"Invalid Drive X:\" install errors

While upgrading or uninstalling a Windows software package (such as iTunes for Windows or QuickTime for Windows), you may receive the following error message:

Invalid Drive X:\

... where the red X:\ could be any drive letter (F, H, J, or so on.) Usually you won't actually have a drive with that particular drive letter on your system.

Typically, this is caused by a problem with an installer database entry for a component for the software package. The installer database believes that the component is on the X:\ drive. When your Windows Installer goes to remove that component from the X:\ drive while uninstalling the existing version of the software and doesn't find any drive there at all it gets horribly confused and you get the "Invalid Drive" message.

If that is what is afoot with your "Invalid Drive X:\" message, here are a couple of possible resolutions for the problem. If at all possible, attempt resolution 1 prior to trying resolution 2.

1. Temporarily add an X:\
drive to your system.
2. Use the Windows Installer CleanUp utility to clear the installation database for the software you're getting the Invalid Drive X:\ message with.

1. Temporarily add an X:\
drive to your system.

So long as you actually have an X:\ drive on your system, your Windows Installer will typically remain relatively calm during the uninstall of the existing software (even if it can't find the component it was looking for on the drive in question). So one way of getting past an "Invalid drive X:\" message is to temporarily add an X:\ drive to your system.

An easy way to create the missing drive X: (thanks to turingtest2)

Open a Windows Command prompt, e.g. Hit Start > Run, type in CMD and press OK.
Type in SUBST X: C:\<enter>

This will map X: to C: until the machine is restarted or you enter SUBST X: /D at the command prompt. Now you can try uninstalling or upgrading the software again. (If upgrading the software, install the software in the default location, not on the X:\ drive.)

Otherwise, you will need an external hard drive, a thumb drive, an iPod in manual mode, or any other storage device that appears as a hard drive in "My Computer" (on Windows XP) or "Computer" (on Windows Vista or Windows 7).

Connect the drive to your computer. (If you are using an iPod, and iTunes for Windows launches, quit iTunes.) Open My Computer (on Windows XP) or Computer (on Windows Vista or Windows 7). Check to see what drive letter has been assigned to the drive.

If the drive letter for the drive you added matches the drive letter being given in the "Invalid Drive X:\" message, try uninstalling or upgrading the software again. (If upgrading the software, install the software in the default location, not on the X:\ drive.)

If the drive letter for the drive you added does not match the drive letter being given in the "Invalid Drive X:\" message, try using Disk Management to change the drive letter of the drive you added so that it does match the drive letter being given in the "Invalid Drive X:\" message.

(1) In your Start menu, right-click My Computer (on XP) or Computer (on Vista or 7), and select Manage.
(2) In Computer Management, click Disk Management.
(3) Right-click the drive you attached to your computer and select Change Drive Letters and Paths ...
(4) Click Change ...
(5) In the drop-down menu, select the letter that appears in your "Invalid Drive X:\" error message.
(6) Click OK.
(7) In the dialog box that comes up, click Yes.
(8) Close Computer Management.
(9) Try uninstalling or upgrading the software again. (If upgrading the software, install the software in the default location, not on the X:\ drive.)

2. Use the Windows Installer CleanUp utility to clear the installation database for the software you're getting the Invalid Drive X:\ message with.

If it isn't feasible to add a drive to your system, you can also get past an "Invalid Drive X:\" error message by using the Windows Installer CleanUp utility.

(1) Click here first, and read the important information about the utility.
(2) Click the Download the Windows Installer Cleanup Utility package now link on that page to download a file titled msicuu2.exe.
(3) Open the msicuu2.exe file and follow the prompts to install it.
(4) In your Start menu click All Programs and then click Windows Install Clean Up. The Windows Installer CleanUp utility window appears, listing software that is currently installed on your computer.
(5) Select the software you're getting the "Invalid Drive X:\" message for from the list and click Remove.
(6) Click OK in the confirmation dialog that appears.
(7) If you have multiple entries for the software you're getting the "Invalid Drive X:\" message for, repeat steps 5 and 6 for the other entries for the software.
(8) Click Exit.
(9) Restart the computer.

If you were getting the "Invalid Drive X:\" message when trying to upgrade software, now try reinstalling the latest version of the software.

If you were getting the "Invalid Drive X:\" message when just trying to uninstall software, program files for the software in question will remain on the PC after it has been removed by the Windows Installer CleanUp utility. If you want to remove leftover program files, check in at the appropriate forum at Apple Discussions and ask which files can be safely removed.

This is the 1st version of this tip. It was submitted on June 1, 2010 by b noir.