOT%\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\

    • Ensure that the PSModulePath entry looks like this:

      C:\Windows\system32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\Modules\;c:\Program Files\AppFabric 1.1 for Windows Server\PowershellModules

  2. Solution 2

    • There are chances that other applications might be referencing the same variable and may fail if it is deleted. This is what we can do if solution 1 does not help.
    • Remove the PSModulePath entry from the 'Environment Variables' and re-run the installer. Once it completes successfully, ensure that the PSModulePath entry looks the same as mentioned in solution 1.

  3. Solution 3

You can download the list of prerequisites from Links to applicable software

Links to the individual prerequisites:

The steps listed below are for AppFabric for Windows Server only

Follow these steps for installing AppFabric for Windows Server correctly

  • Uninstall the Appfabric for Windows Server from Control Panel -> Programs and Features page

  • Download the individual requirements to a network location or a local folder

  • Install prerequisites for SharePoint 2013 manually

  • From the Start menu, open the Command Prompt window using the Run as administrator option.

    - Navigate to the root of the SharePoint 2013 installation media or folder location
    - Type the prerequisite program switch and corresponding argument for the program that you want to install, and then press ENTER.
    For example:

    If we have to install AppFabric for Windows Server from a local source, we can run the following command:

    PrerequisiteInstaller.exe /AppFabric:<location Of the Appfabric installation file>

    This will kick off the prerequisite installer wizard which will then use the installation file stored locally on the machine as specified in the command-line to install Windows Server AppFabric. We can also install more than one prerequisite by using different switches with the PrerequisiteInstaller.exe command to install multiple components and specifying the installation path in the command line window. For example:

    PrerequisiteInstaller.exe /AppFabric:<location Of the Appfabric installation file> /IDFX11:<Install Windows Identity Foundation v1.1 from file>

    This command will install Appfabric and Windows Identity Foundation

    For a complete list of prerequisite installer operations and command-line options, see Prerequisite installer operations and command-line options

  • The SharePoint 2013 prerequisite installer (prerequisiteinstaller.exe) installs the following software, if it has not already been installed on the server, in this order (provided you have downloaded the prerequisites locally):

    PrerequisiteInstaller.exe
    /SQLNCli:file - Install Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 SP1 Native Client from file
    /PowerShell:file - Install Windows Management Framework 3.0 from file
    /NETFX:file - Install Microsoft .NET Framework 4.5 from file
    /IDFX:file - Install Windows Identity Foundation (KB974405) from file
    /Sync:file - Install Microsoft Sync Framework Runtime v1.0 SP1 (x64) from file
    /AppFabric:<location Of the Appfabric installation file>
    /IDFX11:"<path>\Microsoft Identity Extensions.msi"
    /MSIPCClient:"<path>\msipc.msi"
    /WCFDataServices:"<path>\WcfDataServices.exe"
    /KB2671763:"<path>\AppFabric1.1-RTM-KB2671763-x64-ENU.exe
    where "<file>" signifies the file location from where you want to install. If you do not specify the <file> option, the installer downloads the file from the Internet and installs it.

The prerequisite installer creates log files at %TEMP%\prerequisiteinstaller.<date>.<time>.log. You can check these log files for specific details about all changes the installer makes to the server.

See Install prerequisites for SharePoint 2013 from a network share for information about how to install the SharePoint 2013 prerequisites at the command prompt from a network share or local system. This approach is typically used when the server does not have a connection to internet.

Comments

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    thanks for sharing.

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    that really works thanks a lot

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    Glad I could help, Adrian:)

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    This tip is excelent

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    I resolve my problem finally . I think  the reason of getting 'error code 1603 while installing AppFabric 1.1'  is my  mannul installation. Thanks so much.

  • Anonymous
    April 10, 2013
    Wow, thank you so much, this fixed hours of headache for me. Solution 2 worked like a charm. Thanks Praveen

  • Anonymous
    April 21, 2013
    I have done with both solutions but did't work for me. finally i have removed the Microsoft AppFabric 1.1 for Windows Server the installed updates from the control panel, now i am able to installed successfully Sharepoint 2013. Regards, Siddharth M.

  • Anonymous
    May 29, 2013
    The comment has been removed

  • Anonymous
    October 21, 2013
    thank you first solution was the answer

  • Anonymous
    October 30, 2013
    Solution 2 worked for me, thanks heaps!

  • Anonymous
    November 12, 2013
    Hi there, I had similiar issue while Installing SP2013, i had installed WindowsServerAppFabricSetup_x64 and configure correctly and also updated AppFabric1.1-RTM-KB2800726-x64-ENU CU but still the error is not going... the Error is as below: setup is unbale to proceed due to the following error(s): Windows Server Appfabric is not correctly configured. You should uninstall Windows Server Appfabric and reinstall it using the SharePoint Products preparation tool This Product requires Cumulative Update Package 1 for Microsoft Appfabric 1.1 for Windows Server (KB2671763) Your Help will be Appricated.. Regards Aasif

  • Anonymous
    November 28, 2013
    In my case appfabric installation failed with 1603. by looking logs, found that setx.exe is failing . On further checking, found that PSModulePath is having one doublequote ("). After removing it, it worked like a charm. Regards, Pradeep Nulu

  • Anonymous
    December 24, 2013
    Pingback from SharePoint 2013 Prerequisites fails with MSI Installer error code 1603 while installing AppFabric 1.1 | System Admins

  • Anonymous
    December 24, 2013
    Pingback from Prerequisites installer errors cause server2012r2 doesn???t support SharePoint 2013 | System Admins

  • Anonymous
    January 20, 2014
    Thanks. Problem is resolved by solution 1.

  • Anonymous
    February 17, 2014
    The comment has been removed

  • Anonymous
    March 18, 2014
    Thank you so much for solve my problem . I use solution 3

  • Anonymous
    July 02, 2014
    Solution2 worked for me. Thank YOU!

  • Anonymous
    July 02, 2014
    I did have to fix the path after deleting...

  • Anonymous
    August 18, 2014

  1. I have installed SharePoint Prereq in and offline mode and all the configuration running well
    2. I have configured AppFabric and connect it to SQL Database
    3. The IIS identify the AppFabric and the AppFabric 3 services running and started
    4. But when trying to install SharePoint 2013 on Windows server 2012 an error massage say that AppFabric not configures try to UN install it and install it again !!
  • Anonymous
    August 20, 2014
    By removing the additional " at the end of the PSModulePath value resolved the issue
  • Anonymous
    August 20, 2014
    Thanks so much. It saved my a whole night
  • Anonymous
    September 02, 2014
    this worked for me...
    http://aseempandit.wordpress.com/2014/09/03/appfabric-installation-issue/
  • Anonymous
    September 04, 2014
    Sol1 worked for me; thanks!
  • Anonymous
    September 23, 2014
    Thank you for this fix, solution 1 worked for me. With all respect it would be nice if such errors were not introduced in the installer. Nevertheless I appreciate the fix!
  • Anonymous
    December 10, 2014
    solution 2 worked for me
    just deleted the PSModulePath, tried to run PreReq installer, all installed correctly, rebooted and sharepoint setup now works!
    Thank you so much, I was working around this one the last 3 hours and getting a headache
  • Anonymous
    December 17, 2014
    There can be multiple reasons for installation errors when installing AppFabric either with SharePoint
  • Anonymous
    January 23, 2015
    Thank you so much . .solution 3 worked for me
  • Anonymous
    February 23, 2015
    Solution 2 worked for me..... Thank a lot.
  • Anonymous
    March 24, 2015
    before you try any of this ensure that your installer iso is sharepoint server 2013 sp1 (separate iso and license key). regular sharepoint server 2013 is incompatable with windows server 2012 r2....it must be the sp1 ISO
  • Anonymous
    March 27, 2015
    Thank You guys...I resolved my issue to using solution 1
  • Anonymous
    April 16, 2015
    In French Installation put
    C:Program FilesAppFabric 1.1 pour Windows ServerPowershellModules
  • Anonymous
    May 17, 2015
    All this instructions have just led me into a deeper mess. Some tech sites say never install AppFabric from the download standalone, but here it does. And I think that messes with Environment Variables that are then hard to correct. Plehhh....
  • Anonymous
    May 29, 2015
    I had previously installed SQL Server 2014, which left its own path in the Env Variables. Will I need to add that back to the variables, or can I leave it out?
  • Anonymous
    June 17, 2015
    The Issue:

      AppFabric installation was failing with "AppFabric installation failed because
  • Anonymous
    July 14, 2015
    Solution2 worked for me - thanks a lot! What a f... mess to install a single product ... Thanks MS!
  • Anonymous
    July 27, 2015
    I really really appreciated for this post.It save my time.I facing this problem long time now i fixed it.thank u soo much.
  • Anonymous
    July 29, 2015
    Deleting the PS Module path was not correct .as I later faced issues .
    if deleted and the appfabric gets installed.After that ,we edit the psmodulepath to C:WINDOWSsystem32WindowsPowerShellv1.0Modules
  • Anonymous
    August 28, 2015
    Thanks Praveen! this really works
  • Anonymous
    September 11, 2015
    First solution worked like a charm, simply copied and pasted the powershell executable path for App Fabric
  • Anonymous
    October 21, 2015
    Solution 3 worked for me. Thanks a bunch!
  • Anonymous
    December 04, 2015
    Thanks a lot Praveen. I also faced the same problem and got it resolved by your post. The information is really helpful. In my case, I followed Scenario 1 and Scenario 3, and then I was able to install AppFabric successfully.
  • Anonymous
    February 04, 2016
    Its worked great..
    Thanks.