800A0046 (Permission Denied) Error Fix – “Windows Installer” Repair

The 800A0046 (Permission Denied) error is a runtime error that is associated with the .ASP file. This error happens on occasions when you attempt to install Windows Installer Cleanup Utility in Windows Vista and the User Account Control (UAC) option in your PC is enabled.

What Causes the 800A0046 Error?

800A0046 will be typically displayed in this format:

Script: C:\Users\Ramesh\AppData\Local\Temp\IXP000.TMP\StartMsi.vbs

Line: 17

Char: 1

Error: Permission denied

Code: 800A0046

Source: Microsoft VBScript runtime error

This error typically occurs whenever you try to install Windows Installer Cleanup Utility in Windows Vista and the User Account Control (UAC) in your system is enabled. This system error can also surface when the Windows Installer Cleanup Utility’s setup script (StartMSI.vbs) in your system tries to move the extracted files to C:\Program Files\MSECache\WICU3 in the Temporary folder. This tutorial will teach you the steps on how you can resolve this error.

How To Fix The 800A0046 Error

Step 1 – Disable UAC (User Account Control)

You need to disable the User Account Control in Windows to install the Windows Installer Cleanup Utility. Follow these steps to do so:

Click on Start then select Run

On the blank box that will appear, type MSCONFIG

Next select the Tools tab then locate the command Disable UAC

Click on the Launch button

Afterwards, a CMD window will appear on your screen.  Wait for the command to finish then close the window.

Close MSCONFIG then refresh the settings in your PC by rebooting your computer.

Step 2 – Use Windows Installer Cleanup Utility

Download The Windows Installer Cleanup Utility here

Another way to resolve this error is to install Windows Installer Cleanup Utility in your PC as the administrator.   You can do this by following the steps that are outlined below. Doing so will give you the require permissions needed for Windows to run the files it needs to carry out a successful installation.

Install the program as administrator in your PC by right clicking on msicuu2.exe (set-up file) then select Run as Administrator.

Supply appropriate information if the program asks for administrator password

Step 3 – Clean Out the Registry

• Download This Registry Cleaner

The registry is another big cause of the 800A0046 error.  This section in your computer is essential to the operation of your PC since all hardware and software applications use the processing information stored here.  Unfortunately, a lot of the files that are kept here are also useless.  This is due to several reasons, such as programs leaving leftover files in the registry after you have uninstalled them from your PC.

Another reason will be cookies that place worthless extension settings in this sector of your system.  Collectively these useless extension settings serve to just slow your PC down, causing crashes to occur and errors to surface.  This is the reason why you need to periodically clean your registry.  However, it is not recommended that you do this on your own as some important files may be accidentally deleted in the process.  For this reason, it is advisable that you use an automated registry cleaner for this purpose.