Fix the Error: VMware Another Installation Is in Progress

Error: VMware another installation is in progress

When you run a virtual machine in VMware, you will encounter a lot of errors about windows. For example, installing an application is usually a simple and straightforward process, but sometimes certain errors may occur. If you are running Windows 10 and have downloaded a program on your Windows 10 computer, you may encounter this error saying “Error 1500. Another installation is in progress. You must complete that installation before continuing this one”.

As the message points out, all you need to do is check if there are any ongoing processes and then wait for them to complete or terminate them. But many users report that they still get the error even when there are no other actions in progress. In this case, I will introduce how to fix the error of another installation is in progress in VMware.

How to fix: VMware another installation is in progress (4 fixes)

There are several ways to fix the error:

• Stop and restart the Windows Installer service
• Kill the conflicting background processes
• Run SFC (System File Checker) and DISM scans
• Perform a Clean Boot

Fix 1. Stop and restart the Windows Installer service

Windows Installer will start when you try to install a new application. If you install other software while Windows Installer is running, you will encounter this error. You can perform the following operation to fix the error of another installation is in progress in VMware VM.

1. Press Windows + R key to open the Run dialog. Then enter services.msc and click OK.

2. Locate Windows Installer, then right-click it and select Stop >> Start.

Fix 2. Kill the conflicting background processes

If you cannot select the option, you can navigate to Task Manager to close the conflicting background processes first.

1. Open Task Manager.

2. In the Background processer list, locate Windows Installer and click End Task.

3. Close Task Manager wizard, and repeat Way 1 to start Windows Installer.

Fix 3. Run SFC (System File Checker) and DISM scans

1. Open Start menu, and type CMD and right-click on Command Prompt.

2. Select Run as administrator.          

3. Type sfc /scannow into the window and press Enter.

4. Wait for the scan to complete, and then restart your VM.

Some users report that System File Checker (SFC) still cannot repair the damaged system files and still get the “Another installation in progress” error in VMware. You can continue to run the DISM (Deployment Image Servicing and Management) tool.

1. Press Windows key + X, and select Command Prompt (Admin) from the list.

2. Type the following command line and press Enter:

3. After the DISM scan is done, run the SFC scan again. Then restart your VM.

Fix 4. Perform a Clean Boot

1. Press Windows + R and enter msconfig.

2. Navigate to Services in the System Configuration wizard. Check the Hide all Microsoft services box and click Disable all.

3.  Go to Startup and click Open Task Manager. You can see a list of all startup items. Right-click each item on the list and choose Disable manually.

4. Back to System Configuration, click Apply to save changes. Then restart your VM.

There are four fixes of another installation is in progress in VMware VM. As we knew, Windows sometimes may have various errors. You should make a VMware backup to avoid data loss due to system errors, disk corruption, natural disasters, power outages, malware attacks, etc.

Protect VMware from data threat with free tool

In order to safeguard VM data, this part will introduce how to back up VMware ESXi virtual machine with free VMware backup tool - AOMEI Cyber Backup. The professional and free backup software supports both paid and free versions of VMware ESXi including ESXi 6.0-7.0, it automates backup tasks, monitors the status, and sends email notifications if there's an error. You are able to backup your multiple virtual machines with its flexible strategies.

With AOMEI Cyber Backup Free Edition, you can enjoy these features easily.

Perpetual Free: no time limit for AOMEI Cyber Backup Free Edition.
Support Free ESXi: support both paid and free versions of VMware ESXi.
Easy-to-use: backup and restore multiple virtual machines via central console without complicated configuration and reinstallation.
Secure VM Backup: schedule VMware or Hyper-V virtual machine backups and perform hot backup to protect crucial data continuously without human errors.
Instant Disaster Recovery: instantly restore the whole virtual machine to the previous state from any selected history version.
Role-Assignment: allow one administrator to create sub-accounts with limited privilege, effectively reduce administration cost and manual errors.

Please hit the button below to download and use AOMEI Cyber Backup for free:

*You can choose to install this VM backup software on either Windows or Linux system.

Free solution to back up VMware virtual machines:

1. Add devices: download AOMEI Cyber Backup and click Source Device >> VMware >> + Add VMware Device to add VMware vCenter or standalone ESXi host.

2. Create backup task: click Backup Task >> Create New Task.

★ Enter task name and select virtual machines and destination for backup.

★ Schedule: schedule backup as full / incremental / differential backup and specify time to run the backup.

★ After configuring the backup task, review the information and click Start Backup.

3. Restore: click “…” >> Restore to select restoration content and destination.

You can choose to Restore to original location. It allows you to recover your ESXi data easily and quickly. It saves time to recreate or configure ESXi virtual machines.

✍ While the Free Edition covers most of the VM backup needs, you can also upgrade to enjoy:
✦ Batch VM backup & restore: batch backup and restore large numbers of VMs managed by vCenter Server or on standalone ESXi hosts.
✦ Backup Cleanup: Specify retention policy to delete unwanted VM backups automatically, thus saving storage space and cost.
✦ Restore to new location: Easily make a clone of a virtual machine in the same or another datastore/host, without reinstalling or configuring a new VM.

Summary

Then error of another installation is in progress in VMware occurs when you try to install a program at a time when Windows Installer (MSI) is already running. In this article, there are 4 fixes for the error.

Meanwhile, do not forget to backup VMware to avoid data loss and reduce business downtime.