Error message - The system administrator has set policies to prevent this installation

When the message "The system administrator has set policies to prevent this installation" displays, a particular Local Security Policy setting may be preventing you from running installations involving MSI files.

Due to increasingly restrictive security settings and changing antivirus applications, some users have difficulty installing when they are using WinZip EXE files, typically named something similar to winzipxxx.exe. These files are self-extracting Zip files. When you run a WinZip EXE file, it extracts a WinZip MSI file and it might extract other optional offers to the Temp folder. Installs are then run from that folder. In some cases, you can correct the issue by downloading the appropriate MSI file directly and using that to install.

Please try the following:

1. Open Alternative Download Links
2. Download and Save the appropriate winzipxxx.msi file
3. When downloaded, right click winzipxxx.msi and choose Properties
4. In the Properties dialog, click Unblock
5. Double click winzipxxx.msi to begin installing WinZip

User Account Control

It may be that User Account Control is involved in the issue. Temporarily turning User Account Control off may allow you to install. To do this:

1. Click Start
2. Begin typing User Account Control
3. When you see Change User Account Control settings in your search results, click that
   
4. In User Account Control Settings, drag the slider to the bottom and click OK
   
5. Restart the computer for the change to go into effect

After turning User Account Control off, you should try installing again. If this does not eliminate the error, the Local Security Policy setting may need to be edited. With some operating systems, you can open the Group Policy Editor to do this (gpedit.msc). If you open this editor, in the left pane you will need to expand Computer Configuration, then Administrative Templates, then Windows Components, and finally you will need to click on Windows Installer. Now in the right pane you will need to double click Disable Windows Installer and change the setting from Enabled to Disabled.

With operating systems that are Home versions the Group Policy Editor is not available which would require you to edit the policy in the Registry. Here are steps for editing the registry:

1. On the keyboard, press (the Windows key)+R to open Run
2. In the Run dialog type: regedit and click OK (this opens the registry editor)
3. Click Yes in the User Account Control dialog (if necessary)
4. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Installer
5. Right click DisableMSI (right pane), choose Modify, and change the value to 0
6. Close the Registry Editor

If you have any questions about this information, please submit a Technical Support ticket.