When installing or updating applications like the .NET Framework, Adobe Acrobat, or Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable, you might see the error message: “The Temp folder is on a drive that is full or is inaccessible,” along with error codes 1632 or 0x80070660. This post explains this problem and provides solutions.
The Temp folder is on a driver that is full or is inaccessible. Free up space on the driver or verify that you have write permission on the Temp folder.
Change the location of the Temp Folder
A Temp (temporary) folder in Windows is used by the operating system and applications to store temporary files. You can change the Temp folder’s location by re-assigning the environmental variable.
Step 1: Open Start Search by pressing Win + S, type "Environmental Variable", and press Enter.
Step 2: In the Advanced tab, click the Environmental Variable option.
Step 3: In the Environment Variables window, find the "TEMP" and "TMP" variables under the "User variables" and "System variables" sections.
Step 4: Change the variable values to a folder on a different drive with enough space.
Once done, run the installer again to see if that helps.
Make some space in your drive
Your temp folder is usually on the C drive. If the drive is full, you will encounter this issue.
Step 1: Use the Disk Cleanup Tool to delete junk files.
Step 2: Invoke the tool by searching Disk Cleanup from the Start Menu, selecting the C drive, and then listing the files you can delete to make room.
Additionally, you can use Storage Sense to scan and clear out redundant files from your computer.
You can also delete the content of the Temp folder.
Step 1: Open Run by pressing Win + R, type "%temp%", and then press Enter.
Step 2: Delete all the folder’s content.
If you get a message stating that a file is being used:
Step 1: Open the Task Manager.
Step 2: Kill all the processes.
Step 3: Delete the files in the Temp folder.
Create a new Installer folder
There might be an issue with the %windir%/Installer folder. Rename it and create a new Installer folder inside the same directory.
Step 1: Open the Command Prompt as an administrator.
Step 2: Run the following command to stop the misserver.
net stop msiserver
Step 3: Run the command mentioned below to rename the Installer.
ren %windir%\Installer Installer.old
Step 4: Create a new directory called Installer.
mkdir %windir%\Installer
Step 5: Restart the msiserver.
net start msiserver
Once done, check if the issue is resolved.
If you can’t find the Installer folder:
Step 1: Go to C:\Windows.
Step 2: Right-click on an empty space, select New > Folder, and name it Installer.
Make sure that you have the full control of the Temp folder
Check if the user trying to install the program has full control of the Temp folder.
Step 1: Right-click on the Temp folder.
Step 2: Select Properties.
Step 3: Go to the Security tab.
Step 4: Check if the Full Control option for that user is checked.
If it is not checked:
Step 1: Select the user.
Step 2: Click on Edit.
Step 3: Check the box associated with Full Control.
Repair the installation
If you encounter this issue when updating a program, try to repair the installed instance of the program.
Step 1: Open Windows Settings by pressing Win + I.
Step 2: Go to Apps > Installed apps.
Step 3: Search for the program you’re trying to repair, click on the three dots, and click on Change.
Step 4: Select Repair when prompted and wait for the program to repair.
Get a fresh copy of the program
The program’s installation media may be corrupted. If all else fails, try to get a fresh copy of the program.
Hopefully, these solutions will help you resolve the issue.
How do I free up space on my Temp folder?
Cleaning up the Temp folder is simple.
Step 1: Open Run (Win + R).
Step 2: Type "%temp%", and press Enter.
Step 3: Once the File Explorer window opens, select everything using Ctrl + A, and press Delete.
If you get a pop-up stating that any of the files are being used, close all the programs running on the system except Explorer and do the same again.
Is it safe to delete temp files in c:\windows\temp?
Yes, it is generally safe to delete temporary files in the C:\Windows\Temp folder. These files are created by the operating system and applications to store temporary data. Over time, they can accumulate and take up valuable disk space. Deleting these files can help free up space and improve your computer’s performance. However, make sure to close any open applications before deleting temp files, as some files might be in use. If you’re unsure, you can restart your computer and then delete the files. It’s a good practice to clean the temp folder periodically to keep your system running smoothly.
By following these steps, you should be able to fix the “Temp folder is on a drive that is full or inaccessible” error and successfully install or update your applications.