windows essentials installation error 0x80040609

Hello everyone,

Well, this is an old issue and I'm not sure if you guys are still looking for a solution, but I was finally able to solve this problem which migrated in my laptop from windows 7 to 10 and thought to share it with you. The solution is simple but very tedious. Needless to say you must be logged as Administrator to perform this fix.

Step 1:

Try to uninstall Windows Essentials either in Programs and Features or by using CMD line parameter:

-(64 bit):  "c:\program files (x86)\windows live\installer\wlarp.exe" /cleanup:all /q

-(32 bit):  "c:\program files\windows live\installer\wlarp.exe" /cleanup:all /q

Note: Don't waste your time with the Microsoft Program Install and Uninstall Troubleshooter, as it is useless in this case and it will only remove single Windows Essentials programs without their associated executables. 

Step 2:

Run wlsetup-web.exe if you already have it, or download and run it:  Download Windows Essentials . The setup dialog menu should open and you can select all or some of the programs. For the sake of repairing the installation I would suggest installing all and then uninstalling what you don't need (note: Outlook Connector Pack will be installed separate from Windows Essentials and can be later uninstalled directly from Programs and Features). The process should start downloading and installing Windows Essential and as expected will fail towards the end with varying errors. Never mind this! Just close the installation and move to the next step.

**Step 3:**This is the tricky and tedious part. The setup has downloaded the installation files to a folder named ".cache" located in:

-(64 bit):  c:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Windows Live.cache

-(32 bit):  c:\Program Files\Common Files\Windows Live.cache

It is a protected system folder and you must change view settings and uncheck the "Hide protected operating system files" in the Folders view option to be able to see it. Double click it and you will find about 30 or so subfolders with "17 random character" names containing the installation files.

Now here is the problem, some of these installers are working well but others (for a reason beyond my knowledge) point to a different path other than where they are located and therefore fail to run! So I had to check them one by one from top to bottom. Open each subfolder and double click the installer. If it runs then it's ok, or if it asks for User Account Control confirmation it is also ok (SAY NO to this, we are only checking and don't want to install anything now) and move to the next subfolder/installer. If it doesn't run and gives a path error, click on browse and select the same folder path where it's located and confirm. It will ask for Admin confirmation, ok and let it run and move to the next one until you have checked all of them point to the correct path and can run.

Step 4:

Now rerun wlsetup-web.exe (and again I would recommend choosing all). This time the installation should complete successfully. Hopefully now you have repaired your installation and you can go as normal to Programs and Features and run Windows Essential Uninstall/Change and choose what to keep. For me I have removed it completely from my laptop as I have no need for Windows Essentials with Windows 10!

Good luck!

N.B. Don't forget to change your folders view option back to its original settings and check "Hide protected operating system files"

Hi,

Thank you for posting your query in Microsoft Community.

From the issue description, I understand you are facing an issue with Windows essentials installation and you are getting an error stating 0x80040609.

1. Which fix it did you use?

I suggest you to follow the steps from this link below Where Litton_B( Microsoft Moderator) discussed how to uninstall Windows Live Essentials via CMD parameter.

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windowslive/forum/messenger-wlinstall/how-to-uninstall-windows-live-essentials-via-cmd/3d26c7ea-faf0-437a-88b0-c5bdd3dd31ec

You can also run this fix it:

http://support2.microsoft.com/mats/program_install_and_uninstall?wa=wsignin1.0

I will also suggest you to run utility:

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/2008.08.utilityspotlight.aspx

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2438651

Let us know the status of the issue.

I tried the suggestions. All of them failed.

Hi,

Thank you for posting your query in Microsoft Community.

From the issue description, I understand you are facing an issue with Windows essentials installation and you are getting an error stating 0x80040609.

1. Which fix it did you use?

I suggest you to follow the steps from this link below Where Litton_B( Microsoft Moderator) discussed how to uninstall Windows Live Essentials via CMD parameter.

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windowslive/forum/messenger-wlinstall/how-to-uninstall-windows-live-essentials-via-cmd/3d26c7ea-faf0-437a-88b0-c5bdd3dd31ec

You can also run this fix it:

http://support2.microsoft.com/mats/program_install_and_uninstall?wa=wsignin1.0

I will also suggest you to run utility:

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/2008.08.utilityspotlight.aspx

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2438651

Let us know the status of the issue.

Here's the latest in a long series of unsolvable problems where Windows Essentials 2012 can not be installed.

The repeated error message -  error 0x80040609 - source WLX suite

Installation stops when  installing Messenger. There are no  previous Messenger installations on the computer.

The computer is running 64 bit Windows 7 . Windows was freshly installed on the computer a few months ago with no problem.

To save the time of  asking me to take steps that will work:

Windows firewall is turned on.

I've downloaded  and tried running the offline standalone installer.

I'm running current DirectX.

All Windows Live directories and files have been removed.  Uninstall advice does not  work because the programs were never installed in the first place

I've downloaded the installation fail fixit and run it.

I've run Windows update.

I've found and zipped the installation log file but so far there's no place  to send it.

There are no viruses or malware

Windows Media Player already is installed.

I've run msiexec /unreg

msiexec /regserver

The Windows Installer service is running.

Clearly, no online advice has worked and there are no solutions.

However, I expect that someone will insist that I try something that already has failed.;

While waiting for someone to offer help,  here are other steps that I have taken.

While waiting for anyone to respond to the original message, here are two other alleged solutions that did not work

Ran MSCONFIG and set it for only start up services. Then ran the Windows Live full offline installer and got the identical error failure.

Ran CCleaner twice. Then ran the Windows Live full offline installer and got the identical error failure.

I started Revo Uninstaller. Windows Essentials 2012 does not exist in the add/remove programs list.

I checked Control Panel. Windows Essentials 2012 does not exist in the add/remove programs list.

I've used Regedit to remove all reference to Windows Live. Then ran the Windows Live full offline installer and got the identical error failure.

Still no solution and no response.