Some users have ran into the frustrating problem of error message 1406 while trying to install third-party software applications on PC’s running Windows (32 or 64 bit).
This includes Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7. Listed below are some of the common Windows error messages related to error 1406:
“error 1406 could not write value buttonname”
“error 1406 could not write value to key clsid”
What make this problem so irritating is that the installation process fails only on some software installs – and the software that fails during the installation process is different for most users. However, it is more common with both Adobe and Microsoft Office products.
So what causes “Error 1406”?
The main cause is when the software installer you are running tries to update the registry (which most software needs to be able to do) and either crashes or does not have the right user permissions to change registry keys which results in error 1406.
Possible Solutions to Error 1406
- Clean your Windows registry using a recommended registry cleaner. You should always keep your registry clean running the software about once a month.
- Try to install the problem software under an “Administrator” Windows user account. This can sometimes override the “permission” based registry 1406 error.
- The fixes for error 1406 are limited, so if the above steps do not work, you will need to backup your important files and reinstall Windows on your computer.
