There are several reasons why an installation of Sage Taxation may fail and report error 1603, we've outlined the most common causes and solutions below.
Cause
Resolution
Check the log files for errors
We may need to review your log files to establish the cause. If you need to e-mail them to us (or your local IT support) you can do so by:
In Windows, click Start and enter %temp%.
Right-click PracticeSuiteInstallerLogs and then click Send to and Compressed Zip Folder.
Locate this zip file in the Temp folder, right-click on it and choose Cut. On your windows desktop, right-click and choose Paste- this should make it easier to locate.. This will make the file easy to locate for reference.
The Windows event viewer is also another good starting point to locate any errors that may have occurred. To speed up the process of us troubleshooting issues for you, look for any errors in here before calling our support line.
In Windows, open the Control Panel and click System and Security then Administrative Tools (This may be Windows Tools).
Double click Event Viewer
Click on the arrow to the left of Windows Logs to expand the view.
Click Application.
Make a note of any errors or warnings that correspond with the time at which you ran the installation.
Click System and again make a note of any warnings or errors that correspond with the time the installation was run
Make sure your system meets the requirements for the software to run. Read more >
We need to ensure your computer is compatible and able to successfully install the various elements of the software.
This is to check areas such as:
Operating System
Server operating system
Free disk Space - At least 10GB of free space is required
If these requirements aren't met, we recommend you speak to your local IT support. Please bear in mind that we can't support 'Home' editions of Windows and we'll only be able to offer basic advice and perform limited troubleshooting.
Administrator permissions
Make sure you are logged onto the computer as a user with the sufficient administrative rights to install the software.
This should be a local administrator as only under exceptional circumstances would you need 'domain admin' privileges
TIP: Need help activating you administrator account, please see the following Article Link.
Additional steps for updates
If you're upgrading the software rather than performing a new installation, there are a couple of additional steps you should try next:
Are the SQL services running?
Sage Taxation and Sage Corporation Tax stores your data in a Microsoft SQL database. In order for the software to update, we must ensure that this service is running.
Click the windows Start button and search for services.msc and click on the 'Services' result that appears.
In the right hand pane, ensure the instance of SQL is running (It will usually be called SQL Server (SAGESPS) or SQL Server (SAGETAX) unless you have named this yourself).
If it isn't running, right-click on the instance and click Start.
If SQL Server Agent is showing as stopped, don't worry - this should be the case. Ensure SQL Browser is running- this should be listed among the instances and again, if it is not running, right click on it and click Start.
Run the Installation Checker
An important step for troubleshooting any failed Sage Taxation installation is to run the Installation Checker. This will tell us the current state of your installation.
To run the Installation Checker manually:
On the server, navigate to C:\Program Files\Sage\Sage Taxation\Server\SageTaxationReadOnlyDir\Tools and double-click InstChkr.exe If you're advised that there's an installation in progress, asking do you wish to proceed, click Yes
When prompted, click Yes to perform data scanning.
If the installation checker reports any errors, please check to see if they are listed on our installation checker guide. Read more >
If you're unable to resolve any errors, please contact us for further guidance before attempting the update again.
Anti-virus and firewall
Temporarily disable your anti-virus and firewall
If your installation fails, the first troubleshooting step would be to disable your anti-virus and firewall and try the install again. If it works then we know it is an issue with the anti-virus/ firewall. If all exceptions have previously been added, as outlined im the next section, but the software won't install unless the anti-virus or firewall is off, then we would recommend contacting your IT Support to further configure your anti-virus/ firewall to ensure it does not impact on your use of our software.
Third Party anti-virus software will differ in how to disable it so it is recommended to contact the relevant support line for these but Windows Firewall can be disabled by:
CAUTION:We would always recommend speaking to your IT Support before undertaking this step yourself and we do not recommend you keep your anti-virus or firewall turned off after completing the install. Please ensure it is turned back on afterwards.
Add anti-virus and firewall exceptions
Anti-virus and firewall software can also prevent installs from completing.
If using a third party anti-virus software rather than Windows firewall, you may need to contact their relevant support line on how to add exceptions for SQL into it.
File sharing and share permissions
Disable the file sharing wizard
The Windows file sharing wizard simplifies controls for shared folders, however in some cases this can actually hamper the installation of the software and we recommend that you turn it off.
Windows 8.1 and 10 and server operating systems
Right-click on the Start button and choose File explorer
Click View and then click Options.
Click the View Tab and in the advanced settings section, scroll to the bottom and clear the 'Use Sharing Wizard (Recommended)' check-box.
Click OK
Permissions on the shared directories
The software can also be prevented from installing if the computer does not have access to the Shared folders on the network. To check if these are fully accessible:
From the Windows Start menu, in the Search field , enter \\%computername%
Open either the SageTaxationShareDir or SCTShareDir, and try creating a new folder.
Delete the folder you've just created to make sure you also have delete privileges.
If you're able to create and delete without a problem then you shouldn't have issues due to shared folders. If you're unable to create a folder (or even access the shares), then you'll need to contact your IT support to resolve this as it is a permissions related issue.
Creating a test share
Another test with the shares is to see if you can create a folder and then share it.
On the Windows desktop, right-click and select New then Folder.
Right-click on this newly created folder and click Properties.
Click Sharing and then click Advanced Sharing.
Click Share this folder.
Click Permissions and grant 'Everyone' full control.
From the Windows desktop open the Start menu and in the Search field enter \\%computername%
Make sure you can access the share you've just created
If you are able to do this then the installation shouldn't have an issue creating the shares it needs. If you get any errors creating the share, you'll need to contact your local IT support to get these resolved before proceeding with the install.
Permissions on other directories
Permissions on the %temp% directory
Installation can also be prevented if the installer is unable to access your temporary folder. To check if this is fully accessible:
From the Windows Start menu, in the Search field enter %temp% and press Enter on your keyboard.
If this opens up without issue then this should not be causing an issue with your installation.
If it unable to access this folder then you will need to contact your local IT Support to resolve this first.
Permissions on the SQL directory
For the software to be able to update your data it needs to be able to access certain folders. If you have other software using the same SQL instance, please speak to your local IT support beforehand. To ensure that it has full permission to access your SQL Data directory:
From the Windows start menu, navigate to your SQL directory, this is usually C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\.... From here it may vary, dependent on your instance of SQL and version of SQL.
Open the the MSSQL folder for your instance and right-click on the Data folder
Click Security then click Edit.
In the Group or User Names box, select the user SQLServerMSSQLUser
In the Permission For box, tick the box for Full Control.
Click Apply and OK and then OK again to close the Properties window.
Further investigation
If you are still experiencing the error, please make a note of the above steps and any errors you have found from the various steps and contact Sage Technical Suppport >
Need help with Sage Taxation?
Visit the brand new Sage Taxation Help Centre for answers to all of your software queries, including Self-Assessment.
CAUTION: 