Installer error 2503 "Called RunScript when not marked in progress": how to fix it

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Error 2503 is a Windows Installer (MSI) error that usually appears together with error 2502. It means the installer could not set up its install session, most often because it ran without administrator rights and could not write to a system folder. Running the installer as administrator fixes it in many cases; if not, re-register Windows Installer and check folder permissions.

Applies to:WindowsWindows (MSI-based installers)
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What it means

Error 2503 reads "Called RunScript when not marked in progress." Windows Installer (msiexec) shows it while a program is being installed, uninstalled or repaired. A second message normally follows: error 2502, "Called InstallFinalize when no install in progress." After that the installer stops.

Both messages say the same thing: the installer tried to run or finish its install script, but no installation had been marked as running. In practice it could not set up that "in progress" state, usually because it could not write a file it needed. Microsoft's error table lists only the message text and gives no cause or fix, so the steps below come from a Windows administrator's analysis and a software vendor's knowledge base, not from an official Microsoft procedure.

Symptoms and causes

You are likely dealing with this problem if:

  • A dialog says "Error 2503: Called RunScript when not marked in progress" during install, uninstall or repair.
  • A second dialog follows: "Error 2502: Called InstallFinalize when no install in progress."
  • The installer then closes without finishing.

The usual causes, most common first:

Installer not running with administrator rights
If the installer runs as a standard user, msiexec may be unable to create a temporary file in C:\Windows\Temp. A Process Monitor trace in one analysis showed an "access denied" at that point. That author blames the vendor's MSI package for not requesting elevation properly.
Wrong permissions on system folders
PDF-XChange names permissions on the Windows Temp folder (C:\Windows\Temp) as a cause. Its own fix, though, is to give SYSTEM and Administrators Full Control of C:\Windows\Installer, so the link between that fix and the cause is weak. A forum report says changing Installer permissions alone did not help.
Damaged Windows Installer service or registry problems
PDF-XChange lists a corrupt Windows Installer service and registry problems as possible causes.
Malware or conflicting software
PDF-XChange mentions malware and incompatible third-party software as possible causes. Treat this as less likely.

How to fix it

Work through these in order. They start with the quickest, safest checks and move to deeper repairs; stop as soon as the problem is gone.

1.Run the installer as administrator

Easy

The best-documented cause is a missing write permission for a standard-rights process. Elevating avoids it.

  1. For an .exe installer, right-click it and choose Run as administrator.
  2. For an .msi file, open Command Prompt as administrator (search for it, right-click, Run as administrator) and run msiexec with the full path to your package.
    Command Promptrun as administrator
    msiexec /i "C:\path\package.msi"

2.Re-register Windows Installer

Easy

Targets a damaged Windows Installer service (method from PDF-XChange).

  1. Open Command Prompt as administrator (search for it, right-click, Run as administrator) and run the first command.
    Command Promptrun as administrator
    msiexec /unreg
  2. In the same window, run the second command. Neither command prints a confirmation, so a silent return to the prompt is normal.
    Command Promptrun as administrator
    msiexec /regserver
  3. Restart the PC and retry the installation.

3.Check permissions on C:\Windows\Installer

ModerateChanges settings

PDF-XChange's manual fix: if SYSTEM or Administrators lack Full Control here, installs can fail. A forum report says this alone did not help in every case.

Before you start: Only add the missing permissions; do not remove existing entries. Note the original settings (a screenshot works) before changing anything.

  1. In File Explorer, turn on the display of hidden files and turn off Hide protected operating system files (confirm the prompt) so the folder is visible.
  2. Right-click C:\Windows\Installer, choose Properties > Security > Edit.
  3. Make sure SYSTEM and Administrators both have Full control, apply, then restart and retry. Afterwards, restore the hidden-file settings you changed.

4.Temporarily give your account write access to C:\Windows\Temp

AdvancedChanges settings

Targets the cause found in the Process Monitor trace, for cases where the package cannot be run elevated.

Before you start: Add a separate entry for your own account only; do not edit the Users group. Remove the entry after the install, because this loosens a system folder.

  1. Right-click C:\Windows\Temp > Properties > Security > Edit > Add, and add your own user account with write permission.
  2. Run the installer, then return to the same dialog and remove the entry you added.

5.Scan for malware

Easy

PDF-XChange lists malware as a possible cause.

  1. Run a full scan with your installed security software, then retry the install.

Check that it worked

  • The installer or uninstaller completes without showing 2503 or 2502.
  • The program is present after an install, or gone after an uninstall.

If it still fails

  • Contact the software vendor and tell them about both 2503 and 2502. One analysis considers the MSI package itself at fault when it does not elevate properly, so a corrected installer may be needed.
  • Microsoft's error table gives only the message text, with no troubleshooting steps, so there is no official procedure to follow beyond the vendor's own support.

Questions

Do 2502 and 2503 mean two different problems?

No. They normally appear together and describe the same failure: the install session was never marked as running.

Does this happen on Windows 11?

The sources don't name specific Windows versions, and Microsoft's error table is version-neutral. Whether Windows 11 behaves differently was not confirmed.

Sources

  1. Windows Installer Error MessagesOfficial · Microsoft Learn
  2. Windows Installer errors 2503 / 2502 "Called RunScript when not marked in progress…" · Helge Klein
  3. 561 Installer Error 2502 or 2503 · PDF-XChange

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