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Error 1603 or Error 3: There was a problem installing Flash Player

When installing QuickBooks, one of the following errors occurs:

Error 1603: There was a problem installing Flash Player.
Error 3: There was a problem installing Flash Player.

How to fix it

Important: These troubleshooting steps may help resolve your issue. They focus on the Windows operating system, which is not an Intuit product. Intuit recommends if you are not comfortable doing these steps on your own, you can find expert assistance by consulting your computer's manufacturer or a Windows expert. If the difficulty persists after performing these steps, contact your computer's manufacturer, Adobe support, or Microsoft.

Verify that Adobe Flash Player is installed:
1. On your keyboard, press Windows + E to open the Computer window.
  - Windows 8: Click Computer at the top of the Computer window.
2. Click Uninstall or change a program.
  - Windows XP: Click Start > Programs > Control Panel > Add or Remove Programs.
3. Scan the list and see if Adobe Flash Player is installed.
Uninstall Adobe Flash Player:
1. On your keyboard, press Windows + E to open the Computer window.
  - Windows 8: Click Computer at the top of the Computer window.
2. Click Uninstall or change a program.
  - Windows XP: Click Start > Programs > Control Panel > Add or Remove Programs.
3. Select Adobe Flash Player.
4. Click the Remove button.
If Adobe Flash Player has been uninstalled or is not listed, download and install the latest version of Adobe Flash Player from Adobe's web site.

QuickBooks 2005 only: Cannot install Flash Player 7

If you have Adobe Flash Player 7 or later installed on your computer, or if the previous steps did not resolve the issue, follow the steps below:

Steps to install from the QuickBooks CD

Insert the QuickBooks installation CD (if you downloaded the QuickBooks installation files please see the alternative steps given below).
Close any installation screen that displays automatically.
On your keyboard, press Windows + E to open the Computer window.
Browse to find and open the contents of the CD drive.
Open the QBooks folder on the CD and double-click the QuickBooks.msi file. This will install QuickBooks without checking the version of Flash Player.

Note: If you do not see the .msi file extension, your Explorer window is probably configured to Hide extensions for known file types. You can still select the QuickBooks.msi file because it is the only file in the QBooks folder named "QuickBooks," and you will also see Windows Installer Package in the Type column next to the QuickBooks file name.

Steps for downloaded versions of QuickBooks

On your keyboard, press Windows + R to open the Run window.
Type %temp% into the run line.
Locate the Pro or Premier folder in the Temp folder, open the QBooks folder, and then double-click the QuickBooks.msi file. This will install QuickBooks without checking the version of Flash.

Note: The quickbooks.msi installer will not work in a QuickBooks Trial version.

If this solution does not resolve the issue, you can read discussions and post messages and questions relating to your issue on the Intuit QuickBooks Community site for free, or you can contact a technical support agent for additional guidance. Fees may apply.