How to Fix the “Windows Might Be Installed in an Unsupported Directory” Error


Installing Windows is a very straightforward process and usually poses zero issues. However, sometimes you may experience errors that can interfere with the installation process. One such error that leaves users puzzled is the “Windows might be installed in an unsupported directory” error.

Unlike other Windows installation errors, this appears when the Windows app folder is specified incorrectly or when its not present in its default location. In this guide, we’ll see all the fixes you can try if the system displays this error.


What Causes the “Windows Might Be Installed in an Unsupported Directory” Error?

As aforementioned, the error message mainly appears when the Windows app folder is specified incorrectly or when you have changed its location. But there are several more reasons that can be responsible for the cause. Let’s check them out first before diving into the fixes.

  1. You might encounter this error during the Windows installation process if you have misconfigured Registry settings.
  2. Third-party antivirus programs can interfere with the installation process and cause the issue.
  3. The unsupported directory error can also appear if you try to use a corrupted or pirated Windows ISO file.


Now, check out all the working fixes to eliminate the error message.

1. Use the Windows Update Troubleshooter

Windows Update troubleshooter is a built-in utility that diagnoses and resolves installation and update issues. You can run the Windows Update troubleshooter by performing the following:

  1. Press the Win key to open the Start menu.
  2. In the search bar, type Troubleshoot settings and press Enter.

  3. Choose the Other troubleshooters option.
  4. Locate Windows Update and click on the Run button associated with it. The utility will start scanning your device now.

  5. Once the scan is complete, the troubleshooter will show you the result. If any problems are found, it will present you with potential solutions. In that case, click the Apply this fix button to continue.

You can also try other Windows utilities to detect the culprits behind the installation issue and fix them without much user input. One of the most useful Windows diagnostic tools is the System File Checker, which will detect and repair corrupt system files.

2. Change the Location of the Users Folder

When Windows installs itself on a PC, it tries to back up the Users folder it finds on your PC. If you have changed the location of the Users folder, it trips Windows up and gives you this error message.

In this situation, you’ll have to move the Users folder back to its original place. To do this, follow the below steps.

  1. Open File Explorer, and navigate to where you have moved the Users folder.
  2. Right-click on the Users folder, and choose Cut from the context menu.
  3. Open the root directory of your OS drive, and press Ctrl + V hotkeys to paste the folder.

That’s it. Try to install the Windows again and check if you still encounter the problem.

3. Edit the Windows Registry to Troubleshoot the Error

The next solution to try is to make changes to the Registry Editor. The installation process will fail if the installation wizard fails to locate the Windows program directories. This mainly happens when the Program Files folder has been moved to an unidentified location.

You’ll have to move the Program Files folder back to its default location to solve the problem. Here’s how to do it:

Before proceeding, don’t forget to back up the registry to have a restore point if something goes wrong.

  1. Open the Run dialog box, type Regeditand press Enter.
  2. In the Registry Editor, click on the address bar, paste the following location, and press Enter.
    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersion
  3. When you are at the location, locate and double-click on ProgramFilesDir at the right-pane of the screen.
  4. Changed the Value data to OS Drive:Program Files. In my case, it’s C:Program Files.

  5. Click OK to save the changes.

Now reboot the system and check if the problem continues.

4. Change the Startup Type of Windows Update’s Components

Regardless of if you’re updating or re-installing Windows, both processes depend on Windows Update’s components. Therefore, it’s a good idea to double-check that these components work correctly.


To do this, you must change their startup types to automatic. You can do this by following the below instructions.

  1. Open the Run dialog box, type services, and press Enter.
  2. Locate and double-click on Windows Update.
  3. Change the Startup type to Automatic.

  4. Click on Apply > OK.

Next, repeat the above steps with these services: Background Intelligent Transfer Service, Cryptographic Servicesand TrustInstaller.

5. Temporarily Disable Your Antivirus Program

Sometimes an overzealous antivirus program can interfere with the installation process and cause this error. The solution, in this case, is to temporarily the antivirus program.

You can usually right-click on the application icon in the system tray and choose to disable it from the context menu. If you use Microsoft Defender as your security program, check out our guide on disabling Defender on Windows.

6. Download an ISO File From the Microsoft Offical Website

If you are trying to install Windows using an ISO file, make sure you downloaded it from the Microsoft official website. There are a lot of third-party websites that offer Windows ISO files, but most of them are either corrupt or throw issues upon installation .

So, download the correct Windows ISO from Microsoft and try using that file to complete the installation instead.

7. Reset the Windows Update Components

If you are still facing the problem, there is likely corruption within the Windows Update components that’s causing you grief. To resolve this, you will have to reset the Windows Update components:

  1. Open the Start menu, type CMD and Run as administrator from the right pane.
  2. Type the following command and press Enter. It’ll stop all the Windows Update components.
    net stop wuauserv
    net stop cryptSvc
    net stop bits
    net stop msiserver
  3. Type the following command and press Enter. It’ll reset the SoftwareDistribution and catroot2 folder.
    ren C:WindowsSoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.old
    ren C:WindowsSystem32catroot2 Catroot2.old
  4. To start all the Windows Update components again, type the following command and press Enter.
    net start wuauserv
    net start cryptSvc
    net start bits
    net start msiserver

Install Windows Again Without Any Issue

We hope the above solutions helped fix the “Windows might be installed in an unsupported directory” error. But in the worst-case scenario, if the problem still appears, consider resetting Windows.




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Jorge Oliveira

https://www.linkedin.com/in/marketing-online-ireland/ https://muckrack.com/jorge_oliveira

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