Fix “Bitdefender Installation failed” or “Setup has encountered an error”

If you receive one of the error messages “Bitdefender Installation failed” or “Setup has encountered an error” while trying to install Bitdefender on a Windows computer, follow the troubleshooting steps below.

1. Remove Old Bitdefender Versions

Use the Bitdefender uninstall tool to remove any trace of previous Bitdefender versions from your PC:

• Download the Bitdefender uninstall tool from this page.
• Run the tool corresponding to your Bitdefender version and follow the on-screen instructions.
• Restart your computer once the tool completes its process.

2. Remove Other Security Solutions

• To uninstall any other antivirus or security software, follow the steps outlined in the article How to Uninstall or Remove Apps and Programs in Windows.
• Afterward, restart your computer.
• If the uninstall encounters errors, use the dedicated removal tool available here – Uninstall tools for major Antivirus software.

3. Clean Up System Files

• Run Disk Cleanup to clean unnecessary files and the remains of previous security software – How to run Disk Cleanup.

4. Retry the Bitdefender installation

• Now download and install the latest version of Bitdefender from your Bitdefender account – How to install your Bitdefender security solution on Windows.

5. Use System File Checker (SFC)

• If the installation error persists, use the Microsoft System File Checker tool (SFC) to repair missing or corrupted files – How to run System File Checker.

6. Check Disk Integrity

• Use the Check Disk tool to check the integrity of disks and correct certain types of common errors – How to run a Disk Check.

7. Update Windows

Perform all the Windows updates (make sure you have the latest Service Pack installed). Learn how to check for Windows updates or follow the steps below.

• Go to Start > Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update.
• Click Check for updates and install any available updates.
• Restart your computer if needed.

8. Set Permissions for Bitdefender folders

Follow the steps below to manually set permissions for Bitdefender installation folders:

• C:\Program Files\Common Files\Bitdefender\SetupInformation\
• C:\Program Files\Common Files\Bitdefender
• C:\Program Files\Bitdefender

Create Required Folder:

• • Open the folder C:\Program Files\Common Files\
  • If the Bitdefender folder doesn’t exist, create it:
    • Right-click inside the Common Files folder, select New > Folder, and name it Bitdefender
  •  Inside the Bitdefender folder, create another folder named SetupInformation
  • Now you will have the folder C:\Program Files\Common Files\Bitdefender\SetupInformation\

Set Folder Permissions:

• • Right-click on the SetupInformation folder and select Properties.

• • Go to the Security tab and click the Edit button.

• • In the Group or user names section, select your Windows username.
  • After selecting your username, check the Allow box next to Full control. This will set the correct Windows permissions for the C:\Program Files\Common Files\Bitdefender\SetupInformation folder.

Repeat for these Bitdefender folders:

• • Also set permissions for these two Bitdefender folders:
    • C:\Program Files\Common Files\Bitdefender
    • C:\Program Files\Bitdefender (create this folder manually if it doesn’t exist)

• • Right-click on each Bitdefender folder within the specified folders, choose Properties, and follow the same steps above to allow full control to your Windows username.

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Once you’ve granted full permissions on all these folders, restart your computer, run the Bitdefender installer again and check if the issue is resolved.