The feature you are trying to use is on a network resource that is unavailable Windows 11

You can install a variety of free and paid software on Windows. But what happens when you are trying to run an installer and it does nothing? Like every time you try to run the installer, the only message that you get from Windows is that the resource file is unavailable. This can be annoying, especially when you download the installer or setup multiple times. Worry not, as there is a fix for these kinds of issues. Let’s take a look at how to fix the feature you are trying to use is on a network resource that is unavailable (Windows 11 and Windows 10).

While such an error shows up, the best that you can actually do is to click on retry to force the installer to restart its installation process. But it just keeps repeating the same thing over and over again. This really gets super annoying and you feel like the best solution is to perform a factory reset of your Windows OS. But what if we had solutions for you to fix the installer issue instead of taking the long time-consuming route of resetting your PC? Read on to know the various kinds of troubleshooting methods to fix this issue.

Method 1: Download Installer to Different Location

Now, you might have been downloading the same setup file so many times, and every time You tried to install it, it simply didn’t work. So, the next best thing you can do is either to download the file from another source on a different system altogether or, you could download the file on your Android device and then upload it to your cloud storage drive and then download it to your PC. Using this method should work just fine. However, if it doesn’t work yet, you can go ahead and try the next troubleshooting method.

Method 2: Check If Windows Installer Service is Running or Not

The next best thing you can do is to check and see if the service that helps to uninstall programs on your Windows PC is running or not. This is an important service and without this service running, you will keep having issues with installing almost anything. Follow the steps below to ensure that the Windows installer service is running perfectly on your Windows PC.

Method 3: Make Changes in the Registry Editor

Now, in this step, we will be getting rid of a few registry keys which might be causing your installer to not run. Do not worry, deleting these keys will not harm the regular functioning of your system. Let’s get started.

Method 4: Use the Troubleshooter

The best and final troubleshooting method to fix this type of issue is to make use of a tool that is from Microsoft itself. This is a simple, free, and easy-to-use tool that will surely get your installers working and running. Here is how you can use this method.

Conclusion

And there you have it. Four different ways that you can follow to fix the problem with installers on your windows PC. Do note that you can use these methods not only on your Windows 10 PC but also on your Windows 11 PC. Let us know in the comments which of the methods actually worked the best for you.

Also Check:

• How to Always Show Scrollbars on Windows 11 [Two Easy Ways]
• 14 Best Windows 11 Themes for Desktop (Free)
• How to Uncombine Taskbar Icons on Windows 11 [Guide]

By Joshua D'souza

Enjoys games, 90's hip-hop, and tech. Loves exploring the infinite world of laptops and food. Every ready to provide assistance in anything that rocks his boat. Will gladly enjoy capturing memories through various lenses. Worked previously at PiunikaWeb as an author and researcher.

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A common issue while installing a program on your Windows PC is receiving an error message after you run the program installer – The feature you are trying to use is on a network resource that is unavailable, Click OK to try again or enter an alternate path to a folder containing the installation package. This error prohibits you from both installing and uninstalling programs, but is more prominent during installation. Here are some steps that could help you resolve the issue.

To start with, ensure that the Windows Installer service is running before proceeding to the steps mentioned below. You can open the services window by typing services.msc in the Run box to open Services Manager and ensuring that the Service is started.

If it is already started, follow these troubleshooting steps.

1] Run Program Install and Uninstall troubleshooter

Run the Program Install and Uninstall Troubleshooter. It is a replacement for Windows Installer Cleanup Utility.

2] Troubleshoot in Clean Boot State

Perform a Clean Boot on the system and see if you are able to install successfully or if you still receive the error.

3] Check Registry

If the 2 steps above don’t work, a manual registry fix suggested on Microsoft Answers could be tried. But please create a system restore point first.

• Open the Run box, type regedit, and press Enter. This will open the Registry Editor.
• Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\Installer\Products
• Expand the Products registry key and search for “Microsoft Security Client.” It would be a sub-branch of the main Products directory. You may have to search for it.
• After navigating to the link that is given above, the Products registry key (registry keys are organizational units like file folders but exist in windows registry and store configuration information) needs to be ‘expanded’ and you are likely to see some prolonged and unfamiliar sub-keys hereafter.

Use Product Name registry string (REG_SZ) to identify which program this sub-key belongs to, as it is given for each of the sub-keys in the corresponding right window pane.

This would land on the correct sub-key for the program with which you’re having problems. Once you are able to identify the correct subkey, select Backup after right-clicking on it. Save the registry file with .reg extension, in case it is required in the future or on any other occasion.

Finally, right-click on the same sub-key and you will find a lot of alternatives, but be sure that you click on Delete and then click OK in the confirmation box.

Reboot the system and re-run the installer.

What does Network Resource mean?

Any device, folder, a computer that is available on the Local Network, and can be accessed by another PC or the user is a network resource. In Enterprises, Network Virtualization is used to effectively manage network resources.

If none of the fixes mentioned above work, the program installer might have an issue in itself. Maybe you want to download the installer to a different location and see if it helps.